Destinations / New Zealand South Island & Wellington

New Zealand South Island & Wellington

1 itinerary · 0 open departures · 0 missions

New Zealand's South Island is the country's larger landmass, renowned for some of the most dramatic scenery in the Southern Hemisphere — from the glaciers and fiords of Fiordland National Park to the snow-capped Southern Alps and the vineyards of Marlborough. It draws hikers, skiers, and adventure seekers to iconic trails like the Milford Track, ski fields around Queenstown, and wildlife encounters on the Otago Peninsula. Wellington, the nation's compact capital perched at the southern tip of the North Island, is known for its vibrant café culture, world-class Te Papa museum, and thriving arts scene. Together, they form a natural gateway for travellers crossing between the islands by ferry, combining outdoor adventure with urban culture.

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Itineraries

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£1,140 retail with Intrepid Travel → £905 self-launched

New Zealand South Island & Wellington · 12 days

Copycat

Self-Guided Essential New Zealand: South Island

This self-guided 12-day South Island adventure follows the same incredible route as Intrepid's group tour — from Christchurch to Wellington via Lake Tekapo, Queenstown, Franz Josef Glacier, Punakaiki, and Abel Tasman — at a fraction of the cost. You'll swap the private tour vehicle for InterCity coaches and shuttles, book hostels directly, and self-arrange all the same iconic experiences. New Zealand rewards independent travellers brilliantly: public transport connections are solid, hostels are world-class, and most activities can be booked directly or via GetYourGuide and Klook. All costs are approximate estimates per person in GBP and assume a budget-conscious but comfortable travel style.

adventurehikingbackpacker

Travel Crew

~£905

Missions

Nobody's posted a Mission for New Zealand South Island & Wellington yet — which, frankly, is an opportunity.

Wait, what's a Mission?It's not a scheduled trip with dates and a minimum group size like a Departure — it's a goal. Learn to dive, do a Muay Thai camp, live somewhere for a month and work on something, chase one very specific experience. Post it, and other people chasing the same thing find you.

Be the first to post one: "Eat the strangest thing on the menu every single day for a week and document the regret."

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