Embrace the cooler months in New Zealand/Aotearoa and head down to South Island/Te Waipounamu for a range of exciting activities. From glaciers to stargazing, whale watching to train riding, all of South Island’s most inspiring winter adventures are all accessible through your Hertz rental car.
Marvel at Glaciers
The South Island is the perfect location to observe the majestic glaciers of New Zealand. Jump in your rental car, head to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and you’ll discover natural wonders both tall and deep. Home to the country’s tallest mountain, Mt Cook, the national park boasts not just hills and valleys, but also glacial gems both below and above the icy surface. Take a helicopter or ski-plane to make the most of the full glacial experience as they bring you to the park’s glacial landscape and the country’s largest glacier, the Tasman Glacier. Book a tour with Glacier Explorers Tour to learn more about the history of the fascinating ice structures from an expert guide and be prepared to be awed by these intriguing natural beasts of the landscape. For more glacier exploring, head to Mount Aspiring National Park and hike over the Rob Roy Glacier Track. Be amazed by the maze of alpine trails that lead you through the park and amongst the glaciers as they collide with the surrounding bush land and flora.
Explore by Train
Traverse the South Island from East Coast to West Coast aboard one of the world’s best train journeys. The TranzAlpine Train travels from Christchurch to Greymouth, crossing the snow-capped mountains and rugged landscapes of the Great Divide. Drive your rental car to Christchurch or Greymouth and hop aboard the train that takes you across 223 kilometres of unmatched vistas as you travel rural New Zealand. Sit back and relax with a meal and a drink at the Scenic Cafe, or observe the snow-filled ranges of mountains from the open-air viewing carriage. The TranzAlpine Train is a great option for making the most of the snow-strewn landscapes of this beautiful part of the world whilst staying cosy and comfortable as you’re transported throughout it. The journey takes just under five hours, so you can spend a day or two in Christchurch or Greymouth and then experience the delight of the scenery all over again as you take the train back to where you began.
Discover a Star-Filled Night Sky
At Lake Tekapo/Tākapo, embrace the night sky with spectacular sky-gazing. With better visibility due to lower humidity, the cooler months are the perfect time to observe the awe-inspiring natural light shows of the sky. The shorter days also make sky-gazing a popular winter activity, meaning that you don’t have to stay up as late to enjoy this incredible nighttime phenomenon. Atop Mount John at Lake Tekapo is the world’s largest International Dark Sky Reserve, situated at a 1029 metre peak. Take advantage of Dark Sky Project’s Summit Experience and be led by expert guides to discover all the stories and beauties of the Southern night sky. As well as observing the sky with the naked eye, you’ll also get the chance to awe at the intricacies of the galaxy through the observatory dome’s high-powered telescopes. A great experience for the whole family to enjoy, this star-gazing adventure is sure to be like nothing you’ve ever experienced under a night sky before.
Embrace the Ocean
Whilst winter may prove to be too cold to take a dip in the ocean of the South Island’s shores, it makes for the perfect time of year to be observing the marine creatures migrating through the ocean currents. Head to Kaikōura on the east coast of the South Island and watch the sperm whales and humpback whales swim right past you. These majestic beasts can be observed from the sky in a helicopter or from the water on a boat, and make for the perfect winter activity. Marine life is abundant in this part of the South Island, with the ocean that stretches out from the mainland filled with fascinating sea creatures. The sperm whales can be seen all year round in the waters around Kaikōura, whereas the humpback whales are a winter speciality, migrating from Antarctica to the warmer waters of New Zealand in June and July. There are even several species of dolphins that frequent these waters daily, making this experience of getting up close to marine life an incredible adventure for the entire family.
Whether it’s an adventure on land, onboard a train, above the water or atop a mountain, New Zealand’s South Island makes for the perfect getaway this winter season.
