Soak up the wonders of nature with this wild-south itinerary. Scroll to discover more.
Journey through a maze of alpine lakes and glittering mountains on this South Island road trip. Start your journey in Queenstown, the adrenaline capital of New Zealand, before heading north through stunning National Parks to explore glacier country.
Today's journey starts in the alpine resort town of Queenstown – an exciting and fantastically scenic part of New Zealand. Soak up the alpine views and take some time to enjoy the great outdoors with a day walk, jet boating adventure or scenic gondola ride up Bob’s Peak. In the evening, visit a local restaurant to refuel from the day's adventures.
Nestled below towering mountains, Wanaka is the most tranquilly set of the South Island lakes. Meander along lakefront trails, take a gentle bike ride through autumnal scenes and enjoy a wine-tasting at Rippon Vineyard.
For the more adventurous, get your adrenaline rush by heli-biking or climbing the highest waterfall 'feratta'(opens in new window) in the world. We can promise unbeatable views.
Find out more about Mt Aspiring National Park
A hiker's paradise, Mount Aspiring National Park offers a large number of short walks that are mostly concentrated at the end of the park's access roads. Experience a dreamland of mountains, glaciers, river valleys and alpine lakes. Take a stroll to the Blue Pools or embark on a multi-day hike on the Routeburn track - accessible from the southern end of the National Park. After this head to the West Coast to enjoy waterfalls and river scenery as you drive through the Haast river valley and Haast Pass.
Journey north to glacier country, where picturesque mountains and azure lakes will have you reaching for your camera at every turn. While glaciers around the world are retreating, the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers here in New Zealand still flow almost to sea level.
Easy walks to the foot of the glaciers pass along ancient river valleys, and when you stand close to the foot of these glaciers their sheer enormity will leave you humbled. Plan your trip with dedicated glacier guides(opens in new window).