Premier New Zealand South Island Tour: Natural and Cultural Gems

Queenstown is the obvious place to begin an outdoor adventure on the South Island. It is the main hub for activities and the stepping stone for exploring Fiordland National Park. While there is a lot to do here, Queenstown’s laid-back atmosphere is also ideal for relaxing after a long flight. Your driver will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your accommodation in the heart of the city. The rest of today will be at your leisure so that you can rest before the real adventure starts.

Zooming down a narrow canyon, a jet boat pilot will take you remarkably close to stark walls. Today, you will have a thrilling ride on a jet boat. You will also ride with the original jet boat company, which is the only company that is permitted to do 360-degree spins on the river. Jet boating will get your heart pumping in addition to illustrating the wild beauty of the South Island. In the afternoon, you can calm down with a guided visit to a Central Otago vineyard. This experience will include wine tasting and sublime views.

Queenstown is a great travel base. Today will be left free so that you can customize your itinerary with your choice of outdoor activities. Queenstown is home to three bungee jumps and two bungee swings, including the world’s first commercial bungee jump. Kayaks and mountain bikes will help you explore Queenstown’s surroundings. You can paraglide off Bob’s Peak, go skiing in the winter, or take a Lord of the Rings tour to Glenorchy. There are also dozens of superb walking trails. Today will be tailored exactly to your interests in one of the world’s most majestic settings.

Crossing over mountain passes, you will travel through Fiordland National Park this morning. Eventually, you will arrive at Milford Sound. This is the deepest and narrowest of all the fjords. Milford Sound is a mesmerizing work of nature that you will explore on an afternoon cruise. Waterfalls tumble hundreds of feet from the fjord’s walls, mist swirls to create an added layer of wonder, and dolphins patrol the water. When departing, you will fly back to Queenstown by helicopter and stop on a glacier to walk amid ice sculptures. For Fiordland, this immersion is the ultimate single-day experience.

After a one-hour private transfer to Wanaka, you will settle in for two days alongside the lakeside. Wanaka is quiet and picturesque, making it an idyllic base for mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking in South Island’s national parks. Today, you will explore on two wheels with a guide, cycling one of the world’s greatest network of single-track trails. There is something for every level, so you can choose the daring downhills or something a little smoother. Plus, a vehicle will be available to take you and your bike uphill.

Today, you can kayak on the lake to a small island with its own spa. This planned activity will be to visit Mt. Aspiring National Park and to try one of the hiking trails. Like yesterday, there will be various options, so your guide will tailor a program to your interests. One particular hike can take you along a winding trail, through indigenous forest, and over a peak to a plateau that is cut off from the rest of the world. Afterward, you can return most of the way on a river raft.

Wanaka to Franz Josef Glacier is a wonderful journey. Countless lakes and viewpoints line the road, and you will traverse two national parks on a route that is entirely within the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO World Heritage Site. After a morning on the road, you can get close with kiwis at a small rescue center, which is known for providing encounters with the flightless birds. Your hotel offers views of the glaciers and forests, so you may start to get excited about your glacier hike tomorrow.

The glacier of Franz Josef (not the town with the same name) is only accessible by helicopter. You will begin the trip by soaring to the top of the glacier and then wandering across the ice in crampons. Icy-blue tunnels and artistic-like sculptures cover the landscape, making it feel like you are walking in a version of Narnia. Down below, the forest extends, and you can admire how the glacier crashes through the trees. This is one of South Island’s most iconic outdoor experiences, and you cannot rival the feeling of exploring such an endless sheet of ice.

Mt. Cook soars high above the town, but you cannot really see it or access it by road. The only way to get there is by helicopter. So, you will indulge in a full-day private helicopter tour of Mt. Cook National Park. You will soar above New Zealand’s highest peaks before touching down next to a glacial lake. Here, there are icebergs that float in turquoise-hued waters, and you can cruise alongside them, admiring how every iceberg is an entirely different shape. Returning by helicopter will provide you with more stunning views, including one of the rugged coastline.

A private transfer to Abel Tasman National Park will complete your journey along the South Island’s West Coast, from fjords and canyons to cliffs and tropical colors. Your accommodation will only be accessible by water or hiking trail, so you will need a boat transfer to your lodge. This afternoon, a local guide will help you explore the coastline. Kayaks are the preferred mode of outdoor adventure here. By paddling into coves and coastal caves, you can encounter rays, dolphins, and surreal cliff formations. Like elsewhere, activities will be flexible and customizable.

Abel Tasman deserves at least two days because there are some incredible cliffside hiking trails. There are also islands that can only be visited by boat or kayak. Abel Tasman is a national park that is home to the South Island’s best beaches, so today may be a day to kick back and enjoy some downtime. Dolphins patrol these shores, and you may spot them from your accommodation. There are self-guided hiking trails you can take to nearby beaches, and there is nothing like a sunset paddle in the lushest corner of New Zealand.

After a short boat ride along the coast, you will transfer privately to Marlborough Sounds. This landscape is completely different from Milford Sound, and with a two-week South Island itinerary, you get the opportunity to compare these contrasting feats of nature. Marlborough is greener, broader, and framed by small islets. There are also many more dolphins. You will enjoy a half-day cruise before settling in to a vineyard lodge in the Marlborough wine region, which is the perfect place to catch your breath after some adventurous activities across the island.

It is less than two hours by road to Kaikoura, which is a harborfront town that has a great view of local sperm whales. A two-mile-deep ocean channel runs past Kaikoura, and it is a haven of food for the whales, who stay year-round. Humpback and southern right whales also pass by to enjoy this abundance, and blue whale sightings are not unusual. You will spend the afternoon savoring whale encounters on a small boat cruise with conservationist guides. This is a charming place to spend the night and do what you need to do before tomorrow’s long journey home.

From Kaikoura, you will transfer to Christchurch and the South Island’s major international airport for your flight home.