South Island Guided Tour Guides: Bases, Itinerary, Seasons
Planning guides for South Island guided days: tours or a self-drive, an itinerary by base town, Queenstown or Christchurch, the best season, Dunedin and Oamaru.
The Best Time for South Island Tours
When to book South Island tours: Kaikōura whale seasons, how early Tekapo gets dark in winter, snow on mountain roads and Oamaru penguin numbers by month.
Read guide →Christchurch to Queenstown Tours via Mount Cook
The one-way guided day between Christchurch and Queenstown via Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook: 13 hours, the stops, time at Mount Cook, luggage and lunch.
Read guide →Queenstown or Christchurch as a Base?
Stay in Queenstown or Christchurch? Which guided day tours start from each city, how long the Mount Cook days take from both, and what neither reaches.
Read guide →South Island Itinerary by Base Town
A South Island itinerary for 7, 10 or 14 days built on seven base towns, with drive times between them and one guided day tour from each base.
Read guide →South Island Road Trip or Guided Tours?
Self-drive the South Island or book guided tours? Drive between base towns, then book a guided day where it beats driving: stargazing, whales and Mount Cook.
Read guide →South Island Tours From Dunedin and Oamaru
Guided tours from Dunedin and Oamaru: the Taieri Gorge train, Otago Peninsula wildlife tours, city and Larnach Castle days, and the Oamaru penguin evening.
Read guide →Picked your base already? See every guided tour →