Basix
Explorer
New Zealand South Island Express
9 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
9 reviews
9 days
Start
Christchurch, New Zealand
Finish
Christchurch, New Zealand
Trip Code
PHRS
Min Age
18
Trip Size
1 - 16
Physical Rating
Meals
7 breakfasts
Transport
Private Vehicle
Accommodation
Multi-share hostel with shared facilities (8 nights)
From £1,052(9 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Stand in awe of the epic Franz Josef glacier and visit a local gallery to learn about the significance of pounamu (greenstone) to Maori culture while carving your own pendant.
Calling all adventure seekers! Queenstown is overflowing with adrenaline-pumping activities, so dive straight in or sit back with a glass of world-class local wine.
Spend a night seeing the stars of Lake Tekapo – this gorgeous bright blue lake is also a designated Dark Sky Reserve and after sunset, the sky comes alive with stars. Maybe watch the sky change colours at the Church of Good Shepard for one of the most gorgeous backdrops!
Soak in the beauty of Wanaka – from its centrepiece lake to surrounding mountains, you’ll uncover all this pretty little spot has to offer, including the iconic Wanaka Tree.
Wander around Arrowtown – a heritage town and living historic settlement that’s perfect for exploring on foot. This town, surrounded by sometimes-snowy peaks, dates back to gold mining times and is now a popular spot with cute cafes, small shops and scenic landscapes.
Is this trip right for you?
This trip is run by Haka Tours, an Tuuur Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Haka customers and Tuuur customers. Tuuur works closely with Haka Tours to ensure that all our customers enjoy their time in New Zealand.
Accommodation on this trip is in mixed-gender multi-share dormitory style hostels with shared facilities. Dorms generally consist of 4-8 beds (private rooms are available on request). You may be required to share with non-Tuuur travellers outside of your group. People travelling together may occasionally be separated due to rooming configurations.
Itinerary
Find out what makes the South Island one of the world’s most scenic places
This is the New Zealand you’ve always heard about – endless lakes, snow-capped mountains and pristine glaciers. Spend nine days discovering the best of the South Island with a passionate local leader at the helm. Encounter creativity and resilience in Christchurch, gaze at out-of-this-world stars in Lake Tekapo, get your adrenaline pumping in Queenstown, take your time in postcard-pretty Wanaka and stand in awe of the Franz Josef Glacier. With thrilling activities available around every corner, this adventure is sure to get your heart racing (and that’s just from the views!). IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Accommodation on this trip is in mixed-gender multi-share dormitory style hostels with shared facilities. We are aware of a system functionality limitation incorrectly indicating "twin-share" when you manage your booking on our website.
Inclusions
Meals
7 breakfasts
Transport
Private Vehicle
Accommodation
Multi-share hostel with shared facilities (8 nights)
Included activities
Lake Tekapo - Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd
Christchurch - City Tour
Queenstown - Kawarau Gorge
Arrowtown - Village visit
West Coast - Haast Pass
West Coast - Lake Hawea Lookout
Franz Josef - Carve your own Pounamu Necklace
Optional activities
Lake Tekapo - Tekapo Springs Hot Pool - NZD50
Lake Tekapo - The Crater Experience - NZD129
Lake Tekapo - The Summit Experience - NZD209
Lake Tekapo - Hike up Mt John - Free
Queenstown - Kawarau Bridge Bungy - NZD320
Queenstown - Canyoning - NZD239
Queenstown - Shotover River Jet Boat Ride - NZD169
Queenstown - Lord of the Rings 4WD Tour - NZD285
Queenstown - Canyon Swing - from - NZD295
Queenstown - Milford Sound Coach-Cruise-Coach Day Trip - NZD274
Queenstown - Nevis Bungy - NZD395
Queenstown - Skyline Gondola - NZD64
Queenstown - Dart River Funyaks - from - NZD495
Queenstown - Time Tripper - NZD20
Wanaka - Happy Hour on the Lake - NZD64
Wanaka - Mou Waho Island Cruise & Guided Nature Walk - NZD159
Wanaka - Mou Waho Island Cruise - NZD119
Wanaka - Waterfall Climbing - from - NZD199
Franz Josef - Glacier Lake Kayaking - NZD165
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Important notes
1. Accommodation on this trip is in multi-share hostels. Multishare typically includes 4-8 beds. You may be required to share with group members of a different gender, couples and non-Tuuur travellers outside of your group. People travelling together may occasionally be separated due to rooming configurations.
2. A single supplement (with shared bathroom facilities) is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. If you are a single traveller this will give you a single room, if you are travelling as a couple a double room will be allocated to you. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. This trip is run by Haka Tours, an Tuuur Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Haka customers and Tuuur customers. Tuuur works closely with Haka Tours to ensure that all our customers enjoy their time in New Zealand.
Reviews (9)
5 stars
8
4 stars
1
Robyn
Apr 25, 2025
This tour is a once in a lifetime experience. The time frame is perfect to see the best parts of the south Island. Our tour guide Annie made this tour an outstanding experience. She ensured we squeezed so many sightseeing locations into it and she ensured everything was personalised to our individual needs. It felt like a personal 1:1 tour. This trip is perfect for all ages as I visited with my Mum 65 and myself 27. It is so well organised and gives a great insight into a spectacular country.
Betty (Elizabeth)
Apr 17, 2025
Just finished a 7 nights guided tour of New Zealand's South Island...Wow the most beautiful place I have ever been to. The guided tour was made even more special because we had the most amazing guide Annie so lovely and extremely knowledgeable. If your going on a guided tour ask for Annie. Conor our photographer was such a nice guy too and very professional. I will remember this trip for a long time to come. There is so much to see and do believe me Annie will make it happen.
Brianna
Mar 09, 2025
Absolutely fantastic trip! You cover so much ground, but never feel too rushed.
Anna
Feb 20, 2025
Great tour led by Angela, the best tour guide/driver! It's a short, jam-packed trip to some jaw-dropping destinations. Lots of optional activities to personalize the trip but it did make the trip more expensive. Great group of mixed ages and personalities. The dorms were generally good, comfortable, and clean. We were able to personalize the group breakfast boxes. Angela was very communicative so I knew what to expect each day. I also appreciated how she shared her Maori culture with us.
Valerie
Jan 26, 2025
This trip was fantastic- due in large part to our leader Hayley. The sights were phenomenal and perfectly times. The coach was clean and roomy. The Haka House accommodations were good with the private room upgrade. Loved the cooking facilities. Again- Hayley made the trip enjoyable for all.
Xiomara
Dec 02, 2024
New Zealand, South Island Express was a great trip. It packs the best of the South Island in 8 days. Snowy, our team leader was very knowledgeable and helped us to make the most of our days in the South Island. I highly recommend this trip if you dony have much time and want to see the best of the South Island.
Brooke
Oct 19, 2024
Great guide, big selection of activities included and add ons, pristine accommodation. Would love to do again
Liam
Jan 14, 2024
New Zealand was an incredible place to visit. The South Island tour covered so many amazing places and provided plenty of activities to experience. Our tour guide Connor created a great atmosphere for all of our group to enjoy.
Finn
Mar 23, 2025
An amazing trip, our tour leader Emily was an incredible! Full of knowledge of the local area and surrounding areas, she provided us with local knowledge and historical knowledge, explaining Māori lore and history and their traditions. We got clear information each day on timings and activity information. The activities were excellent! I especially enjoyed the LOTR driving tour and the Glacier Kayaking. We visited some incredible places with amazing scenery and people. One of the best tours I’ve been on whilst travelling!!
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