South Island

Queenstown is located on the shores of the crystal-clear Lake Wakatipu, nestled between the rugged Remarkables and the Cecil Peak mountains — one of the most dramatic city backdrops in the world. What began as a sleepy gold mining town (the Shotover River was one of the richest in the world in the 1860s) is now the undisputed adventure capital of the world with over 3 million visitors annually.

★★★ Bungy Jumping — Where It Was Invented

On November 12, 1988, New Zealander AJ Hackett jumped from the Kawarau Bridge (43 meters above the turquoise Kawarau River) — and the commercial bungy jump was born. Hackett had previously secretly jumped from the Eiffel Tower platform and was arrested by Paris police. In Queenstown, he found the legal home for his idea. Today, there are three bungy options:

• Kawarau Bridge Bungy (43 m, 205 NZD) — The classic, the birthplace. You jump over the turquoise river and can choose whether you want to touch the water. Spectators on the historic bridge. The AJ Hackett Bungy Centre here has a free museum on the history of bungy.
• The Ledge Bungy (47 m above Queenstown, 205 NZD) — From the platform on Bob's Peak (Skyline Gondola needed) you jump over the city with the lake and mountains as a panorama. The only urban bungy in New Zealand — especially atmospheric with city lights in the evening. Combination with The Ledge Swing possible.
• Nevis Bungy (134 m, 275 NZD) — New Zealand's highest bungy and one of the most intense experiences of your life. You stand in a gondola suspended over a 160-meter deep gorge and jump. The free fall lasts 8.5 seconds. The drive over a gravel road and the cable car over the gorge are already an adventure. Not for the faint-hearted. The Nevis Swing (same location, 70 meters, 175 NZD) is the largest swing in the world.

★★★ Shotover Jet

The Shotover Jet (149 NZD, 25 minutes) is the most iconic Queenstown experience after the bungy: A bright red jet boat shoots through the narrow Shotover Canyon at 85 km/h — 360° spins just centimeters from rock walls, splashes, pure adrenaline. The canyon walls rise up to 50 meters above you, and the driver navigates the boat through impossibly narrow passages. Bill Hamilton, a New Zealand farmer and engineer, invented the jet boat technology in the 1950s — to make rivers navigable that were too shallow for propeller boats. Today it's a billion-dollar industry.

★★ Skyline Gondola & Luge

The Skyline Gondola (44 NZD, combo with Luge from 59 NZD) takes you to Bob's Peak (790 m) for the best panoramic view over Queenstown: the lake, the Remarkables, Cecil Peak, Walter Peak, and the entire Wakatipu region. At the top: the Luge (summer toboggan run) on three tracks — the "Advanced" with tunnel and hairpin turns is great fun (5 rides combo: 69 NZD). Also: Paragliding (tandem flight from Bob's Peak, from 249 NZD, 12–15 minutes over the city — one of the most beautiful paragliding spots in the world), Stargazing (after dark, 75 NZD) and a buffet restaurant with panorama (dinner 69 NZD).

★★ TSS Earnslaw

The TSS Earnslaw — a steamship built in 1912 with original coal propulsion — is the oldest commercial steamship in the southern hemisphere and Queenstown's floating landmark. The Walter Peak Farm Tour (99 NZD, 3.5 hours) combines the nostalgic steamship ride across Lake Wakatipu with a farm show (sheep shearing, dog demonstration, petting Highland Cattle) and a High Country Afternoon Tea or BBQ lunch in the historic Colonel's Homestead. The whistle of the steamer when departing from Queenstown Pier is a goosebump moment.

★★ Milford Sound — Day Tour vs. Overnight

Milford Sound is 4 hours from Queenstown (290 km one way). The day tour (from 159 NZD all-inclusive with bus and boat ride) is a long day (12–13 hours), but doable and worthwhile. The drive through the Homer Tunnel and along the Mirror Lakes is already spectacular. → See separate section Milford Sound

For those with more time: Overnight in Te Anau (2 hours from Queenstown, the gateway to Fiordland) and early morning drive to the fjord. Or the Doubtful Sound alternative (from 259 NZD, full day from Te Anau or Manapouri): less famous than Milford, but three times as large, much less visited, and even wilder. The silence in Doubtful Sound — when the skipper turns off the engine and you hear nothing but birdsong and water droplets — is one of the most moving moments New Zealand offers.

★ Hikes from Queenstown

The Ben Lomond Track (12 km, 6–8 hours, 1,438 m summit, 1,200 meters of elevation gain from Skyline) is Queenstown's most challenging and rewarding day hike — from the summit, you overlook the entire Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, Cecil Peak, and on clear days the Darran Range in Fiordland. Only for fit hikers in good weather.

The Queenstown Hill Walk (2–3 hours, 500 meters of elevation gain) is the easier alternative: From the city center (Belfast Street) to the summit with the iconic "Time Walk" sign "This is Queenstown." The Routeburn Track (2–4 days, Great Walk, from 75 NZD/night) starts 45 minutes from Queenstown and is one of the most spectacular alpine multi-day hiking trails in the world — through beech forests, over alpine passes with glacier views, and along crystal-clear mountain lakes.

Queenstown Lakefront Walk

Duration: 1.5 hours | Distance: 4 km | Difficulty: Easy

The most beautiful walk in Queenstown starts at the Steamer Wharf (where the TSS Earnslaw is), follows the lakeshore through the Queenstown Gardens (Frisbee golf, rose garden, duck pond), continues to Queenstown Bay with the iconic view of the Remarkables, and ends at the Frankton Arm with bike path and picnic spots. In the late afternoon, when the Remarkables glow golden and the lake is mirror-smooth, this is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Food: Fergburger & More

Fergburger (42 Shotover Street) is New Zealand's most famous burger joint — and the line out the door (often 30–45 minutes) is a Queenstown ritual. The burgers are huge (you need two hands), the buns freshly baked, and the ingredients high quality: The "Ferg Deluxe" (Angus beef, aioli, 19 NZD) is the classic, the "Sweet Bambi" (venison, plum sauce, 21 NZD) the specialty. Open 24 hours — the 3 am burger after partying is a Queenstown tradition.

Rātā (43 Ballarat Street) is Josh Emery's flagship — New Zealand fine dining with Southland lamb, Canterbury venison, and Fiordland crayfish (Tasting Menu 130 NZD, à la carte main course 38–52 NZD). Botswana Butchery (17 Marine Parade) serves premium steaks with lake views — the Waygu Ribeye (95 NZD) is legendary. For cheap, good food: Devil Burger (Church Street, Smash Burgers from 15 NZD) and Erik's Fish & Chips (Steamer Wharf, Blue Cod, 18 NZD).

Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) is not a sound but a fjord — 15 kilometers deeply cut into the wilderness of Fiordland National Park, New Zealand's largest national park and part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area. Rudyard Kipling called it "the eighth wonder of the world," and when you glide through the entrance, you understand why: Sheer granite walls rise 1,200 meters from the black water, the Mitre Peak (1,692 m) reflects in the smooth surface, and the Stirling Falls plunge 155 meters into the depths.

★★★ Boat Cruise

The Nature Cruise (2 hours, from 60 NZD with Southern Discoveries or RealNZ) is the standard experience. The boat travels the entire fjord out to the Tasman Sea and back. Along the way: fur seals on the rocks (almost guaranteed), bottlenose dolphins in the fjord (common), Fiordland crested penguins (rare, but possible) and in the rain — and it rains 182 days a year on average, with up to 8,000 mm of rainfall — hundreds of temporary waterfalls form, dramatically enhancing the experience. Yes, Milford Sound is more beautiful in the rain than in sunshine.

The boat sails directly under the Stirling Falls and the Lady Bowen Falls — those on the outer deck get drenched (and love it). The skippers know the best spots for wildlife observation and tell the Māori legend of Piopiotahi — the rare bird (a piopio, now extinct) that retreated to this fjord after the death of its companion and never sang again.

★★★ Overnight in the Fjord

For a more immersive experience, the overnight cruise (from 350 NZD with RealNZ Overnight Cruise, from 599 NZD for boutique boats like Fiordland Discovery) is the ultimate way: After the day guests depart (around 5 pm), you have the fjord almost to yourself. The silence is overwhelming — the only sound is water droplets and occasionally the snort of a dolphin. You kayak at dawn between the rock walls, watch penguins fishing, and at night — under a cloudless sky in one of the darkest areas on earth — you see the Milky Way so clearly that it reflects in the water.

The Milford Sound Lodge is the only land-based accommodation at the fjord (dorm from 45 NZD, private from 170 NZD, chalet from 280 NZD) — nestled in the rainforest, surrounded by mountains, without mobile reception. Perfect for unplugging.

The Journey — Milford Road (SH94)

The 120 km road from Te Anau to Milford Sound is already an adventure: Mirror Lakes (short boardwalk to a lake that perfectly mirrors the mountains — early morning in calm weather), The Chasm (a short walking trail to a gorge where the Cleddau River has carved bizarre rock formations), the Avenue of the Disappearing Mountain (a road where a mountain visually "disappears"), and finally the Homer Tunnel — a 1.2 km long, single-lane tunnel opened in 1953 after 19 years of construction, marking the dramatic transition from eastern bushland to western fjordland. At the tunnel exit: a waterfall directly onto the road and a breathtaking panorama.

Doubtful Sound — The Quiet Alternative

The Doubtful Sound (Patea) is three times as long as Milford Sound, ten times as large, and sees a fraction of the visitors. The journey is already an adventure: boat ride across Lake Manapouri, then bus ride over the Wilmot Pass, and another boat ride into the fjord. The silence here is supernatural — skippers turn off the engine and you hear: nothing. Then: a waterfall in the distance, the call of a bellbird, perhaps the breathing of a bottlenose dolphin. Day tour from 259 NZD, overnight from 499 NZD.

Only 12 kilometers apart are the twin glaciers Franz Josef (Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere — "The frozen tears of Hine Hukatere") and Fox Glacier (Te Moeka o Tuawe) — two of the most accessible glaciers in the world. What makes them unique: They extend from 3,000 meters in height down to just 300 meters above sea level — directly into the temperate rainforest. Nowhere else does ice meet subtropical vegetation so closely. The Māori legend tells that a woman named Hine Hukatere wept so bitterly for her lover killed by an avalanche that her tears froze and formed the glacier.

★★★ Helicopter Hike (Heli-Hike)

The most popular and spectacular way to experience the glaciers is a Heli-Hike (from 449 NZD with Franz Josef Glacier Guides, 3–4 hours total, about 2 hours on the ice). The process:

1. Briefing at the provider's office (30 minutes): Gear up (crampons, rain jacket, gloves — all provided), safety briefing.
2. Helicopter flight (4 minutes): Over the rainforest, the glacier fall, and the seracs to the landing site on the upper glacier. The flight alone is breathtaking — the ice glows in all shades of blue.
3. Glacier hike (2 hours): With crampons on your feet, you hike through ice caves (the blue inside is surreal — a blue no camera can capture), over seracs (ice towers), along crevasses (glacier cracks), and through narrow ice passages. The guides carve steps and find routes that change daily because the glacier is alive and moving.
4. Return flight by helicopter.

The experience is one of the defining adventures of a New Zealand trip. Book at least 2 days in advance and plan 2–3 days buffer for bad weather — the West Coast receives up to 5,000 mm of rainfall per year and helicopters do not fly in storms or dense fog. If the flight is canceled due to weather, it will be rescheduled for free. Fox Glacier offers comparable Heli-Hikes (Fox Glacier Guiding, from 439 NZD), slightly less visited.

★★ Hikes Without Helicopter

For those who don't want to fly (or want to save the budget): The Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk (1.5 hours round trip, 5.4 km, flat, free) leads through dripping rainforest with tree ferns and nikau palms to the glacier valley. You see the glacier tongue from a safe distance — it has receded significantly in recent decades, vividly demonstrating the signs of climate change. Along the way: information panels showing where the glacier stood in 1900, 1950, and 2000.

The Roberts Point Track (5–6 hours, challenging, 750 meters of elevation gain) rewards with the best view of the glacier tongue from above — you see how the ice flows from the summit into the rainforest. The Alex Knob Track (8 hours, 1,000 meters of elevation gain) is the full-day alternative with panoramic views over the entire glacier and the Tasman Sea in the distance.

★★ Glacier Hot Pools

The Glacier Hot Pools (Cron Street, 29 NZD, evening rate from 5 pm: 25 NZD) are the perfect reward after a glacier day: three thermal pools (36 °C, 38 °C, 40 °C) in the rainforest under tree ferns. In the evening with a starry sky and the sound of rain on the fern leaves — pure relaxation. Private pools for 2 people from 55 NZD/45 min.

★★ Lake Matheson — The Perfect Photo

20 minutes by car south of Fox Glacier lies Lake Matheson — and one of New Zealand's most famous photo spots. In calm weather (best at sunrise) Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman reflect perfectly in the dark, tannin-stained water — an image that appears on every New Zealand calendar and postcard. The circuit around the lake (1.5 hours, flat, boardwalk) has two viewing platforms: The "Jetty" and the "Reflection Island" — the latter offers the perfect reflection. The Matheson Café at the parking lot serves excellent Flat White and breakfast (Eggs Benedict 22 NZD) — one of the best cafes on the entire West Coast.

The Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand's smallest national park (225 km²) — but one of the most beautiful. Golden sandy beaches, turquoise waters, lush coastal rainforest, and a mild climate that resembles the Mediterranean coast more than the South Island. The park is located at the northern tip of the South Island, between Nelson and Motueka.

★★★ Kayak & Walk Combo

The best way to experience Abel Tasman is the combination of kayaking and hiking: You paddle in the morning in crystal-clear waters along the coast, land in secluded bays, hike in the afternoon through the coastal rainforest, and are brought back by water taxi. The most popular combo:

1-Day Combo (from 225 NZD): Water taxi to Bark Bay (45 minutes), kayak from Bark Bay to Torrent Bay (3 hours, along golden beaches, through seal colonies, past Split Apple Rock), hike from Torrent Bay to Marahau (3 hours, through coastal rainforest with tui birds and kereru — New Zealand's colorful shimmering pigeon).

3-Day Combo (from 595 NZD): Day 1: Kayak Marahau → Onetahuti (6 hours, including lunch on the beach). Overnight in the DOC hut Awaroa (52 NZD). Day 2: Hike Awaroa → Bark Bay (4 hours, through tidal rivers — only crossable at low tide!). Overnight Bark Bay hut. Day 3: Hike Bark Bay → Torrent Bay → Marahau (5 hours) or water taxi back.

★★★ Abel Tasman Coast Track

The complete Abel Tasman Coast Track (60 km, 3–5 days) is one of New Zealand's nine Great Walks and the only one that runs along a coast. You hike from golden bay to golden bay, wade through tidal rivers (Awaroa Inlet — passable only 2 hours before and after low tide!), sleep in DOC huts right on the beach, and wake up to the sound of the waves. The huts have beds, mattresses, cooking facilities, and toilets — you must bring your own sleeping bag and food.

Great Walk huts in season (Oct–Apr): 52 NZD/night, campsites 23 NZD/night — both bookable months in advance online with DOC. Off-season (May–Sep): huts 23 NZD, no reservation.

★★ Split Apple Rock

The Split Apple Rock — a perfectly split granite boulder that looks like a sliced apple in the water — is the iconic postcard image of the park. Best accessed by kayak (you paddle right up) or by water taxi with a photo stop.

★ Tonga Island Marine Reserve

Around Tonga Island lies a marine reserve where fur seals, Little Blue Penguins (the smallest penguins in the world, only 25 cm tall!) and occasionally orcas can be observed. Kayak tours often pass through the reserve — the seals sun themselves on the rocks and the curious pups sometimes swim alongside the kayak.

Kaikōura is one of the best places in the world to watch whales — and the only place where you can almost guarantee seeing them year-round. The secret lies underwater: A massive submarine canyon (Kaikōura Canyon, over 1,600 meters deep, just 500 meters off the coast) brings nutrient-rich deep water to the surface, creating a gigantic feast for the entire marine food chain — from plankton to squid to the largest predators on earth.

★★★ Whale Watch — The Process

The Whale Watch Kaikōura tour (from 150 NZD, 2.5 hours, several departures daily) is one of New Zealand's most unforgettable experiences. Here's how it works:

1. Check-in (30 minutes prior) at the Whale Watch Centre: Safety briefing, distribution of seasickness tablets (free, definitely take them!).
2. Departure by catamaran (15 minutes to open sea). The boat has large windows and outdoor decks.
3. Search: The skipper uses a hydrophone (underwater microphone) to locate the clicks of sperm whales. Sperm whales hunt at depths of 1,000–2,000 meters and surface to breathe every 45–60 minutes.
4. Sighting: When a whale surfaces, the boat approaches to 50–100 meters. You see the mighty head, the blow (breath spout), the 15–18 meter long body — and then the highlight: The fluke (tail fin), which the whale majestically raises out of the water as it dives. Each fluke is unique — like a fingerprint.

The sighting rate is over 95% (if canceled due to poor conditions: 80% refund). Depending on the season, you may also see: Orcas (June–August), Humpback Whales (June–July, on migration), Blue Whales (rare, June), Dusky Dolphins (year-round, often in hundreds) and Albatrosses (the largest flying birds in the world).

★★★ Dolphin Encounter

Swimming with dolphins (Dolphin Encounter, from 185 NZD, 3 hours) is an unforgettable experience — you swim with hundreds of Dusky Dolphins, performing acrobatic jumps and spins, curiously swimming around you. The dolphins come astonishingly close — sometimes just centimeters away. Wetsuit, mask, and snorkel are provided. Tip: Make funny noises underwater (hum, sing) — it attracts the dolphins' curiosity! For non-swimmers: Observation tour on the boat (from 105 NZD).

★★ Seal Colony & Peninsula Walkway

The seal colony at Point Kean (Ohau Point, 20 km north on SH1) is free to access and home to hundreds of New Zealand fur seals. In autumn (March–May), the clumsy pups are particularly delightful — splashing in rock pools and clumsily climbing over the rocks. Keep at least 10 meters away — fur seals can become aggressive!

The Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway (3 hours, 5.6 km, free) circles the peninsula and offers: seals on rocks, tide pools with starfish and anemones, spectacular cliffs, views of the snow-capped Seaward Kaikōura Ranges (rising directly from the sea to over 2,500 m — one of the world's most dramatic mountain-sea contrasts) and often albatrosses in flight.

Food: Crayfish!

The name Kaikōura means in Māori "Eat Crayfish" — and that's exactly what you should do. The best spots:

• Nin's Bin (SH1, 20 km north) — The legendary roadside stand. A corrugated iron hut on the highway with the freshest, grilled crayfish in New Zealand. Half crayfish from 35 NZD, whole from 60 NZD. Served with fresh bread and butter. Cash only! Often a queue, but fast. Can't miss it — sign on the highway.
• Kaikōura Seafood BBQ (Fyffe Quay) — Similar concept, a bit more variety: Crayfish, Pāua (Abalone), Bluff oysters, Fish & Chips. Seating by the sea with mountain views.

Wanaka is Queenstown's quieter, more authentic sister — a small town (9,000 inhabitants) on Lake Wanaka that has everything Queenstown offers, but without the crowds and inflated prices. Wanaka still feels like the "old Queenstown" — before it became the party metropolis. The famous #ThatWanakaTree — a solitary willow growing out of the lake — is one of New Zealand's most photographed subjects (best at sunrise when the mountains reflect in the smooth water).

★★★ Roy's Peak

The hike to Roy's Peak (1,578 m, 16 km round trip, 5–6 hours, 1,300 meters of elevation gain) rewards with one of the best panoramic views on the South Island — and one of New Zealand's most famous Instagram photos: You stand on a narrow ridge, below you the turquoise Lake Wanaka and the Glindhu Bay, behind the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps to Mt Aspiring. The famous photo spot is about 20 minutes below the summit on a protruding ridge — on weekends, there are lines of people waiting for THEIR photo.

The ascent is not technical, but steep and enduring — the path leads in zigzag switchbacks over open grassland with no shade. Bring at least 2 liters of water, sunscreen, and snacks. Start BEFORE 7:00 am to avoid the crowds and midday heat. In winter (Jun–Sep) the track is often closed (lambing season), in winter with snow and ice only for experienced hikers.

★★ Rob Roy Glacier Track

The Rob Roy Glacier Track (10 km, 3–4 hours, in Mt Aspiring National Park, 45 minutes from Wanaka) leads through mystical beech forest with mosses and lichens to a viewpoint that takes your breath away: The Rob Roy Glacier hangs like a white tongue over a 300-meter rock wall, waterfalls tumble from the ice cliffs, and the silence — interrupted only by the thunder of breaking ice blocks — is overwhelming. One of the most beautiful short hikes on the South Island.

★ Puzzling World

Puzzling World (188 Wanaka-Luggate Highway, from 22 NZD) is Wanaka's quirkiest highlight: A leaning tower, a tilted toilet, illusion rooms (the "Ames Room" makes small people big and big people small — like in Lord of the Rings!), a giant maze, and holographic illusions. Sounds kitschy, but it's as much fun for adults as it is for kids. The perfect rainy day plan.

★★★ Aoraki/Mount Cook & Hooker Valley Track

An hour northeast of Wanaka (via the Lindis Pass or 4 hours from Christchurch) lies Aoraki/Mount Cook — New Zealand's highest mountain (3,724 m), the Māori name means "Cloud Piercer." Here Sir Edmund Hillary trained for his first ascent of Everest in 1953. The mountain is nestled in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve — the largest light reserve in the world.

The Hooker Valley Track (10 km round trip, 3 hours, flat with gentle inclines) is one of New Zealand's most accessible alpine hikes and absolutely spectacular: Three suspension bridges over milky-turquoise glacial rivers (the color comes from fine glacial flour — "Rock Flour" — that refracts the light), views of the Mueller Glacier and Mount Sefton, and at the end: the Hooker Lake, in which icebergs drift — broken pieces of the Hooker Glacier slowly drifting across the lake. Behind it, the massive wall of Aoraki/Mt Cook. On clear days one of the most spectacular views in New Zealand.

★★ Tasman Glacier

The Tasman Glacier (New Zealand's largest glacier, 23 km long) has a glacial lake on which Glacier Explorers (from 165 NZD, 2.5 hours) offer Zodiac boat tours — you ride between blue icebergs, some of which are taller than the boat. The icebergs regularly break off from the glacier — occasionally you experience a "calving event" (glacier break-off) live. The Tasman Glacier Viewpoint Walk (1 hour, easy) offers a view of the glacial lake from above.

★★★ Dark Sky Experience

At night, the Dark Sky Experiences from the Mount John Observatory (Big Sky Stargazing, from 85 NZD, 2 hours) offer stargazing with professional telescopes. In the darkness of the Mackenzie Country — one of the darkest areas of the inhabited world — the Milky Way shines so brightly that it actually casts shadows. You see the Magellanic Clouds (dwarf galaxies), the Southern Cross, Jupiter and Saturn with rings and moons, and — if you're lucky — the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights). An experience that turns the understanding of one's own smallness in the universe upside down.

Dunedin — New Zealand's "Edinburgh of the South" — is a charming university town with Victorian architecture, a lively student scene, and one of the most spectacular wildlife peninsulas in the world right on its doorstep. The city was founded in 1848 by Scottish Presbyterians (the name is the Gaelic form of Edinburgh) and proudly retains its Scottish character to this day: The only whisky distillery in New Zealand, an Oktoberfest-like Scottish festival, and the steepest street in the world — the Baldwin Street (35% gradient, 350 meters long) — are among the attractions.

★★★ Otago Peninsula — Wildlife at Its Finest

The Otago Peninsula stretches 30 kilometers northeast of Dunedin and is one of the best places in the world to observe wildlife in the wild — no fences, no cages, no staging. The main attractions:

• Yellow-eyed Penguins (Hoiho): At Penguin Place (private conservation reserve, 55 NZD, 1.5 hours) you watch the rarest penguins in the world through a system of hides and underground tunnels — fewer than 4,000 specimens remain. The tour directly funds conservation. Alternatively free at Sandfly Bay at sunset when the penguins return from fishing (keep 30 meters away, no flash!).
• Royal Albatrosses: The Royal Albatross Centre (Taiaroa Head, from 52 NZD) is the world's only mainland breeding colony of the Northern Royal Albatross — the birds have a wingspan of over 3 meters and glide for hours without flapping over the ocean. From September to March they nest here, and the young birds make their first clumsy flight attempts.
• Fur Seals & Sea Lions: New Zealand sea lions — the rarest sea lion species in the world — lie at Allans Beach and Victory Beach. They are massive (bulls up to 400 kg), loud, and completely unfazed by humans. Keep at least 10 meters away — they are faster than they look!

★★ Dunedin City

The Toitū Otago Settlers Museum (free, 20 Settler Quay) tells the history of the Otago region from the first Māori settlers through the gold rush of the 1860s to today — excellently done, interactive, and one of the best regional museums in New Zealand. The Dunedin Railway Station (Anzac Square) is an architectural jewel in Flemish Renaissance style (built in 1906) with hand-painted floor tiles and a mosaic ceiling — New Zealand has no more impressive railway station building.

For beer lovers: Emerson's Brewery (70 Anzac Avenue, Tasting Paddle 15 NZD) is one of the best craft breweries in the country — the "Pilsner" and the "Bookbinder" (Session Ale) are classics of the New Zealand beer landscape. The Octagon (the octagonal main square) with its cafes, bars, and St. Paul's Cathedral is the heart of the city.

★★★ Stewart Island — Kiwis in the Wild

Stewart Island (Rakiura — "Land of the Glowing Sky," named after the spectacular sunsets and the Southern Lights) is New Zealand's third, largely untouched island in the far south. Only 400 people live here — but an estimated 20,000 kiwi birds. This makes Stewart Island the best place in the world to see New Zealand's national bird in the wild.

The Kiwi Spotting Tour (from 150 NZD, 3–4 hours, evenings from 5:30 pm) takes you by water taxi to Ocean Beach, where the brown, flightless birds waddle out of the forest at dusk and search for sandhoppers on the beach. The success rate is over 95% — you will hear them (a piercing, shrill "Ki-wi!" cry in the darkness) and see them with red-light flashlights. A goosebump moment that you can't reliably experience anywhere else in New Zealand.

The Rakiura Track (Great Walk, 3 days, 32 km, huts 23–52 NZD/night) leads through untouched podocarp rainforest, along deserted beaches, and over cliffs with views of the Foveaux Strait. Fewer than 10,000 people walk it per year — a fraction of the other Great Walks. The journey: Ferry from Bluff (60 NZD, 1 hour, Stewart Island Experience) or flight from Invercargill (from 120 NZD, 20 minutes). The village of Oban (the only settlement on the island) has a few accommodations, a general store, a pub, and the South Sea Hotel — the southernmost pub in the world (if you don't count Antarctic stations). The beer there tastes of adventure and wilderness.