Southland

New Zealand's southernmost region, with pristine natural scenery including Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound and Stewart Island.

Southland lies at the southwestern end of the South Island. In the west is Fiordland National Park, home to Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and classic tracks such as the Milford Track and the Kepler Track, with Te Anau as the main gateway town. In the southeast, Invercargill is the regional center, Bluff is known for its oysters and has a ferry to Stewart Island, where you can look for wild kiwi. Summer is good for hiking, and in winter there is an occasional chance of seeing the southern lights. You can fly into Invercargill or drive in via Queenstown Airport.

Destinations

• Invercargill & Bluff
• Te Anau & Fiordland
• Stewart Island (Rakiura)
• The Catlins

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…