Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island
4- to 5-Day Itineraries . Itineraries . New Zealand . Travel . Worldwide Travel
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The Best Things to do in New Zealand South Island
Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island. We’ve planned the best 5 Day New Zealand Itinerary so you don’t have to! Check out each of the days below to put together your own holiday around the South Island from Queenstown, or customize a trip if you’ve only got a few days or a week. (Check out our “Itineraries” in the main menu for other New Zealand itineraries and trips to other countries, as well).
Click on any day below for full itinerary details!
This 5 Day South Island Itinerary has you flying in to Queenstown and then out of either Picton or Wellington, depending on domestic and international connections, rental car arrangements, and your time frame and schedule. It’s a fair amount of driving, but you’ll get a good combination of urban and rural, with landscapes ranging from sub-tropical and coastal to inland and mountainous. If you have a few more days, check out our 7 Day Itinerary from Queenstown to Wellington or our 14 Day Itinerary that covers most of the South Island and Wellington.
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Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island
Click for Day 1: Queenstown to Arrowtown
- Arrive in Queenstown and get your bearings
- Drive to Arrowtown, dip your feet in the Arrow River, and eat at Tap and Cask, a local brew-pub
- If you have time, visit Gibbston Valley Winery or another nearby Central Otago winery
- Drive through Wanaka to Makarora West and spend the night in an A-Frame Tourist Cabin
Click for Day 1: Makarora West
- Stay in a rustic A-Frame tourist cabin near Mount Aspiring National Park
- Explore nature walks through native bush along the Makarora River and Makarora West
- Wander through native Podocarp forests
Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island
Click for Day 2: The Blue Pools
- Head to the Blue Pools for an afternoon hike and a swim in the Makarora River
- Hike to other scenic viewpoints along the West Coast highway toward Fox Glacier
Click for Day 2: West Coast Beaches
- Visit the town and beaches of Haast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Buy the best priced greenstone along the West Coast
- Watch the waves and frolic in the sand at Bruce Bay
- Continue on to Fox Glacier and set up camp for the night
Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island
Click for Day 3: Fox Glacier
- Get up early and be the first to hike to the glacier
- Read up on the receding glacier along the walking path
- Photograph the edge of the glacier from the elevated viewing area
- Read about unfortunate tourists who got too close to the edge
- Drive to Franz Josef and hike to the glacier after lunch in town
Click for Day 3: Hokitika and Ross Beach
- Drive to the Ross Beach Top 10 Classic Holiday Park
- Camp or stay in converted shipping container en-suite accommodations overlooking the beach
- Wander down the beach
- Explore Hokitika’s downtown shops and beach access
Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island
Click for Day 4: Brunner, Waiuta, and Motueka
- Tour Brunner, an historic site on the banks of the Grey River not far from Greymouth
- Walk across the Grey River on a massive wooden bridge
- View the British Beehive coke ovens and other artifacts at the site
- Walk through the mining ghost town of Waiuta in the mountains beyond Totara Flat
- Sit in the historic Blackwater School and tiptoe through the ruins of the Blackwater mine
- Head North to Motueka and drive through wine country before having dinner on the North shore
Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island
Click for Day 5: Drive through Wine Country to Picton
- Drive through Blenheim and wine country
- Stop at local wineries on your way to Picton
- Visit the Picton waterfront, museum, and EcoWorld Aquarium & Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
- Save a starfish
- Fly out of Picton or take the ferry to Wellington and fly out of the Capital
Kiwi New Zealand: Things to do in New Zealand South Island
Bonus: Abel Tasman Coast Track to Mutton Cove
If you have a little extra time, it’s worth the drive up into the Abel Tasman, whether you touch on the coastal region close to Motueka or make it all the way to Pohara Beach and Wainui Bay for a longer hike or overnight backpacking trip. If you’re hoping to squeeze a little bit more adventure out of your time in the South Island, here’s a bonus day or two we highly recommend, using Motueka as your home base before continuing on to Picton.
- Drive to Wainui Bay and head out on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of the NZ Great Walks
- Enjoy the sounds of birds in native bush as you climb to the top of the North ridge
- Witness epic views of the Tasman Sea from the coast track before descending to the Whariwharangi Hut and Homestead
- Take a dip in the Tasman at Whariwharangi Bay
- Continue over the final ridge before dropping down to Mutton Cove
- Camp on the beach at Mutton Cove
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