Top South Island Day Trips - page 4

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.

Queenstown is famous for its adrenaline-inducing adventure sports, but if you want a more relaxed adventure, combine a Lake Wakatipu cruise with a horseback-riding adventure. Cruise from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm, then fuel up with morning or afternoon tea at the Colonel’s Homestead. Numbers are limited for a small-group experience on the horse trek for a personalized experience. Admire great views of the Remarkables mountains.

Discover Central Otago’s wine country by bike on this full-day tour from Queenstown. Ride down the Arrow and Kawarau Rivers and across the iconic Kawarau suspension bridge. Go at your own pace as you follow the wine map to many wineries along the easy biking trail. Take in the magnificent scenery and stop to taste delicious wine as you go. A wine purchase pickup service is available for your convenience.

Appreciate the majesty and scale of Franz Josef and Fox glaciers from the air during a 30-minute helicopter flight and snow landing. Enjoy aerial views over both glaciers from your prime position in the sky, and hear live commentary from the pilot before landing atop one of the glaciers. Then hop out to get a better view of one of New Zealand’s most stunning landscapes.

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.

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.

Soar through the forest on the world’s steepest tree-to-tree zipline, 1,500 feet (450 meters) above Queenstown. Choose from three different courses, one with a thrilling 68-foot (21-meter) drop. Or, tone down the adrenaline a notch on a longer course, perfect for families with kids. Expert guides supervise your launch so all you have to do is take in the panoramic mountain and lake views.

Enjoy the peace and beauty of Milford Sound after day-trippers have departed when you stay overnight on the Fiordland Jewel cruise boat. Explore the sound on two cruises and kayaking excursions. Sleep in an ensuite cabin with sea views, a three-course dinner, and breakfast. The boat features a top-deck hot tub for relaxing after your day.

Admire the natural wonder that is Milford Sound on a nature cruise that lets you soak up the scenery from the water. Glide past granite walls, glacier-fed waterfalls, and stunning Mitre Peak on a spacious catamaran to avoid the crowds. Enjoy great photo ops of this famous South Island attraction situated within Fiordland National Park, and be on the lookout for Fiordland crested penguins and bottlenose dolphins.

Make the most of your limited time on land with a handy shore excursion from Akaroa Harbour through the Banks Peninsula and to Christchurch. Drive past city landmarks, including the Christ Church Cathedral that is being rebuilt after devastating earthquakes, and stroll through the Christchurch Botanic Gardens with a guide to tell you about the city’s history and culture. This is an easy way to discover Christchurch’s highlights without self-driving.

**For Guaranteed snow landings all year round, please book our Mt Cook: Ski Plane & Helicopter Glacier flight** Experience Mount Cook National Park from the sky. Enjoy a 25-minute scenic adventure that includes an alpine landing amongst the mountains. Have exceptional views of Aoraki (Mt Cook) and the surrounding snow-capped mountain ranges right from take off. Be captivated throughout the entire flight. Explore the valleys and peaks of the national park. Journey through the Tasman Valley and over a breathtaking blue glacier lake. Experience an alpine landing in the Southern Alps. Disembark the aircraft and enjoy the elevated alpine landscape before returning to the helicopter to fly back to Mount Cook Airport. Your expert pilot will offer informative and interesting commentary throughout the flight to ensure you receive the best possible experience. *Snow landings occur approx. 75% of the year, however due to seasonality, snow landings cannot be guaranteed all year round.

Explore the landscapes that featured in “The Lord of the Rings” movies on this small-group full-day tour. Traveling in a 4-wheel drive enables access to remote locations in the Queenstown area. Get out into the wilderness in the morning, with the chance to dress up in movie costumes and pose with props. Return to town for lunch, then spend the afternoon checking out more sites around Queenstown.

Visit "The Lord of the Rings" filming locations in and around Glenorchy, traveling by 4WD from Queenstown with a guide. This half-day tour includes stunning landscapes chosen by director Peter Jackson. See where famous scenes were filmed, the landscapes representing the Fortress of Isengard, Lothlórien, Ithilien Camp, and Forest of Amon Hen.

Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine region, and also famous for the scenic waterways of the Marlborough Sounds. Discover both on this full-day small-group tour without the risk of self-driving. After a pickup from Picton or Blenheim, visit several wineries for expert-led wine tastings. Tuck into a light lunch before setting sail on a Marlborough Sounds cruise, admiring the views as you sample delicious local salmon and greenshell mussels.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take a Milford Sound cruise while visiting UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park. Departing from Milford Wharf, this spacious boat cruises past Mitre Peak and gets close to numerous waterfalls cascading down steep-walled mountains rising out of the water. See Bowen Falls, Stirling Falls, and Seal Point while searching the deep fiord for marine life, including bottlenose dolphins and New Zealand fur seals.

Instead of rushing to keep up with a group, this self-guided e-bike adventure is a peaceful way to explore the cycle paths between Arrowtown and Queenstown at your own pace. Begin with a pickup at a time that suits your schedule—with e-bike rental included—then, get taken to the start point in Arrowtown. After that, independently explore the local area’s bridges, mountains, and stunning trails with breaks whenever you like.

Experience the most comprehensive Milford Sound day trip from Queenstown. An expert nature guide accompanies you throughout both the coach and cruise journeys. Travel in a premium glass-roof coach through Fiordland with scenic photo stops along the way, while your Nature Guide shares the region's rich stories of history, geology and wildlife. Arrive at Milford Sound ready for your extended cruise through this world-famous scenery aboard a spacious vessel. The boat features both indoor cabins and outdoor viewing decks, perfect for watching wildlife and feeling the spray of waterfalls. With multiple language options via our app and free refreshments onboard, this cruise is designed for those who want the most complete Milford Sound experience

Sample Central Otago wines without the stress of choosing a sober driver. Enjoy included hotel pickup from Queenstown on a leisurely drive around celebrated wineries in the Gibbston Valley. Have lunch at a winery restaurant (own cost). Go behind the scenes at the country’s oldest wine cave and sample a range of varietals, from pinot noirs to various whites. Canine lovers will also enjoy being accompanied by Bella the dog.

Milford Sound lies in a remote corner of New Zealand’s South Island and, although remarkably scenic, the route from Queenstown is long. On this tour, reach Milford Sound by premium low-emission coach and spot native wildlife and gushing waterfalls during a nature cruise with specialist commentary. When it’s time to return home, take to the skies and return effortlessly to Queenstown—with unrivaled views over the wilderness landscapes from the air.

Be introduced to one of New Zealand’s Great Walks without having to do the whole thing on a morning or afternoon guided hike on a portion of the Routeburn Track. After a pickup from central Queenstown, head into the mountains of Mt. Aspiring National Park. Follow your guide at a relaxed pace through lush forests and experience the tranquility of the Routeburn River and its waterfalls along the way.

Explore the highlights of historic Dunedin, second-largest city on the South Island, on a varied 5.5-hour tour. Check out the record-holding steepest street in the world, the University of Otago, and Dunedin Railway station, before heading to the windswept Otago Peninsula. Then, visit Larnach Castle, New Zealand's only castle, with garden access and optional guided castle tour.

The area surrounding Christchurch has so much to see that it can be tough to know how best to take it all in on your own. Instead, on this full-day guided tour, explore a curated selection of activities and attractions, including wandering through the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, an ocean-view picnic at Louise’s Lookout, and even a visit to a working sheep farm.

Home to pristine bays, dense forests, and soaring headlands, the Abel Tasman National Park boasts some of New Zealand’s most beautiful coastal scenery—but to appreciate it fully, you have to take to the sea. On this tour, cruise the South Island’s coastal waters and discover top attractions including Split Apple Rock and the Tonga Island Marine Reserve—with live commentary and optional beach stops.

When your cruise ship arrives in Picton, take advantage of a half-day excursion that introduces you to four Marlborough wineries handpicked by a guide. On this small-group tour you’ll taste the region’s sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, stroll through Blenheim vineyards, and sample boutique chocolates. Round-trip minivan transport is provided from the nearby i-SITE.