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Key facts
- Suggested duration
- 3 days
- Start
- Invercargill
- Finish
- Riverton
- Travel style
- Road trip
Checked against official sources on 26 September 2026. Confirm with the official source before you go.
Use Invercargill for arrival and a Bluff day visit, then move once to Riverton for a short reserve outing, keeping island crossings out of the schedule.
This is a suggested itinerary, not a booked package or a guarantee that roads, walks or overnight sites are available.
Day 1: Invercargill arrival and a park afternoon
Start with the town campground and organise groceries before taking a modest Queens Park outing. Choose a section that suits the remaining daylight rather than trying to visit every part of the park. Confirm tomorrow's Bluff forecast and leave the vehicle ready for a day trip, with camp staying in place. In persistent rain, make this an indoor town afternoon after checking current venue arrangements, then return for a simple dinner.
Overnight: Invercargill
Day 2: Bluff and a Foveaux Walkway turnaround
Travel to Bluff and start from Stirling Point for an out-and-back along the Foveaux Walkway. Let wind and the group's confidence determine the turnaround; there is no need to join the hill tracks to make the visit complete. Eat in Bluff or take a packed lunch, then return to the same Invercargill camp. If the coast is unsuitable, stay in town rather than treating an island ferry as a spontaneous substitute.
Overnight: Invercargill
Day 3: Move to Riverton and choose a short reserve walk
Move west to Riverton and settle into the holiday park before considering Mores Scenic Reserve. Check the local map and select a short lookout or forest outing, keeping enough daylight for the return and dinner. If wind or rain argues against the reserve, stay around town and leave walking for another visit. Finish the trip in Riverton rather than adding a same-day extension to Te Anau or the far western coast.
Overnight: Riverton
Confirm the two arrival arrangements
Ask the Invercargill operator for gate and amenity access instructions, then book Riverton independently. The last night is suggested so the reserve visit does not compete with an onward drive. The selected licensed image shows campervans at Lake Poaka as general illustration; neither planned Southland campground is shown. No ferry or museum ticket is included.
Keep the southern coast flexible
DOC describes the Foveaux route from Stirling Point with a same-way return. Use that simple option rather than committing to unfamiliar connecting tracks. The regional short-walk page identifies Queens Park and Mores Reserve, but it is not a live closure feed. In severe wind, choose an indoor day and recheck roads before relocating camp.
