How much driving is involved each day on both islands of a 10 day NZ Self Drive?

Driving days generally range from two to five hours, although not every day requires travel. A well-balanced ten-day route normally includes six or seven driving days and two or three sightseeing days. Short sectors include Picton to Blenheim at around 30 minutes, Te Anau to Queenstown at approximately two hours and Kaikōura to Christchurch at about 2½ hours.

Longer sectors include Rotorua to Wellington at around 5¼ hours, Queenstown to Franz Josef at close to five hours and Dunedin to Te Anau through the Catlins at approximately six hours. These figures are steering-wheel times and do not include meals, photographic stops, short walks or road delays. Because New Zealand roads are often winding and pass through small towns, a 300-kilometre journey can take considerably longer than the same distance on an Australian, US or UK motorway. Adding 30–90 minutes to the listed driving time makes most travel days more comfortable.