Discover what makes New Zealand's South Island one of the most scenic places on earth. Over nine days you'll travel with a passionate local leader through endless lakes, snow-capped mountains and pristine glaciers, from creative Christchurch to the postcard towns and wild coastlines that define this corner of the country.
Gaze at the stars in the Dark Sky Reserve of Lake Tekapo, feel the buzz of Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world, and slow down in pretty Wanaka. Stop off in the gold-rush town of Arrowtown, stand in awe of the Franz Josef Glacier and travel the lush West Coast, with plenty of thrilling activities on offer around every corner.
Days
- 9 days, 8 nights
Age
- 15+ — under 18s must travel with an adult
Group size
- Small group
Start / finish
- Christchurch / Christchurch
Return
- See itinerary for details
Accommodation
- 8 nights in mixed-gender multi-share dormitory hostels with shared facilities.
Transport
- Overland travel with a local leader who stays with the group for the whole trip.
Meals
- Seven breakfasts. Every other meal is at your own cost.
Route
Included experiences
- Christchurch — city tour
- Lake Tekapo — Church of the Good Shepherd and Dark Sky stargazing
- Mackenzie Basin and the Southern Alps
- Kawarau Gorge
- Queenstown — free day in the adventure capital
- Crown Range drive and Arrowtown village
- Lake Wanaka and the Lake Hawea lookout
- Haast Pass — waterfalls and coastline
- Franz Josef — carve your own pounamu necklace, and glacier views
- Arthur's Pass and the West Coast
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
4.9
Based on 37 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 37 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the guide's knowledge, enthusiasm and attentiveness, as well as the itinerary's ability to pack a substantial number of South Island highlights into nine days without feeling rushed. The stunning scenery and the quality of the group experience stand out most frequently, with reviewers noting that the diverse mix of age groups and personalities formed strong bonds and that the optional activities allowed customisation for different fitness levels and interests. The most common caveat concerns accommodation, with a few travellers noting that twin rooms were cramped, though most found lodgings to be clean and adequate.
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. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.
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.
A SENSATIONAL trip. Beauty everywhere on the South Island: forests, snow on the mountains, waterfalls, sunrises and sunsets, wildlife. The optional activities mean there's something for everybody.
Every bend in the road on the South Island seems to open onto something stunning. The itinerary was run smoothly and took in everywhere I'd hoped to get to. Well worth doing.
Taylor led our South Island trip and was the best of them. A once-in-a-lifetime thing everyone should do, though I'll be back soon.
Snowy led us and was incredible, turning our South Island days into something special. Expect plenty of walking and beautiful places to stop, so it suits anyone reasonably fit who wants to explore actively.
Standing atop Franz Josef glacier in just thermals, a light jumper and a wind jacket, looking out at it all, beat anything I'd pictured. The kind of thing you go home and tell people about, or film. Yes!!
The South Island Express gets my vote. Its length was judged well, so we reached the headline sights with nothing feeling hurried.
I'd never done a group trip before, and it turned out to be up there with the best holidays I've taken. Lovely people, a really warm few days, and I'm keen to do another.
Loved the South Island. Our leader knew the place inside out, and the group turned out to be lovely people. Every question I had before departure got answered. I'd sign up again tomorrow.
One of my better calls. Our leader is an absolute legend and the group were lovely; nothing beats travelling with friends you haven't met yet. Saying goodbye brought on terrible hay fever, or something, that left my eyes streaming. Otherwise faultless.
If you want to see how beautiful New Zealand is, book it. Every place we stopped was stunning, and we got lucky with a guide who looked after us the whole way.
What a time. I still can't quite believe how much got squeezed into just over a week. Missy guided us and made all of it happen. I'd booked thinking it was simply an efficient way to cover ground, and came home with friends for life. Go.
Sensational, though the 'Express' name puzzles me, since it felt thorough rather than rushed. Missy guided us and was exceptional, full of passion and knowledge for this magical place. Great memories.
The itinerary's been thought through and takes in nearly all the South Island's top spots. Glorious country too; the scenery turns into something new every half hour.
The Southern Lick route round the South Island is a lovely way to meet New Zealand. The schedule has enough give to soak up as much nature as you want. Solo, partnered or with family, I'd push you towards it. That's my second, and there'll be more.
Jordan guiding us, clued-up and accommodating, lifted my first visit to New Zealand hugely. Intrepid will probably get my next booking.
The way our leader delivered the South Islands itinerary went well past what I expected, and the rest of the group made it a cracking journey. Hats off to Snowy and everyone at Intrepid.
Loved the South Island, stunning country wherever we went. Snowy deserves a shout-out: warm, knowledgeable, and he kept it all running smoothly and fun. Couldn't have gone better.
Beautiful places, and Jordan is a really good leader: kind, organised, always helping. When I didn't follow something he'd explain slowly and put me at ease. The route and the whole experience were a pleasure.
'Mother nature on steroids' is how I'd sum up the South Island. Jaw-dropping views, serious local knowledge on hand, and warm, helpful people everywhere. No photo captures what your own eyes take in. A gorgeous country for building memories that last.
Pitched just right. Lovely scenery, lots of varied things to do, and Blair leading us topped the lot.
A solid sweep of the South Island's best sights, nicely paced, with room to rest or add activities. Thanks Blair for a remarkable trip.
Intrepid Explorer suits anyone who wants the planning taken off their hands but still wants a say in how each day goes. The South Island worked out brilliantly for me, and the guide was warm, energetic and happy to accommodate.
Of every tour I've done, this South Island one with Angela stands out. She knows her stuff, has endless energy, is easy to approach and treats everyone the same. Keeping a smile on my face for the whole trip is no small feat. Among the finest guides I've come across.
What a trip. We fitted in a huge number of sights and activities, and Angela was great fun and deeply clued-up on New Zealand's nature and culture. The group turns into family and the memories are the best kind.
Superb trip, one I'd point anybody towards. Angela guided us and nothing was ever too much bother for her.
Coming along as a mum with my 21-year-old daughter, I half expected to feel like the odd one out, but not at all. Every age was represented, everyone had fun, and Blair somehow wove it all together. We covered far more of this glorious country than the two of us ever could have alone, and picked up great friends and memories doing it. I can't recommend it any harder.
Seven nights touring the South Island has just wrapped up and I'm still stunned; nowhere I've been compares. Annie, our guide, lifted it further, lovely company and knows an extraordinary amount. Ask for her if you can. Conor, the photographer with us, was a genuinely nice bloke and very good at his job. There's an enormous amount to fit in, and somehow Annie makes it happen. This one will stay with me.
A trip of a lifetime, with the length pitched exactly right for the best of the South Island. Annie is what made it outstanding, packing in an incredible number of stops and tailoring everything to what each of us wanted, so it felt like having a private guide. My Mum is 65 and I'm 27, and it worked for us both. Very well run, and a proper window into a spectacular country.
Brilliant trip, and Emily leading it was something else. She'd talk us through the history and stories of each area, Maori lore and traditions included, and we always knew what was happening and when. The activities were great, with the glacier kayaking and the Lord of the Rings driving tour my favourites. Beautiful places, lovely people, and one of the best tours I've done in all my travels.
Angela both drove and guided, and she's the best you'll get. Short trip, crammed with breathtaking places. The optional extras let you shape it to your taste, though they pushed the overall cost up. Our group spanned all sorts of ages and personalities and gelled well. Dorms were clean and comfortable enough, and the group breakfast boxes could be tweaked to suit us. Angela kept us informed so I always knew what the next day held, and I loved that she shared her Maori culture with us.
A fantastic trip, with most of the credit going to Hayley. The stops were phenomenal and timed spot on. Plenty of room on a clean coach. Haka House worked well for us with the private room upgrade, and having kitchens to cook in was a bonus. Hayley is why everyone enjoyed it so much.
South Island Express is a cracking way to spend 8 days, squeezing the region's highlights into that window. Snowy led our group and his knowledge helped us get everything we could out of each day. Short on time and want the best bits? Take this one.
Visiting New Zealand was something else. This South Island route took in so many wonderful spots, with no shortage of things to get involved in. Connor, guiding us, set a tone the whole group fed off.
