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Southern Highlights - 9 Day Self Drive Tour

9 days
•
Start and end in Christchurch
5.0
1 traveler review
  • Stony church with mountainous background and sun shining through.
  • Close-up of a Kea bird perched on rocks with a mountainous background.
  • Cruise boat navigating through a fjord with mountains.
  • Road leading to a snow-capped mountain at sunset.
    View all

  • Every place we went had the reservation, ticket, tour, seats ready and instantly available.

    PT
    philip, traveled in January
    5.0
  • Lupin flowers in bloom by a lake with mountains.
  • People relaxing in a natural thermal pool surrounded by lush greenery.
  • A modern angular building with colorful stained glass.
  • Snow-capped mountain with forested slopes and clear sky.
  • Boat on a tranquil lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
    View all

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Plan your adventure:
Operator
Discover New Zealand
Active
Thrilling adventures designed to keep you moving
Private Tour
Travel exclusively with your friends and family
Self-guided
Independent exploration, backed by expert advice and support
Guided in English
All Ages Welcome

Places You’ll See

  • Christchurch
    Christchurch
  • Mount Cook
    Mount Cook
  • Dunedin
    Dunedin
  • Te Anau
    Te Anau
  • Milford Sound
    Milford Sound
  • Queenstown
    Queenstown
  • Wanaka
    Wanaka
  • Greymouth
    Greymouth
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Drive at your own pace in your own rental car
  • Uncover the delights of New Zealand’s ‘Garden City’
  • Visit the beautiful and colourful city of Dunedin
  • Take in the incredible scenery of Milford Sound
  • Journey over mountain vistas on the iconic TranzAlpine

Itinerary

View Full Itinerary
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Arrive into Christchurch also known as the 'Garden City'
  2. Day 2 Travel through the Canterbury Plains deep into the Southern Alps
  3. Day 3 Travel across to the coast via the Moeraki Boulders to Dunedin
  4. Day 4 Drive through rich farmland heading west to Fiordland
  5. Day 5 Explore the Milford Road and cruise the magnificent Milford Sound
  6. Day 6 Travel through rolling Southland countryside to Lake Wakatipu which will lead you to Queenstown
  7. Day 7 Travel via Wanaka and across the 'Gates of Haast' to the West Coast
  8. Day 8 Drive north along the stunning West Coast Road and take the Tranz Alpine train to Christchurch
  9. Day 9 Depart Christchurch today
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Guide
  • Insurance
  • Meals
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

Discover New Zealand

4.6
(21 reviews)

Number of tours

1

Age Range

21 to 99 years old

Response time

within 2 days

Response rate

33%

Discover New Zealand is your one stop shop for all your New Zealand touring...

Read more

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • PT
    · January 4th, 2023
    After a "misstep" by your team in the beginning, canceling my trip the very next day after confirmation, Jules appeared to go significantly above the routine and made sure EVERYTHING else went PERFECT. She spent alot of phone time with me. Every place we went had the reservation, ticket, tour, seats ready and instantly available. She booked a few extras I did not request that were very enjoyable. I was able to easily book some things advertised we thought would be too crowded over the Christmas break making the whole trip the best one ever. THANK YOU JULES- and Marianna as well.
    Show more
    Discover New Zealand commented on this review
    Thank you for your review Philip. We are pleased to know that your trip ran smoothly and that you got to enjoy all the activities you wanted to over the Christmas period. Thank you for choosing us for your New Zealand adventure!
    Trip date: December 2022

Dates & Availability

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2025

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
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Jul
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Sep
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2026

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Jul
Aug
Sep
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2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Upcoming departures
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Why book with TourRadar?

    • Trusted and vetted operators
    • Rated excellent on
    • Best price guarantee
    • 24/7 customer support
    • Earn $50 in travel credits
    • Free eSim with every purchase

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More benefits
Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Discover New Zealand with your enquiry, they usually respond within 2 days.

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 161746

  • Currency
    $
    New Zealand Dollar
    New Zealand
  • Plugs & Adapters

    Type I
    New Zealand
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before February 11th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after February 11th, 2026, a minimum payment of 20% is required to confirm your booking with Discover New Zealand. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Discover New Zealand will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Discover New Zealand" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
  • People also viewed

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Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2025

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
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Dec