A New Zealand South Island street journey needs to be on the bucket listing of each journey or panorama pictures fanatic. From stunning seashores, wild shoreline, and epic glacial fjords to the snow-capped Southern Alps, it may be onerous to plan a visit that takes all of it in. That’s why I’ve finished the onerous give you the results you want!
New Zealand South Island Map – Street Journey Itinerary
New Zealand South Island Street Journey: 11 Epic Images Spots
Most guests to New Zealand’s South Island fly into Christchurch or Queenstown, nevertheless, in case you are together with the North Island in your journey, then you might take the ferry into Picton. This New Zealand itinerary runs from the Northern tip and is usually round in an anticlockwise route, so you can begin and finish at your comfort. And don’t overlook there are limitless choices for aspect journeys off my marked route!
1. Wharariki Seaside
On the very high of the South Island, you will see that this secluded and huge seaside, tenting is out there inside strolling distance or you’ll be able to decide to remain in a lodge a brief drive away. One of the best time for pictures here’s a sundown to seize the rock formations and the massive sand dunes. Wharariki Seaside can be house to New Zealand Fur Seals that may help you get shut sufficient for some epic wildlife photographs.
2. Nelson Lakes – Lake Rotoiti
Even for those who solely cease briefly on the Lake Rotoiti carpark you’ll be rewarded with an incredible view. The basic shot at getting right here is of the jetty searching throughout the lake with the steep mountain sides towering on both aspect of your body. Be warned, the climate can go away the entire place lined in fog for days at a time!
3. Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
These unusual rock formations present an attention-grabbing topic for a seaside panorama shot. As they’re on the west coast, you’ll want to grasp round for sundown to get the most effective mild.
4. Lake Matheson
A brief stroll round this small lake leads you to among the best views of New Zealand’s highest peak, Mt Cook dinner. The lake is thought for offering an ideal reflection of the mountains, so long as the water continues to be. Early morning normally offers the most effective circumstances right here.
5. That Wanaka Tree
New Zealand’s most well-known and most photographed tree earned its personal hashtag for a great cause. A lone willow tree protruding of lake Wanaka proper within the township itself makes for an incredible {photograph}. Attempt a lengthy publicity right here to make the water look silky clean.
6. Roy’s Peak
This basic New Zealand view requires a little bit of a hike, however it’s nicely well worth the effort. Place your topic on the level, and they’ll look tiny on this epic panorama. It could actually get crowded right here with everybody wanting the identical shot, however the hike supplies loads of comparable viewpoints.
7. Milford Sound
In all probability essentially the most recognizable New Zealand view comes from Milford Sound. Deep darkish water and big steep mountains rising from the deep make it straightforward to get wonderful panorama photographs right here. A ship or kayak journey is an effective way to get a distinctive perspective, and you might even be fortunate sufficient to identify dolphins.
8. Moeraki Boulders
One other peculiar rock formation, this time on the east coast. The superbly spherical ‘boulders’ are greatest photographed at sundown with lengthy publicity to assist them stand out from the seaside.
9. Mt Cook dinner village
The drive as much as Mt. Cook dinner village may have you stopping each 2 minutes with a brand new view to {photograph}. On a transparent day, among the best photographs is alongside the coast of Lake Pukaki, with an extended lens to make the mountain bigger in your body.
10. Arthurs Cross
This needs to be one in all New Zealand’s most scenic drives. Finest photographed in Winter or Autumn when the peaks are snow-covered, there are numerous alternatives for photographs of epic highways and bridges amongst the wilderness.
11. Kaikoura
Kaikoura is the capital of whale watching in New Zealand and in addition has resident seals which you could get near. Take a ship journey and check out for a shot of a whale or dolphins with the mountain peaks within the background.
When do you have to go?
The South Island can present wonderful pictures in all seasons, however in my view, winter/autumn is the most effective time to go to when the mountains are lined in snow. Fringe seasons might be barely cheaper by way of lodging, and the roads are stuffed with camper vans and tour buses in the summertime.
How a lot time do you want?
For journey pictures, you have to to be versatile with occasions because the climate is notoriously unpredictable right here. Permit your self further days to attend out the wet days whenever you need that good view. I might recommend a minimal of two weeks to get round the entire island comfortably and to provide you time for unplanned aspect journeys.
Facet journeys are a should right here…
Driving the principle highways, you’ll virtually consistently come throughout indicators promising waterfalls and viewpoints, and it is best to completely observe a few of them. One of the best street journeys embrace getting a bit misplaced and following gravel roads simply to see what’s on the finish. Simply be warned; New Zealand is riddled with gravel roads that appear to go on without end!
How a lot will it price?
Hiring a camper van is the most effective and commonest method of getting round. This lets you cease wherever you need, and a great community of campsites in virtually each city supplies bogs and kitchen services for a small cost. High 10 Vacation Parks has many campsites all through the Island. In case you have the funds, you’ll be able to simply drive between bigger cities every day for higher motels, however these can get costly in vacationer sizzling spots resembling Wanaka.
For the funds acutely aware, benefit from the international locations ‘freedom tenting websites. This can be a community of parking areas which might be accessible freed from cost for ‘self-contained’ autos solely (which means you must have a rest room onboard). Some freedom campers have given the follow a foul title by littering the areas, and this has rubbed locals the incorrect method, so ensure that to take all of your garbage away with you!
Tenting
It’s a large no-no to camp in an undesignated spot in New Zealand on account of littering and the big numbers of vacationers that go to every year.
When you pitch a tent illegally, you’ll be able to anticipate to get up to a ticket slapped in your tent or worse, be woken in the midst of the evening and instructed to maneuver on. As a substitute, make use of DOC campsites which normally have a rest room on-site; you should purchase a go that’s legitimate in any respect South Island campsites, excluding the busy huts in vacationer sizzling spots at www.doc.govt.nz
New Zealand South Island Street Journey | Conclusion
One of the best recommendation I can provide you is to be versatile. The climate will thwart your plans, and you might discover a aspect journey that you just wish to spend a day exploring. That is all a part of the enjoyable! You by no means know what you might discover in New Zealand’s South Island.
