New Zealand's South Island Tour: Striking Fiordland, expansive Canterbury, and serene Abel Tasman
The South Island is home to a variety of landscapes from skyscraping fiords and mammoth peaks to glacier lakes to golden beaches. And they’re not only meant to be looked at. On New Zealand's South Island tour, you can walk, boat, and heli around through the Milford Sound; hike the Hollyford Track; tramp along the shores of Lake Pukaki; heli-hike on Mt. Cook; swim with dolphins on the Banks Peninsula; taste the wines of Marlborough; and picnic in a deserted cove in Abel Tasman National Park.
New Zealand's South Island Tour: 13 days / 12 nights
DAYS 1 & 2:
Arrive in Queenstown and transfer to Te Anau, Cinema Suites
DAYS 3 & 4:
2-night Hollyford Track hike through Fiordland, Pyke & Martin’s Bay Lodges
DAY 5:
Return to Te Anau, Cinema Suites
DAYS 6 & 7:
Transfer to Queenstown and self-drive to Lake Pukaki, Lakestone Lodge
DAYS 8 & 9:
Drive to the Banks Peninsula, PurePods Pohue
DAY 10:
Drive to Blenheim, Marlborough Vintners Hotel
DAYS 11 & 12:
Drive to Abel Tasman National Park, The Resurgence
DAY 13:
Return to Nelson, depart
Highlights
- New Zealand's South Island tour is 13 days part road trip, part active expedition of the South Island.
- Te Anau is the gateway to Fiordland National Park, home to the Milford and Doubtful Sounds and 3 of the 10 Great Walks of New Zealand. Spend a full day exploring one of the Sounds by boat or hike.
- The Hollyford Track is a multi-day, 26-mile trek through Fiordland. Though not considered a “Great Walk”, we love it for its beautiful trails and scenery and cozy, private lodges.
- Lake Pukaki is located within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve and on the edge of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. It’s the perfect base for explorers and nature lovers. We recommend a Mt. Cook glacier heli-hike!
- The Banks Peninsula and surrounding coastal towns are ideal for spotting marine wildlife from the shore, from a boat, or while swimming alongside the resident seals and dolphins.
- Blenheim is a bustling town in the Marlborough region and the perfect base for visiting the wineries that New Zealand is so famous for.
- Abel Tasman National Park is defined by its golden beaches and turquoise waters with a backdrop of lush rainforests.
Price
Contact us for pricing and to connect with your personal travel expert
Itinerary Map
Other itineraries to explore
- Itinerary
Exploring Australia’s Cities, Reef, and Mountains
Trendy Melbourne, wondrous Great Barrier Reef, sprawling Scenic Rim, and must-see Sydney
- Itinerary
Remote Northern Australia
Conquer the Kimberley by land and sea. Wander the wetlands of the Top End
- Itinerary
Australia’s Golden Triangle
Sydney, Rock, and Reef…Australia's icons without the crowds