The Central Otago Wine Loop by Campervan: 5 Days from Queenstown

Quick summary: This short campervan loop from Queenstown takes in Central Otago’s most celebrated Pinot Noir country. Base yourself in Arrowtown for the Gibbston Valley, move on to Cromwell for Bannockburn, then finish beside the lake in Wānaka before returning to Queenstown. It’s only around 250 km over five days, so the campervan or motorhome spends most of its time parked while tours, bikes and walks take you to the cellar doors.

At a glance
Length	5 days, 4 nights
Start and finish	Queenstown loop
Total driving	Around 250 km
Wine areas	Gibbston Valley, Bannockburn, Cromwell Basin, Wānaka
Tasting days off the road	Gibbston, Bannockburn, Wānaka
Longest day	Around 70 km over the Crown Range, or 115 km via Cromwell

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Day 1: Queenstown to Arrowtown (around 20 km)

Collect the campervan near Queenstown Airport, stock up in Frankton, and drive the short distance to Arrowtown. Explore the historic main street and the restored Chinese settlement, and settle in for two nights. See picking up in Queenstown.

Day 2: Gibbston Valley tasting day (no driving)

Join a Queenstown wine tour that collects from Arrowtown and visits the Gibbston Valley’s cellar doors and wine caves, or ride the Gibbston River Trail with bike hire and a shuttle. Watch the bungy jumpers at the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge on the way.

Day 3: Arrowtown to Cromwell (around 50 km)

Drive through the Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell in the morning and set up camp near Lake Dunstan. Join an afternoon tour of Bannockburn and the Cromwell Basin, then walk around Old Cromwell Town. See Central Otago and Gibbston by campervan.

Day 4: Cromwell to Wānaka (around 55 km)

Drive along Lake Dunstan and the Clutha River to Wānaka in the morning, stopping at roadside fruit stalls in summer. Settle into a lakefront holiday park, then walk to a cellar door or join a local tour in the afternoon. Watch the sunset at That Wānaka Tree. See Wānaka by campervan.

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

Return to Queenstown over the Crown Range, a steep, winding road with spectacular views, or take the longer, easier route via Cromwell and the Kawarau Gorge. Return the vehicle near the airport.

Can you do this RV loop in the other direction?

Yes. Head to Wānaka first over the Crown Range or via Cromwell, then continue to Cromwell and Arrowtown, finishing with Gibbston close to Queenstown. Some travellers prefer this order because the steep zigzag on the Arrowtown side of the Crown Range is then climbed rather than descended, which many drivers of heavier vehicles find easier.

How can you extend the loop?

• Add a night in Queenstown after drop-off for one more wine tour.
• Add the Otago Central Rail Trail from Clyde, with its own vineyards around Alexandra.
• Continue north over the Lindis Pass to the Waitaki Valley, as in our South Island wine trail in reverse.

For other routes in the area, see our sister site’s Queenstown Lakes route.

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Frequently Asked Questions