07 Day South Island Family Must Do Package

Enjoy an unforgettable family vacation with this 7 Day New Zealand South Island Family Holiday Package. The package includes family-style accommodation, child-friendly activities, and a rental car for hassle-free travel.

Comfortably paced and suited for children of all ages, this holiday package minimises driving time and maximises experiences.

Read on for the full details of this 7 Day New Zealand South Island family holiday.

7 Day South Island Family Must Do Package | New Zealand Family Holiday

Day 1 Arrive Queenstown

Arrive in Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital. Collect your rental car from the airport and make your way to your accommodation.

Relax and explore Queenstown. You have the option to visit the Kiwi Birdlife Park, the Underwater Observatory, or the Ivan Clarke Gallery; ride the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak for panoramic views over the Wakatipu Basin; or simply enjoy a lakefront stroll or a bit of boutique shopping.

Stay 3 nights in Queenstown.

Day 2 Queenstown

In the morning, get a taste of New Zealand’s farming lifestyle at Walter Peak High Country Farm. Situated on picturesque Lake Wakatipu’s southwestern shores, the farm is the perfect place to spend a relaxing few hours. The farm tour itself is a wonderful, interactive experience for the whole family, with something to keep everyone entertained and happy.

Your rural host will meet you after you disembark from the TSS Earnslaw and take you for a walking tour of the farmyard. The first stop is the holding pens, where you can help feed the sheep and deer and even get up close to the Scottish Highland Cattle. Then stroll through the lakeside gardens to the charming Colonel’s Homestead for afternoon tea. Afterwards, the farmer will lead you over to the shearing shed. Watch the farm dogs rounding up sheep from the hill paddocks and see the farmer shear a sheep. You will then board the TSS Earnslaw for your cruise back to Queenstown.

In the afternoon, choose from an exciting range of optional activities including rafting, scenic flights, 4WD safaris and more.

Day 3 Queenstown

In the morning, 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!

Relax and enjoy Queenstown in the afternoon. You might like to make a trip to Arrowtown. You’ll be enchanted by historic Arrowtown, a New Zealand treasure located 20 minutes from Queenstown. Arrowtown is charming and quirky – a delightful gold rush village nestled below the beautiful peaks that surround 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 4 Te Anau

Driving time Queenstown to Te Anau 172 km / 106  miles, 2.5 hours

Journey alongside Queenstown’s stunning Lake Wakatipu and then through lush green farmland to reach Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park.

In the afternoon, take the magical Te Anau Glowworm Caves Tour. Explore a mysterious underground world of rushing water before drifting in silent darkness beneath the luminous shimmer of thousands of glowworms. Your Te Anau Glowworm Cave adventure begins with a cruise across beautiful Lake Te Anau. Board the catamaran Luminosa to cross to the western side of the lake. On arrival, there is time to view the interesting displays at Cavern House before your friendly guides accompany you underground in small groups. As you explore by path and small boat, your senses will be overwhelmed. In this mysterious underground world, discover fossils and rock formations, and view rushing waterfalls and whirlpools. Learn how the caves are still being carved out by the incredible and relentless power of nature before gliding through silent darkness to the glowworm grotto. The delicate incandescence of thousands of tiny glowworms is a magical sight!

Stay 2 nights in Te Anau.

Day 5 Te Anau > Milford Sound

Driving time Te Anau to Milford Sound 119 km / 75 miles, 2.5 hours (each way)

Today, enjoy the stunning Milford Sound Nature Cruise! The Milford Road (between Te Anau and Milford) is one of the finest alpine drives in the world. The scenery is exceptional, ranging from broad grassy flats, dense rainforest, and towering mountains through to glacial lakes and alpine herb fields. No other road in Fiordland offers such a diverse glimpse into New Zealand’s alpine zone.

Upon reaching Milford Sound you will enjoy a 2.5 hour Milford Sound Nature Cruise. With specialist nature guides on board, Real Journeys Nature Cruises offer a close-up experience of Milford Sound’s rainforest, soaring rock walls, and wildlife. Throughout the cruise, the guides share stories of the fiord’s history and are happy to answer your questions.

Relax and explore Te Anau for the afternoon.

Day 6 Wanaka

Driving time Te Anau to Wanaka 227 km / 141 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. Be sure to stop at the historic Cardrona Hotel for a refreshment before your arrival into Wanaka, an alpine town boasting panoramic views, a relaxing atmosphere and myriad walking tracks.

Explore Wanaka this afternoon. You might like to make a visit to the Wanaka Lavender Farm. Wander through 10 acres of beautiful lavender fields, meet their friendly farm animals, play garden games and enjoy a hot or cold drink at the café; Wanaka Lavender Farm is a great place to unwind!

Stay 2 nights in Wanaka.

Day 7 Wanaka

Relax and explore Wanaka. You may want to visit Puzzling World, Wanaka’s illusional attraction, 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 through Wanaka’s 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.

Day 8 Depart Queenstown

Driving time Wanaka to Queenstown 69 km / 43 miles, 1.5 hours

Return over the Crown Range, and make your way back to Queenstown Airport. Drop your rental car off at Queenstown Airport and depart.

Plan a New Zealand South Island Family Holiday

Here at New Zealand Travel Organiser, we aim to make planning and booking your holiday as easy as possible. From all-inclusive packages to detailed itineraries you can refer to as you travel, we streamline the process every step of the way.

In addition, our family holiday packages are fully customisable. This means we can amend any of the inclusions to suit your preferences. From swapping out activities to adding a child car seat, we will tailor your itinerary to match your family’s interests.

As you begin planning, you may wish to browse our other 7-day family holiday packages for inspiration.

Contact New Zealand Travel Organiser today to begin planning your exciting family getaway.