Scenic beauty and delicious adventures in the South Island
Taking you from Christchurch to Queenstown via glaciers, wineries, lakes, and an overnight cruise on Milford Sound, this 10-day tour showcases the natural beauty and thriving food and wine scene in the South Island of New Zealand. Forage for fresh ingredients with a local chef in Otago, set your pulse racing during a jetboat ride in Queenstown and come face to face with endangered species at a wildlife centre on the West Coast, including New Zealand’s rarest kiwi. With a friendly leader to guide the way, you’ll experience a landscape that has been shaped by the elements over thousands of years.
Our best accommodation and highest level of service.
Unusual, exceptional and authentic on-trip experiences.
Led by our most experienced and highest rated local leaders.
Experience some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery during your Feature Stay on Milford Sound aboard a purpose-built vessel.
Savour the flavours of the Otago region with a chef-led food and foraging Exclusive Experience on an expansive and stunning New Zealand deer station.
Take an exhilarating jetboat ride on the Kimi Akau (Shotover River). This Exclusive Experience takes you deep into the spectacular Shotover Canyons, with the Ngai Tahu - the Maori people of this land.
Enjoy a ranger-guided walk around the aptly named Blue Pools that feed the Makarora River and learn about the important work of the Aspiring Biodiversity Trust to reduce predators and save some of New Zealand’s rarest species.
Take a 'backstage tour' of the West Coast Wildlife Centre, helping bring the critically endangered Rowi and Haast tokoeka kiwi back from extinction. Come face-to-face with these rare creatures.
This trip is new to our range this year. Despite rigorous planning and research, new itineraries can sometimes throw us some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a welcome surprise, but every now and again there might be a hiccup. We like to think that is what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.
The diversity of the seasons here makes for incredible scenery, but the weather in this region can be unpredictable. It’s best to wear layers at all times of the year in case conditions change during the day. At night the temperature can really drop, so bring your warm clothes.
There are walking opportunities throughout this trip. We recommend you bring good quality walking shoes if you're keen to enjoy a hike - or two!
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Premium New Zealand South Island trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1. A Single Supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. The price of the single supplement does not include the following nights, where a single room does not form part of the package. In this case you will be matched up with another traveller of the same gender: Day 7 - Milford Sound Cruise
Please also note that due to the small properties we use there is only a limited amount of single supplements available per trip departure. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.
2. The Milford Sound Cruise is seasonal and weather dependent. Some departures may require a slight shift in itinerary to make sure the cruise is included. If the Cruise has finished for the season, the Feature Stay will instead be the Milford Sound Lodge.
PHPS230330 - The cruise will be on Day 8 rather than Day 7.
PHPS230525 - The cruise will be finished for the season. The Feature Stay will be Milford Sound Lodge, with a day cruise on the Milford Sound on Day 8.
3. On the PHPS230202 departure, night 2 will be spent in Greymouth rather than Punakaiki.
4. Travel is always an adventure and, as destinations reopen, there are a few challenges as everyone gets back up to speed and adjusts to the new normal. Our leaders are experts when it comes to dealing with anything unexpected along the journey, so pack your understanding and flexibility, sit back and relax while they take care of the rest.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
View Essential Trip Information
