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5-Day South Island Tour from Christchurch

Christchurch, New Zealand

From $1,226.22

Select Date and Travelers

up to 6 days in advance

5 days
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

See the top sights of the spectacular South Island on a 5-day guided coach tour, round-trip from Christchurch. Stop at Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s tallest mountain; enjoy free time to explore the adventure capital of Queenstown; take a boat cruise on Milford Sound, surrounded by steep rock walls; view Fox and Franz Josef glaciers; and travel by rail through the Southern Alps aboard the scenic TranzAlpine Express. Includes hotel pickup and drop-off, and four nights’ accommodation in Queenstown and Franz Josef.

Five-day coach tour of New Zealand's scenic South Island
Lunch at Mt. Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain (own expense)
Cruise on Milford Sound
Free leisure day in Queenstown
Spectacular Franz Josef Glacier
Trip aboard the famous TranzAlpine Express train
Fully guided tour and commentary
Pickup and drop-off from centrally located Christchurch hotels

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Live commentary on board
Accommodation as per itinerary
Milford Sound Cruise
Tranz Alpine from Greymouth to Christchurch

Food and drinks, unless specified
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Distinction Christchurch Hotel
14 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand

Pickup points

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Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.

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End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Departure Point: Christchurch hotels Dates: Daily Return point: Returns to original departure point on day 5 at approximately 6:35pm

What To Expect

Begin your 5-day exploration of New Zealand's South Island with hotel pickup in Christchurch. Peer through the windows of your comfortable coach at the vivid scenery while you journey through the foothills of the Southern Alps. Your guide makes a stop at Mt. Cook for lunch (own expense) before your first night in Queenstown, including free time to explore at your leisure.

After a memorable cruise on Milford Sound, nestled in the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park, drive along Haast Pass to Westland National Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rugged West Coast route takes you past soaring mountain ranges, native forests and lakes to the must-see Franz Josef Glacier, where you spend the night with scenic views.

On the final day, travel to the reconstructed gold-rush town of Shantytown. Conclude your South Island tour with a train trip from Greymouth aboard the TranzAlpine Express. The route takes you over the Southern Alps through Arthur's Pass to Christchurch, renowned as one of the world’s top 10 train journeys.

Day 1

Christchurch - Mount Cook - Queenstown

6 Stops

Canterbury Region

Admission Ticket Free

Burkes Pass

Admission Ticket Free

Lake Tekapo

Admission Ticket Free

Lake Pukaki

Admission Ticket Free

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu)

Admission Ticket Free

South Island

Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Heartland Hotel Queenstown (or Similar)

Meals: Not included

Day 2

Milford Sound Day Excursion

6 Stops

Fiordland National Park

Admission Ticket Free

Mirror Lakes Walk

Admission Ticket Free

Hollyford Valley

Admission Ticket Free

Homer Tunnel

Admission Ticket Free

Milford Sound

Admission Ticket Free

Mitre Peak

Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight Accommodation: Heartland Hotel Queenstown (or similar).

Meals: Not included

Day 3

Queenstown

1 Stop

Queenstown

Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight Accommodation: Heartland Hotel Queenstown (or similar).

Meals: Not included

Day 4

Queenstown - Franz Joseph

5 Stops

Lake Wanaka

Admission Ticket Free

Haast Pass

Admission Ticket Free

Westland Tai Poutini National Park

Admission Ticket Free

Fox Glacier

Admission Ticket Free

Franz Josef Glacier

Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight Accommodation: Scenic Circle Hotel Franz Josef Glacier (or similar).

Meals: Not included

Day 5

Franz Joseph - Greymouth - Arthur's Pass - Christchurch

4 Stops

Shantytown Heritage Park

Admission Ticket Free

Greymouth

Admission Ticket Free

Southern Alps

Admission Ticket Free

TranzAlpine: Scenic Train Christchurch - Greymouth

Admission Ticket Included

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Not included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Most travelers can participate
Independent Touring - this is not a Group Tour - we use local suppliers and you will have a different coach & driver each day
Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 6 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 6 full days before the experience’s start time.
Any changes made less than 6 full days before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
For a 50% refund, you must cancel 2–6 full days before the experience’s start time.

If you cancel less than 2 full days before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 2 full days before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Reviews

4.5

63 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 63 reviews

Excellent way to see major landmarks in South Island, New Zealand if you only have limited time.

Raj_J, Jan 2024

Very intensive itinerary but well coordinated with use of professional local service operators. Good choice of hotels although the first one at Franz Josef was a marginal 3/4*.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Kiaora Raj and thanks for leaving a review. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed your tour with us!

Trip round New Zealand South Island.

David_S, Jan 2024

I went on this trip to see the fiords from a boat as the big event although the other sightseeing was also spectacular. I am well pleased with the result. The boat went right up to a couple of waterfalls and plenty opportunity to take some pics. Breathtaking. On the last day the trip back was on rather small busses when we could have done with windows in the roof and a little more space to sit for 8 hours but OK. On the whole a great tour.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Kiaora David and thanks for leaving a review. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed your days with us!

Beautiful places but transfer bus ride is bad.

Ning_l, Dec 2023

We completed the trip and I wished that I would have done it differently. The hotels are all very nice and we were satisfied The driving from location to location is long and very disappointing. Nearly no tour guide during the entire tour. The bus driver does not really talk much or non English speaking. Almost all the buses are busy with drop off and picking up the guests who are on backpacking. Nearly no stopping at beautiful sceneries for a quick photo. I did not expect this lack of attention in detail during the transit when I signed up for the tour. It is very expensive tour and this has to be improved. Thank you.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Kiaora and thanks for leaving a review. I'm very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your tour with us. I will be giving feedback to the coach operators whose drivers are supposed to be providing commentary and making photo stops.

The scenic train ride was...

Robert_P, Nov 2023

The scenic train ride was quite good. The tours in each location had excellent leaders/guides and small groups rather than large buses, a plus, as large buses would not be able to go all of the places we could.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Kiaora Robert and thank you for leaving a review. I'm very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your tour.

Well coordinated transfer...

Del_T, Oct 2023

Well coordinated transfer during the trip. Appreciated the Queenstown one day stop, it is moment of relaxation for long travels. I wish I stayed longer but the trip is still worth it

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Kiaora Del and thanks for leaving a review. I'm so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your tour, and everything was planned perfectly.

NZ south island

L8183BTnicks, Nov 2019

great trip. great accommodations. driver narrations were relevant. coaches we're spacious. magnificent countryside

Response from Host, Nov 2019

Thanks for the great review! I'm glad you had such a nice time on your 5-Day South Island Tour from Christchurch. It's great to hear you enjoyed each and every aspect of your tour including accomodation, coaches, and guides! The lower part of the South Island offers some of the best landscapes in New Zealand and we do our best to show you those top destinations within a relatively short period of time. Thanks again for your review and we hope you get to visit New Zealand and the South Island again soon!

New Zealand south island

NeilCasson, Nov 2019

The superb organisation made this a memorable trip. The timetable was adhered to perfectly. At no point were we left wondering will someone come and pick us up!

Response from Host, Nov 2019

Thanks for the 5 star review, Neil. I'm happy you had such a great time on the South Island and that your time exploring our country was a memorable one! We do what we can to ensure that itineraries are as detailed and as clear as possible so that travellers can feel rest assured when travelling on one of our tour packages. I'm really pleased that we made you feel at such ease. All the best and we hope you visit NZ and the South Island again soon!

Good way to see s. Island!

Reid_D, Jan 2019

If you don’t like long 12 hour bus rides, this is not for you. Our only complaint were the bus drivers/ tour guides were difficult to understand and we speak English. Sights and activities were wonder and well organized.

Great Trip with Spectacular Scenery

Penelope_T, Oct 2018

We thoroughly enjoyed this 5 day tour of the South Island. It is the best way to take in all the spectacular scenery of this special part of the world. The distances involved were long but the buses we rode in were comfortable. All of the drivers were professional and also made great guides as they provided commentary throughout the journey. The hotels we stayed in were all excellent. The best part was the trip through the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine train. This is really one of the best rail journeys in the world.

Sublime

rgmiller53, Aug 2018

Our South Island itinerary was perfect.We saw snow capped mountains,fiords,rain forests,glaciers and the sea-all in 5 days.Whether traveling by coach,train or taxi/shuttle,because Viator was so organized,we were always on time.Coach drivers,Stuart and Peter, were outstanding with their commentary.

Our trip from Christ Church to...

Wijeyasingam S, Apr 2018

Our trip from Christ Church to Queens town was not satisfactory. The driver guide almost missed us from the hotel. The van was small and packed. Beyond Queens town the trip was well organised and fantastic. We enjoyed everything.

A good way to see many sights in...

Hilary_W, Mar 2018

A good way to see many sights in South Island, in comfort with someone else driving! The coaches are comfortable but be prepared for the long distances covered. There are regular stops but they are usually very brief time for a quick coffee and visit to the toilet and little more. This is not a conventional coach tour. Each day is a different bus, different driver, different passengers, but the whole package was very well-organised and operated efficiently. The drivers all provide commentaries each has his own style but they are always informative and often very amusing. And the scenery, wow! Things are very much weather-dependent though. Franz Josef Glacier and the Trans-Alpine train journey were spoilt by heavy rain and poor visibility, and were it not for fine weather at Mount Cook, Milford Sound and in Queenstown my impressions might have been less favourable. It's a lot of money to spend and not see anything! The hotels were superb - the Millenium in Queenstown is very plush and the Scenic in Franz Josef more than adequate, with the unexpected bonus of a superb breakfast included. I felt some frustration at not being able to explore some of the sights more fully, but overall felt that this was the best way to cover a huge area and visit many spectacular locations in a degree of comfort.

We chose this tour as it included...

Patricia_W, Mar 2018

We chose this tour as it included many of the must-see sights in the South Island. This was accomplished by using a series of coach journeys linking places, picking up and dropping off travellers along the route. We were given short comfort breaks with an occasional stop at a place of interest. The exception to this was the very long day tour to Milford Sound for the two hour cruise which was breath-taking. The other highlight was the Trans-Alpine rail journey from Greymouth back to Christchurch which gave a view of many facets of the country side and areas almost inaccessible by any other methods of transport. The audio commentary headphones provided was well worth listening to, although many people didn't bother. The accommodation provided was adequate in Queenstown and excellent in Franz Josef. Overall we found it frustrating passing through places we will probably never visit again and not having the chance to look aroundeven at Mount Cook we only had an hour, so there was a choice between lunch or a short walk around, certainly no time to walk a trail!

very interesting spots that were...

Emanuel S, Jan 2018

very interesting spots that were visited. however be ready to sit on a bus for about 8 hours each day.

This is an excellent tour for a...

NADARAJAH J, Jan 2018

This is an excellent tour for a family who wants to see most of the South Island in a short time with less or no stress. You get the value for money and the tour was very well coordinated by the tour operator.

Very well organized 5 days tour of...

Giovanna_F, Jan 2018

Very well organized 5 days tour of the South Island. unfortunately, the weather was not so good and the Tranzalpine train was cancelled. The drivers were nice and prepared...the only thing was that they spoke too fast and with a strong accent, so we did not understand all. Thus, my suggestion is to supply travellers from abroad with the translated information, if possible. also, even if we saw many different beatiful sites, we made many hundreds of km each day, and that was a little bit tiring. In total, it was a nice experience. The hotels were fine.

This was a great way to experience a...

tlc8354, Dec 2017

This was a great way to experience a lot in a limited time frame. From the first pickup in Christchurch to final drop-off at our hotel, the tour was handled with expert precision. The coach drivers/tour guides were very informative and kept up a lively conversation throughout the trips. Tom was especially entertaining with his stories and songs. The days are long but there are plenty of stops along the way. I would recommend having breakfast snacks because the days often start before cafes open and there is not enough time for a leisure breakfast. I would not hesitate to book another tour in the future and highly recommend this tour in particular if you want to experience the south island of New Zealand.

We loved our 5 day south Island...

JANIE M, Nov 2017

We loved our 5 day south Island Tour! It was perfect for the amount of time we had there! We enjoyed each stop along the way and Milford Sound boat ride was totally awesome!!!

We are very disappointed at the...

Jessica C, Nov 2017

We are very disappointed at the trip. We stayed in Amity lodge where has a hilly distance to the town and the room is very standard and looks old. The last 2 days were poorly organised. Gave us 10mintues at the scenic spot and 2 unnecessary lunch break. Not recommended.

We absolutely loved our 5 day trip...

Vanessa D, Oct 2017

We absolutely loved our 5 day trip despite a very rough start after the bus driver left without picking us up. He parked a half block away from the hotel and told me he called our name in lobby without answer, he drove away 11 minutes before our scheduled pickup. Returning to tell me, we were "lucky

...