South Island Discovery

On arrival you will be transferred to your Christchurch hotel for two nights so you can experience the city and acclimatise.

This is the largest city on the South Island and you’ll be able to stroll through the delightful Botanic Gardens, take a historic tram ride or a leisurely punt on the leafy river Avon. Despite the challenges of earthquakes, it is a peaceful city with plenty of old world charm and picturesque architecture. Enjoy the intriguing galleries and the stylish restaurants that are a constant temptation.

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Distance: 362km (225miles)

Leaving Christchurch, you’ll discover there’s plenty to see as you make your way to Dunedin. Stop for a visit at the Aviation Museum of Ashburton before continuing on to Timaru’s Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre. A must-see are the mysterious Moeraki Boulders: spherical boulders up to two metres high scattered across a beach. 

Dunedin is known as the ‘Edinburgh of the South’, with a deep Scottish heritage and influences; there’s even a Robbie Burns statue in the centre of town. Visit Lanarch Castle or take the superb Taieri Gorge Railway from Dunedin’s iconic ‘gingerbread’ Victorian station (one of the world’s great rail journeys). 

Discover the Otago Peninsula with its dramatic seascapes and scenic drives along to the albatross sanctuary on the headland, home also to penguin colonies and fur seals. The drive itself is a magnificent experience with stunning views around every turn.

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Distance: 110km (70miles)

Today you will join the Southern Scenic Route and head for the Catlins, an area of dense rainforests, bush walks and native birdlife. Along the way make a detour to Nugget Point Lighthouse, one of Captain Cook’s oldest lighthouses perched above rocks the shape of gold nuggets. Don’t forget your binoculars to see the fur seals and other wildlife in the sea below.

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Distance: 289km (180miles)

Continue along the Southern Scenic Route, which weaves its way between forest and coastline. A brief stop at Purakaunui Falls gets you up close to a picturesque waterfall. Tide and weather-dependent, the impressive sea-formed Cathedral Caves are accessible from the car park via a track to the beach.

Choose to continue along the scenic route via Invercargill or via Gore to allow for a visit to the Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre. 

With a scenic setting on Lake Te Anau, enjoy the views during your stay here. The town is the gateway to the Fiordland National Park, where you can visit the stunning Milford or Doubtful Sounds on a guided tour. The nearby Glowworm Caves are also a natural wonder to include in your visit here. 

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Distance: 190km (119miles)

Skirt the shores of Lake Wakatipu as you make your way to Queenstown, set against the dramatic Southern Alps. Spend some time exploring this beautiful town during your two night's stay here. 

Known as the adrenaline capital, Queenstown offers all levels of adventure from a bungee jump to a jet boat ride. For a more leisurely pace, the TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 Edwardian steamer offering 90-minute cruises in spectacular alpine scenery.

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Distance: 57km (36miles)

Wanaka is a relaxed alpine town situated by a shimmering lake surrounded by the Remarkable mountain range. Stroll along the water’s edge and look for the famous ‘Wanaka tree’ standing solitary in the water. An ultimate hub for outdoor activities, choose from one of the endless hiking and biking trails, join a lake cruise or a scenic flight.

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Distance: 286km (178miles)

It’s a stunning road running north from Wanaka along Lake Hawea. The scenery is mesmerising, with plenty of places to pull over and soak up the view. 

Passing waterfalls and the gorgeous Blue Pools, you eventually reach the Haast Pass, a fifty-mile stretch running through Mt Aspiring National Park. The terrain is rugged and dramatic, giving way to rainforest until finally you reach the surf of the Tasman Sea. 

The glaciers at Fox and Franz Josef are majestic. Park up and then follow the walking trails up to the glaciers as far as possible (it will change daily according to the weather) and get a real sense of their incredible scale.

Nearby Lake Matheson is a popular detour where you can capture the reflections of Mount Cook in the shimmering lake.
 

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Distance: 173km (108miles)

Leaving the glaciers behind, continue up the west coast, perhaps pausing at Hokitika for provisions. Take the time to visit the Hokitika Gorge for memorable views from the swing bridge over the blue waters and to the ancient forest beyond.

Not far away lies West Coast Treetops Walk where you can explore the tree canopy on aerial boardwalks. And further north is Shantytown, near Greymouth, a replica gold rush town where you can wander the streets and buildings.

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Distance: 300km (188miles)

As you travel north, stop to see Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks, formed 30 million years ago and named for their stacked, pancake-like layers. Leaving the rugged West Coast behind, enjoy a scenic inland drive through Buller Gorge, a deep river canyon home to New Zealand’s longest swing bridge.

Abel Tasman National Park’s beaches have a distinctly Mediterranean feel about them. Enjoy some superb walking trails or take a leisurely water taxi to see the coast from a different perspective. Kaiteriteri is a great place for picking up kayaks and taking a paddle around the headland. Why not join a guided excursion to the incredible Split Apple Rock: it looks just like a split apple and has been there for 120 million years

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Distance: 54km (34miles)

Take your time as you enjoy this scenic drive to Nelson. Stop for a coffee in Motueka, a vibrant town with a lively café culture and artistic community. 

With fine, white sand beaches, palm trees, jauntily painted houses Nelson appears almost subtropical. With seaside promenades, friendly cafés, galleries and lots of arts and crafts, not to mention a selection of rather decent small breweries, there is plenty to wander around.

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Distance: 138km (86miles)

Located in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds, this picturesque port town is nestled around a sheltered harbour. A popular day trip is to walk or cycle a section of the 70km Queen Charlotte Track. Combined with a scenic cruise in the sound, enjoy fabulous coastal views and native bush for a uniquely Marlborough Sound experience.

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Distance: 155km (96miles)

A picturesque setting between the ocean and the mountains, Kaikoura is a lovely town with some great cafes and restaurants to enjoy the views from. The coast is a playground for aquatic mammals feeding in the rich coastal waters with whales and dolphins passing close by. A popular option is to join a dolphin or whale watching cruise where you have a better chance of spotting the permanent residents, giant sperm whale, year-round.

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