Highlights
Lake Ōhau: Looking out at the peaks of Mt Cook across the glacial waters of Lake Ōhau... It was once a dream, but today we'll make it your reality. (You're welcome.)
Lake Tekapo: See the church on the shores of Lake Tekapo with a backdrop of snow-capped peaks - and get that iconic Insta pic too!
Lake Tekapo: We'll stop at Lake Pukaki, Lake Tekapo and Geraldine... and watch happily on as NZ's astonishing natural beauty takes your breath away.
Lake Ōhau: Drive through one of the South Island's most iconic landscapes as you cross the Lindis Pass. Linking Central and North Otago, this high-country route is known for its rolling golden tussock hills, wide-open views and dramatic alpine scenery. Camera rolls at the ready.
Te Anau: Today we’ll visit a local farm in Te Anau to support the Fairlight Foundation, which works to advance women in Agriculture. We’ll learn all about farming, as well as the Fairlight Foundation and the work that they do.
Milford Sound: Cruise along the glassy waters and get the kind of view people write poems about. You'll soon see why it's a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Queenstown: Tuck into an all-you-can-eat pizza feast at Winnies — Queenstown’s iconic spot with ski-lodge vibes, a cosy fireplace, and a roof that opens whether it’s sunny or snowing.
Queenstown: Check out the epic views of the valley from the world's first ever (and some would say most famous) bungy jump bridge. You might even witness some epic bungy jumps!
Wānaka: A lake town with views for days, surrounded by beech forests, alpine lakes, and wilderness glaciers.
Haast: Ready for some incredible views? We'll drive through the gorgeous mountains of the Gates of Haast and catch once-in-a-lifetime views of the river below. Seems like Mother nature does have a favourite!
Hokitika: The South Island is home to Pounamu (greenstone) – so special the island’s even named Te Wai Pounamu, the greenstone waters. In Hokitika, we’ll meet a local Māori guide from the region, who’ll share the history, sacred sites and cultural significance of this treasured stone. Then it’s off to see if we can spot some Pounamu. All of this, while supporting the local trust that keeps the river healthy.
Milford Sound: Cruise along the glassy waters and get the kind of view people write poems about. You'll soon see why it's a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Queenstown: Tuck into an all-you-can-eat pizza feast at Winnies — Queenstown’s iconic spot with ski-lodge vibes, a cosy fireplace, and a roof that opens whether it’s sunny or snowing.
Queenstown: Check out the epic views of the valley from the world's first ever (and some would say most famous) bungy jump bridge. You might even witness some epic bungy jumps!
Wānaka: A lake town with views for days, surrounded by beech forests, alpine lakes, and wilderness glaciers.
Haast: Ready for some incredible views? We'll drive through the gorgeous mountains of the Gates of Haast and catch once-in-a-lifetime views of the river below. Seems like Mother nature does have a favourite!
Hokitika: The South Island is home to Pounamu (greenstone) – so special the island’s even named Te Wai Pounamu, the greenstone waters. In Hokitika, we’ll meet a local Māori guide from the region, who’ll share the history, sacred sites and cultural significance of this treasured stone. Then it’s off to see if we can spot some Pounamu. All of this, while supporting the local trust that keeps the river healthy.
Itinerary
NZ’s South Island turns the scenery all the way up on this 9-day road trip. Start in Queenstown, chase adrenaline and roll through Wānaka before standing beneath Mt Cook. Cruise Milford Sound through Fiordland, see Franz Josef Glacier up close, then learn about pounamu in Hokitika and cross Arthur’s Pass towards Christchurch. Pure, high-impact landscapes with the right mix of culture and edge - this is the New Zealand South Island trip done properly.
day 1Christchurch to Lake hau via Lake Tekapo
Welcome to Christchurch (tautahi)! New Zealand's South Island is the home to adventure, adrenaline and good times and we're here to take it all on. Well stop off at the intense milky-blue waters of glacially-fed Lake Tekapo (Takap). Take a wander along the lakefront, snap the famous views, and stop by the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd, perched on the lakeshore against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks. Soak up that fresh alpine calm one more time before we roll on. Onto Lake hau (hau), with its glorious views of Mt. Cook. Yet another swoon-worthy location where you'll have to pick that jaw up off the ground. Tonight, we'll come together for a classic Kiwi family-style dinner, complete with lakeside views, mountain scenery and plenty of stories from the road.
day 2Lake hau to Te Anau via Arrowtown and Kingston
day 3Te Anau to Queenstown via Milford Sound
day 4Queenstown
day 5Queenstown
day 6Queenstown
day 7Queenstown to Franz Josef via Wnaka and Haast
day 8Franz Josef
day 9Franz Josef to Christchurch via Hokitika and Arthur's Pass
What's Included
Customer Reviews
It was a nice balance of travel and exploration, having a couple of days in Franz Josef Glacier and Queenstown was fabulous while also exploring lots of Te Waipounamu. Our guide was really passionate about Aotearoa New Zealand and shared her love beautifully. She also managed all our free time add-on activities so smoothly. The coach was comfortable, clean, and expertly driven on some wild roads! The accommodation was clean and well located, though a kettle would have been nice in Queenstown lol.
Highly recommend booking this trip if you want to explore New Zealand. Our trip manager was so informative about the places we were driving through/staying as well as the Māori myths, legends and history. I’d recommend visiting in winter especially between July and early September as there’s more chance of snow in Queenstown and the other towns. The accomodation was good, mostly four per room then in Queenstown it’s a room of 8 pods that were super fun. Super easy to eat a lot and eat healthy with the included breakfasts and dinners. I can honestly say I was never hungry. Queenstown you get food vouchers for fergs for breakfast and they have so much to choose from! There’s lots of free time add-ons to do and lots of adrenaline ones if that’s your thing. I enjoyed the kayaking and quad biking in Franz Josef and the e-bike tour in Queenstown is a must if you want to explore the lake. Fair warning it is about 3-4 hours of biking and you go up and down hills but the scenery is stunning. I would’ve liked another day in Lake Ōhau as there was fog there the whole 24 hours we were there so we didn’t see the lake or mount cook but the three course dinner was 10/10 and it was such a cute place with the fireplaces. We also had to take a detour to Christchurch as the roads were closed from ice and it was sad not going through Twizel and Geraldine. If you’re thinking about doing this trip, it’s a nice one to start with and the views are extraordinary!
The trip was amazing! Our trip manager and driver did such an amazing job at making sure everything ran smoothly and that everyone got a chance to do everything they wanted!
It was the best experience I have ever had and I would recommend it to everyone !
Awesome adrenaline pumping adventure! Amazing trip manager who went above and beyond to make sure everything flowed smoothly. My downsides: (1) the included dinners were not good and (2) the Ferg vouchers for the “included breakfasts” had limited options/could not give change. I’d rather not pay for the 4 Queenstown “included breakfasts” and do my own thing. Overall 4.5 out of 5!
Monthly Price Comparison
Good to Know
Do you need help from our trip consultants?
If you have any question about this tour or need help with planning a trip, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Our travel experts are ready to help.
Why Book with Bookmundi
No credit card or booking fees.
Best price guaranteed.
Carbon neutral tours.
25,000+ trip reviews, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
What are customers saying about Bookmundi
