diff --git a/.envrc b/.envrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4a59461f0cbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.envrc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# TODO(marun) Document usage of direnv
+
+# contains manually-installed tooling
+PATH_add bin
+# contains avalanchego and xsvm binaries
+PATH_add build
+# contains tool wrappers
+PATH_add tools
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c5a3cad32b13..9fd544a5af0e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -62,3 +62,5 @@ tests/upgrade/upgrade.test
 vendor
 
 **/testdata
+
+.tool-downloads
diff --git a/scripts/tests.e2e.bootstrap_monitor.sh b/scripts/tests.e2e.bootstrap_monitor.sh
index e0742f9760ac..e81a3b036f41 100755
--- a/scripts/tests.e2e.bootstrap_monitor.sh
+++ b/scripts/tests.e2e.bootstrap_monitor.sh
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@ function ensure_command {
   fi
 }
 
-# Ensure the kubectl command is available
-KUBECTL_VERSION=v1.30.2
-ensure_command kubectl "https://dl.k8s.io/release/${KUBECTL_VERSION}/bin/${OS}/${ARCH}/kubectl"
-
 # Ensure the kind command is available
 KIND_VERSION=v0.23.0
 ensure_command kind "https://kind.sigs.k8s.io/dl/${KIND_VERSION}/kind-${OS}-${ARCH}"
@@ -61,9 +57,7 @@ ensure_command "kind-with-registry.sh" "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubern
 # Deploy a kind cluster with a local registry. Include the local bin in the path to
 # ensure locally installed kind and kubectl are available since the script expects to
 # call them without a qualifying path.
-PATH="${PWD}/bin:$PATH" bash -x "${PWD}/bin/kind-with-registry.sh"
-
-# TODO(marun) Factor out ginkgo installation to avoid duplicating it across test scripts
-go install -v github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo@v2.13.1
+PATH="${PWD}/tools:${PWD}/bin:$PATH" bash -x "${PWD}/bin/kind-with-registry.sh"
 
-KUBECONFIG="$HOME/.kube/config" PATH="${PWD}/bin:$PATH" ginkgo -v ./tests/fixture/bootstrapmonitor/e2e
+KUBECONFIG="$HOME/.kube/config" PATH="${PWD}/bin:$PATH" \
+          ./tools/ginkgo -v ./tests/fixture/bootstrapmonitor/e2e
diff --git a/scripts/tests.e2e.existing.sh b/scripts/tests.e2e.existing.sh
index 4b28fc1ad271..188c2bc8c521 100755
--- a/scripts/tests.e2e.existing.sh
+++ b/scripts/tests.e2e.existing.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function print_separator {
 function cleanup {
   print_separator
   echo "cleaning up reusable network"
-  ginkgo -v ./tests/e2e/e2e.test -- --stop-network
+  ./tools/ginkgo -v ./tests/e2e -- --stop-network
 }
 trap cleanup EXIT
 
diff --git a/scripts/tests.e2e.sh b/scripts/tests.e2e.sh
index 86de18359e8b..8683e615911c 100755
--- a/scripts/tests.e2e.sh
+++ b/scripts/tests.e2e.sh
@@ -20,13 +20,6 @@ fi
 # the instructions to build non-portable BLST.
 source ./scripts/constants.sh
 
-#################################
-echo "building e2e.test"
-# to install the ginkgo binary (required for test build and run)
-go install -v github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo@v2.13.1
-ACK_GINKGO_RC=true ginkgo build ./tests/e2e
-./tests/e2e/e2e.test --help
-
 # Enable subnet testing by building xsvm
 ./scripts/build_xsvm.sh
 echo ""
@@ -38,7 +31,7 @@ E2E_ARGS="--avalanchego-path=${AVALANCHEGO_PATH}"
 
 #################################
 # Determine ginkgo args
-GINKGO_ARGS=""
+GINKGO_ARGS="--ginkgo.v"
 if [[ -n "${E2E_SERIAL:-}" ]]; then
   # Specs will be executed serially. This supports running e2e tests in CI
   # where parallel execution of tests that start new nodes beyond the
@@ -53,17 +46,17 @@ else
   # since the test binary isn't capable of executing specs in
   # parallel.
   echo "tests will be executed in parallel"
-  GINKGO_ARGS="-p"
+  GINKGO_ARGS=+" --ginkgo.p"
 fi
 # Reference: https://onsi.github.io/ginkgo/#spec-randomization
 if [[ -n "${E2E_RANDOM_SEED:-}" ]]; then
   # Supply a specific seed to simplify reproduction of test failures
-  GINKGO_ARGS+=" --seed=${E2E_RANDOM_SEED}"
+  GINKGO_ARGS+=" --ginkgo.seed=${E2E_RANDOM_SEED}"
 else
   # Execute in random order to identify unwanted dependency
-  GINKGO_ARGS+=" --randomize-all"
+  GINKGO_ARGS+=" --ginkgo.randomize-all"
 fi
 
 #################################
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-ginkgo ${GINKGO_ARGS} -v ./tests/e2e/e2e.test -- "${E2E_ARGS[@]}" "${@}"
+./tools/ginkgo ./tests/e2e -- ${GINKGO_ARGS} "${E2E_ARGS[@]}" "${@}"
diff --git a/scripts/tests.upgrade.sh b/scripts/tests.upgrade.sh
index 64e53c6537ad..829d187cd294 100755
--- a/scripts/tests.upgrade.sh
+++ b/scripts/tests.upgrade.sh
@@ -62,17 +62,9 @@ find "/tmp/avalanchego-v${VERSION}"
 # the instructions to build non-portable BLST.
 source ./scripts/constants.sh
 
-#################################
-echo "building upgrade.test"
-# to install the ginkgo binary (required for test build and run)
-go install -v github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo@v2.13.1
-ACK_GINKGO_RC=true ginkgo build ./tests/upgrade
-./tests/upgrade/upgrade.test --help
-
 #################################
 # By default, it runs all upgrade test cases!
 echo "running upgrade tests against the local cluster with ${AVALANCHEGO_PATH}"
-./tests/upgrade/upgrade.test \
-  --ginkgo.v \
+./tools/ginkgo -v ./tests/upgrade -- \
   --avalanchego-path="/tmp/avalanchego-v${VERSION}/avalanchego" \
   --avalanchego-path-to-upgrade-to="${AVALANCHEGO_PATH}"
diff --git a/tests/av/cmd/main.go b/tests/av/cmd/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f52558a97619
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/av/cmd/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019-2024, Ava Labs, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// See the file LICENSE for licensing terms.
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/tests"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/logging"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/perms"
+)
+
+const (
+	cmdName        = "av"
+	kubectlVersion = "v1.30.2"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	var rawLogFormat string
+	rootCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   cmdName,
+		Short: cmdName + " commands",
+	}
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&rawLogFormat, "log-format", logging.AutoString, logging.FormatDescription)
+
+	toolCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "tool",
+		Short: "configured cli tools",
+		RunE: func(*cobra.Command, []string) error {
+			return fmt.Errorf("please specify a valid tool name")
+		},
+	}
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(toolCmd)
+
+	ginkgoCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "ginkgo",
+		Short: "cli for building and running e2e tests",
+		RunE: func(c *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			cmdArgs := []string{
+				"run",
+				"github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo",
+			}
+			cmdArgs = append(cmdArgs, args...)
+			cmd := exec.Command("go", cmdArgs...)
+			cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
+			cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+			cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+			c.SilenceUsage = true
+			c.SilenceErrors = true
+			// TODO(marun) Suppress the duplicated 'exit status X'
+			// caused by passing through the exit code from the
+			// `go run` subcommand
+			return cmd.Run()
+		},
+	}
+	toolCmd.AddCommand(ginkgoCmd)
+
+	tmpnetctlCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "tmpnetctl",
+		Short: "cli for managing temporary networks",
+		RunE: func(c *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			cmdArgs := []string{
+				"run",
+				"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/tests/fixture/tmpnet/cmd",
+			}
+			cmdArgs = append(cmdArgs, args...)
+			cmd := exec.Command("go", cmdArgs...)
+			cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
+			cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+			cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+			c.SilenceUsage = true
+			c.SilenceErrors = true
+			// TODO(marun) Suppress the duplicated 'exit status X'
+			// caused by passing through the exit code from the
+			// `go run` subcommand
+			return cmd.Run()
+		},
+	}
+	toolCmd.AddCommand(tmpnetctlCmd)
+
+	kubectlCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "kubectl",
+		Short: "cli for interacting with a kubernetes cluster",
+		RunE: func(c *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			log, err := tests.LoggerForFormat("", rawLogFormat)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			downloadDir, err := filepath.Abs(".tool-downloads")
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			// Ensure the download directory exists
+			if info, err := os.Stat(downloadDir); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+				log.Info("creating tool download directory",
+					zap.String("dir", downloadDir),
+				)
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(downloadDir, perms.ReadWriteExecute); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			} else if err != nil {
+				return err
+			} else if !info.IsDir() {
+				return fmt.Errorf("download path is not a directory: %s", downloadDir)
+			}
+
+			var (
+				kubectlPath = downloadDir + "/kubectl-" + kubectlVersion
+				// TODO(marun) Make these dynamic
+				kubeOS   = "linux"
+				kubeArch = "arm64"
+			)
+
+			if _, err := os.Stat(downloadDir); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+				// TODO(marun) Maybe use a library to download the binary?
+				curlArgs := []string{
+					"curl -L -o " + kubectlPath + " https://dl.k8s.io/release/" + kubectlVersion + "/bin/" + kubeOS + "/" + kubeArch + "/kubectl",
+				}
+				log.Info("downloading kubectl with curl",
+					zap.Strings("curlArgs", curlArgs),
+				)
+				// Run in a subshell to ensure -L redirects work
+				curl := exec.Command("bash", append([]string{"-x", "-c"}, curlArgs...)...)
+				curl.Stdin = os.Stdin
+				curl.Stdout = os.Stdout
+				curl.Stderr = os.Stderr
+				c.SilenceUsage = true
+				c.SilenceErrors = true
+				err = curl.Run()
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+
+				if err := os.Chmod(kubectlPath, perms.ReadWriteExecute); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+
+				log.Info("running kubectl for the first time",
+					zap.String("path", kubectlPath),
+				)
+			}
+
+			kubectl := exec.Command(kubectlPath, args...)
+			kubectl.Stdin = os.Stdin
+			kubectl.Stdout = os.Stdout
+			kubectl.Stderr = os.Stderr
+			c.SilenceUsage = true
+			c.SilenceErrors = true
+			return kubectl.Run()
+		},
+	}
+	toolCmd.AddCommand(kubectlCmd)
+
+	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
+		var exitCode int = 1
+		if exitError, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
+			exitCode = exitError.ExitCode()
+		}
+		os.Exit(exitCode)
+	}
+	os.Exit(0)
+}
diff --git a/tests/e2e/README.md b/tests/e2e/README.md
index 187623893681..ae8006a6af3d 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/README.md
+++ b/tests/e2e/README.md
@@ -6,12 +6,9 @@
 ## Running tests
 
 ```bash
-go install -v github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo@v2.0.0
-ACK_GINKGO_RC=true ginkgo build ./tests/e2e
-./tests/e2e/e2e.test --help
-
-./tests/e2e/e2e.test \
---avalanchego-path=./build/avalanchego
+./scripts/build.sh        # Builds avalanchego for use in deploying a test network
+./scripts/build_xsvm.sh   # Builds xsvm for use in deploying a test network with a subnet
+./tools/ginkgo ./tests/e2e -- --ginkgo.v --avalanchego-path=./build/avalanchego
 ```
 
 See [`tests.e2e.sh`](../../scripts/tests.e2e.sh) for an example.
@@ -27,9 +24,7 @@ primarily target the X-Chain:
 
 
 ```bash
-./tests/e2e/e2e.test \
-  --avalanchego-path=./build/avalanchego \
-  --ginkgo.label-filter=x
+./tools/ginkgo ./tests/e2e -- --ginkgo.v --ginkgo.label-filter=x --avalanchego-path=./build/avalanchego
 ```
 
 The ginkgo docs provide further detail on [how to compose label
@@ -45,17 +40,14 @@ Create a new package to implement feature-specific tests, or add tests to an exi
 tests
 └── e2e
     ├── README.md
-    ├── e2e.go
     ├── e2e_test.go
     └── x
         └── transfer.go
             └── virtuous.go
 ```
 
-`e2e.go` defines common configuration for other test
-packages. `x/transfer/virtuous.go` defines X-Chain transfer tests,
-labeled with `x`, which can be selected by `./tests/e2e/e2e.test
---ginkgo.label-filter "x"`.
+`x/transfer/virtuous.go` defines X-Chain transfer tests,
+labeled with `x`, which can be selected by `--label-filter=x`.
 
 ## Reusing temporary networks
 
@@ -70,7 +62,7 @@ To enable network reuse across test runs, pass `--reuse-network` as an
 argument to the test suite:
 
 ```bash
-ginkgo -v ./tests/e2e -- --avalanchego-path=/path/to/avalanchego --reuse-network
+./scripts/gingko.sh -v ./tests/e2e -- --avalanchego-path=/path/to/avalanchego --reuse-network
 ```
 
 If a network is not already running the first time the suite runs with
@@ -93,7 +85,7 @@ To stop a network configured for reuse, invoke the test suite with the
 immediately without executing any tests:
 
 ```bash
-ginkgo -v ./tests/e2e -- --stop-network
+./scripts/gingko.sh -v ./tests/e2e -- --stop-network
 ```
 
 ## Skipping bootstrap checks
@@ -105,5 +97,5 @@ these bootstrap checks during development, set the
 `E2E_SKIP_BOOTSTRAP_CHECKS` env var to a non-empty value:
 
 ```bash
-E2E_SKIP_BOOTSTRAP_CHECKS=1 ginkgo -v ./tests/e2e ...
+E2E_SKIP_BOOTSTRAP_CHECKS=1 ./tools/ginkgo ./tests/e2e ...
 ```
diff --git a/tools/av b/tools/av
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..d515b0693ba1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/av
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+AVALANCHE_PATH=$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )"; cd .. && pwd )
+cd ${AVALANCHE_PATH}
+
+# Set the CGO flags to use the portable version of BLST
+#
+# We use "export" here instead of just setting a bash variable because we need
+# to pass this flag to all child processes spawned by the shell.
+export CGO_CFLAGS="-O2 -D__BLST_PORTABLE__"
+# While CGO_ENABLED doesn't need to be explicitly set, it produces a much more
+# clear error due to the default value change in go1.20.
+export CGO_ENABLED=1
+
+go run ./tests/av/cmd "${@}"
diff --git a/tools/ginkgo b/tools/ginkgo
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..c466d2525c04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ginkgo
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TOOLS_DIR="$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )"
+${TOOLS_DIR}/av tool ginkgo "$@"
diff --git a/tools/kubectl b/tools/kubectl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..7c3c59016c88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/kubectl
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TOOLS_DIR="$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )"
+${TOOLS_DIR}/av tool kubectl "$@"
diff --git a/tools/tmpnetctl b/tools/tmpnetctl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..4184dba3c81e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/tmpnetctl
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TOOLS_DIR="$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )"
+${TOOLS_DIR}/av tool tmpnetctl "$@"