Queenstown to the Glaciers and Back: A 5-Day Campervan Itinerary

Quick summary: From Queenstown, the West Coast glaciers make a superb five-day campervan round trip. Drive north to Wānaka and over the Haast Pass to the coast, spend two nights at Fox Glacier and Franz Josef with time for a heli-hike or flight, then return over the pass to Wānaka and Queenstown. It’s around 750 km, and the Haast Pass, one of the South Island’s most beautiful roads, looks completely different in each direction from a campervan or motorhome.

At a glance
Length	5 days, 4 nights
Start and finish	Queenstown loop
Total driving	Around 750 km
Nights at the glaciers	Two, at Fox Glacier and Franz Josef
Longest day	Around 285 km, Franz Josef to Wānaka
Highlights	The Haast Pass, Lake Matheson, a heli-hike or flight, Wānaka

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Day 1: Queenstown to Haast (around 210–255 km)

Collect the campervan and drive to Wānaka over the Crown Range or via Cromwell. Continue along Lakes Hāwea and Wānaka to Makarora, and over the Haast Pass, stopping at the Blue Pools and Thunder Creek Falls. Stay the night in Haast. See Queenstown to the glaciers.

Day 2: Haast to Fox Glacier (around 120 km)

Drive north along the coast past Ship Creek, Knights Point and Lake Paringa to Fox Glacier. Walk around Lake Matheson in the late afternoon. See Fox Glacier by campervan.

Day 3: Fox Glacier to Franz Josef (around 25 km)

Take a heli-hike, snow-landing flight or skydive from Fox in the morning, then drive to Franz Josef in the afternoon, walk the glacier valley and soak in the hot pools. See glacier experiences.

Day 4: Franz Josef to Wānaka (around 285 km)

Your spare morning at Franz Josef: if yesterday’s flight was cancelled, try again here. Then drive back south over the Haast Pass to Wānaka for the night, with time for a lakefront walk.

Day 5: Wānaka to Queenstown (around 70–115 km)

Return to Queenstown and drop off the vehicle, with a stop at Arrowtown or the Gibbston Valley on the way.

Is the return drive over the Haast Pass in an RV worth it?

Yes. The views are different in each direction, and the pass is never dull. If you’d rather not drive the same road twice, consider a one-way trip from Queenstown north via the glaciers to Greymouth or Christchurch, crossing Arthur’s Pass instead. See Christchurch to Queenstown via the glaciers, which works in reverse.

How can you change the trip?

• Add a night at Franz Josef for a second glacier morning and a kayak on Lake Mapourika.
• Shorten Day 4 by stopping overnight at Haast or Makarora.
• Skip the drive altogether with a glacier transfer or tour from Queenstown. See Queenstown glacier transfers.

What should you know before you go?

• Fill up with fuel in Wānaka, as services are limited at Haast.
• Check road conditions, as slips can close the Haast Pass after heavy rain.
• Book Day 3’s experience early, and keep Day 4’s morning as a back-up.

See our guides to weather and spare days and driving the West Coast.

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Frequently Asked Questions