Things to do in the South Island
The South Island is scenery on the grandest scale. Cruise a fiord beneath sheer cliffs, throw yourself off a bungy in Queenstown, stand under Aoraki/Mount Cook and the world's clearest night skies, walk a glacier, taste world-class wine and watch whales. From adrenaline to serenity, here are the essentials — each with its own in-depth guide.
Milford, Queenstown & Mount Cook
Start with the icons. Cruise Milford Sound, past Mitre Peak and thundering waterfalls; take on the bungy, jet boats and gondola of Queenstown; and stand beneath Aoraki/Mount Cook, walking the Hooker Valley and stargazing under the Mackenzie dark skies. It's the classic South Island trio. See our Milford Sound cruise.
Glaciers, wine & whales
The variety is astonishing. Walk or heli-hike the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers where rainforest meets ice; sip Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough and watch whales at Kaikōura; and meet penguins, albatross and sea lions on the Otago Peninsula. See our glacier experiences page.
Great Walks & alpine lakes
Between the icons, the island is made for the outdoors. Hike a Great Walk — the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler or Abel Tasman — or an easier day trail; kayak Abel Tasman's golden coast; and drink in the turquoise of Lakes Tekapo, Pukaki and Wānaka. In winter it becomes a ski playground around Queenstown and Wānaka. See our Wānaka guide.
Things to do in the South Island: your questions
Cruise Milford Sound and take on the adventure of Queenstown; stand beneath Aoraki/Mount Cook under the dark skies; walk the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers; taste Marlborough wine and watch Kaikōura whales; and see the wildlife of Otago. See our South Island tours.
It's the island of mountains and fiords — the Southern Alps, Aoraki/Mount Cook, and the sheer cliffs of Milford Sound — plus the adventure hub of Queenstown, the West Coast glaciers, turquoise glacial lakes and dark skies, Marlborough wine and Kaikōura whales. It's cooler, wilder and more mountainous than the north. See our Queenstown & Fiordland guide.
Superbly — Queenstown and Wānaka are adventure and ski hubs (bungy, jet boats, skiing), and the island holds several of New Zealand's Great Walks, including the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler and Abel Tasman tracks, plus day hikes like the Hooker Valley and Roys Peak. See our hiking & Great Walks page.
Yes — Kaikōura offers whales year-round with dolphins and seals; the Otago Peninsula has royal albatross, yellow-eyed and little blue penguins and sea lions; and Stewart Island is one of the best places to see wild kiwi. See our whale watching page and our Dunedin & Otago guide.
Allow 7–10 days for the essentials — Christchurch, Mount Cook and the Mackenzie, Queenstown and Milford, Wānaka and the glaciers — and around two weeks to add Dunedin, the Catlins, Kaikōura and the Marlborough–Nelson north. See our itineraries guide.