South Island

The south island of New Zealand is full of variety.  The wild mountain ranges and the Fjords in the south that branch out in all directions are unique.The vast areas of vineyards in the east invite visitors to sample the local wines that belong to some of the best wines

in the world.  The Southern Alps are not just a ski paradise in winter but also in summer offer an ideal opportunity for walking and hiking.  The thick wooded areas are broken with gentle flowing rivers which in part tumble down the mountainsides and then continue to make their way through the trees.  In short: The South Island of New Zealand is an El Dorado for every nature lover.

The turquoise blue water of Lake Tekapo attracts visitors annually.  The unbelievable atmosphere of the lake is enhanced by the wide steppe and the golden grass.  The highlight of this panoramic picture is the Church of the Good Shepherd that is located near the lake- the church is surrounded by impressive countryside.  In the background you can see the snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps which round off this sensational aspect.

On the other side of the row of mountains which run from the north to the south you will find a further highlight.  Two enormous glaciers stick out more than 2000 metres from the mountain and flow right the way down and create a mass of ice with ridges and columns that are forever changing in form.  Both of the glaciers, the Fox and the Franz Josef glacier are situated next to each other and almost reach right down to the water.  

If the distance is too far for you to travel to the glaciers, you can travel a little further south and soon you will reach the area around Queenstown.  A variety of spas can be found there for your relaxation as well as the fact that lots of wines come from this region which is sure to make your evenings a little more enjoyable.  In contrast to this there are lots of adventure activities on offer which Queenstown is renowned for: mountain biking, rafting, jet boat riding, bungee jumping, parachute jumping are just some of the adrenalin pumping activities available for you to try out.  Apart from this, during the colder months, Queenstown is a centre for winter sports fans from all over the world.  In the area nearby scenes from the world famous “Lord of the Rings” were filmed which acts as a further attraction to the area.  

Further west from Queenstown, you will find the breathtaking countryside of the Fjordland National Park which includes the famous gorges around Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound.  When the weather is nice, the flat surface of the water creates a perfect reflection of the hanging rugged cliffs.  The best starting place for your tour of discovery in the spectacular outdoors is the area of Te Anau, a little more than 2 hours drive south of Queensland.  From Te Anau you can plan a tour of a different type:  kayaking, boat tours, helicopter, hydroplane or hiking- you can plan your tour depending on your taste and your financial position.  Tip: The route from Te Anau to Milford Sound further in the north takes about 2 hours in your car hire and is one of the Alpine routes well worth seeing.  For those of you that would prefer to visit Doubtful Sound, a bus leaves Te Anau and takes 20 minutes to reach Manapouri- here is also a good place to start your tour.