Immersive New Zealand Exploration: Two-Week South Island Tour

While scars from the massive 2011 earthquake continue to mark Christchurch, the city displays an energy that provides a perfect introduction to New Zealand. You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to a boutique hotel in the city. A short private walking tour will illustrate how street art helped transform rubble into a liveable city. You will also enjoy the laid-back Kiwi welcome. This experience will allow you to discover how somewhere with so much energy can be so relaxing. You can take it slow today because you will have two weeks of adventures to come.

Brilliant marine encounters can be found within two hours of Christchurch. Hector’s dolphins are the smallest dolphins. Huge pods of them dance in the water; they twist, turn, and somersault. You can swim alongside them, but you cannot touch them because they are wild dolphins. Instead, you can savor the intimacy of sharing a space with dozens of dolphins. After enjoying their antics with up-close encounters, you will be able to explore the charming streets of Akaroa before returning to Christchurch for a second evening.

Akaroa is south of Christchurch, and Kaikoura is north. It is a stunning drive to Kaikoura. You will wind alongside beaches and cliffs before arriving at a harbor town of color and enchantment. New Zealand’s best whale watching takes place here. Sperm whales are year-round residents, while humpback and southern right whales are seasonal visitors. Blue whale sightings are more common here than anywhere else on the planet. A half-day cruise will showcase these giants before you partake in a leisurely journey back to Christchurch along the coast.

After crossing the rolling Canterbury Plains this morning, you will ascend to the Southern Alps. Lake Pukaki is a perfect picnic spot along the way because its water is a unique shade of turquoise, and the snowy alps are often reflected in its surface. From here, you will travel to Mt. Cook Village, which is a tiny village beneath South Island’s highest mountains. There is a great self-guided walking trail to try here called the Hooker Track in addition to some incredible stargazing when the nighttime sky is clear.

You will begin the day high in the mountains alongside glacial melt. Only a handful of glaciers terminate in lakes, and you will be traveling across one of them today. This intimate ground-level perspective will be complemented by a scenic flight, which will prove to be a majestic journey above New Zealand’s highest mountain range. During your flight, you can gaze down on breathtaking glaciers and snowy peaks before touching back down to the snow. These two experiences are the classic Mt. Cook combination and can be enjoyed before your second night of stargazing.

The drive to Queenstown will complete your escorted road trip across the South Island. Descending from the Alps, you will cross rugged and barren canyons before emerging on the lakeside in Wanaka. Vineyards mark dusty plains here, and you will have time to enjoy at least two of them. A wine tasting and lunch will be included. Overall, it takes about three hours of driving time to reach Queenstown. Once here, you can settle into a lakeside hotel and savor the country’s most picturesque town. After your road trip, three nights in Queenstown will provide you with a perfect interlude.

South Island is Middle-earth, and many of the most famous Lord of the Rings filming locations can be found near Queenstown. In a 4WD vehicle, you will adventure into the wilderness with a local guide, passing The Pillar of the Kings (Argonath) and riding the road to Minas Tirith like Gandolf. After Lothlorien, you can recreate Merry and Pippin being captured by orcs as your guide provides entertaining narratives on life as an extra in the movies. This will be a half-day private tour that will leave you time to relax around Lake Wakatipu.

Although Queenstown is famous for its exciting activities, such as jet boating and bungee jumping, the main attraction is kicking back and enjoying some downtime. Moments of adrenaline can be added to your customizable itinerary if you wish. Today’s plan will be much slower. You will ride in an old-world steamer cruise across Lake Wakatipu and beneath the glistening wonder of the Remarkables Mountain Range. This is a slow and serene ride that will be complemented by dinner.

Most South Island visitors go to Milford Sound, which is the most famous New Zealand fjord. Instead, you will cross a mountain pass, cruise over a lake, ride over another mountain, and then lay your eyes on Doubtful Sound. It is a fjord on the edge of the world and a spectacular feat of nature. Very few people have the luxury to visit Doubtful Sound. On an afternoon cruise, you can appreciate the fjord’s wonder with a guided kayaking trip that will provide you with a true impression of the fjord’s size. When the other boats return to harbor, you will stay on the fjord for the night.

After a second kayak or tender boat excursion this morning, you will leave Doubtful Sound by helicopter for a second full day in Fiordland National Park. A helicopter can take you to fjords and glaciers that are inaccessible by road. You will touch down in dazzling valleys that are cut off from the rest of the world. A picnic lunch with a view will be part of this experience, and the biggest highlight will be exploring areas that are yet to be connected by trails. You can also walk on a glacier. You will conclude the day back in Queenstown, relaxing on the lakeside.

From Queenstown, you will fly to Nelson before a private transfer by road and water leads you to a hidden beach in Abel Tasman National Park. After glaciers and snowy wonder, you will explore a tropical scene with golden sand and lush ocean colors. Your private villa will be perched above the beach, and your final three nights will be a laid-back beach break. Walking trails start from your villa and can lead you across the cliffs and forest. Kayaks will be available for exploring the park’s majestic coastline.

These two days will continue your all-inclusive stay in Abel Tasman National Park at one of New Zealand’s ultimate properties. Your guide can plan guided speedboat excursions for you at any time. These will help you explore caves and coves, follow dolphins to small islands, and travel the entire Abel Tasman National Park coastline. After snow and ice, this northern coastline will showcase the other side to South Island and will complete your journey through an impressive variety of landscapes. All you have to do is lay back, relax, and explore.

After a transfer back to Nelson by boat and road, you will arrive at the airport for your flight back to Christchurch. In Christchurch, you will connect with your international flight.