Taking a 5-year-old on an 11-day self-driving trip to New Zealand's South Island! Travel itinerary

At the end of November, I did something very brave—flying alone with my 5-year-old son to the Southern Hemisphere to complete an 11-day self-driving tour of New Zealand's South Island. 🍃 Many people asked: Will it be troublesome with such a young child on the road? Will it be exhausting? But along the way, from Shanghai to Christchurch, from the starry sky of Tekapo to the lonely tree in Wanaka, from the seals in Kaikoura to the dusk in Queenstown... All the "tiredness" was healed by the vastness before us and the child's laughter. 📅 Here’s a share of our 11-day itinerary: Day 1: Shanghai✈️Auckland✈️Christchurch Adjusting to the time difference and adapting to the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, Christchurch is really perfect for a slow and easy start. Day 2: Christchurch → Kaikoura Watch dolphins, eat lobster, the seaside breeze tastes like freedom. Day 3: Christchurch → Lake Tekapo → Fairlie 4-hour hike at Lake Tekapo, visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and the lupin flower fields. If the sky is clear at night, don’t forget to stargaze. Day 4: Fairlie → Twizel → Wanaka Passed by a salmon farm, fed fish and ate sashimi. By the lake in Wanaka stands the “loneliest tree in the world.” Day 5: Wanaka → Arrowtown → Queenstown Arrowtown looks like a town from a fairy tale, while Queenstown is lively like a festival that never ends. At night, take the Skyline gondola to the mountaintop for a buffet and enjoy the beautiful night view. Day 6: Queenstown The little one can’t do extreme sports, so we spent the day happily at the town’s free playground. Day 7: Queenstown → Te Anau Leisurely brunch in Queenstown, lakeside stroll; then head to Te Anau, about 2 hours’ drive. Visit the glowworm caves at noon (the kid loved it). Day 8: Te Anau → Milford Sound → Queenstown A day trip to Milford Sound! Took a cruise to see waterfalls (the kid loved it). Day 9: Queenstown → Oamaru (Little Blue Penguins returning to shore) Passed Kawarau Bridge, watched others bungee jump, he said, “Mum, you try?” 😂 At 8:45 PM, watched the little blue penguins return to shore, super exciting. Day 10: Oamaru → Timaru → Christchurch Drove along the coastal road, stopped and started, had a picnic at Timaru’s seaside park. Day 11: Christchurch → Auckland → Shanghai 🚗 Tips for driving with kids: · Strictly follow traffic rules, no speeding. · Prepare snacks, picture books, and audio stories to keep the child entertained in the car. · Don’t pack the itinerary too full; try to drive no more than 3 hours a day and leave plenty of time for the child to run and play. My son unconsciously started saying many sentences. Language is naturally learned through life. If you also want to take your child to see snow-capped mountains, lakes, seas, and starry skies, New Zealand’s South Island is really perfect. If you have any questions, ask me in the comments below~ 👇 ——————