The south island of New Zealand is filled with incredible beauty, culture, food, and people and has been one of the best places I have ever been. There’s a ton to explore but you will need a rental car to get around (and then you need to drive on the opposite side of the road, depending on where you are traveling from).
I loved it here and this post will help you get the best of New Zealand during a trip to the south island.
Island information
The Māori culture, which is the culture of the indigenous people of New Zealand is celebrated here. You can learn more about their past through the museums or through talking with the Māori people. Their customs and traditions are beautiful, their kindness and hospitality is next to none, and their love for the land is apparent. I encourage everyone to learn more about these beautiful people. There is an incredible partnership between the Māori and the descendants of the settlers, where they work together for solutions that work for everyone.
Wildlife
New Zealand is home to some incredible bird species, but many of the mammals you will see are non-native and invasive. There are 5 species of introduced deer, plus non-native rabbits, wallabies, stoats, and more that were all introduced by English settlers looking to have things to hunt and then to try and eradicate others. These species are incredibly destructive, particularly the wallabies and the stoats. So, though it might be cool to see some of these animals, keep in mind the impacts they can have on the ecosystem and the native species, which are already few and far between.
The largest native land mammal in New Zealand is a bat. They do have an abundance of marine life, however, which includes 3 species of penguins, dolphins, whales, and other pelagic birds.
Best time to visit
A great time to visit is just before their winter. There are significantly less people, so you are almost always guaranteed to get last minute tickets to things like seeing the blue penguins coming ashore at night to return to their colony, a tour of the glowworm caves, or even cruises into the Fiordlands National Park.
The summer months, of course, are the most popular, and are from December to February. Sounds short, but they are also really not that far from Antarctica when you look at a map, so it’s not really surprising. I visited for my first time at the end of April, and though you risk some pretty rainy days, it was a great time to visit.
Getting there
Most, if not all, international flights come in to Auckland on the north island. From there you will take a flight to Christchurch on the south island. There are other smaller planes that go to various places in the country, so if you plan to be more in the southern part of the south island, Dunedin might be a more appropriate place to fly into.
Getting around
The best way to get around is by renting a car. They do drive on the opposite side of the road from some other countries (namely the US, Canada and Mexico). However, I found this rather intuitive (maybe because I am left handed) and had no issues with the adjustment. What was super helpful was the car rental agent who had me watch a video about driving in New Zealand.
Just take your time and what helped me was just as I got in the car I would say out loud, “Left side,” and you might laugh, but hey, it worked for me.
A better way, if you are really not comfortable with driving on the opposite side of the road, is to join a bus tour. This gives you much less freedom, since you have to follow the schedule of the tour, but it does take away the guesswork and a lot of the planning. So, it depends on how you like to travel. I greatly enjoyed driving around New Zealand.
Top things to do
A great way to make the most out of your time on the south island is to plan a loop. This way you can stop at towns along the way for the night and get to experience as much of the south island as possible in one go. I find this makes much more sense that having one homebase location, because things are surprising far away from each other.
So, you can either spend your time driving for hours a day, or you can maximize your time by creating a schedule. Here are my recommendations for one possible itinerary for an epic road trip of the south island.
Starting in Christchurch you can either plan to see the west coast first or the east coast. It doesn’t really matter where you start. I stayed in Geraldine on my first visit to the island. This very small town has a few good restaurants and a couple of smaller hotel options. It’s a good place to recover from jet lag before really starting your adventure.
Oamaru
Once you have recovered from your jet lag, it’s time to really hit the road, heading to Oamaru as your first stop. This town is super cute and is the best place to get up close to the smallest species of penguin, the little blue penguin.
Oamaru Blue penguin colony
Address: 17 Waterfront Road, South Hill, Oamaru 9400, New Zealand
This is a long-term conservation project, so your money goes to supporting the protection of these little animals. Each night, after a full day foraging for food in the ocean, groups of penguins, called rafts, come back to the colony. You can hear them coming. It’s one of the coolest and one of the most special things I have had the privilege of seeing. The colony is next to the main entrance building, so during the day you may see a few pairs who have lingered behind tending to their young or just hanging out. But the real magic is the evening visit.
They have two different sets of bleachers set up to view the penguins as they come home. There is absolutely no photography allowed of the penguins and no talking while they are arriving back onto the beach due to the stress it causes them. Sounds can keep them from feeling safe enough to cross the small grassy area back to their colony and so they may flee back into the ocean, which could be detrimental to their young and themselves.
You can also check out their online watch cameras and learn more about the great work they are doing at the Oamaru blue penguin colony website.
Bushy beach
Address: Otago Region 9400, New Zealand
Just down the road, is Bushy beach. Where you can see another species of penguins as they arrive home at night, the yellow eyed penguins. The staff at the Oamaru blue penguin colony also monitor when these penguins are coming in at night and so are a great source of information if you want to try and see them.
Keep in mind you will only be able to view the penguins from atop the bluff, so make sure to either bring your zoom camera or a pair of binoculars.
Scott’s brewery
Address: 1 Wansbeck Street, South Hill, Oamaru 9400, New Zealand
After spending some time with the penguins head to Scott’s brewery for some amazing pizza and craft beer. Recommended to us by a New Zealand local, it certainly did not disappoint.
Dunedin
Continuing south along the eastern coast you come to the college town of Dunedin. There are tons of places to eat and stay here and lots to do nearby, particularly if you are into wildlife viewing.
Orokonui Ecosanctuary
Address: 600 Blueskin Road, Dunedin 9081, New Zealand
Just before you enter Dunedin you can take a little detour to the Orokonui ecosanctuary. There are several trails to explore in this sanctuary and some incredible wildlife viewing. This park is home to the Kākā, the Takahē (once thought to be extinct, but making a comeback thanks to the work of many in conservation), and the kiwi, plus many more. They also have a variety of reptiles and amphibians that can be see on a warm day.
To check out the live cams, learn more about the conservation work being done here or to book your visit, check out the Orokonui website.
Sandfly beach
This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island in my opinion. Named not because of the flying insect but because the sand flies with the wind, this incredible little beach is another spot where you can see yellow eyed penguins, but you can also see other bird species plus the New Zealand sea lion.
There is a small parking lot that can hold around 10 cars at the top of the bluff. You will have to hike down to the beach, stopping at a beautiful overlook (and the place where you can watch the penguins come in at dusk). I highly recommend stopping here during your road trip around the island.
Royal Albatross center
Address: 1259 Harington Point Road, Harington Point 9077, New Zealand
Classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, you can see these incredible birds with their long wingspans by taking a tour at the Royal Albatross center. You can only view them from behind glass, for their protection, but it’s definitely worth the trip.
This location is the home of the only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross. To book a tour, check out the center’s website.
Tunnel beach
Tunnel beach came highly recommended to us by several locals. However, you always need to check out the website before you go, because it is often closed for various reasons. Make sure to also check the tide schedule, you will want to be there during low tide to truly experience this amazing place.
To check the status of the tunnel beach walk check out the Department of Conservation‘s page.
Catlins Forest park
Continuing south is the Catlins Forest park, where you can go hiking and see some incredible waterfalls. Some of the main highlights are Nugget lighthouse, Pūrākaunui Falls, Cathedral Caves, and Mclean falls. You could spend several days just exploring this one area. There are options for shorter day hikes or more challenging, longer treks.
You can plan your trip and stay at the Catlins Forest official website.
Stewart Island
Stewart Island is New Zealand’s third largest island, located at the southern tip of the south island. Taking a car ferry there are a few places to stay and a couple of restaurants available, but it’s the place to go to immerse yourself in nature and do some birdwatching. You might even see a kiwi if your lucky. Another must see while you are there is the Aurora australis, or southern lights.
Te Anau
Having spent time touring the eastern coast it is now time to head towards the southern alps and the higher elevations of the western coast of the south island. Te Anau is a great place to stay for a few days exploring the area.
Tour the glowworm caves
This was totally worth it. You can book a tour with Real NZ, who were great (I did two different tours with them). The meet up is in the middle of town and you will take a boat over to the glowworm cave site that takes around a half hour. Sometimes it can be a bumpy ride so if you are prone to motion sickness be aware and go prepared.
Once you arrive you are split into a small group with one tour guide. They will give you a briefing outside the cave, which includes what you can expect, the fact that there is no photography in the cave and to answer any questions. From there you will walk into an absolutely stunning cave with built in platforms to allow easy access to the deeper sections.
Eventually you arrive at a platform where you will all load into a boat and take off into the darkness looking up at all the glowworms on the roof of the cave. It is asked that you stay silent and to refrain from taking photos and just immerse yourself into this incredible experience.
Then you come out the way you went in seeing more glowworms that weren’t visible on the first trip. Sound amazing? It is. You can book with RealNZ on their website or you can book it at the desk in Te Anau.
Go on a cruise through Doubtful Sound
Fiordland national park is a must see and the best way to see it is by boat. The park is made up of so many different sounds that are only accessible by boat. There is some hiking through here, but if you are looking to see as much of south island as possible a full day cruise of Doubtful Sound is the best way to experience this national park. Lots of people also check out Milford sound as what is considered the second nicest area.
Doubtful Sound makes you feel like you have stepped into a fantasy novel. I kept expecting to see dragons flying amongst the greenery and unicorns drinking from the waters, it was really that magical. It also rains a lot there, so don’t expect to have perfectly clear views when you go out. Of course the summer months are the best chance of getting a clear day, but it rains 3/4 of the days in a year there. But with all that rain comes some of the most spectacular temporary waterfalls.
You can take a tour with Real NZ for this one too, which is what I did, and you start with a boat ride out of Manapouri, just a 15 minute ride from Te Anau, across Lake Manapouri to Wilmot Pass. From there you will hop on buses to the boat at Doubtful Sound, with a few stops along the way for some photo ops. The cruise through Doubtful Sound is around 3- 31/2 hours long and there is a bar with drinks and food available and several decks to choose from for the best views. Keep an eye out for marine life!
The day in Doubtful Sound was one of my favorite places and experiences in New Zealand.
Queenstown
Lots of people head to Queenstown, and for good reason. It is a total tourist hotspot and it is also where those looking for an adrenaline rush go.
The town is beautiful and has great restaurants and bars, though things are definitely more expensive here. It is also nestled into wine country and there are opportunities to go on bike tours with wine tasting or bus tours, depending on how you like to travel.
There’s also some great hiking in the area if you are looking for some longer treks that take either a full day or multiple days.
Mount Cook national park
The last stop on this road trip is Mount Aoraki (Mount Cook) national park. It is a beautifully scenic drive within the park with lots of places to stop for various hikes, camping, or if you want to stay in the little village at the base of Mount Aoraki. There is a museum there dedicated to Sir Edmund Hillary (first person to summit Mount Everest with his partner Tibetan mountaineer Tenzing Norgay) who began his climbing career in the mountains of New Zealand.
There are several really beautiful hikes, but I recommend the Tasman Lake trail and Sealy tarns. The Hooker Lake trail is also a recommendation, however, at the time of my visit it was closed.
Tasman Lake is a short trek up to get an overview of the lake. The parking lot was packed when we arrived, so be prepared. It’s a nice stopover if you are looking for something a little less challenging but with nice views.
Sealy tarns is an extremely challenging hike, but definitely worth it. It is roughly 3.3 miles out and back with over 2,200 steps up to the glacier lookout and views of Aoraki. Bring water and snacks and take your time. It’s a tough climb and will leave your legs feeling wobbly on the way back down.
Concluding Thoughts
I loved south island. New Zealand is truly a beautiful place with so many unique areas to visit. It is not where you will find all the Lord of the Rings filming sites, though there are a few, but it has some incredible wildlife viewing, hiking, and breathtaking views of places you will not see anywhere else.
If you are looking for more unique islands to visit, I highly recommend the island of Flores in the Azores.
