Southland District
A vast district in the southwest of the South Island, covering wilderness such as Fiordland National Park, Te Anau and Stewart Island.
Southland District makes up most of the Southland region outside Invercargill. Fiordland National Park in the west is part of a World Heritage area, where Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound can be explored by boat, and tracks such as the Milford and Kepler are famous worldwide. Te Anau and Manapouri are the main visitor towns, and most of Stewart Island is Rakiura National Park. The east is mainly farmland and the Catlins coast. Summer is peak hiking season. Most visitors fly into Queenstown or Invercargill and then drive.
Destinations
Itineraries
- Southern Scenic Route: Dunedin to Queenstown – Drive from Dunedin along the Catlins coast to the southern tip, then head north to Fiordland on the South Island's quie…
- Southland & Stewart Island Birdwatching – Cross the sea from Invercargill to Rakiura to see kiwis and explore Ulva Island without needing to drive.
- New Zealand South Island In-Depth Grand Loop – A complete loop of the South Island starting from Christchurch, connecting coastlines, glaciers, fjords, peninsulas, an…
- Queenstown First-Timer's Classic – Lakefront gondola, a day trip to Milford Sound, and the old gold-rush town of Arrowtown: three days to see the best of…
- Christchurch to Queenstown Lakes & Fjords – A one-way self-drive through the Mackenzie Basin, Mount Cook, Wanaka, and Fiordland, ending in Queenstown.
- Queenstown Lakes and Doubtful Sound in Depth – Steamship to Walter Peak Farm, the Glenorchy valley, the lone tree at Wanaka, and Doubtful Sound, with all nights spent…
- Queenstown, Fiordland and Wanaka Self-Drive – Queenstown adventure activities, two nights in Te Anau for the Milford Road, and two nights in Wanaka to climb Roys Pea…
- New Zealand North to South: Auckland to Queenstown – Head south from Auckland through geothermal areas and Wellington, cross the strait, and explore the lakes and fjords to…