Eight day itinerary of South Island, New Zealand.

“New Zealand is not a small country but a large village.”

The South Island is the larger of the two islands in New Zealand. A travellers’ paradise— it has various fjords, glaciers, lakes, volcanoes,wildlife and of course natural beauty at its extreme.

Total Itinerary Map:-

A little bit about Queenstown:-

Queenstown sits on the shores of the Lake Wakatipu South Island set against the dramatic Southern Alps.

How to reach: Domestic flights from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

When to go: December to February.

How to get around: Hiring a car or a camper van is the best way explore the Southern Island.

Day 1: Queenstown to Milford Sound:-

It takes about four hours from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Boat Cruise during the day or overnight is an excellent way to experience the Milford Sound. Adventurous types may also like to head out for sea kayaking, diving or sightseeing. To learn more about the local marine life visit the underwater observatory at Harrison Cove and marvel at the black coral, eleven-legged sea star and delicate sea anemones. You can do all the activities throughout the day and stay here for one night at the Milford Sound Lodge and Pio Pio Cafe.

Day 2:Milford Sound to Te Anau:-

Start early from Milford Sound to Te Anau. Here you can enjoy the glow worm caves. Daily tours are conducted by different organisations here. Fifteen minutes down the highway, you can find the “Kepler Track Trail Head”. If you turn right from State Highway 95 to follow Rainbow Reach Road there. You can head to Queenstown, do a local sightseeing and stay there for the night.

Things to do in Queenstown:-

• Bungee Jumping
• Rafting
• River surfing
• Cruises
• Sky diving

Day 3: Head to Wanaka:-

On the scenic way to Wanaka, you will find beautiful Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. Head further north towards Mount Aspiring National Park. There are various long hikes to experience this place. Accommodations are available for staying at this place.

Day 4: Fox and Franz Josef Glacier:-

Day 5: Aoraki, Mount Cook:-

It consists of three summits south to north: –

• Low peak
• Middle peak
• High peak.

Māori legends and traditions:-

From Queenstown its distance is 300 km and on the way you can see Wanaka, Lindiss pass and Lake Pukaki.

According to Māori legend Aoraki, a young boy along with his three brothers were the sons of Rakinui, the sky father. On their voyage to Papatuvanuku, the Earth mother, got angry and caused a storm. Their boats stranded on the reef and tilted. Aoraki and his brothers climb to the top side of the canoe. However Southwind froze them and turned them to stone. Their canoe became the Te Waka O Aoraki. The South Island and their prows and the Marlborough Sounds. Aoraki, the tallest became the highest peak and his brothers created the Ka Tiritiri O Te Moana, the Southern Alps.

Where to stay:

Hermitage, Aoraki MT Cook has good restaurants, cafes and great rooms facing Mount Aoraki. You can do the following activities here:

• Big sky stargazing
• Exploring the Tasman Glacier
• Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre.

Day 6: Lake Tekapo:-

Lake Tekapo is a small town located at the southern end of the lake of the same name in the inland South Island of NewZealand.

It is a place of heavenly beauty. If you manage a trip here; you may thank yourself later as well as me.

When to visit: Lake Tekapo is beautiful throughout d year but perhaps the best time it is in November, because this is when you can see lupines in full bloom. We have seen these lupines in full bloom at mid of the December too.

What to expect there: Flowering of lupines in Lake Tekapo, NewZealand..Russel lupine is an exotic plant that can grow up to 1.5 meters . It is a perennial species flowers and sets seeds in the summer, dies back to the stem lease over winter to rearrange the following summer.

Why is Lake Tekapo so blue: It’s a beautiful turquoise blue is a product of surrounding glaciers-the glaciers in the hard waters of Lake Tekapo grind rocks into a fine dust on their journey down towards lake -the resulting particulate called rock flour is suspended in the water and causes the magnificent turquoise..

Things to do there:

• Tekapo springs -It is mainly a hot spring , lake & skating.
• Mount John University Observatory- It is the research site with several telescopes.
• Church of the good shepherd- It is a small yet charming stone church.
• Mount John Observatory & Lake.

Nearby Attractions:

• On the way from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo you can find the nature’s beautiful gift, NewZealand’s Alpine Lavender- which is only 5 mins drive from the state highway 8 turnoff on the scenic road to Aoraki Mount Cook , NewZealand’s highest mountain.
• Peter’s Lookout (5.68km)
• MT Cook Alpine Salmon Shop (6.26km)
• Lake Pukaki (4.34km)

Accommodation: Lake Tekapo Motel Holiday Park and the Lake Front Lodge. Accommodations available there:

• Powered sites
• Non powered sites
• Cabins
• En-suite cabins
• Motel units
• Kiwi Bachs
• Family Villas
• Backpacker’s Lodge

Day 7: Lake Tekapo to Christchurch:-

The scenic route is a longer one and is about 275km.

Geraldine: You can take a small break over here and enjoy fresh cheese in the local markets.

Rakaia Gorge: The plains have fair share of rivers and the Rakaia River is the most striking. You can explore the Canterbury Plains before entering Christchurch. It has a great English Look.

On entering Christchurch you can stay at any of the various motels that Christchurch offers. You can spend the rest of the day by experiencing the night life there.

Day 8: Christchurch:-

The best way to explore Christchurch is by Hop-on-Hop-off Tram. You can start with the Christchurch Botanical Gardens. The gardens have a cafe, gift shop and interactive permanent exhibition featuring the history of plants.

Canterbury Museum: It has got a good display of artefacts and tells about the natural and cultural history of New Zealand.

You can also try the Christchurch Gondola which offers a spectacular 360 degree view of the city.

Lastly you can visit the Cardboard Cathedral. I suggest two days to explore Christchurch.

So, I hope that it will help you. Keep travelling!