14 Day South Island Family Adventure Holiday

Our New Zealand family adventure packages are perfect for active families with teenagers. Experience the best outdoor activities the South Island has to offer, from kayaking and whale watching to whitewater rafting and glacier heli hiking.

This fantastic holiday package is hands-on, with immersive experiences incorporating many of the country’s highlights. Choose from our fully customisable New Zealand family adventure packages for a holiday to remember.

Read on for the full details of the 14 Day South Island Family Adventure Holiday

14 Day South Island Family Adventure Holiday | New Zealand Adventure Packages

Day 1 Arrive Christchurch

Arrive in Christchurch, New Zealand’s Garden City. Collect your rental car from the airport and make your way to your Christchurch accommodation.

Discover the vibrant and picturesque garden city, renowned for its natural beauty, lively entertainment scene, and strong cultural heritage. With its stunning botanical gardens and tree-lined avenues, Christchurch is both a sophisticated city and beautiful place to relax.

Recommended activities include the Christchurch Gondola, Tramway, Punting on the Avon River and the Botanical Gardens Tour.

Stay 1 night in Christchurch.

Day 2 Kaikoura

Driving time Christchurch to Kaikoura 181 km / 112 miles, 2.5 hours

Enjoy the scenic coastal drive north along the South Island’s East Coast to Kaikoura, a stunning coastal township offering a backdrop of majestic mountains.

In the afternoon, take a scenic cruise to view the majestic Sperm Whales off the Kaikoura Coast.

Stay 1 night in Kaikoura.

Day 3 Nelson

Driving time Kaikoura to Nelson 245 km / 152 miles, 3.5 hours

Continue north to Nelson, passing through the Marlborough wine region. Enjoying New Zealand’s highest sunshine hours, Nelson is a creative paradise, with galleries, boutique shopping, local markets and gourmet cafés. You’ll quickly fall in love with the relaxed, artistic way of life that defines this charming city.

Stay 2 nights in Nelson.

Day 4 Nelson > Abel Tasman

Driving time Nelson to Abel Tasman 65 km / 40 miles, 1.5 hours (each way)

Discover the Abel Tasman, an area renowned for its golden beaches, sculptured granite cliffs, unmodified estuaries, long sunshine hours, and the world-famous Abel Tasman Coast Track.

Explore the coast with a kayak tour around the iconic Split Apple Rock, and enjoy the best of the picturesque beaches.

Day 5 Hokitika

Driving time Nelson to Hokitika 325 km / 201 miles, 4.5 hours

Discover the rugged West Coast as you travel to Hokitika, famous for its arts and crafts. Watch a masterpiece being crafted from gold, silver, molten glass, bone, silk or greywacke or carve your own creation from wood or jade (“pounamu”). Take in Hokitika’s natural beauty, enjoy its expansive beach, or venture down one of the many walking and mountain biking tracks.

Stay 1 night in Hokitika.

Day 6 Franz Josef

Driving time Hokitika to Franz Josef 136 km / 85 miles, 2 hours

Continue south through dense rainforest towards Franz Josef, located at the foot of New Zealand’s most famous glaciers.

While in Franz Josef, you can walk to the terminal face of Franz Josef Glacier to take a look at the ice, or enjoy one of the local walks. In Franz Josef township you have the chance to see New Zealand’s rarest kiwi at the West Coast Wildlife Centre, a unique and interactive experience that brings together nature, conservation, and wildlife all under one roof.

Stay 2 nights in Franz Josef.

Day 7 Franz Josef

Take a short helicopter flight onto Franz Josef Glacier today, where you will explore the spectacular ice formations on a heli hike!

With the combination of an exhilarating helicopter ride, jaw-dropping scenery and a three hour hike through the most spectacular glacier features, it’s no wonder guests often label their Glacier Heli Hike as the highlight of their visit to Aotearoa/New Zealand.

* Note: Ages 8 and up only. An alternative option will be provided for younger children.

Day 8 Wanaka

Driving time Franz Josef to Wanaka 285 km / 177 miles, 4 hours

Continue down the West Coast. The change in landscape will amaze you as you make your way farther south, with glimpses of the Tasman Sea showing beneath rugged cliffs. Take the Haast Pass Highway inland, and admire waterfalls, glaciers, and the crystal-clear river flowing beside the highway. Eventually you will arrive in Wanaka, an alpine paradise with views so good it’s hard to put down your camera.

Stay 2 nights in Wanaka.

Day 9 Wanaka

Relax and explore Wanaka – you may want to visit Puzzling World, an attraction full of fascinating optical illusions, or the National Toy and Transport Museum. Other options include strolling along one of Wanaka’s stunning walking tracks, relaxing on the lake’s edge or browsing the charming boutique shops.

You could also visit Rippon Vineyard and Tasting Room to sample local wines, or catch a film at Cinema Paradiso, Wanaka’s quirky local theatre. For a more adrenaline-filled day, add on a skydive.

Day 10 Te Anau

Driving time Wanaka to Te Anau 230 km / 143 miles, 3 hours

Drive over the beautiful Crown Range, one of New Zealand’s highest alpine roads, and admire the fantastic views along the way. Continue on past Lake Wakatipu as you make your way into the heart of New Zealand, where you will find the town of Te Anau sitting beside a vast lake.

Option to add on a tour of the Te Anau Glowworm Caves.

Stay 1 night in Te Anau.

Day 11 Doubtful Sound

Driving time Te Anau to Manapouri 21 km / 13 miles, 20 minutes

Board the Fiordland Navigator today for an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound. Explore by kayak or tender boat, soak in the overwhelming majesty of the fiord, or even go for a swim!

Stay 1 night aboard the Fiordland Navigator.

* Note: This cruise is only available from September through March. If you are travelling in winter, this will be changed to the Te Anau Glowworm Cave Tour plus the Doubtful Sound Day Cruise.

Day 12 Queenstown

After a hearty breakfast, return to Manapouri and make your way back to Queenstown.

Driving time Manapouri to Queenstown 172 km / 107 miles, 2 hours

Known as the adventure capital of New Zealand, Queenstown has something for the whole family! Relax and explore the downtown in the afternoon, or add on a thrilling ride on the Shotover Jet!

Stay 3 nights in Queenstown.

Day 13 Queenstown

Today, get ready for the world’s most exciting jet boat ride! It’s a thrilling ride – skimming past rocky outcrops at close range in your Shotover Jet ‘Big Red,’ you will twist and turn through the narrow canyons at breathtaking speeds. And a major highlight – hold tight for the world-famous Shotover Jet full 360º spins!

Explore Queenstown in the afternoon. You might like to make a trip to Arrowtown, a historic gem just 20 minutes away. This charming and quirky gold rush village is nestled beneath the beautiful peaks and beside the sparkling Arrow River. The heart of its history is Buckingham Street, a procession of heritage buildings that stretches into a tree-lined avenue of tiny miner’s cottages. The buildings in this lovely precinct house shops, galleries, bars, and restaurants – many classy, most individual, and not one from an international chain.

Day 14 Queenstown

On your last day in paradise, finish on a high. Choose from an exciting range of optional activities including scenic flights, 4WD safaris, winery tours, and more.

Day 15 Depart Queenstown

Drop off your rental car at Queenstown Airport and depart Queenstown.

Learn More about our New Zealand Family Adventure Packages

Our New Zealand adventure holiday packages are fully customisable. In other words, we can amend the schedule, add or swap out activities, and change your accommodation level.

This 14 Day South Island Family Adventure Holiday isn’t just for families. Active travellers of all ages will enjoy the activities included in this popular package.

Here at New Zealand Travel Organiser, our team will work with you to customise your holiday package until it matches exactly what you are looking for. No matter what you want from your holiday, we can make it happen.

Contact New Zealand Travel Organiser today to begin planning your unforgettable family holiday.