New Zealand South Island Travel Guide

NEW ZEALAND – The land of endless vastness that offers everything the heart of every outdoor enthusiast desires: untouched nature as far as the eye can see, national parks, mountains, rainforests, fjords, turquoise lakes, sandy beaches and, of course, the sea all around the country. Not to forget the more than 30 million sheep, which are mainly found on the South Island of New Zealand.

This year in February, we were extremely lucky and were invited to visit one of the many sheep farms of Icebreaker on the South Island. Of course, we want to share our experience on the farm with you, and show you where else the journey led us. In this travel guide, we tell you about the most beautiful places and adventures we have seen and experienced on our 16-day trip. In addition, we have put together a few useful tips and tricks as well as interesting facts about New Zealand for you.

One thing we can tell you in advance: New Zealand is absolutely amazing!

Must Sees & DOS on the south island

In only 16 days you can’t see everything that New Zealand has to offer. Nevertheless, we tried to make the most of our time on the South Island and experienced a lot. Our journey started on a farm near Queenstown and led us over several national parks to Christchurch – we covered a total of almost 2000km. We have summarized our most beautiful stops and adventures for you here:

Farmstay – Get to know the life on huge sheep farms

To dive into the life of the Kiwis (that’s how the New Zealanders call themselves) a farmstay on one of New Zealand’s many sheep farms is a must. Because even if you know farms and rural life from home, it’s hard to compare with farms in New Zealand. The expanse of the country is also evident here – farms with several thousand hectares of land are no exception, but rather the rule. The farm we visited in Otago – a region in the south of the island – has about 11,500 sheep on an area of 12,000 ha – of which over 7,000 are merino sheep whose wool is delivered to Icebreaker. On such a large area the sheep must first be found before they are mustered and herded down from the hills into the valley once a year. The shepherds and especially the dogs do an incredible job here, which you have to see with your own eyes!

Fjordland National Park with Milford Sound – The eighth wonder of the world?

Our next stop was Te Anau, a small place at a lake, which is the perfect starting point to explore Fjordland. From here you can plan countless trekking tours or a visit to one of New Zealand’s famous fjords. We chose the easy-to-reach Milford Sound. On the 119km long Highway SH94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound you already get a first impression of the impressive landscape in the Fjordland National Park. In contrast to the hilly landscape around Queenstown, one has the feeling of driving deeper and deeper into the rainforest. From the highway branch off a lot of paths, which lead to lookout points or short hiking trails. On the way to Milford Sound you should, therefore, take enough time to make a few stops. The hike to Key Summit is supposed to offer a particularly spectacular view – but since the weather was not good here, we unfortunately only saw white fog.

Arrived at Milford Sound, you can book a lot of different boat tours in the visitor center – but in the end, they are all offering the same thing: a one and a half to two hour trip on the famous fjord. Even if it is a quite touristic program, you definitely should not miss it! The fjord, surrounded by high mountains and waterfalls, has its own magic that will stay in our minds forever.

From Te Anau it’s not only worth a drive to Milford Sound, there are also many great hikes to start from here. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time to tackle one of the Great Walks of New Zealand and therefore decided for a day hike on the Kepler Track. From the Control Gates of the National Park over suspension bridges and through forests to Lake Manapouri, where you can sunbathe on the sandy beach.

In the official brochure of the National Park you will find all kinds of walks around Te Anau, but also along the Milford Highway.

Queenstown & Wanaka – Want some action?

Queenstown with its beautiful mountain and lake scenery is considered the Mecca for adventurous action fans in New Zealand. Bungee jumping, skydiving, downhill biking – there are many ways to boost your adrenalin level. But the region also invites you to go kayaking and hiking. In winter, the mountains around Queenstown and Wanaka turn into popular ski resorts. Apart from sports, Queenstown is also great to spend a relaxed day in the city and on the lake promenade. If you are a burger fan, you shouldn’t miss out on a Ferburger burger. The line is often long, but it’s worth waiting for.

If you are driving from Queenstown to Wanaka, we strongly recommend that you take the slightly longer route along the Crown Range Road. It is New Zealand’s highest main road and offers a beautiful view over mountains and lakes. Once arrived in Wanaka you should not miss the popular hike to Roy’s Peak. The steep, 11km long ascent is exhausting but is rewarded with a breathtaking view.

Mt. Cook National Park – Right in Middle-earth

Mt. Cook National Park is a must-see on the South Island. On the way from Queenstown to Christchurch, you should definitely make a stop here. In the 700m2 large national park are 22 of the 27 three thousand meter peaks of New Zealand. Among them is the highest mountain in the country – the Mt. Cook with 3755m. The landscape of the national park has completely enchanted us – you feel like you are in the middle of a Lord of the Rings movie. In the park there are a number of well-maintained wooden paths you can follow while enjoying nature.

On the way to Mt. Cook National Park you drive along the turquoise blue Lake Pukaki. If the weather is nice, you should stop on the way back from the park and jump into the clear water of the mountain lake or sit on the shore. Overlooking the national park it is the perfect place to end the day. On the way to Christchurch you should also make a stop at Lake Tekapo, which is at least as beautiful.

Christchurch – The Garden City

Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island, which is still under reconstruction after severe earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Many old Victorian buildings were unfortunately destroyed and have to be extensively rebuilt and restored. Nevertheless, Christchurch has lost none of its charm. Here you will find countless cafés and small shops, a large art scene that has a lot to offer and many exciting museums. We especially liked Christchurch’s beautiful botanical garden with its many lakes, the rose garden, and the palm house. The Avon River also runs through the garden, where you can take a boat trip in large gondolas, just like in Venice. In the visitor center, there is a great souvenir shop with honey from the own beekeeping, and also a nice café where you can get tasty cakes and snacks while enjoying the view.

If you’ve had enough of the city and sightseeing, you can also spend a relaxing day at Sumner Beach right outside Christchurch. With the car it is only a 15min drive, with the bus it takes around half an hour.

Akaroa & Banks Peninsula – French flair

From Christchurch, you should not miss a trip to the peninsula “Banks Peninsula” and the historic port city Akaroa. Only an hour and a half away from Christchurch, you find yourself surrounded by French flair – Akaroa is full of small bistros and bakeries, French restaurants and French flags. But not only Akaroa, also the beautiful hilly landscape on the peninsula, which was created several million years ago by volcanic eruptions, is amazing. Around the peninsula, there are small bays with harbors, to which one has a wonderful view when driving on the scenic Summit Road.

Kaikoura – Swim with Dolphins

The coastal town of Kaikoura is located about 180km north of Christchurch and is a true paradise for animal lovers. Here you can see whales, dolphins, seals and also the royal albatross. To find the seal colony, a walk along the coast is usually enough – the animals lie lazily on the rocks and sun themselves. To get closer to whales, dolphins and also to albatrosses, it is best to book a tour.

We decided to go swimming with dolphins and had an unforgettable experience! Equipped with a neoprene suit and snorkel equipment we went on a boat in direction of the dolphin colony. As soon as a few dolphins are spotted, the boat stops at a certain distance and the snorkel group jumps into the water. Now some effort is needed – to attract the curious and also playful animals, one needs to be as interesting as possible. That means making funny noises under water, singing songs and moving like a dolphin. We were lucky and got very close to the dolphins. The animals circled us and were only a few centimeters away. But not only in the water, also on the boat, meeting these dolphins is something very special. The dusky dolphins may be one of the smallest dolphins, but they are also the most acrobatic ones. Again and again the animals jump out of the water and do screws, turns and somersaults!

In addition to the many opportunities to get in touch with New Zealand’s wildlife, you should definitely take a stroll along the beautiful path along the coast, where there are numerous viewpoints. The whole trail takes about 3-4 hours. For some food in between, make a stop at the food stall near the seal colony. Here you can get fresh fish, mussels and lobsters at reasonable prices.

Tips and Tricks for your trip to new zealand

If our short travel report convinced you and you also want to travel to the land of the Kiwis, we have put together some useful tips for your trip to and in New Zealand.

How to get to New Zealand South Island

New Zealand’s international airport is in Auckland on the North Island. Here you usually have the cheapest and also the best connections from Europe. If, like us, you only want to explore the South Island of New Zealand, you can also fly directly to Christchurch or book a domestic flight from Auckland to Christchurch or Queenstown.

However, booking flights is almost a science of its own. That’s why we want to share with you our tech-savviest secrets we are aware of when it comes to finding the best low-cost flights. For sure a last-minute-deal could be an option, but as we learned, it is not said to be the cheapest way. To find the best deal you should start looking for a flight around seven weeks in advance – that’s at least what studies will tell you.

A good idea might also be to sign up for price alerts. Either you subscribe to alerts of your favorite airline directly or you sign up for one of the many alerts of price comparison pages such as skyscanner.net, kayak.com, Google Flights and what else you can find out there.

Another good thing to make use of, are those wonderful airline miles. If you put on your smarty pants and research a little bit, you might find a nice way to a free one-way ticket to New Zealand.

Accommodation and getting around in New Zealand

Since most towns and cities on the South Island are quite small, there are also only a limited number of accommodations. Especially in popular places you should book early enough. Otherwis,e it can happen that you have to change your route. The best option in New Zealand is, therefore, to travel with a self-contained campervan. With such a van you are legally able to camp almost everywhere on public ground. The difference to a normal van or caravan is that the “self-contained” campers have not only a fresh water tank but also a waste water tank. This makes them more environmentally friendly and rewards them with various privileges. You can find the exact requirements for such vehicles here.

If you prefer to sleep in hotels, hostels and B&Bs instead, you should definitely consider renting a car. The bus network in New Zealand is very well developed and there are many hop-on hop-off buses, but depending on which route you plan, you are much more flexible with a car. Plus, a real road trip through the hilly and mountainous landscape is simply a must for every New Zealand trip!

Don’t forget that there is left-hand traffic in the former British colony!

When to go: The right time to travel to New Zealand

Depending on your plans, you can travel to New Zealand all year round. You will find the most stable and warmest weather conditions in the New Zealand summer from December to February. At this time you get a lot of sun and can go swimming in the many lakes and in the sea. However, if you prefer hiking, it is better to go for spring from September to November or autumn from March to May. Then the temperatures are still pleasant, but not so extremely warm. June to August is the best time for skiing when winter has come to New Zealand.

Interesting facts about new Zealand

So that you can look forward even more to your upcoming trip to New Zealand, we have put together some interesting facts and figures about the country for you:

In Maori, the language of the natives, New Zealand is called “Aotearoa”, which means “long white cloud”.
Besides English, Maori is New Zealand’s second official language.
15% of the inhabitants of New Zealand belong to the indigenous Maori. 70% are of European descent, 9% Asian and 7% originally come from different Pacific islands.
With 4.5 million inhabitants on an area of 270km2, there are only about 17 people living in New Zealand per square kilometer. 75% of them live on the North Island, which is why the South Island of New Zealand is often referred to as one large national park.
It is therefore not surprising that only 5% of New Zealand’s inhabitants are human beings. The remaining 95% are animals.
These include 30 million sheep, making New Zealand the country with the highest sheep density in the world.
There are also so many different bird species in New Zealand that they even have their own Wikipedia entry! Probably the most popular bird is the flightless kiwi, which is known as New Zealand’s national animal.
New Zealand was discovered as the last inhabitable land mass and is thus considered the youngest country in the world.
No matter where you are in the country, you are never more than 128km away from the sea.
And if all this still hasn’t convinced you: New Zealand has more Scottish pipe bands per capita than any other country in the world.

Kia ora! We hope you have an amazing trip!