New Zealand South Island • 7-Day Central-East Route • Food Tour (Round Trip from Christchurch | 6-Day Option Available)

Lake Tekapo, located in the Canterbury region, is renowned for its picturesque scenery and has become one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist attractions. Lake Tekapo is 27 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide, with an average depth of 69 meters and a maximum depth of 120 meters. The uniquely blue-green rocks on the lakebed give the water a dreamy emerald hue that is truly astonishing. Visitors often use the words “a pristine paradise” to describe its beauty and elegance. It seems like a sanctuary far removed from the everyday world, quietly watching over its azure waters and mountain scenery. Encircled by tranquil mountains, the still, crystal-clear lake reflects the snow-covered Southern Alps, creating a magnificent sight that attracts photography enthusiasts year-round. Lake Tekapo is ideal for fishing, boating, and water skiing. If you’re lucky, you might catch brown or rainbow trout; fishing beside such a serene lake is an incomparable pleasure.

Punting on the Avon River is one of Christchurch’s most iconic attractions. In every season, you can glide along the tranquil, beautiful Avon River aboard an elegant boat, while a skilled punter guides you through Christchurch’s romantic city scenery. In spring and summer, you’ll see the sunlight falling gently on the shimmering river as ducklings happily play in the water; in autumn and winter, you can enjoy the enchanting waterside scenery.

The Church of the Good Shepherd stands on elevated ground beside Lake Tekapo. Built in 1935, it is named after a sculpture of a sheepdog. Made entirely of stone blocks, the church is a classic scene on Lake Tekapo postcards. At night, it looks especially beautiful beneath the starry sky and is also an ideal spot for photographing star trails. Its exterior is simple and rustic. Though small, it has a distinctive charm: the walls combine the natural dark grey, light grey, blue-green and brown of the stones in a random pattern, while the roof is made of black stone tiles. This unpretentious appearance blends harmoniously with the open lakeside landscape.

Lake Wakatipu is shaped like a lightning bolt and is New Zealand’s third-largest lake. Its unusual shape creates a distinctive “tide” effect—more accurately, a large seiche, or standing wave—with the water level rising and falling by about 10 cm every 25 minutes. According to Māori legend, this is caused by the heartbeat of a monster named Matau, who lies asleep at the bottom of the lake. Visitors can fish in Lake Wakatipu year-round. The mouths of the Greenstone and Lochy Rivers are especially rewarding, with abundant salmon sure to make your visit worthwhile.

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is in the west-central part of New Zealand’s South Island, extending 40–90 kilometres inland 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, 40% of which is covered by glaciers. The park contains New Zealand’s highest peaks and largest glaciers. Of the 27 mountains over 3,050 metres across the country, 22 are in this park, including its highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook, at 3,755 metres. In Māori, Mount Cook is also called Aoraki, meaning “cloud piercer.” The park extends south to Arthur’s Pass and west to the Main Divide, in the most spectacular and scenic central section of the Southern Alps. Mount Cook is magnificent, and visitors are often recommended to enjoy a short hike while taking in the mountain’s wildlife, such as tahr and red deer.

The beautiful milky-blue color has earned Lake Pukaki the nickname “Blue Milk Lake.” At times, a veil of mist hangs over the water, making the surrounding mountains seem ethereal; at others, the lake is crystal-clear and distant mountains appear within easy reach. As the light shifts, it feels as though you have stepped into a fairy-tale world.

Queenstown (also known as Queenstown or Queenstown) is located in the southwest of the Otago region on New Zealand’s South Island. It is next to Arrowtown, a former gold-mining town that preserves traces of Chinese gold miners in New Zealand at the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement. The town is built around the inlet of Lake Wakatipu, which forms a slender “S” shape and is surrounded by spectacular mountains. Its ever-changing scenery, with the lake and mountains, is like something from a fairy tale. The town was named in 1850 in honor of Queen Victoria. Today, Queenstown has become a world-renowned holiday destination, both in New Zealand and internationally.

A trip to Queenstown isn’t complete without visiting the Kawarau Bridge Bungy Centre, the birthplace of bungee jumping. Suspended between sheer cliffs, the bridge overlooks the rushing Kawarau River, and the view alone is breathtaking. There are also plenty of activities to choose from… try bungee jumping or bungy trampolining, watch a bungee-jumping film, or simply relax over lunch at the café and watch others take the leap from the viewing platform.

Located at Queenstown’s highest point, the Skyline Gondola complex combines dining and entertainment and is a must-visit attraction during your stay in Queenstown. The gondola ride to the top offers spectacular aerial views and is one of the attractions that first draws visitors to Queenstown. After riding the gondola up Bob’s Peak, you can take in breathtaking scenery. Relax and enjoy the magnificent views over Queenstown. Cafés, restaurants, a luge track, stargazing, Māori haka performances, and mountain biking offer a wide range of activities to enrich your trip.

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 located at the foot of the famous Remarkables mountain range, surrounded by scenic sheep farms. It takes a special kind of person to leap from an aircraft at 4,500 meters, and it requires plenty of courage. When your mind, soul, and body overcome their instinct for self-preservation and you leap from the plane, you’ll feel what it’s like to be weightless. This is a tremendous personal challenge.

Horse riding is a wonderful way to explore Middle-earth! The horses here are tall, powerful, and exceptionally beautiful, and some even appeared in The Lord of the Rings! Hidden in this enchanting landscape are babbling streams and fields of lupins. In midsummer, a sea of purple blooms creates a stunning backdrop for unforgettable photos. From the banks of the Rees River, you can see the magnificent scenery featured in The Lord of the Rings! Ride through Middle-earth and complete your own cinematic adventure.

Since its founding twenty years ago, Fergburger has become an iconic Queenstown restaurant—and its success is no accident. From ¾-pound (340-gram) patties to tofu burgers, its extensive selection is made fresh every day, cooked just right, and carefully stacked and plated for an unforgettable meal. The flavors are rich and full-bodied, and every bite reveals the freshness of the ingredients. Many diners say that the perfect blend of flavors—from the toppings to the expertly cooked patties—makes for a memorable experience that keeps them coming back.

Here, mystery, heritage, fantasy and reality intertwine. Dart River Valley is a destination for exploration that you simply must not miss! On this thrilling adventure, your jet boat will venture deep into the heart of the world-famous Mount Aspiring National Park. Take in breathtaking scenery and speed across a maze of winding glacial waterways. Your knowledgeable and entertaining guide will share the history and culture of the region. Stroll through ancient beech forests and see woodlands dating back 80 million years, as well as filming locations used to depict Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings movies.

The Te Anau Glowworm Caves are located within New Zealand’s 125-hectare Fiordland National Park. In 1887, an English surveyor accompanied by a local Māori chief explored the cave on a small raft, holding a torch, and discovered the spectacular sight of glowworms twinkling like stars inside. Since then, explorers and visitors have flocked here, and the glowworm caves have become famous around the world. These glowworms are not the flying fireflies found in China; they are the larvae of a flying insect. Hanging from the rock walls, they produce up to 70 sticky, luminous, transparent threads. Photography is not allowed inside the cave, and phones must be switched off or set to silent because the glowworms are easily disturbed. Entering the cave by boat and seeing the glowworms like a sky full of stars is an unforgettable experience.

Milford Sound is located in Fiordland National Park in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. A glacial landform, the fjord was carved during the Ice Age. At its deepest point, it reaches 265 meters below Mitre Peak, making it a world-famous natural wonder. Take a cruise to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and spot dolphins, Fiordland penguins, seals, and other marine wildlife. Known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and a “World Heritage journey,” it is also hailed as the “world’s most beautiful alpine highway.” Its winding natural landscapes are picture-perfect at every turn.

Lake Te Anau is the largest southern glacial lake, covering an area of 344 square kilometers. The main body of the lake runs from north to south. Three large fjords on the western side of the lake are known as North Fiord, Middle Fiord, and South Fiord. The eastern shore is mostly rolling hills, while the west is a vast wilderness of forests and mountains—the Kepler and Murchison Mountains are about 1,700 meters high. Most of Lake Te Anau lies within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area. There are two small towns on its shores, with Te Anau being the larger. You can cruise or kayak on the lake, or visit the Te Anau Glowworm Caves, where geological activity is ongoing. At the local wildlife sanctuary, you can see endangered birds native to Fiordland, such as the takahē, weka, kea, tūī, kākā, kākāriki, and kererū. They thrive under the careful care of the Department of Conservation.

The University of Otago is located in Dunedin, the capital of the Otago region in New Zealand. Established in 1869, it was New Zealand’s first public 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, peaceful atmosphere. Trees shade the campus, with green spaces covering 60 percent of its area, alongside 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 while soaking up its vibrant cultural atmosphere. The campus is home to a great variety of plants and trees, including rare and valuable species native to New Zealand and from around the world. Its flower-filled gardens are fragrant, making a stroll through them feel like stepping into a sea of flowers.

Built in 1906, the railway station still stands today after extensive restoration, bringing back its former glory. This impressive Flemish Renaissance-style building is constructed of black basalt, with its exterior decorated with white Oamaru limestone. Its grand scale and ornate 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, offering a perfect sightseeing journey through the local scenery. Much 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 admire the outdoor scenery from the well-preserved ground floor or stroll through the station and enjoy its magnificent interior.

Baldwin Street is about 3.5 kilometers north of central Dunedin and is listed in the Guinness World Records as the world’s steepest street, with a gradient of 35% (not 35 degrees). The street is 350 meters long; its horizontal climbing distance is about 161.2 meters, and it rises 69.2 meters from bottom to top. The steepest section has a gradient ratio of 1:2.86. Every year, the street hosts a “race up the slope” and a “jellybean race” (participants’ numbers are written on ping-pong balls and placed in a bucket, which is tipped out at the top; the winner is the ball that reaches the finish first). Some young people even climb into rubbish bins and race downhill, resulting in injuries.

The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is one of the best places to see the world’s smallest penguins. Blue penguins can be found along the coasts of New Zealand and southern Australia, but in Oamaru visitors can get close to these adorable animals. They nest in the harbour area, and the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony offers a unique opportunity to watch the world’s smallest penguins return from fishing to their nests. Every evening at dusk, groups of blue penguins gather offshore until nightfall. They then swim ashore beneath the viewing stands, climb the steep bank, pause for a moment at the top of the rocky wall, and cross the viewing area to return to their colony, where their mates or hungry chicks are waiting eagerly in the nests.