8 Day The Centre of the South Self Drive

Touch down in the Garden City and settle in for a relaxing start to your South Island adventure. Christchurch is a vibrant blend of heritage charm and fresh innovation, with parks, rivers and creative street scenes all around.

Private Transfer from Christchurch Airport to Your Accommodation
You'll be greeted on arrival and taken straight to your hotel by private transfer. It’s the perfect way to ease into your journey without any hassle.

Christchurch Trams
Explore the city centre aboard beautifully restored heritage trams, hopping off at places like the Botanic Gardens, Arts Centre, and Riverside Market. This hop-on-hop-off loop makes sightseeing easy and fun.

Suggested Activity – Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Wander through seasonal displays of exotic blooms and native bush in this 75-acre green oasis. The gardens are a peaceful escape any time of year.

Today, your South Island roadie begins! After collecting your rental car, you'll head inland toward Lake Tekapo, passing through farmland, valleys and charming small towns along the way.

Collect Your Rental Car
Your vehicle is ready for pick-up, offering a comfortable ride tailored to your travel style. Choose from a range of models if you’d like to upgrade or add a few extra features.

Drive to Lake Tekapo
Cruise through Geraldine and Burkes Pass before arriving at Tekapo, famous for its turquoise waters and starry skies. Along the way, you’ll pass scenery that shifts from pastoral green to alpine gold.

Lake Tekapo Private Stargazing Tour
Enjoy a personal guided stargazing session under some of the clearest night skies on Earth in this Dark Sky Reserve. The astro-portrait makes a brilliant keepsake from your time under the stars.

Mackenzie & Lakes Alpine Excursion – Mackenzie Helicopters
Soar over Lake Tekapo and into the heart of the Southern Alps, with a mountain landing offering panoramic views. This unforgettable flight showcases the dramatic scale and beauty of the region.

Today’s drive takes you further into the mountains as you make your way to Aoraki/Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak. The road follows the shores of Lake Pukaki and delivers spectacular mountain views around every bend.

Glacier Explorers Tour
Take a guided boat trip on the terminal lake of the Tasman Glacier, where you'll float past towering icebergs and get up close to ancient glacial ice. This is one of only three places in the world where you can do this!

Alpine Restaurant Buffet Dinner at The Hermitage Hotel
Enjoy a relaxed buffet-style dinner featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients with uninterrupted views of Aoraki Mt Cook. It’s a meal with a view that’s hard to beat.

Get ready for a true alpine experience today with a heli hike on the Tasman Glacier. This thrilling activity combines a scenic flight, glacier landing and guided ice exploration.

Tasman Glacier Heli Hike with Mt Cook Glacier Guiding
Fly over snowfields and jagged peaks before landing on the glacier, where you'll gear up and explore ice caves, ridges and crevasses. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for nature lovers and adventurers alike.

Panorama Room 3-Course Dinner – The Hermitage Hotel
Dine in style at this acclaimed restaurant with dishes crafted from fresh, local produce. The alpine views and refined flavours make for an exceptional evening.

Leave the alpine high country behind as you journey south through Twizel and Cromwell before arriving in Queenstown. Vineyards, mountain passes, and rugged gorges make this a picturesque day on the road.

Drive to Queenstown via Lindis Pass & Kawarau Gorge
This route winds through changing landscapes — from dry high country to lakeside roads and vineyard-filled valleys. A stop at the historic Kawarau Bungy Bridge adds a thrill (even if you're just watching!).

TSS Earnslaw Cruise & Walter Peak BBQ Dinner
Sail across Lake Wakatipu on a vintage steamship to a lakeside station for a gourmet barbecue meal and farm show. Return by starlight, taking in the twinkling lights of Queenstown.

Today is a full-day adventure to Milford Sound, experienced by road, water and air. It’s a scenic and luxurious way to take in one of the world’s great natural wonders.

Milford Sound Coach, Cruise & Fly Day Tour
Travel by comfortable coach to the fiord, cruise beneath towering cliffs and waterfalls, then return to Queenstown on a scenic flight over the Southern Alps. This multi-mode journey is the ultimate Milford Sound experience.

Skyline Gondola & Buffet Dinner
Ride the gondola high above Queenstown, then enjoy a gourmet buffet dinner with a stunning panoramic view. It’s a perfect farewell feast with front-row seats to the Remarkables.

After breakfast, it’s time to return your rental car at Queenstown Airport. If time allows, take one last lakeside stroll or grab a final coffee before heading home.