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Christchurch - Fiordland - Christchurch

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Day 5 : Stewart Island to Te Anau

Travel time is approximate only, based on an average driving speed under normal road conditions.

	Travel Time	Km	(Miles)
Stewart Island - Invercargill	1 hr	72	45
Invercargill - Te Anau	2 hrs	157	98
Totals for Day	3 hrs	229	143

Stewart Island - Invercargill

72 km (45 miles)
Approximately 1 hour
Road Conditions: State Highway/By Sea

Much of Stewart Island (in Maori, Rakiura) was recently declared New Zealand's newest national park. Visitors come to the island to enjoy nature at its wildest.

Highlights include spotting kiwis on Ocean Beach, walking amidst the birds on Ulva Island and hiking the tracks through the park. Oban, the only major town, offers a variety of accommodation from hotel rooms to lodge retreats. For a potted history of Stewart Island, visit the local museum.

Air and ferry services bridge the gap across Foveaux Strait. The flight to Invercargill airport takes only 20 minutes. The ferry trip, which at times can be rough, takes about an hour.

Invercargill is Southland's principal centre and the country's southernmost city. It is known for its elegant old department stores and wide, easy-to-navigate streets.

Local food specialties include Bluff Oysters and blue cod. The museum has a tuatara house and an excellent exhibition about New Zealand's subantarctic islands. Take a stroll around the gardens, aviary and duck ponds of Queens Park.

Invercargill - Te Anau

157 km (98 miles)
Approximately 2 hours
Road Conditions: State Highway

Invercargill is Southland's principal centre and the country's southernmost city. It is known for its elegant old department stores and wide, easy-to-navigate streets. Local food specialties include Bluff Oysters and blue cod.

Choose between two routes to reach Te Anau. The longer, wilder route takes you past Riverton, one of the oldest settlements in New Zealand, and then on to Tuatapere and Clifden, where you can investigate caves and discover the historic suspension bridge. Visit spectacular Lake Manapouri before you arrive in Te Anau.

The quicker route takes you across farmland to Gore. At the Hokonui Moonshine Museum you can learn about the region's illicit whisky-making past.

Then you'll travel across the river plain to Lumsden. Stop in Mandeville if you'd like to fly in a Tiger Moth.

Te Anau township sits on the shores of Lake Te Anau. From here, the delights of the Fiordland National Park are within easy reach, including the start of the world famous Milford Track. Cruise on the lakes, walk the tracks and explore the Te Ana-au Caves.