The South Island is the larger of the two New Zealand islands and is sometimes called the mainland. The South Island has some impressive scenery and some wonderful places to visit, with a large variety of attractions and activities. The largest city in the South Island is Christchurch, known as the 'Garden City' because of its many beautiful gardens, and its tree-lined streets.

Queenstown, known as the adventure capital of New Zealand, is a great location from which to explore Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park. New Zealand's glaciers by and large are located in the Southern Alps near the Main Divide. The South Island is also home to eight of the ten biggest lakes in New Zealand. Marlborough is New Zealand's largest grape growing and wine making region and is blessed with a year-round sunny climate and regularly records the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand.

Nearly all of the wineries welcome visitors for tasting sessions and many have a cafe or restaurant on site. Greymouth is the major town on the West Coast and the terminus for the TranzAlpine rail journey from Christchurch.

The overall climate of New Zealand is influenced by two main geographic features: the mountains and the ocean. Although its northern reaches enjoy a temperate climate, weather can change quickly across the country as weather fronts and tropical cyclones travel through this region of the South Pacific frequently. Temperatures are generally warmer in the north than in the south, however, the climate differences can to be minuscule.

In the summer months (Dec-Feb) the average high temps are in the low 70's F (21º C), while in the winter months (Jun-Aug) the average highs are near 40º F (4º C). The far-northern reaches of North Island experience sub-tropical weather throughout the year and freezing conditions are quite rare.

The autumn months (Mar-May), are a bit cooler than summer, but for most of the time, the weather is refreshing, with clear, crisp air. Moderately high rainfall is common (25 to 59 inches per year), but so are many hours of sunshine throughout the country. In fact, many places in New Zealand receive over 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.

Trains
The New Zealand train system is run by Tranzrail and just covers a few routes, the Northerner from Auckland to Wellington, the Southerner from Picton to Invercargill and the scenic Tranzalpine, which goes from Christchurch to Greymouth.

Campervan
New Zealand offers a vast variety of rental campervans and motor homes. Travelling by motor home is the perfect way to see New Zealand because you go where and when you wish no matter how remote the place is you wish to explore, you will always be assured to always have a place to sleep and be able to cook. It is recommended that you book your campervan many months in advance, especially if you are visiting between November and April, as this is the busiest period.