Queenstown sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu beneath the Remarkables mountain range and is known as the adventure capital of the world. It was here that commercial bungy jumping began. Visitors ride the Skyline Gondola, jet boat the Shotover River, ski in winter and enjoy a lively food and wine scene.

Arrowtown is a charming historic gold-mining town near Queenstown, founded after gold was found in the Arrow River in 1862. Its tree-lined main street has preserved 19th-century cottages and shops. The restored Chinese Settlement recalls the Chinese miners who worked the goldfields, and autumn colours here are spectacular.

Lake Wanaka is a glacier-carved lake in the Southern Lakes region, framed by the mountains of Mount Aspiring National Park. The town of Wanaka is a relaxed base for hiking, skiing and water sports. The lone willow tree growing in the water, known as "That Wanaka Tree", is one of New Zealand's most photographed sights.

Roys Peak rises 1,578 metres above Lake Wanaka and is famous for its sweeping summit-ridge view over the lake and surrounding peaks. The track is about 16 km return and climbs steadily through farmland. The viewpoint just below the summit is one of the most photographed spots in New Zealand. The track closes for lambing each spring.

Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park is New Zealand's most famous fiord, carved by glaciers during ice ages. Mitre Peak rises nearly 1,700 metres straight from the water, and waterfalls such as Stirling Falls plunge down sheer cliffs. Boat cruises and kayaks reveal seals, penguins and dolphins. It is part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area.

Doubtful Sound is a remote and wild fiord in Fiordland, three times longer than Milford Sound and far quieter. Reaching it involves a boat across Lake Manapouri and a drive over Wilmot Pass. Its deep, still waters are home to bottlenose dolphins, fur seals and Fiordland crested penguins, surrounded by rainforest-clad mountains.