Experience this...

From Christchurch to Kaikoura's wild coast  

Christchurch is a thoughtful place to begin. The Observatory Hotel sits within Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre, behind Gothic Revival walls, with 33 individually designed rooms featuring Canterbury-made furniture and work by local artists. After time around the Arts Centre and Botanic Gardens, the journey turns north to Kaikōura and Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses, set between the Seaward Kaikōura Range and the Pacific. For the most distinctive stay, choose a one-bedroom Tree House, raised around ten metres into the native canopy. Kaikōura’s deep offshore canyon makes it one of the world’s leading sperm whale destinations. While you’re here, make time for a whale-watching trip with Whale Watch Kaikōura, a 100% Māori and Ngāi Tahu business founded by local Ngāti Kuri.

Wine country, with the Marlborough Sounds beyond

Marlborough is best known for Sauvignon Blanc, but the region has far more range than its reputation sometimes suggests. Beyond the cellar doors, you’ll find small producers, excellent restaurants, and the sheltered waterways of the Marlborough Sounds, where private cruising is a particularly good way to explore the coastline. A charter through Queen Charlotte Sound can be tailored around quiet bays, local seafood, and time ashore, while a private tasting itinerary offers more access and flexibility than a standard wine tour.

The Marlborough makes an elegant base for exploring it all. Set on a 16-acre working vineyard, the ten-room hotel occupies a former convent dating from 1901, with mature gardens, vineyard views, and a strong focus on food and wine. Harvest, its restaurant, draws heavily on produce grown on the estate, while sommelier-led tastings are a useful way to get beneath the surface of the region’s wines.

Explore Abel Tasman from the water

Abel Tasman National Park is one of the South Island’s most appealing coastal stops, with sheltered bays, clear water, native bush, and a coastline that is easy to explore. A private boat charter is one of the best ways to see it, giving you the freedom to move between quieter coves, stop for a swim or short walk, and spend time around the Tonga Island Marine Reserve without following a fixed group itinerary. Private kayaking can also be added if you want to spend more time on the water.

Nelson brings a more relaxed pace after the coast, with galleries and restaurants to enjoy, while The Sails offers spacious, contemporary accommodation close to the city centre. Its one-bedroom apartments provide separate living areas and private balconies or courtyards, which work well after a full day on the coast.

Take to the ice at Franz Josef

Franz Josef is one of those places where the landscape changes almost abruptly. Dense West Coast rainforest gives way to the Southern Alps and Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere/Franz Josef Glacier, creating one of the most dramatic settings on the itinerary. The experience to prioritise here is a helicopter flight onto the glacier itself. Flights climb above the native forest and glacier valley before landing on the ice, with views stretching across the mountains and towards the Tasman Sea. For a closer look, a heli-hike adds around two and a half hours on the glacier with an expert guide, exploring the blue ice, crevasses, and constantly changing formations.

To keep you in the heart of the action, Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier places you close to the national park and township, with Superior Suites offering more space and separate living areas. You’ll have two nights here which is particularly useful: helicopter operations depend on suitable weather, so having more than one opportunity to fly gives you flexibility when it comes securing your visit in the right conditions.

Finish amongst the mountains of Central Otago

The final stretch moves into Central Otago, where two nights at Millbrook Resort give you space to enjoy the setting rather than simply pass through. The resort covers 650 acres near Arrowtown, with two championship 18-hole golf courses, an award-winning spa, and several places to eat. Make sure you spend time in Arrowtown, a picturesque town along the Arrow River founded during the 1860s gold rush. Its historic centre is lined with miners’ cottages, heritage buildings, independent boutiques, galleries, and a surprisingly strong collection of restaurants, while the resident deciduous trees put on a show during April and May when their leaves turn to vibrant shades of red and gold.

From Arrowtown, the journey continues to Queenstown, set between Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables mountain range. The town’s reputation for adventure is well earned, but there is a more polished side to explore too, from private wine tastings in nearby Gibbston to scenic cruising on the lake and helicopter flights into the Southern Alps or Milford Sound.

Suggested itinerary

This 12-night journey takes you from from Christchurch to Queenstown, bringing together the South Island’s marine wildlife, wine regions, national parks, glaciers, and alpine landscapes, with hotels chosen to complement each stage. As a self-drive adventure, it gives you the freedom to explore and build the experiences around what interests you most.

Day 1: Christchurch – Settle into The Observatory Hotel, with time to explore The Arts Centre and nearby Botanic Gardens.

Days 2–3: Kaikōura – Stay at Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses and speak to your Travel Counsellor about a whale-watching experience. Leave time to enjoy the lodge, its spa, mineral pool, and seasonal dining in between adventures.

Days 4–5: Blenheim and Marlborough – You’ll stay at The Marlborough among the vines. Combine a private wine experience with a day on the Marlborough Sounds, then return for dinner at Harvest. For something more private, the hotel can also arrange dinner for two at its secluded Secret Shack with your own chef.

Days 6–7: Nelson and Abel Tasman – Base yourself at The Sails Nelson and spend a day exploring Abel Tasman National Park by private boat, with the itinerary adjusted around swimming, kayaking, walking, or simply relaxing on board.

Days 8–9: Franz Josef Glacier – Spend two nights at Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier. Build in a helicopter flight and glacier landing, ideally on the first available day so there is flexibility should weather intervene.

Days 10–11: Arrowtown – Stay at Millbrook Resort for golf, spa time, and the restaurants of Arrowtown, or arrange a private tour through the vineyards of Central Otago.

Day 12: Queenstown – Finish your trip at Hotel St Moritz overlooking Lake Wakatipu. Keep the final day relaxed or make it memorable with a private helicopter journey towards Milford Sound before dinner at Lombardi.

Day 13: Onward journey – Depart Queenstown for your flight home.