The South Island offers truly cinema-worthy scenery. Nelson is highly regarded for its arts and crafts and the magnificent Abel Tasman National Park, a beachy paradise for walkers and kayakers. The tranquil waters of the Marlborough Sounds offer spectacular scenery and the region is also one of New Zealand’s premier wine producing spots.
Continue east and you’ll come across a little place called Kaikoura, the best spot in New Zealand for whale watching, the town has a rich Maori culture too. Out on the west coast the landscape is wild and dramatic, with thick rainforest and ancient glaciers such as Franz Josef and Fox. Halfway down the east coast sits Christchurch, a charming city that is a master of re-imagination and re-invention.
The South Island is dominated by the Southern Alps, giving rise to some remarkable scenery. You can drive across the mountain passes or hop on the TranzAlpine train and sit back and admire the view.
In Central Otago you’ll find the alpine towns of Queenstown and Wanaka, surrounded by snowy peaks offering adrenalin-rush thrills, off the beaten track 4WD experiences and access to the Mt Aspiring National Park. When it comes to sheer majesty however the Fiordland National Park takes some beating. Milford and Doubtful Sound are must-see places on any visit to New Zealand.
Tucked away off the bottom of the South Island is Stewart Island, its Maori translation is Rakiura meaning ‘the land of glowing skies’ which is quite apt, for the Aurora Australis is a frequent visitor to these southern skies. Over 85% of the island is national park making it a haven for hiking and birdwatching...here the brown kiwis outnumber humans and blue and rare yellow-eyed penguins waddle among the rocks.
South Island Tours
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Classic New Zealand
Fly-Drive Tours
15 Days
Our introduction to New Zealand ticks all the boxes when it comes to Maori culture, natural wilderness and epic, cinema-worthy scenery.
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South Island Discovery
Fly-Drive Tours
11 Days
Bisected by the mountainous peaks of the Southern Alps, New Zealand’s South Island plays host to some of the finest natural landscapes you’ll find anywhere on the planet.
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Southern Lakes Fly Drive
Fly-Drive Tours
10 Days
Sweeping landscapes, rare wildlife, wild coastline and an overnight cruise through a region carved by glaciers over 100,000 years.
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New Zealand Showcase
Escorted Signature Tour
19 Days
New Zealand might be small in stature but it has a multitude of experiences packed within its shores.
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Ultimate Explorer
Escorted Small Group Tour
16 Days
Escorted touring is an easy and stress-free way to cover a lot of ground in comfort with one of our preferred touring partners in New Zealand, Grand Pacific Tours.
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Great Walks of New Zealand
Great Walks
1-5 Days
New Zealand is well-known for its incredible hiking or ‘tramping’ trails and there are thousands of kilometres of tracks to explore.
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Trail of the Luminaries
Fly-Drive Tours
11 Days
Discover New Zealand’s colourful goldrush heritage, primeval rainforests and ancient glaciers as you navigate the narrow slither of the South Island’s West Coast.
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