Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “south island”
Cruise the Milford Sound, hike Roy’s Peak in Wanaka, go kayaking in Abel Tasman, spend a few days in Queenstown, drive the Southern Scenic Route, go wine tasting in Marlborough and Central Otago, soar over the glaciers from Franz Josef, and go on one of best road trips in the world. On this 3-week New Zealand South Island itinerary, visit …
New Zealand is the perfect mix of awe-inspiring landscapes, thrilling adventures, beautiful cities, world-renowned wine regions, stunning beaches, scenic drives, and gourmet cuisine. So far, we have visited New Zealand twice, and we will be returning again in 2024. Our first visit to New Zealand was a one-month road trip, part of a trip around the world. After touring 35 …
Dunedin is the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It sits on the east coast, next to the Otago Peninsula. This city has a rich Scottish, Māori, and Chinese heritage, with grand architecture, several world class museums, and historic homes. On a visit to Dunedin, it’s also worth spending some time on the Otago Peninsula. Visit …
If you are planning your two week South Island New Zealand itinerary, we have three exciting road trip routes to share with you. Two of these are done point-to-point from Queenstown to the Cook Strait, perfect for those who also plan to visit the North Island on the same trip. The main difference between these two itineraries is whether you …
Aoraki / Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand. Getting a glimpse of this mighty mountain is one of the best things to do on the South Island. Top things to do at Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park include hiking to viewpoints of Mount Cook and iceberg filled alpine lakes, taking a flightseeing tour, viewing the night …
Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. A series of devastating earthquakes rattled the city in 2010 and 2011, and these events have left their mark on the city. Learning about these earthquakes is one of most popular things to do in Christchurch, but you can also visit a wildlife reserve, drift on the Avon …
With 10 days on the South Island of New Zealand, you have just enough time to visit several top spots. Queenstown, Wanaka, the Milford Sound, and seeing Aoraki / Mount Cook (New Zealand’s tallest mountain) all top the list, but you also have the option to add on the Southern Scenic Route, Akaroa, Abel Tasman, and the Marlborough wine region. …
This Tasman Valley Hiking Guide covers the various walking tracks in the Tasman Valley section of Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. These trails lead to Tasman Glacier View, Blue Lakes, Tasman Lake, and the Tasman River. You could easily spend several hours walking all of these tracks, but are all of the tracks worth hiking? In this Tasman Valley …
If you have one week on the South Island of New Zealand, there are several different ways to plan your time. Whether you want to go hiking in Wanaka, visit the Milford Sound, see Aoraki/Mount Cook from the land and the sky, or spend your days engaging in all of the heart-pounding activities Queenstown has to offer, we have four …
The South Island of New Zealand (Te Waipounamu) is a wonderland of glacier-capped mountains, iridescent lakes, rugged coastal scenery, vineyards, and charming towns. Wine tasting, bungy jumping, hiking, trekking, and taking eco cruises to see dolphins and penguins all top the list of the best things to do on the South Island. Whether you prefer to go on scenic drives …
If you are planning your Queenstown itinerary, there are a lot of things to consider. How long should you spend in Queenstown? Where should you stay? Should you rent a car? What are the best things to do in Queenstown? In this guide, we share with you the top experiences in Queenstown and then how to put them together to …
A visit to New Zealand would be incomplete without witnessing the beauty of Lake Wanaka. For those that want incredible views without struggling up the difficult Roy’s Peak Track, the Diamond Lake & Rocky Mountain Track has you covered. This 7.3 km/4.5 mile trail offers incredible vistas over both Diamond Lake and Lake Wanaka, while being structured in a way …
Wanaka is one of our favorite places in New Zealand. Lake Wanaka is a gorgeous lake, surrounded by mountain peaks, waterfalls, lavender farms, vineyards, and forests. On a visit to Wanaka, take your pick from some of New Zealand’s most famous day hikes, go wine tasting, climb a via ferrata, and eat freshly baked chocolate chip cookies while you watch …
Queenstown is one of the best places in New Zealand to engage in heart-racing, thrilling adventures. Paragliding, bungy jumping, jet boat riding, skydiving, hiking, skiing, and mountain biking all make the list of the best things to do in Queenstown. But you can also keep your feet firmly on the ground and go hiking, shopping, go for a scenic drive …
The Routeburn Track is considered one of the best hikes in New Zealand, and for a good reason, as there are many picturesque elements to this hike. The Routeburn Track will take you through lush mossy forests, across rivers, streams, and swing bridges, past pristine alpine lakes, past more waterfalls than you can count, and to jaw dropping vistas of …
Go for a scenic drive, take a hike, feed an alpaca, take a wildlife cruise to see the smallest dolphins in the world, and dine on fresh seafood…these are all things to do in Akaroa and Banks Peninsula. Banks Peninsula is a small, volcanic peninsula located on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Sitting in the …
The Marlborough wine region is the largest wine region in New Zealand. This region produces some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world, along with Riesling, Gewürtztraminer, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. For wine aficionados, spending a day or two wine tasting in Marlborough is one of New Zealand’s best experiences. We have visited the Marlborough wine region twice, touring …
The Southern Scenic Route is a 600+ kilometer driving route that connects Dunedin, Invercargill, Te Anau, and Queenstown, New Zealand. It is a gorgeous drive, and along the way you are treated to some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. On this drive, you will visit quaint coastal towns, deserted beaches, waterfalls, fiords, and a long list of …
Hike to viewpoints of glaciers, see the rarest Kiwi, soar over Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier in a helicopter, capture Mount Tasman’s reflection in Lake Matheson, go heli-hiking or ice climbing, and relax in a hot tub…these are all things you can do in and around Franz Josef, New Zealand. Glacier Country is an area on the west coast …
A helicopter flight over the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers is a thrilling experience. To see this land of glacier-capped mountains, rainforests, and rugged coastlines is one of the best experiences to have in Glacier Country, if not all of New Zealand. On a helicopter tour from Franz Josef or Fox Glacier, you will fly over several glaciers, get to …