Spend two weeks ticking off your bucket list in New Zealand's South Island. From spectacular glaciers to some of the country's most stunning beaches, this trip is built to give you the best of the south at a relaxed, personal pace.
Travelling in a small group of no more than 18, we take in the world's largest Dark Sky Reserve at Tekapo, the rugged West Coast township of Franz Josef, the golden sands of Abel Tasman National Park and three nights in the adventure capital, Queenstown. Along the way we spot marine wildlife on the Kaikoura coast, taste wine in Marlborough and walk the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks.
Days
- 14 days, 13 nights
Group size
- Maximum 18 guests
Start / finish
- Christchurch / Christchurch
Return
- See itinerary for details
Accommodation
- 13 nights in flashpacker dorm accommodation — one at Lake Tekapo, three in Queenstown, two at Franz Josef, one in Christchurch, two at Punakaiki, three at Abel Tasman and one at Kaikōura.
Transport
- A Mercedes Sprinter with your guide throughout, plus a cruise boat on Milford Sound.
Meals
- No meals are named as included in the itinerary.
Route
Included experiences
- Milford Sound — a fiord cruise past waterfalls, ancient forest and leaping dolphins
- Abel Tasman National Park — three nights, hiking or kayaking the coastal track
- Golden Bay — the Ngārua Caves, Te Waikoropupū Springs and Wharariki Beach
- Franz Josef — a free day for a glacier hike, a helicopter flight or the hot pools
- Punakaiki — the Pancake Rocks and Blowhole, limestone cliffs and hidden caves
- Lake Tekapo — the bike trails, lakeside hot springs and the Dark Sky Reserve
- Queenstown — three nights and a free day for bungy, skydiving or jet boating
- Marlborough — wine tasting in Sauvignon Blanc country
- Kaikōura — seals, whales and the chance to swim with dolphins
- Arthur's Pass — the crossing back through the snow-capped Southern Alps
- Lewis Pass — beech forests and alpine wetland on the way to the West Coast
- Wanaka and Haast Pass on the drive north to glacier country
- Nelson Lakes — the inland route through to Abel Tasman
- Hokitika — the town known for its jade carving
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
4.9
Based on 47 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 47 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the guides' knowledge of New Zealand and Māori culture, the well-organised itinerary that covers numerous highlights across the South Island, and the opportunity to meet fellow travellers in a small group setting, which is particularly valued by solo travellers. The most frequently mentioned standouts are the variety of included and optional activities such as helicopter rides over glaciers, dolphin swimming, whale watching, hiking and adventure sports, combined with scenic drives broken up by photogenic stops and the comfort of the bus with onboard WiFi. The main caveat is that the second week can feel noticeably more low-key and driving-focused compared to the first week's packed schedule, and some travellers experienced unexpected differences between communications about the route and activities beforehand and what was actually delivered, though most still rated the experience highly despite these issues.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
“Best 2 weeks ever”
This reviewer did the Big South two-week adventure and loved it, giving a big shout-out to guide Tom for his tireless effort to help everyone get the most out of the trip. He was passionate about the country's history and made the group feel like family. She noted there are plenty of activities at most stops, with the freedom to opt out and do your own thing, and would book again.
Guides Ben and Tom made this the best tour experience Harriet has had, thanks to their deep local knowledge, friendly personalities, and responsible approach. The group size struck the right balance for getting to know fellow travellers, and a highlight was the return stop in Christchurch for dinner and rugby together. The pace left plenty of room for activities and photos, and several of the hostels even had hot tubs. She came away with genuine friendships and a strong recommendation for the company.
The Big South trip was an amazing, extremely well organised experience with breathtaking scenery throughout. Guides Vendula and Siobhan shared plenty of insight into the places visited, and the comfortable bus rides made it easy to sit back and enjoy the views. A great way to explore the South Island, highly recommended.
Travelling solo on the December Big South tour with guide Siobhan turned out brilliantly, as most of the small 17-person group were also travelling alone and quickly bonded. Siobhan made their Kiwi Christmas extra special, organising a group barbecue and Secret Santa on the day itself. A great way to see New Zealand as a solo traveller.
Took the Big South tour with guides Claudia and Tom, both praised as passionate and informative throughout. The trip covered much of the South Island with optional activities so the pace could flex between adventurous and relaxed days. Despite some long bus journeys, the scenery made up for it, and the reviewer recommends it especially to solo travellers looking to meet people.
“Big South NZ”
This reviewer's first week on the Big South tour, covering the north of the South Island, was guided by Tom, who was kind and professional and shared food recommendations in every town. The second week, further south, was made memorable by Ben's passion and storytelling. The only gripe was that new people join partway through since the tour runs on a weekly rotation.
Spent two weeks on the Big South tour as a solo traveller and found it ideal for meeting like-minded people. Guides Tom and Ben were excellent, with Ben adding fun facts, stories, and games that made the long driving days pass quickly. The reviewer was blown away by the South Island's beauty.
Highly recommends the Big South tour as a great way to see the South Island's highlights. Guide Tom went out of his way to secure spots on activities, ensured smooth driving, and gave solid food recommendations, and a private room option made for a comfortable stay.
Spent two weeks touring the South Island and credits guide Daisy with a fantastic experience, noting her energy, knowledge and organisation as the best she's encountered on a group tour. Wild Kiwi's communication was praised too, along with the chance to try activities like horse riding and skydiving. The reviewer notes the group changes partway through the trip, which she saw as a chance to make even more friends.
This reviewer spent two great weeks touring the South Island of New Zealand with Wild Kiwi, hitting all the best spots along the way. They met some brilliant fellow travellers and gave a shout-out to guides Daisy and Tom.
This reviewer enjoyed an amazing two-week South Island tour, praising the comfortable bus with wifi and charging stations and an entertaining mix of fellow travellers. Guides Ben and Claudia were passionate about New Zealand and easy to get along with. Their one complaint was that several planned activities (heli-hike, dolphin swim, zip-lining, whale watch) were cancelled due to weather, but they still called it a super fun trip with wonderful people.
This reviewer had the best two weeks of their life doing the Big South tour, praising guides Claudia and Daisy for their knowledge and the fun group activities they organised throughout. Travelling solo, they said they never felt alone for a moment once the trip began.
“Once in a lifetime!”
This reviewer did the Big South tour, spending the first week in the northern half of the South Island and the second in the south. Wild Kiwi handled all the driving and bookings for activities like black-water rafting, canyoning, swimming with dolphins, horse riding and jet boating. Guides Telli and Claudia stood out — Telli for his easygoing but organised approach, and Claudia for pivoting smoothly to a Wanaka day trip when a road closure ruled out Franz Josef.
This reviewer did two weeks on the Big South tour of New Zealand and rated it a perfect 10 out of 10. They had a different driver and group each week and called it the best experience ever, adding they'd happily book again.
This reviewer did the Big South tour of New Zealand and found it well organised and well looked after, with as many or as few activities as they wanted to join. Top highlights included a scenic helicopter ride over the Franz Josef glacier, swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura, and a Milford Sound cruise. They also gave a shout-out to guide Tom for a memorable trip.
Shanaya rates the Big South tour a perfect 10, crediting guides Tom and Robbie for making it feel like a trip with family and friends thanks to their flexibility. She notes weather has a big impact on which activities run, and mentions her two weeks (20 April to 3 May) had great weather, with group size dropping from 18 in the first week to 7 in the second.
An amazing two weeks on the Big South trip - so well organised that the only decision each day was which activity to do. Guide Tom was fantastic, knowledgeable and great fun, and the small group size made it easy to get to know everyone. Highly recommended, and already planning a return trip for the North Island.
Two brilliant weeks on the Big South tour with Wild Kiwi. Tegan guided the first week and her passion for sharing knowledge really came through.
Did the Big South tour with Tegan as guide - barely a dull moment between the incredible scenery, hiking and mostly great weather. Tegan added plenty of Aotearoa history and culture on the drives and at group dinners. Highly recommended.
The Big South tour was epic - guide Daisy went above and beyond for the whole group, including making my birthday special. Highly recommend this tour for exploring New Zealand.
The two-week Big South tour was a fantastic adventure and a great way to meet people. Daisy guided a superb first week, and Tom took over for the second week with relaxed driving, plenty of beaches and more adventures.
“Highly recommend!”
A solo traveller who did the 14-day Big South tour with guides Daisy and Tegan calls it a truly incredible experience that led to real friendships. Both guides went out of their way to create a welcoming, family-like atmosphere, which the reviewer appreciated as a bit of an introvert doing their first solo trip. Abel Tasman and Milford Sound were highlights, and they now wish they'd booked the longer tour.
“Amazing tour for solo travellers”
The reviewer couldn't recommend the 14-day Big South tour enough, noting that the top of the South Island leans more toward nature while the bottom is more adventure-focused -- both great, but the top is their pick if you can only choose one. Guides Ben and Daisy are praised for their outstanding knowledge of New Zealand, which made the whole tour excellent.
Richard praised guides Ben and Daisy, saying the smaller group size made this the best way to explore the South Island while making friends along the way.
“Big south tour”
A mixed but largely positive take on the two-week Big South tour: the first week (Lake Tekapo, Queenstown, Franz Josef and more) was packed with fun activities, but the second felt more low-key and relaxed than the website suggested, mostly driving and scenic stops, leaving the reviewer feeling a little short-changed. They'd suggest doing one week each of North and South Island instead. Guides Robbie, Dee and Claud were great -- especially Dee -- though the reviewer wished the guides spent more time bonding with the group through games and activities. Communication before the trip could have been clearer, and the included dinners felt a bit stingy, but overall they still loved New Zealand and rate the transport, including onboard WiFi, well.
After finishing the 14-day Big South tour, this reviewer had nothing but praise for guides Robbie, Deane and Claudia, calling them brilliant. As a first-time visitor to New Zealand, they found the accommodation good and the overall vibe of the two weeks fantastic, and would highly recommend the trip to newcomers.
“Best 14 days ever seeing New Zealand 🇳🇿”
A brilliant full 14-day South Island tour with guides Robbie, Deanne and Claudia, packed with highlights like stargazing at Lake Tekapo, kayaking at Franz Josef and Abel Tasman, and whale watching at Kaikoura -- with the added thrill of spotting orca. As a solo traveller the reviewer met plenty of great people across both weeks, and the accommodation was solid throughout. They'd happily book with Wild Kiwi again on a future trip to New Zealand.
This reviewer chose the Big South adventure and wasn't disappointed, saying comfortable buses and scenic viewpoint stops kept the longer drives from feeling boring. Guides Ben and Tom were both great, always willing to share their knowledge, and the reviewer valued meeting people from all over the world on the trip.
This reviewer spent two great weeks on the Big South trip, with guides Clauds and Robbie well-organised and happy to share New Zealand history and fun facts along the way. They appreciated being able to hand over the planning for two weeks, and enjoyed the unique accommodation and activities.
This reviewer did the 14-day Big South tour in January and was impressed with Wild Kiwi's organisation and communication, enjoying travelling with a diverse group guided by Ben. As a Dunedin local, Ben knew plenty of hidden spots most tourists miss, taking the group to hikes, waterfalls and local cafes, and the smaller bus size of around 16-17 people helped everyone get to know each other well.
This reviewer enjoyed their Big South tour, praising guide Claudia for her driving and her knowledge of history and culture, and liking that the group changed over weekly so you meet new people. They were caught off guard, though, when the route and activity pricing differed from what was emailed beforehand, and were disappointed that Mount Cook and Picton weren't included. They'd still recommend updating communications, but overall had a good time.
April had an amazing time on the Big South tour with guide Claudia and highly recommends it to anyone wanting to explore the South Island, with plenty of activities and a great group along for the ride.
Abhimanyu found the Big South itinerary good value and well put together for covering South Island highlights, though he felt losing two days around Christchurch to pick up the other tour group was a shame — a full loop would flow better. The van was decently comfortable (an aisle seat helps if you're tall), accommodation quality ranged from excellent to fairly basic, and fellow travellers were a good bunch. Guides made a real effort to accommodate everyone's activity choices, and he singles out Mark as one of the best guides he's ever had.
Shimona had an amazing two weeks, with Tom guiding the first week and Robbie the second.
“Amazing tour of NZ - a definite recommend!!”
Did the 2-week Big South tour of New Zealand with a group of about 19 people who became very close. There's a lot of driving and often only one night per stop, but that's what it takes to see so much in a short time, and the guides were excellent at recommending optional activities. Guides Claudia and Julien even organised a surprise birthday cake for the reviewer, and when the Covid-19 lockdown was announced mid-tour they stayed calm, professional and cooked the group dinner. Highly recommended.
Jason had an overall amazing experience, noting the tour lets you be as social or independent as you like, though he recommends mingling with the Wild Kiwi crew. He got honest, candid opinions on activities and areas from guide Julian, while Telli brought a real local's hands-on experience of the country's more adventurous pursuits — and apparently has a good joke about horses worth asking about.
Kenneth found the tour enriching, fun, and life-changing, turning complete strangers from different backgrounds into friends and even family by the end. He's grateful to guides Julian and Telli for making the journey such a blast.
Two fantastic weeks touring the South Island, which the reviewer calls the most spectacular place they've visited. Guide Ben's knowledge of the country and the activities on offer made the trip unforgettable. Highly recommended for anyone planning a New Zealand trip.
“Best trip ever!”
Did the 2-week Big South tour over the New Year period and rated it as one of the best trips of many countries visited. Wild Kiwi pre-books activities for you and works out cheaper than travelling independently, while the guides know exactly where to stop for photos at spots like Castle Hill and Eglinton Valley, with overnight stops including Mount Cook, Kaikoura and Hokitika. Guides Claudia and Julien even organised a surprise cake for the reviewer's 30th birthday during the trip, and the group grew close over shared dinners and activities.
“Great service, amazing experience”
Travelled the South Island for 14 days on the Big South tour and loved every bit of it - the small group size (max 18) made it easy to bond with fellow travellers, and the long drives were broken up with plenty of scenic stops. Guide Claudia was extremely helpful and upbeat, and when the Milford Sound visit was cancelled due to weather she made sure the group still had a great day by visiting other spots instead.
A good range of fun activities that suited what the reviewer was after, though the accommodation didn't always match how it was advertised. The first guide was awesome, while the second one, the reviewer felt, could have shared more about New Zealand's history, nature and culture.
Shafia spent her first week on the Big South tour with guide Ben, who she describes as knowledgeable, organised and great at briefing the group on each day's activities. She got to swim with dolphins in Kaikoura and try skydiving and canyoning in Abel Tasman, and appreciated how well Ben catered to her dietary requirements throughout.
“Wild Kiwi exceeded my expectations!”
This reviewer did the 14 Day Big South tour and was blown away by Wild Kiwi's organisation and communication. Guide Ben had deep knowledge of New Zealand and Maori culture, went out of his way to find hidden gems like waterfalls and swimming spots, and organised a memorable beach bonfire in Westport. She budgeted more than she needed for food and activities, and only wished Wild Kiwi had been clearer that groups mix and change partway through longer tours.
Guide Ben was incredible, sharing genuine passion, joy and knowledge with the group and making sure everyone was having an amazing time.
An awesome tour of the South Island, seeing amazing places with amazing people. The southern leg was epic every day, though the second week further north felt a bit light on activities by comparison.
Having already done the North Island with Wild Kiwi, I found the South Island a completely different experience, but just as beautiful. Our guide Tolan went well beyond what was expected, even cooking for the group most nights and shaping the days around what we wanted to do. The drives were long at times but the vehicle was comfortable, and by the end we'd become a close little group of friends.
