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How to experience New Zealand's South Island in winter, even if skiing isn't your thing
Here are some of the best-kept secrets from New Zealand's South Island.
I’ve been to New Zealand more times than I can count, but I felt like I’d never really seen the country. I’m married to a Kiwi, and when we got married in Wanaka in 2022 and saw our guests enjoying the many beautiful attractions the South Island has to offer, I told my husband that I wasn’t coming back unless he actually showed me the country. Harsh, I know, but it worked!
True to his word, we booked an action-packed South Island trip and now I have plenty of advice for anyone else looking to do the same thing.
If you’re planning on visiting in winter and want some ideas that aren’t just skiing, you’re in luck because there is so much more to NZ than extreme sports – though, the après-ski is always encouraged, no matter your skiing or snowboarding level!
So, here’s my ultimate South Island trip…
Christchurch
We flew into Christchurch as our trip took us to the north of the South Island and then down the west coast.
I didn’t realise that flying into Christchurch was just as magical as flying into Queenstown. If you can, try to book a window seat on any flight into New Zealand. We flew over some incredible mountains, and the view was stunning.
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Now, to be honest, we didn’t spend much time in Christchurch, and you probably don't need to either to see the best the South Island has to offer.
Kaikoura
Kaikoura was our first official spot. This small town is known for its coastal views and marine life. It’s where the mountains meet the sea. You’ll be surprised to see that all the beaches here have black sand.
It’s also one of the only places in the world where sperm whales come really close to the shore due to the very deep trench not far out to sea. It’s for this reason that a whale-watching tour is a must-do!
We booked our tour with Whale Watch Kaikoura through Klook, which, if you haven’t used it before, is a great app to book experiences for your travels. I loved the fact I could see reviews to help me decide which company to go with. It also keeps every voucher you buy safe, so all you need is the app to check in to your experiences, and you’re good to go. I’m usually the dork who prints out all my pre-booked experiences, so it was nice to know that I didn’t need to do that in this case.
We booked the early tour, which leaves at 10:30am because we heard that the whales are most active earlier in the day. And we were in luck!
We saw one whale twice on our tour, a male sperm whale known as Mati Mati. The tour guides were excellent and made sure you knew what the whale was doing and when it was likely going to dive so you could have your camera ready for that tail flick as it went under the water.
We also saw seals on our trip, and while we didn’t, it is also likely that you’ll see Hector dolphins in Kaikoura as these little guys often come quite close to shore. So even if you don’t book a whale-watching tour, you might still get lucky seeing some other marine life.
Kaikoura is also known for its seafood, so I’d highly recommend checking out Kaikoura Seafood BBQ Kiosk. It’s a small food truck where you can order fresh seafood and enjoy it there or on the nearby picnic tables. It’s also very reasonably priced!
After you finish lunch, keep driving down the coast to the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway, where you can enjoy a steep but short hike up to the cliff tops and enjoy stunning views. As you walk along the track, you’ll come across the Kaikoura Seal Colony, where you’ll see many seals just hanging out on the rocks.
We'd often have to stop the car to take photos because it’s a quintessential New Zealand town with some of the most spectacular views.
Two nights here was perfect for us. You can get a lot done in one full day.
Hanmer Springs
Hanmer Springs is a tiny town known for its natural hot springs, so a visit here wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a dip at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools.
There are 22 different thermal pools to relax in, including mineral water (it does smell thanks to the sulphur, but it’s really warm and has a silky feel), adults-only and more kid-friendly pools. You can also book a private pool if you prefer, but this is indoors, so you don’t get to enjoy the mountain views.
There isn’t a whole lot else to do in town, but there are two nearby ski fields – Hanmer Springs Ski Area and Mount Lyford. We opted for Hanmer Springs Ski Area, and this may not have been the best decision we made as I haven’t skied in about four years and there aren’t any chair lifts up the mountain, so you need to be comfortable with a rope tow or a poma which aren’t the easiest to do when you’re not super confident on the skis. However, if you're a pro, I'm told the powder was amazing!
Another word of advice: if you are considering driving to Hanmer Springs Ski Area, you will need a 4WD and probably some chains for your tyres because it is quite a dicey drive. We opted for the shuttle from town, so we managed to avoid driving up ourselves. You’ll also need to bring all of your own food up the mountain as there isn’t a shop at the ski field.
Having said all of this, it is a truly beautiful area, and the members that run the ski field are lovely, so if you’re not having a great day on the snow, at least you’ve got people to talk to!
Greymouth
We took the longer route to Greymouth, which takes you through Arthur’s Pass. It has a truly breathtaking view, and I highly recommend it if you’re not in a rush.
Upon arrival into Greymouth, we headed straight for Garth Wilson Jade to see how Garth carves Pounamu, also known as greenstone or jade – the God stone of Māori people. Garth’s ancestors from the Ngati Mahaki and Ngate Waewae tribes were the original traders of Pounamu. The west coast of New Zealand is the only place where Pounamu is found, and all of the jade that Garth carves is from the stone that he and his whanau (family) find in the surrounding areas.
During our visit to Garth, he shared with us how he finds Pounamu and why he is one of the few people allowed to take it from certain areas, thanks to his ancestors. Each different carving of Pounamu has its own meaning. I opted for a disk, and per Garth’s website, this “represents the circle of life, which has no beginning or end. It means the opportunities are endless and you have a choice to do and achieve whatever you want in life”.
The west coast is also home to one of New Zealand’s most famous exports – Montheith's beer and cider! Monteith’s Brewery is also in Greymouth and the perfect place to go for a bite to eat and to get a tour of the facilities and learn how the beer is made.
I’ve done plenty of wine tours in my time, but this was my first beer tour – to be honest, I’m not much of a beer person, but it was really interesting to learn the history of Monteiths and how it became one of New Zealand’s favourite beers.
The tour takes 45-60 minutes and is a fun way to spend some time before or after grabbing a bite at their restaurant – we loved the beef and the salmon, but their beer-battered fries were the clear winner.
If you like hiking, there are plenty of really beautiful and easy walking tracks around Greymouth. But be warned: make sure you pack a really good waterproof jacket, not a water-resistant jacket, a waterPROOF jacket, because when it rains here, it really rains.
We were caught up in the rain but still enjoyed a few short hikes in the area, including the Pancake Rocks and the Hokitika Gorge. The rain creates quite an otherworldly feel and makes for some pretty cool photographs.
Franz Josef
Franz Josef was possibly one of my favourite parts of our trip. We only stayed one night as we needed to be up nice and early for our heli hike with Franz Josef Glacier Guides.
If you find yourself in Franz Josef, please make sure you add a heli hike to the top of your to-do list. This was one of the most spectacular experiences I’ve ever had while travelling.
Our guide, Tom, was an excellent leader and prepared us for the flight for about an hour before we headed to the helicopters. You are given a helmet, waterproof pants and jackets for the tour and special boots that your crampons will attach to, making it easier to walk on the ice once you’re up on the glacier.
The helicopter is a short but spectacular five-minute flight up to the glacier, with the walk taking around two hours to complete. I was nervous it might be tough, but it wasn’t a hard hike by any means, and there are plenty of moments to stop and take photos of the glacier as you go.
There were a few tight spaces, but we were assured that these wouldn't be uncomfortably small, which was reassuring, as I get claustrophobic!
The one downside of the experience was learning that the glacier is moving back up the mountain, which it has done so for a few years now, thanks to climate change. The Ngai Tahu Māori tribe actually owns Franz Josef Glacier Guides and encourages people to see the glacier in the hopes that it will help us make choices to be greener in our day-to-day lives to save places like the Franz Josef Glacier. So, if you are thinking about doing something like this, I highly recommend doing it to see the ice up close and experience it for yourself.
Queenstown
There is so much to do in Queenstown, and some of the more popular things to do are skiing, bungy jumping, and other outdoor activities like jet boating, rafting, and mountain biking. You can also get an amazing view by taking the Skyline Queenstown gondola to the top of Bob's Peak. One of my favourite things to do up there is the luge, which is very popular with kids.
We only had two days in Queenstown and decided to hit the slopes at Cardrona Alpine Resort, one of the most popular ski fields in the area, and for good reason. I hadn’t skied in some time (Hanmer Springs ski field didn’t really count as skiing), so I decided a lesson would be a great opportunity to gain some more confidence on the skis, which really helped. I also think a ski lesson is a good idea no matter your level, as there’s always something you can improve on – unless, of course, you’ve been skiing since you were a kid, you’re probably pretty damn good in that case!
Cardrona is the complete opposite of Hanmer Springs Ski Field in that it’s huge, and there are plenty of options when it comes to runs, lifts, and food and drink. This is a great mountain if you’re looking to take it a bit easier or if you have kids, but it's also epic if you’re a more advanced skier. This made it perfect for our group, which had a mix of all of the above.
After a hard day of hitting the slopes, there are plenty of great places in town to grab a bite, these include Fergburger (you need to get there at least once during your trip, my personal favourite might actually be one of the breakfast burgers), Sunfire for a nice meal near the waterfront, and then I also highly recommend Eichardt’s Bar for a cosy and intimate spot to enjoy a cocktail.
Another of my favourite things to do in Queenstown that I didn’t get to do this time is visit Miller Road Fragrances and make your own fragrance. I highly recommend you try it at some point if you can. My husband and I did this right before our wedding, and the scents we made ended up being our wedding fragrances!
I'd also highly recommend visiting Ayrburn, near Arrowtown, for a wine tasting or a meal. It's a very cool new spot that's somewhat similar to The Farm in Byron Bay or The Grounds of Alexandria, but (I hate to say it because those spots are great) better. It has several spots to enjoy a drink or some food and is set on beautiful grounds.
Te Anau
You don’t need a lot of time in Te Anau, and you don’t have to stay the night if you don’t want to, but we decided we’d prefer to stay the night than have to drive back the two and a bit hours to Queenstown after our tour of Milford Sound.
We booked our tour with Pure Milford through the Klook app, which once again made things really easy to keep all our experiences booked in one place. After meeting our group in Te Anau, we hopped onto a bus and travelled for two hours, with a few stops along the way to take photos, until we reached our boat for our cruise around Milford Sound.
The drive is almost as impressive as the cruise because everything around you is just so spectacular. But not much can prepare you for the beauty of Milford Sound up close. We were lucky because it had rained the night and during the morning, but we had a clear afternoon, meaning that all the waterfalls in Milford Sound were flowing.
You can get lucky and see some wildlife during your cruise, we saw seals, but you can also sometimes see dolphins and penguins and our guide shared that he once saw a great white shark!
Wanaka
Wanaka also provides easy access to Cardrona Alpine Resort and you can get up the mountain in about 40 minutes, so it’s a great spot to stay if skiing is your main reason for visiting. There are also some other great ways to spend time if you are visiting Cardrona from Wanaka, including the famous Cardrona Hotel, which has been around since 1863 and is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most iconic hotels. This is a great place to stop after skiing, or on the way to Wanaka.
Another great option to stop on the way to Wanaka is the Cardrona Distillery. We did a tour of the distillery and loved it. Will, our guide, gave us an in-depth tour and allowed us to smell and taste the whiskey, gin, vodka and liqueurs in their different stages of production, which was fascinating. The tour costs $25 per person, and at the end, you get a $25 discount if you want to buy a spirit.
If you get the chance during your visit to Wanaka, try to visit Cinema Paradiso. I know it might sound odd to spend a night at the cinema, but this is a well-known and favourite spot in town. Here, you can watch a movie in the comfort of couches and have the luxury of an intermission where you can enjoy freshly baked cookies!
If you can do a wine tasting in town, I’d recommend Rippon. It’s set on a beautiful spot on the hill overlooking Lake Wanaka – I am a little biased as this is where I got married, but it’s seriously stunning, so definitely try and get there for a wine tasting.
When it comes to food, Federal Diner is always a favourite for breakfast or lunch, and then Burrito Craft, a food truck, is also really popular for a quick and affordable meal.
Mount Cook
On the drive from Wanaka to Mount Cook, we stopped at Moraine Lodge at Mount Cook Lakeside Retreat for the most beautiful lunch overlooking the mountains. While we weren’t lucky enough to stay a night, we managed to take a squiz at the accommodation, which was seriously stunning. One had its own sauna, massage room, gym and spa overlooking the spectacularly blue water and the mountains.
We were treated to some local venison, and while this isn’t a meat I usually gravitate towards, this was beautiful. The dining room is also stunning and features a large fireplace, which is necessary during winter here. The pastry chef also outdid herself with some macarons, which were the perfect way to finish off the meal without feeling overstuffed.
You could have a really incredible evening if you booked dinner here and then booked yourself in for some stargazing with Moraine Lodge. We saw the space and it’s very cool, you can enjoy a whiskey before your stargazing experience and really make a night of it. This is available to people who are staying at the lodge and those who aren’t, which is very cool!
After lunch, we made our way to the mountain and The Hermitage where we were staying. The Hermitage is the luxury offering in the area and the perfect place to take in the mountains without even leaving your room.
While we had been recommended several amazing walks, including Red Tarns and Kea Point, we were told that the Hooker Valley Track was our best bet as it was particularly windy and rainy – remember that rain jacket I told you you needed? Yeah, we needed ours for this particular day! Sadly, we weren’t able to walk the entire track, but on a clear day, it would be a really gorgeous hike, and I still highly recommend it!
There isn’t too much else around the Mount Cook area, so we enjoyed dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Alpine Restaurant, which features huge glass windows, allowing you to continue taking in the view of the mountains surrounding you. The restaurant offers buffet-style dining for both dinner and breakfast, and there is also a bar next door, which is the perfect spot to grab a drink after a hike.
Tekapo
The drive from Mount Cook to Tekapo is seriously stunning, we set out nice and early as we only had one night in Tekapo (next time I’ll try for two or three!). Our first stop of the day was one of my favourites of the trip – Roundhill Ski Area.
This ski field is one of the best-kept secrets of Tekapo and is kind of like the middle ground between Hanmer Springs Ski Area and Cardrona – it’s smaller than Cardrona and uses a T-Bar to get you to the top of the runs, and it was a really lovely little field. People who get there early enough can nab a car spot right on the field, and enjoy a picnic and BBQ right on the snow, it’s really unlike any other ski field I’ve ever seen and it’s now one of my favourites. This one is great for all skiers, though the black runs weren’t open while we there (which wasn’t an issue for me!), and has really great runs for beginners to intermediate skiers.
They also have a very cute little hut at the top of one of the runs where you can enjoy a drink, and the view has to be the best I’ve ever seen at a ski field. I wish we had more time here!
After skiing, what’s the best thing you can do? Head to Tekapo Springs, of course, and enjoy the hot pools! There are several pools here varying in temperature, with some being more kid-friendly and one being adults-only. The cool thing here is that you can spend a whole day here if you want to. Tekapo Springs has an ice skating rink and its own small snow tube park, which would be great fun for kids. For the adults wanting some peace and quiet, there’s also a spa so you can get a massage, facial, or enjoy a sauna session and then jump into the hot pools, sounds like a dreamy way to spend an afternoon.
We lucked out with our accommodation with Ranginui at Lake Tekapo, which brings back the romance of B&Bs that Airbnb has somewhat taken away from the experience. Ann-Marie and Sab were the perfect hosts, and the accommodation is beautiful. We didn’t have any other guests staying at the same time as us, which meant we didn’t have to share the communal living space, which features a fireplace, games, information about activities that you can do in the area, and an incredible view.
Ann-Marie is also a bit of a breakfast queen and cooked a beautiful breakfast for us, including poached eggs, bacon, and homemade muesli – 10/10!
One of the best parts about Ranginui at Lake Tekapo is that if you’re game to leave the curtains open overnight, you’ll be greeted by the most beautiful view when you wake up, as the sun hits the mountains across the lake.
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Tekapo is known for its star gazing, so no trip would be complete without organising a visit to the Dark Sky Project. We were slightly unlucky in that there was a bit of cloud around on the night that we’d booked, so if you can, I’d suggest staying for two nights and booking on the first night because they are really good about organising refunds or rebooking you to another session if yours isn’t looking particularly good.
While we’d booked the Summit Experience, the cloud meant we weren’t able to see enough stars from up there, so we changed to a later booking which was moved to be a Crater Experience. We still really enjoyed this and while the cloud was annoying, we were still able to see some stars and got a great view of the moon and Saturn.
If you want a slightly different experience, you can also book into Tekapo Springs for stargazing from the hot pools, which would be quite nice!
The weather wasn't playing ball for us the next day as well, sadly, but if you can, you can experience the most incredible views with a helicopter or small plane flight around the area with Air Safaris. They have many different tour options and are the best way to see the beautiful landscapes.
Yahoo Lifestyle was a guest of Tourism New Zealand and Klook.
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