Off the beaten track - the remote south
If you have the time then getting off the beaten track and discovering New Zealand's less visited areas can be rewarding.
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Invercargill, New Zealand’s southernmost city, makes an ideal base from which to explore the remote Catlin region, a stretch of wilderness with waterfalls, forests and marine mammals.
There is plenty of opportunity to view wildlife along the stretch of highway towards Dunedin.
See fur seal and Hooker’s sea lion dotted along the coastline lazing on the beaches and rocks, as well as white elephant seal at Nugget Point and southern right whale out to sea, and spot a number of rare sea, estuary and forest bird species.
Take a guided tour of Invercargill, visiting the historic buildings and churches, Oreti Beach and Southland Museum, which houses an excellent permanent exhibit on New Zealand’s sub Antarctic islands and Maori artefacts from the region.
Continue to the small town of Bluff and catch a ferry to Stewart Island, crossing the Foveaux Strait.
85% of Stewart Island is National Park, and it is one of the few places where you can still spot a kiwi bird in the wild.
The island’s only settlement, the village of Oban, is a nature lover’s paradise, surrounded by sandy, isolated coves and walking tracks.
Choose from a selection of walking tracks through the bush and along the beautiful coastline and learn about the island’s European and Maori history, local conservation efforts and rare flora and fauna.
Cox & Kings Travel offers tailor-made holidays to New Zealand.
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Cox & Kings Travel
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Cox & Kings, the world's longest established travel company, organises tailor-made holidays and escorted group tours to New Zealand.
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