8 Must-Do Experiences on New Zealand’s South Island

New Zealand’s South Island is so beautiful that you could easily spend months exploring and never get bored. However, most of us do not have the luxury of being able to spend quite so much time travelling, so I’ve condensed (with some difficulty) New Zealand’s South Island into eight must-see places:

1: Hooker Valley Track

The Hooker Valley Track is the perfect balance between being easily-reachable but also incredibly beautiful. This 10km return track takes you over three swing bridges and offers stunning views of Mount Cook/Aoraki at the end. Easy enough to do in one day, this is a great starting-off point for seeing New Zealand’s incredible natural landscapes. I’d recommend staying in Mount Cook village the night before so that you can set off early and make the most of the day.

2: Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo was actually my favourite place of all in New Zealand, and I’d happily go back just to spend a whole week lounging in the sun by the edge of the lake, occasionally braving a dip in its icy waters. Lake Tekapo gets its unusually bright blue colour from minerals dissolving in the glacial melt-water as it makes its way down the mountains. Nothing beats the amazing feeling of plunging into the freezing pale blue water and then basking in the sun to warm up again. If you visit between November and February, you will also be able to see fields carpeted with beautiful lupin flowers not far from Lake Tekapo.

3: Lake Pukaki

One thing is certain after visiting New Zealand: it will be difficult to ever be impressed by a lake again! Lake Pukaki’s waters are so blue they look photoshopped, and swimming in icy crystal clear waters with the view of Mount Cook in the background is an experience I’ll never forget. There are quite a few freedom camps right on the edge of Lake Pukaki, which means you can wake up to this beautiful view from your campervan in the morning!

4: Roys Peak

Roys Peak is a must-do: it’s one of New Zealand’s most popular hikes for a reason! But don’t be deceived by the sheer numbers of tourists making their way up – it’s actually quite a difficult trek as the track just climbs straight up without much variation, so expect to work those thigh muscles! The spectacular views at the top over Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains are 100% worth it. If you’re feeling extra energetic, you can wake up at 3am to hike up in time to catch the sunrise at the top. Even if you don’t make it for sunrise, I’d recommend starting the trek early as it can get hot and crowded. The 16km return hike will take 5-6 hours, so allow plenty of time (especially if stopping for photos!).

5: Queenstown

Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital, just oozes fun: spend your days braving adrenaline activities such as bungee jumping, zip lining or jetboating, then hit the town’s many bars and restaurants in the evening. You will not get bored in Queenstown. One of my favourite experiences was hiking up the Tiki trail (you can take the gondola if you’re feeling less energetic) and then riding down the luge at the top – basically downhill go-kart/buggy things for adults! Then treat yourself to a Fergburger – yes, the hype is worth it. I’d also highly recommend heading out to Arthur’s Point (15 minute drive from central Queenstown) to see the Shotover Canyon, where you can enjoy jetboating followed by a beer tasting board at Canyon Brewing – yummy! And definitely head over the the Onsen Hot Pools for a once in a lifetime experience of soaking in luxurious wooden pools overlooking the magnificent Shotover River Canyon.

6: Blue Pools, Mount Aspiring National Park

The 1.5km Blue Pools track is only an hour away from Wanaka, and the sheer beauty of the scenery during the drive along the Haast Highway is breathtaking. Once you reach the track, you will wend your way through beautiful forest before crossing two foot bridges over the strikingly-blue Makarora River. If you’re feeling brave, take a dip in the crystal clear waters (spoiler alert: it’s pretty chilly).

7: Kaikoura

Kaikoura is THE place if you want to see whales or dolphins in New Zealand. We went on a dolphin boat tour and saw hundreds (!) of dolphins and were even lucky enough to see some rare Hector’s dolphins, only found in New Zealand, and easy to spot with their distinctive rounded dorsal fins. If you choose to, you can even swim in the water with the dolphins! You can take part in these tours guilt-free as New Zealand has strict conservation and wildlife protection laws, which limit the number of boats out on the water at any one time.

8: Milford Sound

Finally, the famous Milford Sound. There’s a reason that Milford Sound is on every single to-do list for New Zealand: it is absolutely breathtaking. Huge waterfalls cascade down the cliff faces, dwarfing the passenger ferries. This part of New Zealand gets so much rain that it’s measured in metres rather than mm, but all this water just makes the waterfalls all the more impressive. I’d highly recommend booking a bus and boat tour so that you can let someone else do all the hard work for you (the road to Milford is notoriously treacherous), then kick back and relax on the boat with a basket of chips and some beers and enjoy the scenery.

If you’re thinking about visiting New Zealand then why not get a copy of the New Zealand Lonely Planet here. (Please note that I receive a small kick-back if you purchase a book through this affiliate link (the price of the book remains the same). This allows me to continue providing travel advice for free!

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