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South Island Tours

Discover the stunning landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island. Explore majestic snow capped mountains, deep fiords, immense glaciers and sparkling lakes. Experience world renowned wineries, heart stopping adventure sports and the purest air imaginable. Indulge your senses on one of our 47 South Island coach tours and small group adventures, and if time permits venture further and explore all of New Zealand.

Popular Tours View all

14 Days Christchurch to Wellington

Operator: APT

From 8,113
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10 Days Christchurch to Christchurch

Operator: Grand Pacific Tours

From 6,182
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9 Days Christchurch to Queenstown

Operator: Intro Travel

From 2,057
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8 or 9 Days Christchurch to Christchurch

Operator: Intrepid Travel

From 2,004
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Discover Must do experiences and highlights on New Zealand's South Island

Queenstown from the Water

Queenstown from the Water

Set off across Lake Wakatipu on the vintage steamship, TSS Earnslaw, taking in the alpine scenery and soaring peaks that frame the shores of this serene lake.

Heli-Hike on Franz Josef

Heli-Hike on Franz Josef

Enjoy a scenic helicopter flight over this icy wonderland coupled with a guided walk on Franz Joseph, discovering frozen caves and pillars of glacial ice.

Explore Mt Cook National Park

Explore Mt Cook National Park

Travel through this stunning alpine landscape home to permanent snow fields, opaque lakes and towering peaks, crowned by Mt Cook at 3,724m (12,217ft).

Ride the TranzAlpine

Ride the TranzAlpine

Cross the Canterbury Plains and climb into the Southern Alps on this breathtaking rail journey. Watch from the outdoor viewing carriage as glistening rivers carve their way through the dramatic landscape.

Cruise Milford Sound

Cruise Milford Sound

Discover the tranquil waters, soaring granite peaks and snow capped mountains of Fiordland National Park. Set off on a cruise to marvel at the tumbling waterfalls and lush vegetation visible through the mist.

Recent Reviews What our clients are saying about their journeys through New Zealand's South Island

Southern Spectacular   , New Zealand, Jan 2025
Feed back from the family I booked this trip for was the entire trip was absolutely wonderful and was well managed exceeding all expectations. Accommodation and food was great. Highly recommended !!!
APT Southern Tourer - NZ South Island     , ACT, Australia, Apr 2024
A nine day tour of the bucket list of NZ spectacular scenery including the Tranzalpine train to Arthur’s Pass, Queenstown steamer lake cruise and dinner, a spectacular scenic drive to a cruise on Milford Sound, and then on to Mt Cook Lake Tekapo and back to Christchurch. A journey worth every minute of enjoyment. Well organised. Efficient tour guide. ...read more Very knowledgeable and accommodating driver. Large coach and a small group of like minded tour companions. Excellent accommodation and meals to remember. Hats off to APT, a wonderful experience. Thank you.
Southern wonders of New Zealand     , QLD, Australia, Mar 2024
I had a wonderful time travelling with a lovely bunch of people on this AAT Kings tour of the South Island of New Zealand. Most of the accommodation was wonderful and the included dinners were great. Our tour director and driver were fantastic. The only drawbacks were that the front page showing the itinerary with scenic stops was misleading as it ...read more was showing that Mt Cook was a sightseeing stop which never happened as whoever drew the route to Mt Cook was incorrect and would have had to get there from Omarama. Also we were only given 30 minutes to walk there and back to see Franz Joseph Glacier. I did not enjoy the train journey and when embarking we did not get time to look at the station. Overall it was a great tour but more time for the essential sightseeing stops would have been great. I also enjoyed the extra optional tours on offer such as The Glenorchy Lord of the rings tour and the Kiwi Bird Park.
South island 101   , New Zealand, Jan 2024
Maisie from Global Journeys made this trip possible in a very short time as I couldn't finalise things with the Operator quickly. This tour is great if you want a quick glance at all top spots of South island so that you can plan an extensive trip later to spots you liked.

Explore More Explore more Your guide to travelling through the South Island of New Zealand

Explore NZ's South Island in 10 Days.

06 December, 2024

Explore NZ's South Island in 10 Days.

The stunning natural diversity of New Zealand’s South Island, paired with the warmth and generosity of its people, makes it an irresistible draw for travelers. Across this remarkable region, you’ll find spectacular scenery and authentic experiences that seem to shift at every turn. One moment...

Explore the Best of the South Island with Grand Pacific

27 November, 2024

Explore the Best of the South Island with Grand Pacific

Discover New Zealand’s South Island with Grand Pacific Experience the enchantment of New Zealand’s South Island on Grand Pacific Tours new itinerary, the 14 Day Ultimate Best of the South Island and the 14 Day Signature Best of the South Island. Begin your adventure with New Zealand’s Coach...

Discover Top of the South Island

20 March, 2024

Discover Top of the South Island

Have you travelled with Grand Pacific before and are now looking for a tour that’s a little bit different? Look no further than Grand Pacific's Top of the South Island itinerary. Offered as both small group and mid-size coach holiday options, this itinerary promises unforgettable experiences...

5 Awesome Walking Trails on NZ’s South Island

30 July, 2020

5 Awesome Walking Trails on NZ’s South Island

New Zealand’s South Island is incredibly scenic. Raw beauty enchants at every turn and visitors are drawn to the impressive displays of nature that unravel between soaring peaks, glistening glaciers, and dramatic coastlines. Surround yourself with these incredible landscapes on a dedicated...