Top South Island Bus Tours - page 3

Explore Fiordland National Park's Doubtful Sound on this full-day cruise from Manapouri. Enjoy a scenic cruise across Lake Manapouri, then a short coach journey over Wilmot Pass, with stunning views. Cruise the 25-mile (40-kilometer) stretch of Doubtful Sound, looking out for fur seals, bottlenose dolphins, and Fiordland crested penguins while listening to your naturalist guide’s commentary. A highlight is when the engines are cut so you can appreciate the silence.

Pair the fine wines of Central Otago with a gourmet lunch platter on this small-group wine-tasting tour of Gibbston, Bannockburn, and Cromwell from Queenstown. Drive through valleys and vine-clad foothills rich in gold mining history, and stop at four boutique wineries for tastings along the way. Numbers are limited to ensure an intimate experience with other wine lovers and personalized attention from your guide.

Avoid the stress of self-driving through distractingly beautiful landscapes on a full-day tour from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Peer through the panoramic windows of a luxury coach as you travel through UNESCO World Heritage–listed Fiordland National Park with a guide, stopping at sites of interest en route. At Milford Sound, board a catamaran for a memorable sightseeing cruise past Mitre Peak and magnificent cliff-side waterfalls. Look out for wildlife, too.

Cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm aboard the TSS Earnslaw, a vintage steamship (or a replacement vessel when the steamship is undergoing maintenance). Stroll the lakeside gardens, watch a farm show, and see sheepdogs in action. Take a guided tour and enjoy free time to stroll. Savor a delicious afternoon tea with scones before heading back to Queenstown the same way you came.

Strike gold and take in the scenic wonders of Queenstown and Arrowtown on this small-group sightseeing tour. Spend the morning enjoying panoramic lake and mountain views, learning about the rugged alpine region’s historic gold rush and contemporary wine-making industries, and sampling wine at a winery. This tour includes hotel pickup for added convenience.

Be surprised by the rugged natural landscape that’s part of the Dunedin city boundaries on this tour of the Otago Peninsula. Start with a guided tour of New Zealand’s only castle, Larnach Castle, and learn all about Dunedin’s early settler history from your guide. Continue further along the peninsula, hopping aboard a wildlife cruise of the Otago Harbour. Spot fur seals, albatross, and maybe even dolphins and penguins while admiring the views.

Fiordland is one of New Zealand’s most beautiful destinations, but self-driving through the landscape of snow-capped mountains, towering waterfalls, and emerald greenery can be challenging—and distracting. Eliminate the hassle when you travel with a small group by coach from Queenstown. Pass Lake Te Anau, the South Island’s largest lake, and enter the hand-carved Homer Tunnel on your way to Milford Sound, where you relax on a scenic nature cruise.

This Doubtful Sound overnight cruise takes you over Manapouri Lake to this South Island gem in the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park. Board the ‘Wanderer,’ a 3-mast motorized boat designed on a traditional scow, and cruise past soaring granite peaks in New Zealand’s second-largest fiord. Learn from an onboard nature guide about wildlife such as fur seals, penguins, and bottlenose dolphins. Then spend the night in a comfortable cabin, including a 3-course dinner and breakfast.

Experience the best of Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula without trailing around after a large group when you take an easy small-group shore excursion from Port Chalmers. See city highlights—such as the University of Otago, the Dunedin Railway Station, and Olveston House on a guided tour featuring all original furnishings—as well as Larnach Castle gardens on the peninsula. Note that entrance to the castle interior is not included.

Witness the majesty of the Southern Alps from both the ground and the air on this full-day, small-group combination bus, helicopter, and ski plane tour. Most travelers miss the opportunity to see the area from so many different vantage points. Heading out from Queenstown, see the azure waters of Lake Dunstan and Lake Pukaki before spotting Mount Cook’s (Aoraki’s) snow-capped peaks cresting the horizon. Then, hop aboard your aircraft for a flight through the mountains, including a landing at Tasman Glacier.

Get a comprehensive tour of Milford Sound with this combination coach tour and boat cruise from Te Anau. Avoid the hassle of self-driving along the mountainous Milford Road by going with a guide and group in a low-emission vehicle. Stop for photo ops and short walks en route. Then, transfer to a boat for a scenic cruise on Milford Sound. Enjoy lunch and unlimited coffee and tea on the water.

Enjoy the amazing natural scenery around the magnificent Franz Josef Glacier with this nature-focused tour. Starting out in the town of Franz Josef, drive to the glacier car park and then head off into the forest. Learn about the local environment, as your guide provides lots of information about glaciology, geology, geomorphology, flora & fauna and more.

Ideal for thrill seekers, this experience lets you take a jet boat ride on the Shotover River canyons. Experience adrenaline-fueled fun as the jet boat skims the water’s surface at high speed and fishtails into 360-degree spins. Hold on tight as the captain maneuvers the jet boat over rapids and through narrow canyons during one heart-pounding adventure you won’t soon forget.

Explore Dunedin highlights on a half-day, small-group tour that goes from the city's historic landmarks to the beaches of the Otago Peninsula. See the University of Otago, the Dunedin Railway Station, and more, then continue to the beautiful Otago Peninsula, pausing en route for a walk on St. Clair Beach and esplanade. This tour includes transfers from Port Chalmers, with departure times to suit cruise ship arrivals.

Take a break and escape into nature on this tour of Milford Sound in the World Heritage Fiordland National Park. Relax as you visit one of New Zealand’s notable Fjords, taking in the waterfalls at Mirror Lake and the fresh glacier water at Monkey Walk. Then, take to the water itself with a boat cruise on Milford Sound. Perfect for travelers wanting to immerse themselves in the South Island’s landscape.

See Arrowtown and Wanaka through the eyes of a local rather than a first-time visitor on a half-day tour from Queenstown that explores local history and landscapes. You’ll have time to stroll Arrowtown’s charming main street, built during Otago’s 19th-century gold rush, then enjoy an hour of free time to see Wanaka at your own pace for a balanced sightseeing experience. Return to Queenstown through the Crown Range, winding through towering peaks and high passes.

Take your time on a self-guided wineries cycling tour starting at The Church Cellar Door in Gibbston Valley. Follow the Arrow and Kawarau River gorges to the famous bungee-jump bridge over the Kawarau. Continue to the Gibbston Valley wine region, cycling 11 miles (17 kilometers) of easy trails suitable for varying abilities. Stop when and where you want along the way, including many top wineries.

Make the most of a short time in Christchurch on a full-day shore excursion after your cruise ship docks in Lyttelton. Head into the city and learn about its rebuild post-earthquake. Travel into the Port Hills to get a view over the Canterbury Plains, then speed up the weaving waterways of the braided Waimakariri River on a jet boat. This tour is designed especially to work with cruise ship timings.

Join a Doubtful Sound cruise from Queenstown and discover this isolated gem deep within the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park. Travel by coach to Manapouri, take a ferry across Lake Manapouri and cross over Wilmot Pass, then down to Doubtful Sound to board your catamaran. Look out for dolphins, fur seals, and penguins amid a dramatic landscape of soaring forest-covered peaks and crystal-clear waters.

UNESCO World Heritage-listed Milford Sound is an icon of New Zealand’s South Island—a dramatic fjord ringed by jagged cliffs and cascading waterfalls. This cruise checks off all the highlights, affording spectacular views of Bowen Falls, Sinbad Gully, and Mt. Pembroke, passing mighty Mitre Peak, and gliding out along the Tasman Sea coast. It starts and ends at Milford Sound itself so the rest of your day is free.

Take a window seat for a scenic round-trip flight from Queenstown to Milford Sound, and see the splendor of Fiordland National Park from the air and sea on this small-group excursion. Board a cruise and pass dramatic waterfalls and Mitre Peak as you travel to the Tasman Sea. Then soar over the Southern Alps on your return.

Make the most of a short time on land on a shore excursion deep into the Southern Alps. You’ll be picked up from the port in Lyttelton and driven to Arthur’s Pass Village, a handy base for exploring the mountains of the central South Island. Enjoy lunch available for purchase with a view and time to explore the village and surrounding alpine scenery.

Enjoy uninterrupted views of the mountain scenery without having to self-drive to Milford Sound from Queenstown in a glass-roofed coach. Your driver will provide commentary along the way, to keep you informed. At Milford Sound, embark on a cruise on the water, all the way out to the Tasman Sea. Relax and take in the views as you enjoy lunch on board, too.

Located in the heart of Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound forms part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site. Explore the stunning fiord in a way few tourists will—by air and water during a half-day excursion. The exhilarating, round-trip helicopter flight from Queenstown includes a glacier or alpine landing. Perhaps spot dolphins, seals, and penguins during an unforgettable cruise.