kirra tours new zealand

Southern Dream - South Island Tours

Starts in Christchurch

Ends in Christchurch

Southern Dream Tour

Welcome to the Southern Dream Tour, a 9 days, 8 nights small-group tour through the best of New Zealand's South Island. This extraordinary South Island tour promises a once-in-a-lifetime journey through New Zealand's unmatched landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich cultural heritage.

Welcome to the Southern Dream Tour, a 9 days, 8 nights small-group tour through the best of New Zealand's South Island. This extraordinary South Island tour, starting and finishing in Christchurch, promises a once-in-a-lifetime journey through New Zealand's unmatched landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich cultural heritage.

Our South Island tour of New Zealand starts and ends in the 'Garden City' of Christchurch. Our tour encapsulates the very best of this enchanting region. From epic mountains and the rugged West Coast to dreamy lost worlds of the fiords, we welcome you aboard.

Our tour of New Zealand's South Island offers you a great variety of vibrant city life, historic towns, and your fair share of mesmerizing nature. Our luxury bus tour takes you through remarkable destinations, including Christchurch, Dunedin, Te Anau, Queenstown, Haast, and Franz Josef, each offering a unique blend of culture, history, and landscapes.

Experience the iconic Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise, the thrilling TranzAlpine Train ride, and a visit to the captivating Larnach Castle. From exploring heritage sites in Oamaru to uncovering the tranquillity of Lake Matheson and marvelling at the majestic Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, every day holds a new adventure!

Relax and enjoy our New Zealand South Island Bus tour with our experienced tour guide, with comfortable accommodations and delightful meals included. Our small group south island tours promises an intimate and unforgettable New Zealand experience, filled with rich memories and spectacular sights.

Join us on the 9-Day Southern Dream Tour and witness the very best that New Zealand's South Island has to offer. Each day brings a new destination, a new experience, and a new memory, making this South Island trip a journey of a lifetime!

Itinerary of the 9-Day Southern Dream Tour

• Experienced Tour Guide
• Small Group Tour - Max 24
• Luxury Coach Travel
• 8 nights' Accommodation
• 8 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 5 Dinners
• TranzAlpine Train Experience
• Greenstone and Glass Blowing Factory visit
• Seafood Experience in Haast
• Scenic Trip through the spectacular Haast Pass
• Blue Pools Walk
• Visit Arrowtown and Wanaka
• Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise
• Hokonui Moonshine Museum
• Larnach Castle visit
• Moeraki Boulders

Season 2024 - 2025

• Single: NZ$6,495
• Twin-share: NZ$5,395

Prices per person, in New Zealand Dollar (NZD).

Amazing Views on this 9-Day South Island Tour

This is why so many travellers love to travel with kirra.

Travellers worldwide have fond memories and love sharing stories of their Kirra South Island Tours. We have been creating memorable New Zealand experiences since 1968. Our passion for this country is displayed through our unique itineraries.

See what's included in our Southern Dream Tour: 9-day New Zealand South Island Tour.

Superior Accommodation

8 nights accommodation in high-end hotels

Premium Coach

luxury coach and world-class tour guide

Small Group Tour

minimum of 9 travellers, maximum: 28

8 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 5 dinners included

Itinerary of the 9-day South Island Tour

Day 1: Arrival day to Christchurch

Haere Mai (Welcome) to your New Zealand journey which begins in Christchurch, also known as the Garden City thanks to the lush parks dotted around the city.

Check in to your hotel and spend the afternoon wandering the city streets to discover hidden eateries, indulge in some retail therapy in the city’s shopping district or hop on the tourist tram and explore the city sights. This evening you’ll have dinner at the hotel and meet your Guide and your new travelling companions.

Arrival: Anytime

Visit: Christchurch

Accommodation: Distinction Christchurch (or similar)

Meals Included: Dinner (arrival time-dependent)

Day 2: Christchurch to Dunedin

After breakfast this morning, we’ll continue our South Island tour down the east coast. We’ll pass through the township of Oamaru, home to some of the best-preserved heritage buildings in New Zealand before heading onto the mystical Moeraki Boulders.

Geological marvels that began to form about 60 million years ago, the Moeraki boulders were exposed by the erosion of sedimentary rocks over time and now stand along the beach as though they are sentinels guarding the coastline.

We’ll arrive in Dunedin with plenty of time for a rest and some exploration of the Scottish City.

Visit: Christchurch, Oamaru, Moeraki Boulders, Baldwin Street, Dunedin

Optional Activities: Speight’s Brewery Tour, Dunedin Train Station, Yellow Eyed Penguin Tour

Accommodation: Scenic Dunedin City or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: Dunedin to Te Anau

This morning we’ll visit the famous Larnach Castle of Dunedin, the only castle in the country. We’ll explore the area, stroll through the magnificent gardens and enjoy the amazing views before departing for our next destination.

We’ll make a stop in Gore where we’ll explore Gore’s colourful past as a centre for illicit whisky distilling and bootlegging at the Hokonui Moonshine Museum. Learn about the adventures of the Scottish settlers and their exploits to avoid run-ins with the law and taste Old Hokonui made from the original recipe.

Later, we’ll drive to our destination for the evening, Te Anau - the gateway to Fiordland National Park and the spectacular Doubtful Sound.

Visit: Gore, Te Anau

Activitiy: Larnach Castle, Hokonui Moonshine Museum

Accommodation: Distinction Luxmore Te Anau (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: Te Anau via Doubtful Sound to Queenstown

Departing Te Anau this morning we’ll travel to Manapouri, where we’ll take a leisurely cruise across the lake to West Arm. This is followed by a short coach trip on New Zealand's most expensive road, travelling over Wilmot Pass and pausing along the way to experience the dense rainforest in Fiordland National Park and view the Doubtful Sound glistening below.

At Deep Cove, we’ll board a modern catamaran and set sail into the majestic fiord - a sight that is sure to take your breath away. Listen to the onboard commentary for an insight into the region’s history as you view the towering mountain ranges and soak up the breathtaking views of this unique and beautiful area of New Zealand. Keep an eye out for local wildlife, as penguins, seals and dolphins all enjoy spending time in the sound!

After exploring the magic of Fiordland National Park, we’ll make our way to the alpine resort of Queenstown where we’ll spend the next two nights.

Visit:: Lake Manapouri, West Arm, Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound, Queenstown

Activity: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise

Accommodation: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Day at leisure in Queenstown

Today is yours to experience Queenstown, a picturesque alpine resort town known for its vast array of adventure activities. If you’d like to explore the area, we recommend taking a ride on the world-famous Shotover Jet Boat or taking a trip to the gold mining area of Skippers Canyon.

For the best views of the town, travel to the top of Bob’s Peak by gondola and have lunch at the Skyline restaurant, why not make your way to the bungy centre to watch people hurling themselves off cliffs - bungy is a NZ invention after all!

Alternatively, make your way to the lakeside and enjoy a refreshing drink or stroll through Queenstown’s lush park. It's a great way to relax and enjoy world-class food on this part of the leg of our South Island bus tour

Day 6: Queenstown to Haast

This morning we’ll get to see some incredible scenery as we travel through Arrowtown, a picturesque village steeped in fascinating history relating to New Zealand's gold mining era.

Next, we’ll visit Wanaka, a popular township on the lake's edge with a spectacular mountain backdrop where we’ll enjoy lunch and spend some time enjoying the views.

Departing Wanaka, we’ll make our way north towards the east coast and the small town of Haast, a UNESCO world heritage site and home to the famous Haast River. This evening we’ll enjoy a group dinner together at our hotel.

Visit: Wanaka, Arrowtown, Haast

Accommodation: Heartland Haast (or similar)

Day 7: Haast to Franz Josef

Your coach travels north along the coast of the Westland National Park this morning, we’ll travel to the home of the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. The West Coast is a remarkable part of the country that is shaped by dynamic glaciers and boasts lush rainforests that grow beneath towering mountains.

We’ll stop in Fox Glacier, where we can hike the gentle 2.6km track around Lake Matheson. Nestled amongst ancient forests and famous for mirror views of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mount Tasman, Lake Matheson aka Mirror Lake is a serene and beautiful place to enjoy a stroll. This evening, we’ll spend the night in the township of Franz Josef, surrounded by rainforests and mountains, and enjoy a delicious group dinner together.

Visit: Franz Josef, Fox Glacier, Lake Matheson

Accommodation: Scenic Franz Josef (or similar)

Day 8: Franz Josef to Christchurch

This morning our bus tour of New Zealand's South Island departs Franz Josef and travel north to the artistic town of Hokitika, famous for its beautiful Greenstone. We’ll visit the Greenstone and Glass-Blowing factory to see the work of some talented local artists before continuing to Greymouth, a historic town known for jade hunting and gold mining.

From Greymouth, we’ll board the Tranzalpine train, considered one of the world’s greatest one-day train journeys. Prepare to be blown away by epic vistas of forests, rolling plains and the snow-capped Southern Alps! At the end of the journey, we’ll transfer to our hotel in Christchurch, where we’ll enjoy a farewell meal together on our final tour evening.

Visit: Hokitika, Greymouth, Christchurch

Activity: Greenstone and Glass Blowing Factory visit, TranzAlpine Train Journey

Accommodation: Distinction Hotel Christchurch (or similar)

Day 9: Christchurch Departure Day

Today is the final day of the South Island tour, our trip has come to an end. Enjoy breakfast before saying a fond farewell to your tour leader and all your travel companions.

Whether you’re travelling home today or staying in Christchurch for longer, we hope you leave this tour with some happy memories and friends for life.

What Travellers Say About Kirra

"Throughly enoyed it"

"Thank you very much, as it was fantastic, made more-so by our guide/driver who could not have done more. His constant knowledgeable commentary, driving skills, and concern for everyone of us was exceptional."

"It was such a nice trip with you"

"We had a wonderful experience. Our driver was a highly experienced bus driver, knowledgeable and proud of all things Kiwi, who took care of every one of the passengers."

"It was fantastic. Beautiful drive, all arranged by Kirra Tours."

"I had the pleasure of one of your tours of the South Island. A beautiful country, lovely bunch of people on Coach. The best travel break I made from Ireland..."

"We had a brilliant time and were very lucky with the weather, particularly when we did some of the extracurricular activities."

Michael & Yvonne

"We were in Arrowtown with Kirra Tours. The autumn colours were marvellous."

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7-Day Northern Explorer Tour: from Auckland to Wellington

9-Day Southern Dream: starts & ends in Christchurch

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17-Day Ultimate New Zealand: explore both islands

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Visit your local travel agent or contact us directly to make a booking.

Southern Dream Tour: 9-Day New Zealand South Island Tours

Experience the best of New Zealand's South Island on our 9-Day Southern Dream Tour. We have created a tour based on our perfect South Island itinerary. Explore vibrant cities, breathtaking landscapes, and iconic attractions like Doubtful Sound, TranzAlpine Train, and Larnach Castle. Join us for an unforgettable journey filled with history, culture, and natural beauty.

Start your coach tour of New Zealand's South Island by diving into Christchurch's vibrant city life and beautiful gardens. We then, travel south to discover the preserved heritage of Oamaru and the natural wonder of the Moeraki Boulders. Journey further to explore the Scottish charm of Dunedin, before stepping into a world of Scottish settlers' adventures in Gore and uncovering the tranquillity of Te Anau.

Experience the grandeur of the Doubtful Sound with a breathtaking wilderness cruise, revealing a world of towering mountains and local wildlife. Spend a day leisurely exploring Queenstown, the adventure capital, offering thrilling activities from bungee jumping to tranquil lake strolls.

The South Island Tour continues to enchant you with a picturesque journey through Arrowtown and Wanaka, leading you to the stunning wilderness of Haast. Relish the majestic Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, get lost in the serene beauty of Lake Matheson, and explore the artistic town of Hokitika. Cap off this enchanting tour with the awe-inspiring TranzAlpine train journey, one of the world's greatest one-day train rides, before winding down in Christchurch.

With an experienced guide, comfortable luxury coach travel, and boutique accommodation, you can relax and immerse yourself fully in the New Zealand experience. The tour includes 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 4 dinners, with highlights like the seafood experience in Haast and a farewell dinner in Christchurch. Visit attractions such as the Larnach Castle, Hokonui Moonshine Museum, Moeraki Boulders, and so much more!

Come, explore, and fall in love with New Zealand on our 9-Day New Zealand tour for seniors of the South Island. Experience the essence of New Zealand's South Island - where every day unveils a new adventure, a stunning landscape, and an unforgettable memory!

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9 Day Southern Dream

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Embark on an exhilarating 10-day, 9-night adventure across the captivating landscapes of Aotearoa/New Zealand.

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Embark on a 17-day epic small-group tour across New Zealand. From the vibrant city life in Auckland, the geothermal wonders…

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Kirra Tours - North & South Tour

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Tour Overview

Day by Day Itinerary

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Discover Maori culture in Rotorua and tour the sights and harbour lights of Auckland, ample fine wines in sunny Hawkes Bay, wander Napier's Art Deco streetscapes cruise the Cook Strait from charming Wellington, to sunny Nelson. Spend a day cruising the length of the Abel Tasman National Park. Packed with included activities, this 10-day luxury coach journey from Auckland to Christchurch offers you the taste of New Zealand you have been thirsting for.

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Explore hidden gems on our luxury Coach tours in New Zealand with Kirra Tours New Zealand.

The best holiday in New Zealand is all about balance. Our meticulously planned group tour itineraries are the perfect mix – being fully inclusive for a stress-free experience, with enough time set aside for individual exploration.

When you’re on the road, you want to be able to relax and enjoy yourself. You don’t have time for stress or annoyance—you just want to get away from it all and do something fun!

That’s why Kirra Tours New Zealand provide you with a worry-free experience. When travelling on any of our luxury coach holidays, we take care of everything so you can enjoy a relaxed and worry-free escape, and start enjoying yourself from the moment you arrive.

These are the perfect bus tours in New Zealand for seniors and those over 50. Check out more about travelling New Zealand over 50 here: Senior tours in New Zealand. 

Hop on the bus and get ready for an adventure!

Why travel on our Kirra tours in New Zealand?

Relax in Stylish Surroundings

When you’re on a holiday, you want to feel at home. You want to be surrounded by things that make you smile, and you want to have access to all the amenities you need to rest and relax. That’s why we’ve chosen our accommodations with care. We know that as much as we love exploring new places, we also love coming back to a place that feels like home. The kind of service and luxury you deserve after a long day hiking or exploring.

Fantastic local food

We know what you’re thinking: “I’m on a coach tour. How can I possibly enjoy good local food?” We hear you, and we’re here to tell you that it’s not only possible but totally delicious. Many of the Kirra tours include sumptuous evening meals as well as speciality dining experiences, but on the nights when dinner has not been included we encourage you to seek out and enjoy the great variety of bistros, cafes, and restaurants that offer indoor and al-fresco dining. After all, discovering new and exciting places to eat is a fun part of any travel experience!

We can’t wait to show you the sights.

Our New Zealand small group tours are the perfect way to get a taste of the country’s best sights, but they’re also great for something a little more adventurous. Holidays are a great time to try something new, but the best things in life often involve the unexpected. That’s why we believe it is important to have the right balance between a full, well-organised itinerary, and the freedom to do your own thing. On every coach tour holiday, there is plenty of time and flexibility for your own exploring or relaxing.

All our tours include the ‘must-see’ highlights of New Zealand plus many exclusive extras. With a fantastic mix of cultural and general sightseeing activities, our holidays offer excitement, leisure, and adventure in their various forms, and you can put them together however you like to end up with the experience you want! Our fully customisable Independent Tour packages let you create the perfect itinerary to suit you.

We visit both the north and south island on tour. We have tours specialising in either island or take a longer trip and see both islands on one adventure.

Our knowledgeable tour guide will teach you more about each area you visit in New Zealand on tour. Find out more about how Milford Sound become so perfectly formed, or why Rotorua smells like eggs. Our guide will give you the low down!

With a maximum of 24 people on the bus, this is a small group tour of New Zealand.

If you are travelling solo in New Zealand, this is the ideal tour as you will meet new people and travel as a group. Read more about travelling solo in NZ here: Tours for solo travel in New Zealand. 

Travelling is about more than just the usual sightseeing. It’s about experiencing the unexpected, and we know that’s what makes it so exciting.

There’s nothing quite like travelling across New Zealand by a luxury coach, especially when you’re doing it with a group of like-minded travellers with our Kirra tour.

We’ve got something for everyone: from the adrenaline junkies to the history buffs and nature lovers. And if you’re looking for a special experience in New Zealand Kirra Tours can make it happen.

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10 Day Auckland to Christchurch Tour

Explore New Zealand, spend time in geothermal hotpots in the North Island, sip wine in an acclaimed New Zealand vineyard and explore the glorious top of the South Island.

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Travel Auckland to Christchurch on our luxury coach tour which includes the Tranzalpine train crossing.

7 Day Northern Explorer Tour

7 day itinerary around the North Island of New Zealand with hand-chosen highlights designed to see more, do more, and experience it all first hand.

9 Day Southern Dream Tour

Our wonderful South Island tour includes eight nights of quality accommodation, transport by luxury coach, and a ride on the world-famous Tranzapline train.

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Thoughts on Kirra Tours? - South Island Forum

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We are considering this 9 day tour of theirs:

https://www.kirratours.co.nz/coach-tours/southern-dream/#tour-info

Followed by us self driving the northern part of South Island for 4 days. I don't see any recent posts about the company here. Are they well regarded? Does this look like a good tour?

7 replies to this topic

Kirra are a long established company, although I have no personal knowledge of them myself.

We're ok with that. We know we need 3 weeks to come close to doing the island "well", this is going to have to do it for us.

Thanks for the confirm that they are well established.

Trip has concluded and we had an excellent time. It was fast paced, as Selsy suggested. We believe it was well designed for older, less active visitors — we, in our late 50s/lower 60s were the youngest on the bus of 16 travelers, and had to look hard for more active things to do each day, like early morning walks or skipping lunch to do a short hike instead, but the rest of our crew felt the trip was perfect, and I expect had we done a bit more research we wouldn’t have been surprised by this.

We added on an all day Mt. Cook excursion on the day before the tour started (thru Cheeky Kiwi) which was more our style with longer hikes with more exertion, and we will have two more day trips with CK out of Auckland coming up, too.

Glad to hear you enjoyed yourselves. Are you happy that you did the tour rather than self-drive and plan your own itinerary like you do in Iceland?

We are happy with this choice. The “wrong” side of the road issue here still feels important. That, combined with the driver needing to concentrate on the road and being unable to see every waterfall, or spindly-legged just born lamb because of that has confirmed that we were happier to have someone else do the driving.

Yes it is a lot more relaxing having someone else who knows the road doing the driving. Hope the rest of your trip goes well.

#6 i met travellers and guides form active adventures today - sound like the perfect tour for you. options include hiking, biking, swimming, snorkelling, paddling on their trips

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