The Southern Alps and Fiordland: Places to Explore

Arrowtown lies northeast of Queenstown. Jack Tewa, or Maori Jack, as he was known, found gold along the Arrow River in 1861, and when William Fox, an American, was seen selling large quantities of the precious... Read more

Just 20 minutes south of Te Anau, Lake Manapouri has long had the reputation as one of New Zealand's prettiest lakes. The lake is unspoiled, hemmed by high mountains and studded by many bush-covered islands... Read more

You will know you have reached the Mackenzie Country after you cross Burkes Pass and the woodland is suddenly replaced by high-country tussock grassland, which is full of lupines in the summer months... Read more

Set on the edge of the glacial Lake Wakatipu, with stunning views of the sawtooth peaks of the Remarkables mountain range, Queenstown is the most popular tourist stop in the South Island. Once prized by... Read more

Lake Te Anau (tay-ah-no), which is 53 km (33 mi) long and up to 10 km (6 mi) wide, is the largest lake in New Zealand after Lake Taupo. The town of Te Anau, on the southern shores, serves as a base for... Read more

A service town to its core, Twizel was built in 1968 as a base for workers constructing a major hydroelectric power plant. When the hydroelectric scheme wrapped up, the residents fought to keep their town... Read more

On the southern shore of Lake Wanaka, with some of New Zealand's most striking mountains behind it, Wanaka is the welcome mat for Mt. Aspiring National Park. It's a favorite of Kiwis on vacation, an alternative... Read more