If you really want to experience the scenic beauty of New Zealand, then doing a wilderness tour through the southland of New Zealand will be an experience you will never forget. This is a 1 week sample itinerary which should give you a good idea of what to do and where to stay during the wilderness trip.

Day 1: From Christchurch you travel along the foothills of the Southern Alps. After lunch in Lake Tekapo you travel to a high country sheep station from where you walk to a comfortable mountain hut high above the lake. After 2 hours walking you will arrive at the hut.

Day 2: The “Mackenzie High Country Walk” leads you along an easily graded ridge line that you follow as far as Mount Hope 6,800ft/2,070m with panoramic views across the vast Mackenzie Basin to Mount Cook and the Southern Alps. Return to hut and to Lake Tekapo. 6-8 hours walking. There is private bed and breakfasts to stay for the night.

Day 3: Travel via Lake Pukaki to Mount Cook National Park and World Heritage Area, where you have the choice of a walk up the Hooker Valley, up to the Sealy Tarns/Mueller hut, or a climb of Mount Sebastapol. A scenic flight is optional. 3-5 hours walking. Over night you can stay at a Mount Cook motel.

Day 4: You complete one of the walks not done yesterday before travelling on to Lake Wanaka via Lindis Pass. There is a range of Wanaka accommodation to stay the night.

Day 5: Travel to Te Anau, the start of Fiordland national Park and World Heritage Area. Walk the southern end of the Kepler Track to Lake Manapouri. 3-4 hours walking. There are a variety of motels to stay.

Day 6: Sail across Lake Te Anau in a ketch and walk the northern end of the Kepler Track to Luxmore nut. Panoramic views of Lake Te Anau, its fiords and the mountains beyond. For the very fit, a climb of Mt Luxmore (1478m) is possible. 6-7 hours walking. Again, there are a number of motels.

Day 7: Appreciate Fiordland’s amazing geology on one of two possible walks: to Gertrude Saddle for views across the fiordland mountains and down to Milford Sound: or to a high alpine lake with plunging waterfalls. 4 hours. Drive on to Milford Sound which was rated as one of the best tourist attractions on the travel site TripAdvisor.com along with the adventure capital of New Zealand – Queenstown.