21-Day South Island Self-Drive Adventure

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Just a hours drive from Christchurch, Akaroa and the Banks Peninsula offers a great contrast to the South Island's largest city. Rolling green hills, streams, golden sand beaches and small settlements offer a unique insight into New Zealand's history and development plus, wineries, great cafes and restaurants and abundant wildlife. The Akaroa Harbour itself is teeming with wildlife and a nature cruise is a must-do activity to see one of the world's smallest and rarest dolphins, hectors dolphin.

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Today you'll enjoy a scenic drive through Canterbury and the MacKenzie Country to Mt Cook National Park. You'll catch your breath in Geraldine before continuing through Fairlie and ascending Burkes Pass, you'll come to the picturesque lakeside town of Tekapo. Follow the road and take in the view of Aoraki Mt Cook (New Zealand's tallest mountain) from the shores of Lake Pukaki, known for its glacier-fed turquoise blue colour.

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Leaving the MacKenzie Country today, you'll follow the Waitaki River to the coast, where you'll turn south for Dunedin. Today you'll leave Mt Cook National Park and travel past Twizel, one of the locations for the Lord of the Rings films. Driving through the Waitaki Valley, you'll head towards the east coast. Continue south down the coast to Moeraki. As you arrive in Dunedin, take in the city’s Edwardian and Scottish heritage reflected in the buildings around the city centre - The Octagon.

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Known as the Edinburgh of the South, Dunedin city has a heavy Scottish influence. Renowned for its Flemish Baroque-inspired ‘gingerbread house’ Railway Station, this university town is bustling with life. Head to the Saturday farmers market held in the aforementioned railway grounds for a taste of organic produce, handmade crepes and local honey. You may want to take a half-day tour of the Otago Peninsula and its unique wildlife including a cruise through Dunedin Harbour.

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Today, the drive to Te Anau takes you through classic Southland farming scenery. Head off-the-beaten-track today and follow the coastline instead of the inland route, go through The Catlins area and be sure to take a detour to Kaka Point to view its majestic cliffs and pounding surf. You'll continue through Invercargill to Riverton, and then head north to Manapouri. Just a short drive will bring you to your lakeside destination of Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound.

This morning's short drive takes you along the lake edge of Te Anau and across lush southern farmlands to the small township of Lake Manapouri, the gateway to Doubtful Sound. You'll then spend the next 24 hours taking in the tranquillity of the remote Doubtful Sound on this unique overnight wilderness cruise. Beginning in Manapouri with a short boat ride across the lake, you'll be taken by coach over the Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove to board the Fiordland Navigator.

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Your Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise will return to Manapouri at midday. From here, you'll begin your journey to Queenstown. Crossing the rolling tussock lands, you'll pass through Mossburn, lush Southland countryside towards Lake Wakatipu. The Remarkables Mountain Range towers over you as you approach Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand. Later on, you can hop aboard the historic steamship TSS Earnslaw for an iconic Queenstown experience and a gourmet barbeque dinner.

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Although celebrated as New Zealand's ‘adventure capital’, Queenstown offers far more than a fast-paced action-packed holiday. Settled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu beneath a soaring panorama of the Remarkables Mountain Range, this alpine town is surrounded by a plethora of historic, gastronomic and scenic wonders. Head down the Gibbston Valley wine trail, catch a ride on the TSS Earnslaw or check out nearby historic Arrowtown and enhance your experience with a four-wheel-drive trip to Macetown.

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From Queenstown, you'll cross the Crown Range –the highest sealed road in New Zealand– to the Alpine town of Wanaka. Skirting the shores of Lake Wanaka and Hawea, you will enter Makarora. Stop at Blue Pools for a 1-hour walk through native beech forest to a glacier-fed swimming hole. Then through the remote settlement of Haast before heading up the West Coast, a 600 km stretch of bush and rainforest. Fox Glacier welcomes you first, then comes your destination - Franz Josef township.

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Franz Josef is a small but lively town in the heart of the West Coast, known for its 12-kilometre long glacier. Surrounded by lush rainforest-clad mountains the township has a vibrant and bustling atmosphere. To see the ice from a viewpoint you can walk along the valley floor to the terminal face without a guide. However, to go on the glacier itself you must take a licensed helicopter tour.

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Driving north, you'll pass through many small West Coast towns. Hari Hari is the township that Guy Menzies decided to land in as he became the first person to fly solo across the Tasman. The craft and gift stores in Hokitika are excellent with a great range of locally made items and if you want to explore further here then the Hokitika Gorge is worthy of a detour. Later on, you can delve into an ancient wonderland of stalactites, stalagmites and glowworms in the enormous Nile River Caves.

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Today you’ll head south towards Greymouth, before turning onto State Highway 73 as you make your way to Arthur's Pass. Winding your way up and over the Southern Alps, this route takes you through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country - even in the rain when hundreds of waterfalls cascade down the bush-clad hillsides. Originally the road was used as a pass by the Maori as they made their seasonal passage to collect Greenstone in the West Coast mountains.

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Travelling from the Southern Alps to the coast, this drive offers spectacular views of river valleys. You’ll travel through Castle Hill Scenic Reserve, dotted with remarkable rocky outcrops - popular for hiking. Descending on to the Canterbury Plains, you’ll travel through the rich farmland surrounding Christchurch before turning North. If you have plenty of time be sure to stop at Hanmer Springs for a soak in the hot mineral pools. The road hugs the coast for the final stretch of this drive.

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Heading north from Kaikoura, you'll have many opportunities to view the native wildlife such as seabirds and New Zealand fur seals. One of the best seal-watching locations is Ohau Point. Crossing the dry hills of the Marlborough ranges, you'll head towards Marlborough, New Zealand's largest wine-producing region. Blenheim sits right at the heart of Marlborough and is ideally located to enjoy an afternoon sampling the local produce. A great way to do this is to take a guided wine tour.

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Today, you'll take a short drive to the small port of Picton where the Interislander ferry connects with Wellington. A bustling seaside destination, Picton is well equipped with shops, cafes - and is also the starting point for the famous Queen Charlotte Walk. You’ll travel along Queen Charlotte Drive, traversing the length of the Marlborough Sounds coastline. Magnificent views are abundant - so be sure to make time to stop and enjoy the scenery as you go.

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Abel Tasman National Park, known for its coastal hiking track, has an abundance of golden beaches, inlets and private lagoons. The park has a mild climate and is a special place to visit at any time of the year. Why not enjoy a scenic cruise through the Sounds or take a kayaking tour around its many sheltered bays? Relax to the melodious birdsong and get up close to some of the park’s many animal residents, including native bats, geckos, birds and marine mammals - fur seals and dolphins.

Today, you'll travel along the Buller Gorge home to spectacular scenery. You'll head through the sleepy town of Murchison, a great place to stop for lunch then continue on to Inangahua, the first major town in the region. You’ll then come to Whites Creek - where New Zealand’s longest swing bridge is located. As you cross the river take in the magnificent views of the gorge before drive a short way further to arrive in Westport, the largest town the Northern West Coast.

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Today, you'll make the short drive to Greymouth. Cape Foulwind just south of Westport is home to a seal colony and the short walk provides some spectacular scenery. The spectacular West Coast coastline guides you to Paparoa National Park and to Punakaiki. Greymouth is the largest town on the coast and as such is the commercial centre. This charming town boasts almost every activity you can think of. Just south of Greymouth is Shantytown, a replica gold rush town with lots of great displays.

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This morning, you'll take in the sea views of Greymouth, the largest town on the West Coast, one last time before boarding the TranzAlpine Scenic Train, leaving your rental car behind. Considered one of the world's great train journeys, the TranzAlpine Scenic Train takes you from the west to the east coast. From the comfort of your carriage, you'll see lush beech forest, deep river valleys and the spectacular peaks of the Southern Alps.