New Zealand’s South Island is a land of contrasts and spectacular scenic beauty. The South Island is the largest of the two main islands but the least densely populated and generally considered the more beautiful. The South Island is a more rugged and natural landscape with a temperate climate, golden beaches, dense rainforests, mountains, fjords, glaciers, lakes, and lush green valley’s bordering the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps that run along the length of the south island culminating with the highest peak Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3724 metres.

You can take part in helicopter flights to Fox Glacier and/or Franz Josef Glacier; take a boat cruise on the famous Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound or Dusky Sound; the coastline around Dunedin is rich in wildlife, including yellow-eyed penguins, the Northern Royal Albatross, fur seals and sea lions; or Queenstown, where adventure and outdoor activities abound at New Zealand’s adventure capital.

New Zealand South Island Weather

March is the beginning of Autumn with average daily temperatures around (7 to 21C) with some of the most settled weather throughout the whole year. Sunny days with mornings and evenings getting cooler, the days are shorter but a great time to be outdoors. The landscape with the richness of those golden hues of Autumn offers a striking contrast with azure waters and snowy mountain peaks.

November is late Spring with average daily temperatures around (5 to 19C) often with crisp, sunny days and cooler nights. It is almost perfect for the great outdoors without extreme weather conditions although well known for its four seasons in one day, packing layers from t-shirts for a hotter sunny day in Queenstown to fleeces for the mountain areas is advisable.