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From
NZ $6,855 per person

Budget South Island Explorer - 14 days

14 days
•
Start and end in Christchurch
4.6
2,317 traveler reviews
  • Panoramic view of water and mountains with a bright sky.
  • Sandy beach with kayaks ready for use under a clear sky.
  • Suspended bungee jumping platform over a scenic lake and hills.
  • Mountains reflected on calm water with mist and morning light.
  • Water fountain sculptures in an urban park setting.
    View all
  • Vineyard landscape with rows of grapevines and mountains in the background.
  • A whale leaping out of the blue ocean with mountains behind.
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From
NZ $6,855 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

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
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
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Plan your adventure:
Platinum Operator
On The Go Tours
Explorer
Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
Group Tour
Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Partially Guided
Independent travel, featuring selected guided excursions
Guided in English
Group Size 2 - 18
Ages 18+

Places You’ll See

  • Christchurch
    Christchurch
  • Queenstown
    Queenstown
  • Milford Sound
    Milford Sound
  • Wanaka
    Wanaka
  • Abel Tasman National Park
    Abel Tasman National Park
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Christchurch - Start and end your journey in the South Island's largest city, with free time to explore
  • Lake Tekapo - Relax beside the stunning turquoise waters of the lake and indulge in cycling, hiking and other optional activities
  • Queenstown - Spend three nights in New Zealand's adventure capital, with endless possibilities and a day trip to Milford Sound
  • Franz Josef - Discover this ancient glacier with hiking or an optional scenic helicopter flight
  • Punakaiki - See the famous Pancake Rocks and enjoy free time to explore or embark on optional excursions
  • Abel Tasman National Park - Take an included day trip to Golden Bay and enjoy a free day for skydiving, canyoning or kayaking
  • Marlborough - Taste the best New Zealand wines with an included tasting session at a local winery
  • Kaikoura - Spot whales and dolphins at the shoreline or on a boat trip and enjoy scenic cliff walks along the coast

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Christchurch to Lake Tekapo
  2. Day 2 Queenstown
  3. Day 3 Exploring Milford Sound
  4. Day 4 Queenstown at leisure
  5. Day 5 Wanaka & Franz Josef
  6. Day 6 Franz Josef
  7. Day 7 Return to Christchurch
  8. Day 8 Punakaiki
  9. Day 9 Punakaiki at leisure
  10. Day 10 Abel Tasman National Park
  11. Day 11 Golden Bay day trip
  12. Day 12 Abel Tasman at leisure
  13. Day 13 Marlborough wine tasting & Kaikoura
  14. Day 14 Christchurch
Want to read it later?

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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • 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
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

On The Go Tours

4.6
(2,317 reviews)
This operator has the highest review ratings and fastest responses to enquiries

Number of tours

1,842

Age Range

5 to 99 years old

Response time

9 hours

Response rate

100%

On The Go offer tours to a variety of destinations worldwide, while...

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Sustainability Initiatives

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Jack
    · April 11th, 2025
    Both trip leaders did an excellent job, and the locations visited were wonderful. There should be an inclusion for a visit to a glowworm cave. I do have a big complaint about the coaches: They were too small for our group and the seats were designed for young children. The seats are so close together my knees were almost brushing the seat in front. There are no pockets on the seats for small items (like a map or cellphone) The headrests are so high that anyone in a middle seat can barely see out. The only passengers with a forward view were in the very front seats, or the elevated back seat. The seats are so narrow that 2 people could barely fit side-by-side, and the top of the seatbelt rubbed my neck instead of over my shoulder and chest.
    Show more
  • Therese
    · August 24th, 2025
    Great tour guides Fabulous
    Show more
  • Pamela
    · April 5th, 2025
    The tour was excellent. Haydn, our tour leader, looked after us really well. The itinerary was varied and interesting. The booking left a lot to be desired as On the Go tours could not book a pre or post tour hotel or my return flights from Sydney to Hobart. These were advertised by Tour Radar as bookable extras on the internet and were available to the Americans on our tour.
    Show more

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

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
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Upcoming departures
  • From Saturday
    11 Oct, 2025
    To Friday
    24 Oct, 2025
    English
    Almost Sold Out
    Check the availability with the operator
    Departure on request
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • From Saturday
    18 Oct, 2025
    To Friday
    31 Oct, 2025
    This departure date is not available or sold out
    Sold out
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
  • From Saturday
    25 Oct, 2025
    To Friday
    7 Nov, 2025
    English
    Almost Sold Out
    Check the availability with the operator
    Departure on request
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • From Saturday
    1 Nov, 2025
    To Friday
    14 Nov, 2025
    English
    Almost Sold Out
    Check the availability with the operator
    Departure on request
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • From Saturday
    8 Nov, 2025
    To Friday
    21 Nov, 2025
    This departure date is not available or sold out
    Sold out
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
  • From Saturday
    15 Nov, 2025
    To Friday
    28 Nov, 2025
    English
    Almost Sold Out
    Check the availability with the operator
    Departure on request
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • From Saturday
    22 Nov, 2025
    To Friday
    5 Dec, 2025
    English
    Almost Sold Out
    Check the availability with the operator
    Departure on request
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • From Saturday
    29 Nov, 2025
    To Friday
    12 Dec, 2025
    This departure date is not available or sold out
    Sold out
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    6 Dec, 2025
    To Friday
    19 Dec, 2025
    English
    Almost Sold Out
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    13 Dec, 2025
    To Friday
    26 Dec, 2025
    English
    Almost Sold Out
    From:
    NZ $6,855 per person
    Multiple Room Types
Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

Why book with TourRadar?

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    • Rated excellent on
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    • Free eSim with every purchase

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More benefits
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From
NZ $6,855 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

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
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Save and compare this adventure

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 294872

  • 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 December 12th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after December 12th, 2025, a minimum payment of $600 is required to confirm your booking with On The Go Tours. 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 70 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 On The Go Tours will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "On The Go Tours" 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.
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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