Where to Take Your Rental Car in New Zealand - South Island

Visiting the South Island of New Zealand is like entering a Hollywood movie set… literally. Many blockbusters have been filmed there due to it's vast uninhabited spaces and low resident and visitor populations, not to mention the stark natural beauty. The best way to see the South Island is the same as the way to see the North Island. Once you are in New Zealand, rent a car.

There are a few different ways to arrive on the South Island. One can fly into Christchurch or take an Interislander ferry from Wellington and dock in Picton, on the north end of the island. We will start our tour in Picton, assuming a trip across Cook Strait from the North Island. It is simple to take your New Zealand rental car or campervan onto the ferry and enjoy your cruise.

Don't be in too big a hurry to leave Picton. There is an entire intricate waterway there in the Marlborough Sounds that even Captain Cook did not see all of, and he didn't have a rental car to explore New Zealand!. When you are ready, head west to Nelson, which is a favorite vacation spot for New Zealanders due to its equitable climate and high sunshine rate (the highest in NZ!). There are beaches, forests, and national parks all within easy reach of Nelson.

Heading down the coast through Greymouth will take you to two of the biggest glaciers in the country, Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier. If you've got the money, try the helicopter tour to the top of Franz Josef. Further south you will come to Queenstown and Fjordland National Park. In Queenstown, there are multiple opportunities for jet boats, kayaking, and more helicopter tours of the Southern Alps. Don't forget the New-Zealand invented bungee jumping and rapids-surfing.

Glacial Fjordland is so vast and rugged, it has not yet been fully explored. Covering 3 million acres, there are endless places to hike or tramp. Don't go too far in unless you know what you're doing. Seriously!

Invercargill, on the southern tip of the island, is your gateway to Steward Island, which like Invercargill and nearby Dunedin, have strong Scottish cultural influences. These towns can be a great place to pick up your New Zealand rental car, if you haven't gotten one already.

Head north to Dunedin, which has become a major center of eco-tourism due to the region's unique wildlife and the accessibility of the nearby Otago peninsula. Dunedin proudly proclaims itself as the Wildlife Capital of New Zealand. They have a saying, "seals for breakfast, albatross for lunch, penguins for dinner." That refers less to the cuisine, and more to the variety one can observe actually within the city limits.

Drive your New Zealand rental car back up the coast to Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island. Christchurch, founded by English settlers, retains the strongest English influence of any city in New Zealand. There are more than enough sites in the city itself to justify spending multiple days seeing the bulk of them. On the way back north to Marlborough Sounds, be sure to stop in Kaikoura to see the whales.

From glaciers to mountains to islands, bays, beaches, and beyond, you will not regret renting a car and seeing the beautiful country of New Zealand. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Matt Ream is the travel content editor at Global Cars 4 Hire. To learn more about Renting a car in New Zealand, or discount car rental anywhere in the world, please visit our site.

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