New Zealand South Island Multisport — Self-Launched

Land at Wellington Airport and take the Airport Flyer bus ($12) or a Super Shuttle into the CBD. Check into a hostel in Te Aro or Cuba Street — the YHA Wellington and Haka Lodge are solid budget picks. Spend the afternoon walking the waterfront, Te Papa museum (free) and Cuba Street. Pick up a Snapper card for local buses and sort your ferry tickets for tomorrow.

🚌Airport Flyer bus $12 (~£6); walking

🛏Hostel dorm, Wellington CBD (~£22)

• →Te Papa museum (free)
• →Wellington waterfront walk
• →Cuba Street food and coffee

Book an early Interislander or Bluebridge ferry across Cook Strait (~£30–45 booked in advance, 3.5 hrs) — the Marlborough Sounds approach is one of the world's great ferry rides. From Picton take an InterCity bus to Motueka or Marahau (~£15, 2.5 hrs). Overnight in Marahau at the Abel Tasman end of the park; small hostels and holiday park cabins there fill up in summer, so book ahead.

🚌Interislander ferry ~£35; InterCity bus Picton–Marahau ~£15

🛏Hostel or holiday park cabin, Marahau (~£28)

• →Cook Strait ferry crossing
• →Marlborough Sounds views

Book a guided half- or full-day kayak trip direct with one of the park's licensed operators (Abel Tasman Kayaks, Kaiteriteri Kayaks or Wilsons) — roughly £75–95 for a guided day including safety briefing, gear and water-taxi pickup. Paddle past Split Apple Rock, the Tonga Island seal colony and golden beaches, then return to Marahau by water taxi. Self-guided hire is cheaper (~£45) if you're confident on open water.

🚌Walking to kayak base; water taxi included with operator

🛏Hostel or holiday park cabin, Marahau (~£28)

• →Guided sea kayaking to Marahau
• →Tonga Island seal colony
• →Split Apple Rock

Morning walk a section of the Abel Tasman Coast Track (the Marahau–Anchorage stretch is free and takes ~4 hrs return with a water taxi out). Afternoon InterCity bus down the Buller Gorge to Westport and on to Punakaiki (~£30, ~5 hrs total with change). Stay at the Punakaiki holiday park or a hostel near the Pancake Rocks.

🚌InterCity bus Marahau–Punakaiki ~£30

🛏Hostel or holiday park, Punakaiki (~£25)

• →Abel Tasman Coast Track walk
• →Buller Gorge scenery

Visit the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes at high tide (free, 30–45 min loop). Bus south to Franz Josef (~£22, 3 hrs). En route stop at Okarito Lagoon if you have time — it's a tūī/white heron wetland and a short boardwalk detour. Check into a Franz Josef hostel and walk the free Franz Josef Glacier Valley track to the terminal moraine that afternoon.

🚌InterCity bus Punakaiki–Franz Josef ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm, Franz Josef (~£24)

• →Pancake Rocks and blowholes
• →Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk (free)

Pick your splurge: a heli scenic flight with snow landing (~£180–300) or the full heli-hike onto the glacier (~£300+), both bookable direct with the Franz Josef operators or via GetYourGuide. On a budget, the free Roberts Point Track (5–6 hrs return, swing bridges and glacier views) is superb. Cheaper alternatives include the Tatare Tunnels walk and the Callery Gorge track.

🚌Walking; free shuttle to glacier car park

🛏Hostel dorm, Franz Josef (~£24)

• →Roberts Point Track hike (free)
• →Optional heli-hike or scenic flight with snow landing
• →Tatare Tunnels walk

Take the InterCity bus over the Haast Pass to Wanaka (~£30, 5 hrs) — sit on the left for the waterfalls, Thunder Creek and Blue Pools stops. In Wanaka walk the Mount Iron track for a free sunset view over the lake, or hire a mountain bike (~£25/half day). Puzzling World is a fun rainy-day stop (~£12).

🚌InterCity bus Franz Josef–Wanaka ~£30

🛏Hostel dorm, Wanaka (~£26)

• →Haast Pass and Blue Pools
• →Mount Iron track (free)
• →Optional Puzzling World or mountain biking

Morning InterCity bus over the Crown Range to Queenstown (~£15, 1.5 hrs) — New Zealand's highest sealed road pass. Settle into a hostel (YHA Queenstown Lakefront or Nomads), then ride the Skyline Gondola (~£28) or hike the Tiki Trail for free, and walk the Queenstown Hill track for the classic lake view. Book tomorrow's Routeburn transport tonight.

🚌InterCity bus Wanaka–Queenstown ~£15

🛏Hostel dorm, Queenstown (~£28)

• →Crown Range drive
• →Tiki Trail or Skyline Gondola
• →Queenstown Hill walk (free)

The Routeburn day walk to Key Summit or the Routeburn Flats is free to walk — you only pay for the shuttle. Book a return track transport from Queenstown/Glenorchy (~£35–45) with Info & Track or a local shuttle, and carry lunch and rain gear. Key Summit (3–4 hrs return) delivers alpine views over the Humboldt and Hollyford valleys. Book shuttle seats a day or two ahead in summer.

🚌Shared shuttle Queenstown–Routeburn ~£40

🛏Hostel dorm, Queenstown (~£28)

• →Routeburn Track day hike to Key Summit
• →Fiordland alpine views

Adventure capital day: pick one big-ticket activity and book direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook — bungee (~£110–260), Shotover Jet (~£80), canyon swing (~£105), skydive (~£230–280) or paragliding (~£110). Or keep it cheap: walk the Frankton Arm track, swim in Lake Wakatipu and eat Fergburger. Reserve evening for a lakeside sunset and a hostel-cooked meal.

🚌Local buses or walking

🛏Hostel dorm, Queenstown (~£28)

• →Optional bungee, jet boat, canyon swing or skydive
• →Frankton Arm walk
• →Fergburger

Book a Milford Sound day excursion that departs from Queenstown or Te Anau (~£120–150 including coach, cruise and Fiordland National Park stops), or go cheaper by taking the InterCity bus to Te Anau (~£20) and joining a Te Anau-based coach-cruise combo (~£100). The nature cruise under Mitre Peak and Stirling Falls is the highlight. Overnight in Te Anau.

🚌Coach/bus Queenstown–Milford Sound–Te Anau (included in combo)

🛏Hostel dorm, Te Anau (~£24)

• →Milford Sound nature cruise
• →Fiordland National Park viewpoints
• →Mirror Lakes and Eglington Valley stops

Morning bus or InterCity connection from Te Anau toward Cromwell/Clyde (~£25, 3–4 hrs). Hire a bike in Clyde (~£35–45 for the afternoon, including shuttle back) and ride the historic Otago Rail Trail through the Manuherikia Gorge — a 42 km stretch to Omakau or Lauder with tunnels, viaducts and gold-rush towns. Overnight in Clyde or Alexandra.

🚌InterCity bus Te Anau–Clyde ~£25; bike hire ~£40

🛏Hostel or pub rooms, Clyde (~£26)

• →Otago Rail Trail cycling (42 km)
• →Historic Clyde village
• →Manuherikia Gorge

Take the InterCity bus from Alexandra/Clyde to Christchurch (~£28, 6 hrs) through the Lindis Pass. In Christchurch explore the earthquake-recovery street art, the Transitional Cathedral and the Riverside Market — a good self-launched stand-in for the tour's Christchurch walking moment. Evening: add a day's buffer if weather has delayed any transport.

🚌InterCity bus Clyde–Christchurch ~£28

🛏Hostel dorm, Christchurch (~£24)

• →Lindis Pass scenery
• →Christchurch street art walk
• →Riverside Market

Ride the scenic Coastal Pacific rail line or InterCity bus north to Kaikoura (~£18, 2.5 hrs). Join a Dolphin Encounter swim-with-dusky-dolphins tour (~£75–95, book direct or via GetYourGuide) or the cheaper dolphin-watching option (~£50). If you're short on time, continue to Picton instead for an easier final ferry day. Overnight Kaikoura hostel.

🚌Coastal Pacific train or InterCity bus Christchurch–Kaikoura ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm, Kaikoura (~£24)

• →Swim with dusky dolphins
• →Kaikoura Peninsula walkway (free)
• →Seal colony at Point Kean

Morning InterCity bus Kaikoura to Picton (~£14, 2 hrs) and the afternoon Interislander ferry back to Wellington (~£35). Allow 4–5 hrs for the full connection and don't book a flight out before evening. If you're staying on, Wellington's craft-beer bars on Cuba Street are a fine finish.

🚌InterCity bus ~£14; Interislander ferry ~£35

🛏Not included (onward travel or hostel ~£22 if staying)

• →Marlborough Sounds ferry crossing
• →Cuba Street evening