New Zealand's southernmost province, Southland spans the breadth of the South Island. Much of its uniqueness and intrigue lies in the ever-changing backdrops - vistas so different, it's difficult to imagine you're in the same country, let alone the same province. The early Polynesians arrived in canoes about 1000 years ago from the Eastern Pacific. They named the southern region - Murihiku - which means, the whale's tale, the important end, the ruddler.

Spanning 3.1 million hectares, the province has more than 20 mountain ranges, 3,400km of coastline, hundreds of rivers and streams - and also enjoys more daylight hours than anywhere else in New Zealand. The province is home to two national parks - New Zealand's newest, Rakiura, covering most of Stewart Island and the country's largest, Fiordland, which has World Heritage status. Experience everything from towering rainforests, alpine tussocks, rolling fertile farmlands and golden beaches stretching as far as the eye can see. Southland's spectacular scenery, unique wildlife and rich heritage draws trampers, sightseers, adventurers, naturalists and culture buffs alike . It's like a dozen destinations rolled into one.

Invercargill: - the City of Water and Light Invercargill, the capital and the commercial heart of Southland's, is built around beautiful Queens Park - 80 hectares of gardens, wildlife and sporting fun including one of Invercargill's four 18-hole golf courses. The third largest city in the South Island and well known far and wide for its hospitality to visitors, Invercargill is favourably placed on the Southern Scenic Route and is the gateway to some of New Zealand's most beautiful scenery and destinations including the Southland heartland, Stewart Island, Fiordland and the Catlins.

The City of Water and Light buzzes with the prosperity of a thriving economy, offers an excellent range of shops, a focused business district, lively café/bars and restaurants and late night entertainment. The variety and number of heritage buildings in the city centre add to Invercargill's character. Invercargill is also well known for the Southland Museum and Art Gallery (encased in the largest pyramid in the Southern hemisphere) and chief among the attractions there are the live tuatara. Other displays include three exhibition galleries and the "Beyond the Roaring 40's Gallery".

Bluff : Pearl of the South - Home of the Bluff Oyster 30 Kms south, nestled above Foveaux Strait, is the port town, Bluff, home of the iconic Bluff Oyster and a series of short coastal and bush walks. Bluff is located at the bottom of the South Island, New Zealand, and is the 'Gateway to Stewart Island'. State highway 1 starts at Bluff's Stirling Point, an attraction in itself. Stirling Point is to New Zealand what Landsend is to Great Britain.

Bluff is unique in the fact that it is the oldest European settled town in New Zealand, added to that it has had a very colourful past. Bluff has a lot to offer the discerning traveller with attractions such as Bluff' Maritime Museum, Fred & Myrtles Paua house, panoramic views from viewing platform on top of Bluff Hill (Motupohe), and highly recommended walking tracks. Native birdlife can be seen, and fur seals and southern right whales, once hunted almost to extinction, are now regular visitors, particular in the winter months.

The Catlins:- A highlight on the Southern Scenic Route. The Catlins offers a glimpse of rural New Zealand set amid native forests, fringed by clay cliffs and golden beaches. It is a find for natural history buffs. Untouched forests host a range of native forest birds, like the tui, woodpigeon and bellbird, as well as the mohua, or yellowhead. Here, you'll find a world of waterfalls, including the tiered Purakaunui Falls, amongst the most photographed in the world.

This coastal stretch is home to an array of marine life - seals, sea lions and dolphins are regular visitors. Keep your eyes peeled, too, for the rare, but distinctive, hoiho, the yellow-eyed penguin. Nugget Point, with its lighthouse perched on a spur of land, provides a spectacular viewing platform while, at Curio Bay, watch the outgoing tide reveal a 180-million-year-old Jurassic forest - one of only three such accessible fossil forests in the world. Another low-tide attraction is Cathedral Caves. Etched by the sea over centuries, its entrance towers 30 metres above the beach. In all of your travels through The Catlins, there's only one reminder .... toitu te whenua .... leave the land undisturbed.

Stewart Island:- Stewart Island is New Zealand's third and southernmost island - an ecological wonderland, and one of New Zealand's best kept secrets that's only a 20-minute flight or one-hour ferry trip from the mainland. The significance of the land's unique flora and fauna was formally recognised with the establishment of Rakiura National Park, which spans most of the island's 157,000 hectares. The clamour of civilisation is replaced by rapturous birdsong and sounds of the sea. Nearby Ulva Island, a pest-free sanctuary, is popular with day trippers keen to spot the island's array of protected wildlife. Stewart Island is home to the largest and most diverse bird population in New Zealand and provides a rare opportunity to experience a kiwi in its natural habitat. Tramping tracks spread out from Halfmoon Bay and there are huts strategically placed throughout the northern and western areas of the island. Tall forest trees of kamahi and rimu, with the forest undergrowth comprising of lancewood, coprosmas, tree ferns and broadleaf. Parakeets, wood pigeons, fantails, kaka, tomtits and weka can often be seen on the local walks. Please see further details on our Activities/Sightseeing Packages for Stewart Island.

Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track:-The Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track is New Zealand's newest walking track and provides a wide variety of scenery during the three-day/two night walking experience. The track passes through landscapes that include coastline, the world famous Waitutu coastal marine terraces, podocarp and beech forest, to sub-apline settings and spectacular sandstone outcrops. Walkers see unique wildlife which include seals, Hector's dolphins and kea.The area is rich in history for both Maori and European cultures. Key attractions are the recently restored Percy Burn Viaduct and the Edwin, Sandhill and Francis Burn Viaducts.

Riverton:- Riverton is a seaside village situated on the Southern Scenic Route. The settlement is a popular holiday destination because of its safe beaches. Riverton is one of the oldest European settlements in New Zealand and was formally known as Jacobs River. Highlights of the area include bush walks, rich local history and exploring the surrounding coastline.