If you're traveling to New Zealand and you're like me and don't have months to enjoy everything New Zealand has to offer, you're probably Googling what to do and getting overwhelmed because there's SO much to do and see! In over 40 countries traveled, New Zealand ranks up in the top five of the most beautiful countries I've ever been to. I am a seeker of waterfalls, nature and wildlife. If you are the same, here are my Must Do's in South Island, New Zealand.
Here's the TLDR:
Kaikoura: Dolphin Encounter
Dunedin: Penguin Viewing
Te Anau: Milford Sound Cruise
I didn't have long to travel to New Zealand. I work in a high school and only had the week off for spring break. This gave me 10 days of travel time, which, when picking a place far away like New Zealand; gave me 7 total days in New Zealand. I needed to maximize my time and determine what was most important for me to see and experience. I poured through blogs and Google reviews to find where I had the chances of seeing and experiencing the most wildlife, and where I could see the most waterfalls. I also enjoy driving, and since I wasn't going to be in New Zealand long, the thought of driving a longer distance excited me to see more of the South Island. For my Must Do's in the South Island, New Zealand; I landed on Kaikoura to see wild marine life, Dunedin to hopefully see wild penguins, and Te Anau/Fiordland National Park to see waterfalls. I will also add that after spending one day in Queenstown, I wished I had several more days in this breathtaking city. It's picturesque and lively with so much going on! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to spend more time there, but hopefully some day...
Kaikoura:
I can't say enough about Kaikoura; it's pure magic. Even driving to my hotel in Kaikoura, Dusky Dolphins were jumping in the water and I couldn't wait to get out of my car and be apart of the magic. Of course, I had to really pay attention to driving on the left side of the road, and next to the canyons!
Hotel: Kaikoura Quality Suites: Comfortable and affordable. Had my own room, bathroom, microwave, refrigerator, and balcony overlooking the water. It's also an easy walk to New World Supermarket. This is where I went for my groceries for the week. There is a great selection and prices are very reasonable.
Hike: Kaikoura Peninsula Loop: This is 7.7 miles of coastal beauty! You will walk right through the areas with the Seal Colony and also have the chance to see Dusky Dolphins jumping and playing from the coast. You will also encounter a variety of marine birds.
Excursion: Dolphin Encounter: Where do I even begin? This amazing locally owned company takes about 15 people out onto a boat, and they find the several pods of wild Dusky Dolphins that live in this bay year round, and they stop the boat for you to jump into the water and have an experience of a lifetime! You'll get about 3 jumps ranging from 5-20 minutes at a time, depending how long the pods of dolphins interact with your group. One jump we had was about 20 minutes because the dolphins continued to interact with our group. The other two jumps we had were about 5 minutes because the dolphins came through, swam right through our group and continued on their way. Then you'll get another hour on the boat while they find other pods to watch and view from the boat. You're surrounded by the gorgeous peninsula in Kaikoura and it's one of the most surreal experiences of travel I have ever had. 10/10 would recommend and if I find myself in the South Island again, I will get to Kaikoura to have this experience again. This is absolutely one of the Must Do's in the South Island, New Zealand.
Dunedin:
Dunedin is a much larger city than I was anticipating, especially coming from the small town vibes in Kaikoura. There's a lot going on, and it's much busier in the city, but you can head straight to Otago Peninsula to escape the bustle and submerse yourself in natural beauty.
Hotel: 555 Motel Dunedin: Easy to get to Otago Peninsula, but then fast to get back onto the freeway to continue your journey. The room is comfortable and equipped with a microwave and a refrigerator. It's also across the street from a grocery store which was very helpful for budget friendly food choices.
Hike: Kelvin Heights Peninsula Loop: You can't really call this hiking, but it's a lovely walk, a little over 2 miles and and the views and the marine bird life are well worth it.
Excursion: Dunedin Penguin Tour: Don't make the mistake that I made. I actually didn't book this tour as I had a couple of other tours booked, and I thought it was maybe too many. But, my sole reason for coming to Dunedin was to see wild penguins, and I will honestly tell you that I didn't see any. I had read that you could find them on your own, and I set out to do just that, but the tours will take you into areas that aren't available without paying for one. During the day, I could go into the nesting area of the Blue Penguins, but it's closed off 90 minutes before sunset, and then it's only for folks with a paid tour. If you don't know this about wild penguins, they hunt in the water all day, and come back to shore just after sunset to head back to their homes. The moments that you will see them are when they emerge on the shore from the water and waddle their way back to their home. Don't make my mistake. When you go to Dunedin, spend the $30 to ensure your wild penguin viewing. Pilots Beach was still beautiful and pictured below.
Te Anau:
Te Anau is a beauty seeker's and hiker's paradise. You are surrounded by Fiordland National Park with countless gorgeous hikes and views at your disposal. There is no shortage of outdoor life to be had. Te Anau has an adorable town to walk around and shop, great little restaurants and a Fresh Choice supermarket. The town picturesquely sits on Lake Te Anau and you can take a peaceful walk on the lake front and really soak in this town. I was here for 3 days, but would have extended it if I could have!
Hotel: Tasman Holiday Park TeAnau: I can't recommend this accommodation enough. The couple that owns it is absolutely lovely. My room wasn't ready yet when I arrived, and they offered me tea and talked to me about various recommendations they had in the area. The Holiday Park has a free sauna you can use with a reservation... it's adorable; and two large soaking hot tubs that look out to Lake Te Anau. The hot tubs can be reserved for $15 NZ, which after a long day of hiking is a great investment. This accommodation is already right across the street from Lake Te Anau which is perfect for early morning and twilight walks, and it's also an easy walk into the town center.
Hike: Rainbow Reach Trail: This is a great hike for views, but is easy enough to follow if you're by yourself and maybe feeling a little nervous to hike alone in a remote area. The hike is just over 7 miles with less than 1,000 feet in elevation gain. You'll see a tremendous amount of local New Zealand birdlife, and the trail is very well marked.
Excursion: Milford Sound Cruise: The two most popular sounds to go into from Te Anau are the Mildford and Doubtful Sounds. Milford Sound, you can drive yourself through Fiordland National Park until you get to the visitor center which has the dock for every cruise boat. With the boat I recommended, it's the smallest cruise boat you'll see at the dock, and it's one of the only boats that will actually go into one of the MANY waterfalls that you will see. Bring your poncho! Of course, if getting wet in the chilly weather isn't your thing, they have an indoor area where you can stay dry.
The reason that I recommend the Milford Sound over the Doubtful Sound, is purely from a waterfall perspective. Both Sounds are amazing and if you have an opportunity to get to both, definitely do because they are different enough! Also, from a cost perspective, The Milford Sound will cost you $90, while the Doubtful Sound will cost you $200 to pay for the boat ride to Manapouri and then the boat transfer to the boat while on Manapouri.
Here is My Budget Breakdown for the 10 Day Trip:
All Flights: $1,160
Hotels for 7 Nights: $689
Rental Car for 6 Days: $284
Gas For Car Rental: $147
Food: $141
Tours: $444
Total: $2,865
Comment below with your favorites from South Island!
Your photos are amazing. Hope I make it there someday!