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Top Things to Do in South Island

We compared all 375 experiences in South Island so you can choose in minutes — real prices, verified reviews and our editorial picks.

4.8 375 experiences from NZ$ 20 Free cancellation on most experiences
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Tandem Paragliding Queenstown: Fly from Coronet Peak
Tandem Paragliding Queenstown: Fly from Coronet Peak★★★★★★★★★★ 4.70 (134)1h 30mTandem paragliding from Coronet Peak near Queenstown pairs you with an experienced pilot for a flight over the Wakatipu valley, with return transport from town and a safety briefing included. The whole experience runs 90 minutes from check-in to landing. No prior flying experience is required, and the flight suits most fitness levels within the weight restriction of 120 kg (October to February) or 110 kg (March to April).Is it for me?At 90 minutes door-to-door, this fits into a morning or afternoon without consuming your whole day, leaving time to explore Queenstown before or after. The fixed schedule and included transport mean you're not arranging logistics or waiting for a shuttle that doesn't run on your timeline.Free cancellationTravelers' pickMost bookedfromNZ$ 379View ›
West Coast NZ: Waiatoto River Jetboat Safari & Rainforest Walk
West Coast NZ: Waiatoto River Jetboat Safari & Rainforest Walk★★★★★★★★★★ 4.92 (132)2hYou’ll feel the river’s pulse as you ride deep into South Westland’s UNESCO wilderness on this Waiatoto River jetboat safari. With local guides sharing stories, stops to touch ancient ferns, and a walk into untouched rainforest, you’ll get close to New Zealand’s wild heart — plus snacks and hot drinks when you need them most.Free cancellationKids −34%fromNZ$ 319View ›
Queenstown: Kids Quad Bike Family Adventure & Parent Ride
Queenstown: Kids Quad Bike Family Adventure & Parent Ride★★★★★★★★★★ 4.98 (131)1h 15mYou’ll ride your own quad bike alongside your kids just outside Queenstown — no experience needed. With a friendly local guide setting the pace for young riders, expect laughter, muddy clothes, and real family memories. Safety gear, rain jackets if needed, transfers from town and complimentary photos are all included so you can focus on having fun together.Free cancellationKids −20%fromNZ$ 279View ›
Dunedin: Nature & City Tour for Cruise Passengers with Flexible Stops
Dunedin: Nature & City Tour for Cruise Passengers with Flexible Stops★★★★★★★★★★ 4.59 (128)6h–7hYou’ll step right off your cruise ship into Dunedin’s mix of quirky city corners, wild beaches, and local stories—all with flexible stops and easygoing guide commentary. Walk steep streets, breathe salty air at St Clair Beach, peek into old settler history or wander castle grounds if you want. This day isn’t just sightseeing—it’s feeling what makes Dunedin tick.Free cancellationTravelers' pickKids −47%fromNZ$ 95View ›
Akaroa: Sunrise Sea Kayak Safari & Wildlife in Marine Reserve
Akaroa: Sunrise Sea Kayak Safari & Wildlife in Marine Reserve★★★★★★★★★★ 4.87 (127)3hYou’ll paddle through Akaroa’s quiet marine reserve at sunrise with a local guide leading your small group. Expect close-up moments with wildlife like Hector’s dolphins or penguins (if you’re lucky), plus hot drinks on the water and photos included. It’s peaceful, low-key, and leaves you with that weirdly happy feeling only early mornings can give.Instant confirmationfromNZ$ 155View ›
Franz Josef: Lake Mapourika Kayak & Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary Walk
Franz Josef: Lake Mapourika Kayak & Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary Walk★★★★★★★★★★ 4.90 (126)4hYou’ll kayak across Lake Mapourika’s mirror-like surface, guided by a local who knows every corner of Franz Josef’s wild backyard. Walk ancient rainforest trails inside Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary, pause for coffee with glacier views, and maybe catch a glimpse of kiwi tracks along the way. It’s peaceful in a way that stays with you long after you leave.Free cancellationKids −35%fromNZ$ 179View ›
Milford Sound Scenic Flight from Queenstown & Fiordland
Milford Sound Scenic Flight from Queenstown & Fiordland★★★★★★★★★★ 4.98 (126)1h 30mYou're picked up from your Queenstown accommodation and flown across Mount Aspiring and into Fiordland National Park, with close views of Mitre Peak and Stirling Falls. Every seat has a window, the pilot provides commentary throughout, and you're back in town within about an hour of takeoff. All fees and taxes are included, so there's nothing extra to pay on the day.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Milford Sound's main highlights without committing to a full-day cruise or driving the Milford Road — the flight gets you there and back in under three hours total, which works if you're short on time or prefer not to spend hours on water.Free cancellationInfants freefromNZ$ 760View ›
Wanaka: Highest Waterfall Cable Climb & Via Ferrata Level 1
Wanaka: Highest Waterfall Cable Climb & Via Ferrata Level 1★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (124)2hYou climb steel ladder rungs bolted into a waterfall, cross four wire bridges, and reach a mountain picnic spot in about two hours. A professional guide teaches you everything, provides all safety gear, and stays with you the entire way. The route is designed for beginners with basic fitness and no climbing experience. You walk back down a trail to the base, and the whole experience costs less than you'd expect for something that rewires how you see yourself.Is it for me?Right for anyone curious about pushing past their comfort zone without needing prior climbing experience or extreme fitness — the guide handles the technical side, and the two-hour format means you're back in town by early afternoon. Plan for forty-five minutes of real physical climbing, which is what makes reaching the top of the world's highest waterfall cable climb possible.Free cancellationTravelers' pickTop ratedfromNZ$ 205View ›
Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo: Glacier Landing
Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo: Glacier Landing★★★★★★★★★★ 4.68 (123)45mA 45-minute scenic flight over Aoraki Mount Cook National Park that includes a ski plane and helicopter ride with a 10–15 minute landing on the Tasman glacier. You fly up in one aircraft, touch down on the snow-covered peaks, and return in the other. The tour includes a professional guide with live commentary and headsets; check in closes 30 minutes before departure, and a minimum of eight passengers is required for the flight to operate.Is it for me?Most scenic flights over Mount Cook use one aircraft; this one gives you two perspectives—ski plane and helicopter—on the same morning, with a landing on the glacier between them so the scale of the peaks becomes real instead of distant.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromNZ$ 549View ›
Queenstown Helicopter Tour: Land on The Remarkables
Queenstown Helicopter Tour: Land on The Remarkables★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (122)25mYou're picked up from your Queenstown hotel and flown to a landing pad on the Remarkables at 5,000 feet, where you get unobstructed views of the Wakatipu basin, Coronet Peak, and Cecil Peak. The whole experience is twenty-five minutes in the air, with headsets to hear the guide and time to photograph the landscape. Hotel return is included.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in Queenstown who want a high-altitude view of the basin and peaks without a full day commitment. The flight is short and the landing is the main event, so you're back at your hotel within a couple of hours of pickup.Free cancellationTravelers' pickLikely to sell outfromNZ$ 310View ›
Milford Sound Day Trip from Te Anau: Private Tesla Tour & Cruise
Milford Sound Day Trip from Te Anau: Private Tesla Tour & Cruise★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (122)7h–10hYou’ll ride from Te Anau in a private Tesla with your guide, stopping for morning tea and stories in Fiordland before joining a 2-hour Milford Sound cruise under towering peaks. Expect muddy shoes, local humor, and moments you’ll want to remember long after you’re back home.Free cancellationKids −35%fromNZ$ 385View ›
Sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve: Paddle with dolphins
Sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve: Paddle with dolphins★★★★★★★★★★ 4.89 (122)2h–3hGuided sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve is a two to three hour paddle through an extinct volcano basin with a local nature guide, where you may encounter Hector dolphins, white-flippered penguins, fur seals and native seabirds in a protected marine environment. The guide handles navigation and safety while you paddle; all kayaking equipment including spray skirts and jackets is provided. Small group sizes keep the experience low-impact and the water undisturbed.Is it for me?Paddle through an extinct volcano basin where the quiet of kayaks—not motors—lets you encounter endangered Hector dolphins and white-flippered penguins in their natural habitat.Instant confirmationfromNZ$ 135View ›
Christchurch: Willowbank Wildlife Reserve & Guaranteed Kiwi Viewing
Christchurch: Willowbank Wildlife Reserve & Guaranteed Kiwi Viewing★★★★★★★★★★ 4.52 (121)1h–3hYou walk through over 50 wildlife species in one location, with guaranteed kiwi viewing in a dedicated house and hands-on time feeding farm animals and native birds. The reserve includes the Big 5 species unique to New Zealand — kea, kaka, takahe, tuatara, and kiwi — all accessible in a single day without needing transport beyond Christchurch.Is it for me?Right for families and wildlife lovers who want to see New Zealand's unique species in one place without arranging multiple stops — the guarantee on kiwi viewing is what makes the trip worthwhile if that's your main reason for coming.Free cancellationTravelers' pickBest valuefromNZ$ 37View ›
Dunedin Castle & City Tour: New Zealand's only castle included
Dunedin Castle & City Tour: New Zealand's only castle included★★★★★★★★★★ 4.88 (120)5hA guided small-group tour of Dunedin visiting Larnach Castle (the country's only castle), Baldwin Street, Dunedin Railway Station, the coastline and scenic viewpoints. The tour runs five hours, includes castle entrance and a guided walk through the interior, pickup from your hotel or port, and stays under eight people. Live commentary is in English or German.Is it for me?The small group size and included castle entrance mean you see Dunedin's signature sights — including the one place in the country you can't visit on your own — without building an itinerary or driving yourself. The five-hour loop fits a port day or a morning and early afternoon from a hotel base.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromNZ$ 260View ›
Queenstown: Shotover River Rafting with Local Guides
Queenstown: Shotover River Rafting with Local Guides★★★★★★★★★★ 4.84 (117)5hYou’ll plunge into Queenstown’s wild side on this Shotover River rafting trip: gear up with local guides, ride through roaring rapids and calm stretches alike, then disappear into Oxenbridge Tunnel before bursting out at Cascade Rapid. It’s a rush you’ll remember long after your hands stop shaking.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromNZ$ 307View ›
Franz Josef Glacier: Nature Walk & Rainforest with Guide
Franz Josef Glacier: Nature Walk & Rainforest with Guide★★★★★★★★★★ 4.88 (116)3hYou walk through ancient rainforest toward Franz Josef Glacier's terminal face, stopping 2000 meters short due to safety. Your guide explains glaciology, local history, and points out wild orchids and mushrooms along the way. Wet-weather gear and boots are included, and small groups keep the experience personal rather than crowded.Is it for me?Right for nature lovers and families who want to understand the glacier and rainforest ecosystem without technical climbing or ice-walking. The walk is at your pace through uneven forest terrain, so plan for steady footing and wet conditions—that's what lets the guide stop and explain the orchids, mushrooms, and glacial history without rushing.Free cancellationKids −50%fromNZ$ 110View ›
Hanmer Springs: Quad Bike Adventure with Mud & Creek Crossings
Hanmer Springs: Quad Bike Adventure with Mud & Creek Crossings★★★★★★★★★★ 4.80 (115)2hYou’ll suit up in overalls and boots before learning to handle your own quad bike on Hanmer Springs’ rugged tracks. Expect muddy creek crossings, laughter echoing through pine forests, and stories from your local guide along the way. It’s two hours of pure outdoor fun — you might come back dirty but you’ll feel wide awake.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromNZ$ 180View ›
Marlborough: Half-Day Wine & Beer Tour with Lunch Stop
Marlborough: Half-Day Wine & Beer Tour with Lunch Stop★★★★★★★★★★ 4.97 (115)4h 30mYou’ll wander through Marlborough’s vineyards with a local guide who actually listens to your wine wishes, taste your way through three or four wineries (sometimes even chocolate), and settle into an outdoor vineyard lunch where everything slows down. Expect laughter, small surprises, and flavors that linger longer than you’d expect.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromNZ$ 209View ›
Lake Mapourika: Small Scenic Cruise & Rainforest Wildlife
Lake Mapourika: Small Scenic Cruise & Rainforest Wildlife★★★★★★★★★★ 4.84 (115)2hYou’ll glide across Lake Mapourika with a local skipper, sipping hot drinks as you watch for native birdlife along lush rainforest shores. Explore a kiwi conservation area and hear stories about glaciers and West Coast life. The quiet moments—and those mountain reflections—stick with you long after you step off the boat.Free cancellationKids −40%fromNZ$ 135View ›
Arrowtown to Queenstown: 35km Bike Trail & E-Bike Option
Arrowtown to Queenstown: 35km Bike Trail & E-Bike Option★★★★★★★★★★ 4.78 (114)3h–5hYou ride 35 kilometers of gravel trail from Arrowtown to Queenstown on a premium e-bike or pedal bike, crossing seven bridges and following three rivers with Lake Wakatipu in view. The shuttle collects you from your Queenstown hotel, a local guide points out the best stops and history along the way, and you return by van at the end. The whole thing takes four hours and suits any fitness level — the e-bike option is what makes it feel easy instead of hard.Is it for me?Book this if you want to ride one of New Zealand's best bike trails without arranging transport, choosing a bike, or worrying whether you're fit enough — the e-bike option and door-to-door shuttle handle all three, leaving you to just show up and pedal.Free cancellationfromNZ$ 115View ›
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