EXPLORE THE MAGNIFICENT SOUTH & STEWART ISLANDS
With its claims to some of the most rugged landscapes in the world, New Zealand has always been the place for adventure. But with its whaling, gold mining and sheep farming beginnings there is also a remarkable history.
The South Island, Te Waipounamu, is the largest of New Zealand’s main islands; Stewart Island, Rakiura, the smallest. Only a quarter of our 4.4 million population live in the South Island – a gloriously uncrowded land.
Travel through the “Mainland’s” ever changing scenery – the golden beaches of the Abel Tasman; the lush rainforest and wild scenery of the West Coast; the rugged, snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps; the tussock coloured plains of Central Otago to the deep majestic sounds of Fiordland.
A self-drive journey is one of the best ways for you see and explore this ever-changing land.

There's plenty to see and explore.
One minute you could be learning of the settlers’ struggles and the natural history, then throwing yourself out of an aeroplane or dining on some fresh crayfish washed down with a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon. From kayaking in the Abel Tasman, to hiking in the mountains, to crossing the Southern Alps by train, to whale watching in Kaikoura, to a day spent on the Otago Peninsula, to a hike on a glacier to birdwatching on Stewart Island or an afternoon just enjoying the peace and quiet of this unpopulated island with a glass of wine in your hand. You will wish that your trip to the South Island was longer.
Some of the Island's Highlights
Abel Tasman National Park – New Zealand’s smallest National Park is named after Dutch explorer Abel Janzoon Tasman, who sighted land here in 1642. Ridiculously beautiful – azure waters, golden sands and verdant bush, make this a paradise for exploration, by foot, kayak, water taxi and boat – or a combination of all of these. Half day to multi-day trips staying in campsites, huts or beachfront lodges, you will love making your way around the coast, from bay to bay, cooling off swimming, in the crystal clear waters. Paradise.
Marlborough – It is quite possible that you will arrive in this area by the Interislander Ferry – what an introduction! Soon after crossing the Cook Strait, the ferry slows down as you cruise through the Queen Charlotte Sound, with its little bays, golden beaches and a host of pleasure craft filled with New Zealanders out to get their “feed” of cod. A great way for you to explore more of the Sounds is on a Mail Boat Trip, a fishing charter or by walking the Queen Charlotte Track. Further south the lush bush of the Sounds opens out into the open plains and the Marlborough wine region – it was here that really put New Zealand wine on the international stage.
Kaikoura – Kaikoura roughly translates as “meal of crayfish” (Kai – food; koura – crayfish). It was the whaling industry that led to the first European settlement here – you can learn of some of the history in the museum and Fyffe House, a whaler’s cottage, some of the foundations of which are whale bone. Today, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, and varying other wildlife and water based trips are the main income earners for the town, though farming is also important. Kaikoura is in a beautiful setting, nestled between the mountains, covered with snow for much of the year and the vast Pacific Ocean.
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park – A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986, home of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mt Cook, training ground of Sir Edmund Hillary before his Everest ascent, the rugged rock and ice landscape of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park will amaze all visitors. Nineteen peaks in the Park are over 3000m, small wonder therefore that more than a third of the Park is permanently covered in snow. The drive in to Mount Cook Village is stunning, not least because you skirt the shores of the glacially blue Lake Pukaki.
TranzAlpine Train Journey – Often billed as one of the “Great Train Journeys of the World”, the TranzAlpine scenic train journey crosses the Southern Alps between Christchurch and Greymouth. The landscape continually changes from the Canterbury Plains, the Waimakariri Gorge, snow capped mountains, beech forest and Lake Brunner. Truly a trip of a lifetime.
Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers – Accessible, near to the ocean, almost at sea level and flowing into rain forest – this is what sets these two glaciers apart from others in New Zealand and the rest of the world. You can walk up to the varying viewpoints, take a scenic flight over them with a snow landing or heli – hike or ice climb – or all of these! Those forgotten geography lessons will come alive.
Queenstown – The resort town of Queenstown, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by mountains is vibrant and lively, summer and winter. True, it is the adventure capital of New Zealand, but there is something for everyone here. The filmmakers are well aware of its beauty – The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe, Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit all have many scenes filmed in the surrounding country. It is a base to explore the nearby wine country or the many tramping tracks at the head of the Lake, a visit to the old gold town of Arrowtown, 4WD trips or just a place to relax.
Fiordland – Fourteen fiords spanning 215km of coastline, the best known of which are Milford and Doubtful Sound. At 1.2 million hectares, it is the largest National Park in New Zealand. Home of three of the Great Walks – The Milford Track, Routeburn Track and Kepler Track and the small towns of Te Anau and Manapouri. Perfect for those who want to get out and explore the great outdoors and perfect also for those who want to relax and just enjoy the scenery.
Catlins – The coastal region in the South East between Kaka Point and Fortrose is called the Catlins. It is rich in waterfalls, bush walks, deserted beaches, native forest, Hector’s dolphins, Yellow-eyed penguins, seals and sea lions. Remote and sparsely populated it is quiet, sleepy, gentle and welcoming to those who want peace and nature.
Stewart Island – Stewart Island, Rakiura, 30km from the South Island, across Foveaux Strait, is New Zealand’s third largest island. Its population is just 400, and is based in the only settlement of Oban in Half Moon Bay. Income is mainly from fishing and tourism – tourists who visit the island, mainly for the bird and wildlife. It offers some of the best land and sea bird watching in New Zealand, both on Stewart Island itself and Ulva Island, a predator free island in Patterson Inlet.
Many visit Mason’s Bay, as there is the prospect of seeing kiwi here, in the wild. Home of another of the Great Walks, The Rakiura Track is a 3 day walk and there are also countless shorter options. The crossing (by air or sea) may be a bit rough, but it is mercifully short and soon forgotten and replaced by memories of what you have just seen and done – and you may just strike it lucky – it may be flat calm!
Some of our photos of the South Island
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Jenny’s deep love and knowledge of New Zealand is matched by her attention to detail and commitment to giving each client the best possible trip for them. “Jenny’s Bible”, as we called it, a dedicated itinerary with timings, maps, personal recommendations and local tips made for a wonderful, hassle-free trip of a lifetime. Thank you!
Our holiday was always going to be great because New Zealand is a stunning country but thanks to 'roundaboutnewzealand' it became a dream experience. All the pressure on making sure we visited the best places was lifted, there was no time wasted visiting attractions that didn't appeal to us as Jenny had ensured she knew our tastes and budget well in advance of proposing our itinerary.The attention to detail was incredible yet at the same time not onerous, pointing us in the right direction with suggestions on how long trips might take and even the best cafes in the small towns to experience the wonderful food and local wines. We didn't have to look over our shoulder wondering if we should have eaten at the 'place next door'.Roundaboutnewzealand ensured we maximised our enjoyment on what turned out to be a holiday of a lifetime. We certainly recommend Jenny and her team to anyone considering a holiday in New Zealand and we hope to be back very soon to enjoy their suggestions for further exploration.
Jenny this was the BEST holiday of my life! we had such an unforgettable time and it will be a memory for life deeply burned into our hearts” & "You and Graham had done such a wonderful job and put a magic trip together. We will never forget this and will be grateful for the rest of our life.
We had a wonderful holiday thank you very much. We loved Prospect Lodge and Blanket Bay – really superb!
....A superbly organised South Island trip by Jenny and Graham saving us hours of research. Our choice of destinations and the incredibly detailed itinerary they put together certainly gave us a wide variety of magical experiences. They certainly know and love their country and were more than happy to spend time to ensure the trip was personally suited to us. It's an amazingly 'wow' factor Island and with their exceptional guidance we had the most wonderful holiday .....
You have just pinged the star Jenny!!! The apartment and town are just amazing, love this place!! Thanks for every step of our holiday, and Raglan and apartment are the diamonds on the cake!! We will be back. Best wishes to you both!
Your attention to detail was just amazing and obviously you really, really know your stuff!
There are many good guide books to New Zealand but nothing compares to local knowledge. Jenny and Graham were excellent in providing this; it made a huge difference to the enjoyment of our trip, and enabled us to visit many wonderful places off the beaten track.
Jenny and Graham really helped us to maximise our experience of NZ - with such a limited time window to see a whole country - we didn't know where to start. Their guidance helped us to fit in glaciers, the Abel Tasman, whale watching and wine tasting with amazing views as well as enabling us to discover parts of the country that might never have found otherwise - such as riding on remote beaches and indulging a passion for steam railways. We will definitely be seeking their advice when we return.
It was such a pleasure to get some of the low down from Graham & Jenny when I recently visited Golden Bay. Visiting some of those lessor known gems is always a plus, but being directed towards the places of personal interest saved so much time in research. I have no hesitation in recommending both their service, & knowledge.
We had the most incredible holiday thanks to jenny and graham. Our three young boys (5,3 and 20 months - what were we thinking!!!!) were constantly jaws to the floor. Water taxis transporting us to beaches all to ourselves, timing of walks and water taxis to work with complicates tides, spectacular beaches full of wildlife and sand dunes to slide/surf down. It was totally magical and definitely needed insider knowledge to get the best out of places and situations we wouldn't have had any clue about.
Not only are Jenny and Graham a delightful couple, they have first class knowledge of travel in New Zealand. We found the help and advice they gave us for our trip to New Zealand was spot on. It is so easy just to go by brochures, but Jenny and Graham really know N.Z and that makes the difference. As well as the popular places to visit, they told us about places that only the New Zealanders know about. A few examples being, the more obscure Vineyards were the wines are top notch and the food they serve matches it; the best places to enjoy whale watching; advice on a range of accommodation to suit your taste; amazing beaches to visit. It is the detail that makes a holiday, so if you are planning a trip to N.Z. contacting Jenny and Graham for advice and to help you arrange things is the best thing you can do.
On my trip to New Zealand I contacted Jenny and Graham Pomeroy, who were a great help in giving me tips and pointers for where to go on the South Island and beyond. Jenny and Graham have an intimate knowledge of the region and recommended places, that the guide books have never heard of and I would had missed had it not been for their insightful guidance. Their knowledge and understanding of travel is not limited to New Zealand as Jenny was also able to tell me the best place to visit the Great Wall of China.
Landing in Nelson I was whisked off and immersed (immediately and literally) into the activity program - swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura. New Zealand is chock full of set piece tourist attractions, but the real trick is to be led to slightly different angles by Jenny and Graham. Going fishing with someone who goes fishing, rather than by someone who just takes tourists fishing (I never knew that baby sharks go back inside their mothers before); going horse trekking when and where you want to rather than on a pre-planned route the horses have been down so many times; visiting beaches when they are empty and the tide is right; knowing from a variety of restaurants and eateries which is really on form. These edges made all the difference to a generally relaxed family holiday – I can only imagine what benefit they would confer on the major trips…
Jenny and Graham are a unique blend...native kiwi meets international travel expert...an unrivalled combination. They really know their country (& accommodation recommendations) and know how to get you off the beaten track. Having lived in Auckland I was comfortable with finding our way around parts of the North Island but Jenny & Graham were able to point us to places we wouldn’t have found on our own. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, although a number of years ago now, but can’t wait to go back with the kids. We were provided with some wonderful travel tips and excursions and loved kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park and hiking to Farewell Spit - experiences we would not have had without the helping hands of Graham and Jenny. Thank you, thank you.
Thank you Graham and Jenny - We have now had two amazing holidays in New Zealand, thanks to your tips, ideas and inspiration. Highlights definitely included kayaking the Abel Tasman (eating freshly dived scallops barbequed in beer!), walking the first part of the Heaphy track in the early morning, hot springs at Hamner, and the many foody indulgences including Ninn's Binn for lobster, The Boat Shed in Nelson, Rosie Glow Chocolates, and the amazing Mussel Inn.
Our Christmas in Jenny and Graham's special places in Golden Bay, was one that all of us will remember as one of our best ever. With our two little boys, we explored all over from Cape Farewell to the start of the Heaphy Trail, with the odd drink at the Mussel Inn! The Pomeroy's are knowledgable and generous in sharing their obvious passion for their country. We felt we saw places that 'normal tourists' don't get to as well as the 'must do' highlights and we can't wait to get back there again.
Here in England our Family and Jenny Pomeroy's Family have been good friends for many years, so that when Jenny married and settled down with a born and bred South Islander we knew that we had a reliable and well placed insider on the NZ scene. It transpired that when we put together our own month long holiday, we received invaluable guidance "from the inside". As one example, I achieved with Jenny's guidance my long held ambition to crown my undergraduate experience on Norwegian glaciers with a thrilling visit to Fox Glacier, and to the seismic centre at Rotorua and Taupo?
Me and my family have thoroughly enjoyed our last visit to New Zealand and are looking forward to having another one. And our experience wouldn't have been the same without all the brilliant advice and assistance you and Graham have offered. I will sure seek your kind help once again.
We had a fabulous three-week adventure from Queenstown to Auckland and a whole lot in between. I was very impressed with the detail and quality of all our bookings and there's no doubt that your extensive knowledge and connections made our visit the trip of a lifetime. Many thanks.
Just back from a marvellous three week holiday in New Zealand organised by RoundaboutNZ. New Zealand is amazing but the itinerary suggested by Jenny combined with the tips for restaurants and cafes to use, plus the superb accommodation that she arranged made the holiday a real "trip of a lifetime". Can't wait for the next opportunity to go back!