What to do in New Zealand's South Island with kids
Mountains, fiords and trainsMount Cook in a day, Milford Sound by boat, and trips that take all ages.
Go for the mountains, the fiords and the trains, on trips that take children. From Christchurch, a day to Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo gives you two and a half hours at Mount Cook village to walk and explore, with lunch picked up at the Fairlie Bakehouse: it takes all ages, with under 15s travelling with an adult, from $259. From Queenstown, five days in hotels adds a Milford Sound cruise with lunch on board, the Taieri Gorge train and the ferry to Stewart Island, also for all ages, from $3,214. Children 8 and over can take a helicopter up to Luxmore Hut on the Kepler Track, from $1,642 for three days in Te Anau. Check the age rule before you book: many South Island tours are 18 and over, and some are 18 to 35 only.
Checked on 28 October 2026.
The South Island is mountains, lakes and fiords, and the best of it is the kind of big, simple thing children remember: a snow-capped peak, a boat under waterfalls, a train through a gorge. The one thing to get right is the age rule on each trip, because a lot of the small-group tours here are built for young adults.
The trips that take the whole family
| Trip | Length | Who can come | Effort | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Mt Cook & Lake Tekapo | 1 day | — | — | $259 |
| 5 Day Southern Highlights | 5 days, 4 nights | — | — | $3214 |
| 3 Day Fiordland Great Walks | 3 days, based in Te Anau | — | — | $1642 |
Ages are each trip's own policy. Effort is the operator's own rating from 1 to 5. Prices are per person and update on their own.
What children get out of each
- Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo, in a day from Christchurch.A minibus with a guide across the Canterbury Plains, two and a half hours at Mount Cook village, where the guide drops you at whichever walk or activity you choose, and pies at the Fairlie Bakehouse for lunch. Back in Christchurch the same day.
- Five days from Queenstown, in hotels.A cruise on Milford Sound with lunch on board, a ticket on the Taieri Gorge train, the ferry across to Stewart Island, and the historic towns of Clyde and St Bathans in Central Otago. Four nights in hotels, a 15-seat van, hotel pick-up, and an effort rating of 2 out of 5.
- Fiordland for 8 and over.Three days based in Te Anau with a helicopter flight up to Luxmore Hut on the Kepler Track, water taxis across Lake Te Anau and a day out to Milford, with lunch each day. It is rated 4 out of 5 for effort, so it suits children who already like a long walk. You stay in your own Te Anau accommodation and the guide collects you each morning.
With teenagers: 15 and over
Once your youngest is 15, a run of small-group trips opens up, with under 18s travelling with an adult. Here are five that work well for a family, with hotels, lodges, boats and trains along the way.
| Trip | Length | Starts and finishes | Where you sleep | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Day West Coast Adventure | 7 days, 6 nights | Christchurch / Queenstown | Hotels and local accommodation | $3557 |
| 6 Day Queenstown Southern Loop | 6 days, 5 nights | Queenstown / Queenstown | Hotel and lodge-style accommodation | $2884 |
| 4 Day Fiordland National Park Walk | 4 days, 3 nights | Queenstown / Queenstown | 3 nights in Te Anau | $2015 |
| 5 Day Queen Charlotte Track Walk | 5 days, 4 nights | Christchurch / Christchurch | Lodge accommodation | $2793 |
| 10 Day Southern Pioneer | 10 days, 9 nights | Christchurch / Christchurch | 9 nights en route | $4816 |
All five are 15 and over, with under 18s travelling with an adult. Prices update on their own.
- The 7 day West Coast AdventureChristchurch to Queenstown, is rated 2 out of 5 for effort, sleeps in hotels and has the hot pools at Hanmer Springs on the way.
- The 6 day Queenstown Southern Loopcrosses to Stewart Island by ferry and back, in hotels and lodges.
- The 4 day Fiordland walkfrom Queenstown takes the Milford Road to Te Anau and a jet boat out to Lake Manapouri.
- The 5 day Queen Charlotte Track walkuses water taxis around the Marlborough Sounds, with a night at a secluded lodge at Lochmara Bay.
- The 10 day Southern Pioneerfinishes on the TranzAlpine train from Greymouth back through Arthur's Pass.
The age rules, so nobody is caught out
- All ages:the Mount Cook day trip and the 5 day Southern Highlights, with under 15s travelling with an adult.
- 8 and over:the 3 day Fiordland Great Walks.
- 15 and over:the hotel and lodge trips above, with under 18s travelling with an adult.
- 18 and over, or 18 to 35 only:most of the South Island's backpacker-style coach trips, including the 8 day Southern Crossing and the 8 day South Island loops. These are for young adults and do not take children.
Going in June to August? See what the South Island is like in winter. For the North Island, Hobbiton and the Waitomo glowworm caves both take all ages: see the best New Zealand day trips in winter.
1 Day Mt Cook & Lake Tekapofrom $2591 day1 day, Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo, all agesView trip
5 Day Southern Highlightsfrom $32145 days, 4 nightsDistinction Hotels5 days from Queenstown, all ages, hotelsView trip
3 Day Fiordland Great Walksfrom $16423 days, based in Te Anau3 days in Fiordland, 8 and overView trip
7 Day West Coast Adventurefrom $35577 days, 6 nightsHotels and local accommodation7 days, Christchurch to Queenstown, 15 and overView tripPeople also ask
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Where this comes from. Age policies, what each trip includes, where it sleeps, effort ratings and prices are that trip's own details as held on its page here, and prices update on their own. We do not quote child prices for these trips because none is held for them.