Top South Island Tickets & Passes

Explore Christchurch in style with the all-day ticket for the iconic Christchurch Trams and the breathtaking Gondola. Hop on and off the restored heritage trams for a delightful city tour, enriched by live commentary from local drivers. Enjoy the ticket as a hop on and off tour or just complete the 50 minute circuit. Then, ascend the Gondola for stunning views over the city, Lyttelton Harbour, and the Pacific Ocean. At the summit station, enjoy walking tracks, the Christchurch Discovery Ride, and a café offering local fare. The 852 horizonal metre trip to the summit takes around 10 minutes and offers stunning views in all directions. This experience is perfect for families and those seeking a memorable sightseeing adventure in Christchurch. Customers can do the attractions on different days if they wish.

Try your hand at mind-bending games and puzzles at Puzzling World in Wanaka. This prepaid admission ticket lets you plan your vacation in advance and have guaranteed admission to this popular attraction. Try out the world's first 3D Great Maze, visit the illusion rooms, and test your problem-solving skills.

Take an aerial journey on the Christchurch Gondola to the Port Hills crater rim and Mt. Cavendish summit. At the summit complex—revamped since the 2011 earthquake—you’re rewarded with views of the cityscape, the Canterbury Plains, and Lyttelton Harbour. Return tickets are included. Upgrade to include punting by flat-bottomed boat on the central-city Avon River.

Guarantee your entry to New Zealand’s only castle with admission to Larnach Castle and Gardens, where you find beautiful antiques, dramatic architecture, and gorgeous views across the Otago Peninsula. Learn the story of the castle’s founding family and pause to explore a collection of native New Zealand plants. Pre-booking your tickets ensures a smooth visit, with the flexibility to explore at your own pace.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy learning more about beautiful alpacas at an alpaca farm. This ticket gives you admission to the farm, where you can meet the furry creatures, take some photos, and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings of Akaroa. Find out about their care, their friendly nature, and how alpacas are different from llamas.

Learn about Antarctic landscapes, wildlife, and explorers with convenient pre-purchased tickets to the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch. Brave a harsh Antarctic storm, learn about life on remote Scott Base, and check out adorable little blue penguins. Enjoy Hägglund rides (height restrictions apply) and 4D shows, and enter the “cuddle zone,” where you can meet fluffy huskies that explorers historically used to pull their Antarctic dog sleds.

The TranzAlpine train is often referred to as one of the world’s most scenic train journeys, and this tour will allow you to experience it. Enjoy the convenience of a day trip where all transport is taken care of— round-trip transfers in a luxury minivan, and a TranzAlpine train ticket are included. See Canterbury Plains, the Southern Alps, Lake Pearson, and get the chance to walk in Arthur’s Pass National Park.

Save time and skip the lines with this combo ticket to Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre’s cutting-edge “Knights of the Sky” and “Dangerous Skies” exhibits. Learn about New Zealand’s wartime pilots and see their stories brought to life in sets created by the award-winning WingNut Films and Weta Workshop. Enthusiasts should make a beeline to the Centre’s aviation relics: immaculately preserved bomber planes and fighter jets from both World Wars.

Learn about the New Zealand native bird, the kiwi, with admission to the Franz Josef Wildlife Center. Tour the largest kiwi hatching facility on the South Island and opt to include a Backstage Pass Tour, where you'll get 30 minutes of access behind the scenes. Your ticket also includes access to the West Coast storytelling areas and an interactive glacier exhibition. Buy your passes in advance to guarantee your admission to this popular attraction, great for all weather and all times of year.

Book advance tickets to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve for guaranteed kiwi sightings and up-close access to native New Zealand species. Booking Willowbank Wildlife Reserve tickets online combines the convenience of advance planning with the flexibility to arrive at any time of day, making it easy to fit this wildlife experience into a full day of travel or sightseeing.

Stargazing needs clear skies and little to no light pollution—usually at a remote location that’s hard to reach independently. Join a group and astronomer-guides as you travel from Tekapo to the University of Canterbury Mt. John Observatory, perched atop the mountain peak at 3,375 feet. At this world-class facility, powerful telescopes offer clear views of stars, solar systems, and constellations.

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.

The Dreamery is a must see experience, unique only to Queenstown. Discover nine immersive installations with seven rooms combining digital art, tactile play, and sensory wonder. Every room is custom build to amaze and be interacted with. Plus will leave you with amazing dynamic videos and photos.

The Westland Tai Poutini National Park has been shaped by the flow and freezing of water over millennia. Experience the park’s ancient pathways up close with a quad bike ride over the lush landscape on this off-road adventure tour. Take in sights of the distant Southern Alps and Franz Josef Glacier as you ford shallow rivers and sped through dense rainforests.

Visit Edoras of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ fame on this full-day excursion by 4WD vehicle to the peak of New Zealand’s Mt Sunday. Get a look at exclusive photos of Edoras under construction and learn from a knowledgeable LOTR guide about its transformation from tranquil countryside to mythical capital city of the Rohan people. Pose with replica props from the popular trilogy, such as Aragorn’s sword, Gimli’s axe and the flag of Rohan. Includes round-trip hotel transport from Christchurch plus a picnic lunch with sparkling wine.

Experience the thrill of Putt'N'Glow, Queenstown's only indoor glow-in-the-dark mini golf course. Set across 9 creatively designed holes and 8 exciting mini-games, this isn't your average round of mini golf. Challenge yourself with fun twists like a Frisbee Golf hole and a Pool Table, all under a visually stunning, neon-lit UV glow. The course is now more interactive than ever: obstacles move on the course as you play, and you can still rearrange them yourself between rounds to change up the difficulty and keep every game different. Feeling competitive? Spin our challenge spinners for an added twist. Best of all, it's unlimited play — no time limits, so you can keep teeing off for as many rounds as you like. Track your progress with free digital, interactive scorecards for a modern touch. Whether it's a family outing, a date, or a group challenge, Putt'N'Glow is the ultimate rainy-day (or any-day) indoor adventure in Queenstown.

Experience what it’s like to be a race-car driver with a fun ride in a Ferrari 488 GTB at a purpose-built track in Cromwell. Feel the rush of reaching speeds of 62 miles (100 kilometers) per hour in just 3 seconds, and getting up to 139 miles (225 kilometers) per hour. Your safety will be in the hands of highly experienced, professional driver and the sleek, well-constructed cars.

Observe more than 20 native bird species—including New Zealand’s famous kiwi—with admission to Kiwi Birdlife Park in central Queenstown. See wildlife shows, nature exhibits, and daily keeper presentations, and catch a rare sight of the flightless kiwi in a darkened enclosure that mimics a nocturnal environment. Your admission ticket is valid for the entire day so you can explore the park at your own pace.

Travel along the spectacular Milford Road on a full-day Milford Sound tour from Te Anau. See native wildlife such as the endangered kea (an alpine parrot), seals, dolphins, and Fiordland crested penguins. Enjoy short walks to beautiful sights including the Chasm and Marian Cascade, and take a sightseeing cruise on Milford Sound. Includes entrance fees, boat cruise, morning tea, and hotel transfers.

Outdoors enthusiasts who want to try something new should join this small-group ATV tour through native forest and farmland near Nelson. You don’t need ATV-driving experience as full instruction is given before you start. Drive through different terrain, with lots of beautiful views, and make several stops so your guide can tell you all about the area. The ride duration varies depending on riders’ skills and needs.

Get off the beaten path and enjoy sweeping views over Queenstown that would be otherwise difficult to find on this ATV adventure. Head to Queenstown Hill for a half-day tour on a fully automatic ATV and follow your guide over off-road trails (safety gear and all-weather clothing are provided). Enjoy informative commentary and sweeping views over Queenstown. Hotel pickup and drop-off, along with refreshments, are included in this small-group tour.

Let a guide navigate the Skippers Canyon on this 4WD tour and avoid the risk of self-driving this treacherous but rewarding road, round-trip from Queenstown. The route affords dramatic views over the Wakatipu Basin and Shotover River Valley. Cross Skippers Bridge into the namesake township and stop at Deep Creek to try your hand at gold panning. The half-day trip includes light refreshments and hotel pickup.

Embark on a journey through time and space with this ticket to the Dark Sky Experience at Lake Tekapo. No need to wait until after dark to admire the night sky at this indoor exhibition which draws on Māori astronomy and recent discoveries to tell the story of our skies. This kid-friendly attraction is ideal for families, with multimedia exhibits and hands-on activities offering something to do for everyone.