South Island New Zealand Tour - Pure South

Day 1 – Welcome & Hike Kepler Track

We’ve distilled down the very best experiences on the South Island for our Pure South trip, making sure you don't miss a thing on your New Zealand adventure. And it all starts today!

After meeting your guides and fellow travellers in Queenstown, you’ll embark on your long-awaited New Zealand adventure. Our first stop today is the hikers paradise of Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park. Your first hike of the trip is on one of New Zealand's Great Walks - The Kepler Track. The Kepler Track is renowned for its vivid green moss, native beech forest, and stunning mountain ranges. Today we’ll explore one of our favourite sections, meandering beneath the beech canopy and tracing the shoreline of stunning Lake Te Anau. Along the way, enjoy panoramic lake views set against the dramatic Fiordland mountains. Keep an eye out for some of our local birdlife too. The Kepler Track beech forest is home to New Zealand's smallest bird the Titipounamu/Rifleman, the inquisitive Piripiri/South Island Robin, and the elusive Kakariki/Yellow-crowned parakeet. What a way to welcome you to New Zealand!

Afterwards, we’ll head to our accommodation in Te Anau for a delicious home-cooked meal. Don't forget that New Zealand is known for it's long days - in the height of summer the sun sets around 10pm down here! - so this evening you'll have the chance to relax at your accommodation and get to know your guides and fellow travellers, take a wander along the shores of lake Te Anau for an extra leg stretch, or check out the quaint township if you're keen for a bit more exploring. 

Tonight we stay at Parklands Motel & Apartments in Te Anau*

Day 2 – Cruise & Kayak Fiordland National Park

Rise and shine – it’s your first full day of adventure, and what a day it’s going to be. This morning we’ll set off on one of the most unforgettable journeys you’re likely to take into the heart of Fiordland National Park. Depending on when your trip departs, you'll explore a different part of Fiordland National Park.

Trips departing prior to April 31st, 2027 - Milford Sound

After a hearty breakfast to fuel the day, we’ll drive the spectacular Milford Road, winding past towering peaks, lush rainforest and crystal-clear lakes. When we stop at Homer Tunnel, keep an eye out for New Zealand's alpine parrot - the cheeky Kea - one of the most intelligent birds in the world. Once at Milford Sound, we’ll hop aboard our scenic cruise and soak it all in – thundering waterfalls, sheer rock faces, and the magic of the fiord all around you. Look out for native fur seals and bottlenose dolphins, and if you're visiting in November or December you might even spot a Fiordland crested penguin! Keep your camera close. These are the kind of photos you’ll want to share far and wide. 

This afternoon, you’ll explore Fiordland both on foot and by paddle. First, you’ll walk a beautiful section of the Milford Track, arguably New Zealand’s most iconic Great Walk. You'll be surrounded by ancient rainforest, rushing rivers, and the dramatic scenery that makes this corner of Aotearoa so special. Then it’s time to hop into kayaks and paddle out onto the still waters of Milford Sound. From the water, the scale of the fiord really comes to life, with Mitre Peak towering above and snow-capped Mt Tutoko rising in the distance.

Afterwards, we’ll return to Te Anau for a relaxed evening, reflecting on a day you won’t soon forget.

Tonight we stay at Parklands Motel & Apartments in Te Anau again*

Trips departing after October 1st, 2027 - Doubtful Sound

After a satisfying breakfast to fuel the day, we'll head to Lake Manapouri, the gateway to Doubtful Sound, one of New Zealand's most remote fiords, and one you simply can't reach by road. We'll board a boat to cruise across the lake, then travel through ancient beech forest over the Wilmot Pass and into the deep heart of Doubtful Sound.

The fiords towering peaks and cascading waterfalls open up around you, and a quiet falls upon the land that gives Doubtful Sound it's Māori name Patea or 'place of silence'. Three times the size of Milford Sound and much more remote, this is Fiordland at its most untouched. This afternoon, we'll launch kayaks onto Doubtful Sound's still water, where the true scale of the place really comes to life - sheer rock faces rising straight from the sea, waterfalls tumbling into the fiord, and, not another soul in sight. Keep your camera close. These are the kind of photos you'll want to share far and wide.

Afterwards, we'll journey back over the Wilmot Pass and across Lake Manapouri, returning to Te Anau for a relaxed evening, reflecting on a day in one of the wildest corners of Aotearoa.

Tonight we stay at Parklands Motel & Apartments in Te Anau again*

Day 3 – Hike the Queenstown Trail & Explore Wānaka

Today we leave the rainforests of Fiordland behind and head for the glacially carved lakes of Central Otago. These days it can be hard to find something off the tourist trail in Queenstown - the scenery is so spectacular so it's easy to see why things are so popular - but we Queenstown locals have a special spot up our sleeves for you today! Our first stop is a one of our favourite hidden trails tucked along the shore of Lake Wakatipu. It's a real locals haunt and one of our best kept secrets. You'll hike alongside the shoreline of the impressive Lake Wakatipu, the longest lake in New Zealand. You'll be met with sweeping views across the Remarkables mountain range and the high country station Cecil Peak, and ask your guides to point out Hidden Island if you can't quite spot it! 

This afternoon we'll head over the tussock covered Crown Range and through the tiny alpine village of Cardrona to the peaceful mountain resort town of Wānaka. Known as Queenstown's more relaxed sister, the lakeside town of Wānaka is the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park and we’ll spend the next two nights here exploring the area. 

Tonight we stay at Edgewater Resort in Wānaka*

Day 4 - Exclusive High Country Station Experience - Helicopter, Hike, Boat

Today, we are heading out on an adventure you will remember forever. We'll begin the day with a hike to the famous glacial blue pools in Mt Aspiring National Park before heading to Makarora for an unforgettable helicopter flight. We'll board a Squirrel Helicopter before we take flight through the heart of the 355,000ha Mount Aspiring National Park. You'll look out across winding rivers, virgin beech forest, glaciated valleys, alpine lakes, glaciers and the towering Southern Alps, before emerging over Lake Wānaka and landing on a private high country sheep station not accessible to the public. This is a very special area that is only accessed by boat or helicopter!

We’ll walk along an old mustering trail beneath the slopes of Mount Burke, through native bush and along the glacier-carved edge of Lake Wānaka. You'll be treated to sweeping alpine views across the lake and find a sense of isolation that’s getting hard to find these days! You'll then be met by a boat on the shore of Lake Wānaka where you'll be whisked back to Wānaka township for a delicious meal.  

This is a quintessential New Zealand experience that is not offered by any other tour company nor is the track open to the general public, and we are delighted that our local connections have allowed us to put this incredible day together for you.

Tonight we stay at Edgewater Resort in Wānaka again*

Day 5 – Hike Rocky Mountain Track & Stay in a Dark Sky Reserve

We'll start the day by exploring one of our favourite Wanaka Trails, Rocky Mountain, before making our way to the home of Aoraki/Mount Cook, known to Maori as the Cloud Piercer.  The Rocky Mountain Track has sweeping views out over the Southern Alps, Mt Aspiring National Park, and Lake Wānaka. It’s a steady climb but well worth the effort. With each passing step, the scenery just gets better and better, and with sweeping views to enjoy at every turn, there’s certainly no rush to the top. As always, your guides will have several options for you so you can choose on the day how much activity you'd like. 

This afternoon, we'll head north through a land of wide-open skies, braided rivers, turquoise lakes, and snow-capped peaks. This is Mackenzie Country where we'll spend the next few nights in the largest dark sky reserve in the Southern Hemisphere. Recognised for its exceptionally clear, unpolluted night skies, the reserve offers some of the best stargazing in the world, with minimal light pollution and breathtaking views of the southern night sky.

We'll have the next two days here as our base to explore the very best hiking trails that Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park has to offer. 

Tonight we stay in the Aoraki/Mt Cook region*

Day 6 – Your Choice in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

New Zealand is home to 24 peaks over 3000m tall – your destination for the day, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, boasts 19 of them. Home to its namesake (known to Māori as “the Cloud Piercer”, standing at 3724 metres tall), the National Park offers some of the best hiking trails in New Zealand and a rich mountaineering history. These stunning mountains were the training ground of Sir Edmund Hillary before becoming the first to successfully summit Mount Everest with Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Today they’ll be your playground, with options for everyone at whatever pace is right for you.

Get up close to the icebergs on a glacier boat tour, or even splurge on a heli-hike if you’d like. Check out the many hiking tracks and trails, or simply explore the village at your leisure. Whatever you decide, it’s an incredible place to spend the day.

Day 7 – Explore Arrowtown and hike the Arrow River Trail

Today we leave the mountains of Aoraki/Mt Cook and travel into the high-country landscapes of Central Otago, where we’ll explore the rich history and character of Arrowtown. Once a bustling gold mining settlement during the Otago gold rush of the 1860s, Arrowtown remains one of New Zealand’s best-preserved historic towns, with restored cottages, tree-lined streets and stories of the miners who once searched the Arrow River for gold.

This morning we’ll walk the scenic Arrow River Trail, following the river through dramatic rocky gorges and peaceful willow-lined pathways once frequented by early prospectors. Along the way, you’ll also have the opportunity to plant a native seedling and leave a small legacy of your own here in New Zealand.

This afternoon we'll finish our adventure in Queenstown. It’s time to say goodbye to your guides, travel companions, and new-found friends as we drop you at the airport or your accommodation. If you’re joining us to explore the North Island, we’ll ensure a smooth transition for you. If not, we hope to see you again soon in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

*For logistical reasons, we may make small changes to our itineraries or accommodation from time to time.