New Zealand South Island • 7-Day East-Central Route • Small Mercedes-Benz Group (Round Trip from Christchurch)

Punting on the River Avon is one of Christchurch’s most iconic attractions. In any season, you can take an elegant boat ride along the tranquil, beautiful river, while a skilled punter guides you through Christchurch’s romantic cityscape. In spring and summer, watch the sunlight fall softly on the shimmering water as ducklings play happily in the river. In autumn and winter, enjoy the enchanting waterside scenery.

Known as the “Garden City,” Christchurch is New Zealand’s third-largest city. Founded 150 years ago, it is full of neatly laid-out gardens. As most early settlers were British, the city’s historic buildings reflect the style of the British Victorian era. The British have even given Christchurch a new description: “a city outside Britain that is very much like Britain.”

The Bridge of Remembrance is a historically significant stone arch bridge spanning the River Avon in central Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. It takes its name from the scene of departing soldiers saying farewell to their families here during the First World War. A triumphal-arch-style gateway at the bridge entrance serves as a memorial. The bridge was officially designated a historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in April 1985. The surviving bridge has been repaired following the 2010 Christchurch earthquake.

The Christchurch Arts Centre is one of New Zealand’s most iconic Gothic architectural complexes and was formerly the site of the University of Canterbury. The complex is distinguished by Gothic features such as patterned stone walls and pointed arches. After the university moved in 1974, it was transformed into an arts and cultural centre, with around 30 craft shops and artists’ studios. The centre regularly hosts weekend craft markets and art performances, creating a distinctive cultural scene. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake damaged the buildings, which were still undergoing restoration and maintenance as of 2025.

The white-stone townscape of Oamaru includes some of New Zealand’s best-preserved historic buildings. In the late 19th century, Oamaru prospered through gold mining, quarrying and timber processing. Some of this wealth went toward building elegant limestone structures. Tyne Street by the harbour is distinctive and a shopper’s paradise. Oamaru Harbour is home to little blue penguins, and yellow-eyed penguins can be spotted from a dedicated viewing point. Oamaru’s public gardens are well worth a visit, with a Victorian rotunda and an oriental-style garden.

Dunedin boasts rare natural scenery and abundant wildlife. In its nature reserves, you can observe rare yellow-eyed penguins, Hooker’s sea lions, and New Zealand fur seals at close range. Visit Taiaroa Head for a chance to encounter the albatross, a large seabird. The Otago Peninsula and the areas around the lagoons also offer plenty of wildlife to explore.

Queenstown (also known as Queenstown or Queenstown) is in the southwest of the Otago region on New Zealand’s South Island. Nearby Arrowtown, once a gold-mining town, preserves traces of Chinese gold miners in New Zealand at the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement. The city is built around the outlet of Lake Wakatipu, which forms a slender “S” shape and is surrounded by magnificent mountains. The scenery is ever-changing, with lake and mountain views like something from a fairy tale. The town was named in 1850 in honor of Queen Victoria. Today, Queenstown is a world-famous holiday destination, both in New Zealand and internationally.

The University of Otago is located in Dunedin, the capital of the Otago region in New Zealand. Founded in 1869, it was New Zealand’s first national university and is also the country’s oldest university. The university covers nearly 2,000 hectares and boasts beautiful surroundings, a rich academic culture, and a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. Trees shade the campus, and green spaces cover 60 percent of its area. The campus features both historic and modern buildings. A visit to the University of Otago lets you fully appreciate its leafy grounds. You can admire its distinctive historic and modern architecture and experience its vibrant cultural atmosphere. The campus is home to a wide variety of plants and trees, including rare and precious species from New Zealand and around the world. Its gardens are in full bloom and filled with fragrance; walking among them feels like stepping into a sea of flowers.

First Church is a Presbyterian church built in 1873. Its 60-meter spire quietly conveys a sense of religious majesty. The interior retains the characteristics of a typical 19th-century Presbyterian church, and its vivid stained glass is captivating. The beautiful high window above the altar resembles real flower petals, living up to its name, the “Rose Window.”

Built in 1906, the railway station still stands today, fully restored to its former glory. This striking building, in the Flemish Renaissance style, is built from black basalt and decorated on the exterior with white Oamaru limestone. Its grand scale and lavish design earned its architect, George Troup, the nickname “Gingerbread George.” Every October, the South Island’s major fashion show is held here, on what may well be the world’s longest runway. Today, only one train still uses the station, making a ride on it a perfect way to take in the local scenery. Most of the ground floor has been converted into restaurants, while the upper floor houses an art gallery and a sports hall of fame. Visitors can enjoy the outdoor views from the beautifully preserved ground floor or wander through the station and admire its lavish interior.

Baldwin Street is about 3.5 kilometres north of central Dunedin and is listed in the Guinness World Records as the world’s steepest street, with a gradient of 35% (note: not 35 degrees). The street is 350 metres long, with a horizontal climbing distance of about 161.2 metres and a rise of 69.2 metres from bottom to top. The steepest section has a gradient ratio of 1:2.86. Every year, the street hosts a “race up the hill” and a “Jaffa race” (contestants’ numbers are written on ping-pong balls and placed in a barrel; the balls are tipped out at the top, and the winner is the one that reaches the finish first). Some young people have even ridden down the hill inside rubbish bins, sustaining injuries along the way.

The castle’s wooden furnishings are among New Zealand’s finest collections of antiques. Its distinctive architectural style combines Gothic Revival architecture with British colonial-era design. Two hundred craftsmen built the exterior, while three British sculptors spent 12 years decorating the interior. Its lavish rooms feature Italian plaster ceilings, Venetian glass walls, a one-ton marble bathtub, and the only Georgian-era spiral staircase in the Southern Hemisphere.

A visit to Queenstown isn’t complete without seeing the birthplace of bungy jumping—the Kawarau Bridge Bungy Centre. Suspended between steep cliffs, the bridge overlooks the rushing Kawarau River, and the view alone is breathtaking. There are also plenty of activities to try: take a bungy jump, try the bungy trampoline, watch a bungy movie, or simply enjoy lunch at the café and watch the action from the viewing platform.

Known as the “Adventure Capital of the World,” Queenstown is the birthplace of tandem skydiving in New Zealand and the perfect place to make your skydiving dream come true! Our drop zone is at the foot of the famous Remarkables mountain range, surrounded by picturesque sheep farms. It takes a special kind of person to have the courage to leap from an aircraft at 4,500 metres. When your mind, soul and body overcome their instinctive self-preservation and you jump from the plane, you’ll experience what it feels like to be weightless. This is a tremendous personal challenge.

The 4WD off-road adventure is a Queenstown activity that ventures into remote parts of New Zealand. Explore the rich history of gold mining, the spectacular scenery of The Lord of the Rings filming locations, and rural life on an alpine farm. The adventure uses fully equipped Land Rover Defenders, ready to handle all types of terrain. The route passes through Skippers Canyon, Arrowtown, and Paradise, sharing New Zealand's pioneering history and taking visitors to beautiful movie locations.

Where mystery, heritage, fantasy and reality converge, the Dart River Valley is a must-see destination for exploration! On this thrilling adventure, your jet boat will venture deep into the heart of the world-famous Mount Aspiring National Park. Along with breathtaking scenery, you’ll experience the thrill of speeding through winding glacial lakes. Your knowledgeable and entertaining guide will share the region’s history and culture. Stroll through ancient beech forests, see woodlands dating back 80 million years, and visit filming locations used to portray Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings films.

Milford Sound is in Fiordland National Park in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. Formed by glaciers during the Ice Age, this fiord reaches a depth of 265 meters near Mitre Peak and is a world-famous natural wonder. A cruise offers magnificent views of the fiord, and you may also see dolphins, Fiordland penguins, seals, and other marine wildlife. Known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and a “World Heritage journey,” it is also acclaimed as the “world’s most beautiful alpine highway.” Its spectacular natural scenery makes every view seem like a painting or a poem.

Lake Wanaka stretches 45 km and covers an area of 193 square km. Its clear waters are a paradise for speedboat enthusiasts, kayakers, and sailors. After filming the New Zealand season of Where Are We Going, Dad?, celebrity families Huang Lei and Duoduo, Yang Wei and Yang Yangyang, and Lu Yi and Bei’er came straight to Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island for a holiday. This is one of the places they visited. Among the lakes of the South Island, Wanaka is like a shy young woman, hiding her beauty between Lake Wanaka, Lake Hawea, and the Southern Alps, waiting to be discovered by curious visitors. Winter is Wanaka’s busiest season, when ski lovers from around the world flock here to enjoy spectacular downhill skiing at Cardrona and Treble Cone, Nordic skiing at Snow Farm, and, of course, the most thrilling heli-skiing on Mount Harris.

Not far from Queenstown is a historic village that grew up around small gold mines. Arrowtown has a variety of small shops, including cafes, restaurants, art galleries, bars, and souvenir shops. It is one of the filming locations for The Lord of the Rings. Stroll along the Arrow River, with old buildings lining both sides of the street, and get a sense of the lives of the thousands of Chinese miners who once lived here, while reflecting on the stories of Chinese gold seekers during the gold rush.

You may be surprised to learn that the Wanaka Tree has not stood here since time immemorial. More than 80 years ago, it was merely an unremarkable fence post—a willow branch placed in the lakebed to keep livestock out of the lake. Today, the Wanaka Tree has transcended the ordinary: it is both a symbol of resilience and a quiet reflection of the surrounding scenery. This lone tree stands in the lake with the Southern Alps as its backdrop, taking on a different appearance with each passing season: in autumn, golden leaves reflect on the water, casting a warm glow; in winter, its bare branches stand out against the snowy peaks like a frozen sculpture. Photographers and visitors from around the world are drawn to this tranquil place, capturing the tree at sunrise and sunset, and beneath star-filled night skies. Its transformation from an inconspicuous fence post into one of the world’s most sought-after natural landmarks is proof that nature can surprise and inspire us in unexpected ways.

Located in the Canterbury region, Lake Tekapo is renowned for its picturesque scenery and has become one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist attractions. Lake Tekapo is 27 kilometres long and 6 kilometres wide, with an average depth of 69 metres and a maximum depth of 120 metres. The distinctive turquoise rocks on the lakebed give the water an enchanting, emerald-green appearance that leaves visitors in awe. Those who have visited Lake Tekapo often describe its beauty and elegance as a “paradise on earth.” It feels like a tranquil haven far removed from the bustle of the world, quietly embracing its blue waters and verdant mountains. Surrounded by peaceful mountains, the calm, crystal-clear lake reflects the snow-capped Southern Alps, drawing photography enthusiasts year-round with its magnificent scenery. Lake Tekapo is ideal for fishing, boating and water skiing. If you’re lucky, you might catch brown or rainbow trout; fishing beside this serene lake is a wonderful pleasure.

Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park is located in the west-central part of New Zealand’s South Island, extending inland 40–90 kilometres from the 450-kilometre-long West Coast. The park is long and narrow, stretching 64 kilometres and measuring just 20 kilometres across at its narrowest point. It covers 70,696 hectares, with glaciers occupying 40 percent of its area. Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park is home to the country’s highest peaks and largest glaciers. Of New Zealand’s 27 mountains above 3,050 metres, 22 are in the park, including the highest, Aoraki / Mount Cook, at 3,755 metres. Aoraki, its Māori name, means “Cloud Piercer.” The park stretches south from Arthur’s Pass and borders the Main Range to the west, in the most spectacular and scenic central section of the Southern Alps. Aoraki / Mount Cook is magnificent; a short hike is highly recommended, where you can enjoy the mountain views and spot wildlife such as tahr and red deer.

New Zealand is known as the home of glaciers. The Tasman Glacier lies in Tasman Lake in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park on New Zealand’s South Island. It is the country’s longest glacier, measuring 27 km long and 4 km wide, with an area of 101 square km and a thickness of up to 600 m. It rises to 3,000 m above sea level and is one of the longest glaciers in the world.

Mount John Observatory is one of New Zealand’s leading astronomical observatories. Perched atop a hill overlooking the stunning Lake Tekapo, it also offers visitors unforgettable views by day. The observatory lies within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, one of only four such reserves in the world. After surveys of several locations, Mount John was selected in 1963 as the best site in New Zealand for an observatory. The observatory was completed soon afterward. Upgraded over the years—including the installation of a 71-inch (180 cm) telescope in 2004—the facility has continued to remain at the forefront of technology.

Located in the Canterbury region, Lake Tekapo is renowned for its picturesque scenery and has become one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist attractions. Lake Tekapo is 27 kilometres long and 6 kilometres wide, with an average depth of 69 metres and a maximum depth of 120 metres. The distinctive turquoise rocks on the lakebed give the water an enchanting, emerald-green appearance that leaves visitors in awe. Those who have visited Lake Tekapo often describe its beauty and elegance as a “paradise on earth.” It feels like a tranquil haven far removed from the bustle of the world, quietly embracing its blue waters and verdant mountains. Surrounded by peaceful mountains, the calm, crystal-clear lake reflects the snow-capped Southern Alps, drawing photography enthusiasts year-round with its magnificent scenery. Lake Tekapo is ideal for fishing, boating and water skiing. If you’re lucky, you might catch brown or rainbow trout; fishing beside this serene lake is a wonderful pleasure.