Sea lions, yellow-eyed penguins, Hector's dolphins, a 180 million-year-old petrified forest, lakes and coastal villages to explore.
If that’s not good reason to give yourself ample time to absorb the 440 kilometre Southern Scenic Route between Dunedin and Te Anau, then imagine this itinerary:
Starting from the bottom end, explore Lake Te Anau on a cruise or on a scenic flight, and don't miss the local wildlife centre with its rare flightless takahe.
Between here and Invercargill, our most southern city, are the settlements of Manapouri (with launch trips to Doubtful Sound and walking excursions into Fiordland), and the old fishing village of Riverton with its seafood cafes.
A highlight of this route is the Catlins Coast with its sweeping beaches and spectacular cliffs.
A 'must stop' is Curio Bay where, at low tide, a petrified forest is exposed on a rock shelf. This amazing example of a Jurassic fossil forest is one of the geological wonders of the world.
Nugget Point, with its picturesque lighthouse, is the only place in New Zealand where you'll find elephant seals, sea lions, fur seals and even a gannet colony in the one spot.
And make sure you stop at Porpoise Bay where the rare and graceful Hector's dolphin swim close to the beach.
Just north of Papatowai, walk through the beech forests filled with birdlife to Purakaunui Falls; one of the most photographed waterfalls in New Zealand.
The Southern Scenic Route continues on through the towns of Balclutha and Milton, before finishing with a Scottish welcome at Dunedin.