AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY. The vast overland route from Auckland to New Zealand’s Deep South fires up the national imagination – it’s an iconic piece of kiwiana . . . a journey where city and sprawl gently yields to rolling pastures, volcanic extremes, tranquil waterways, the rough Otago high country and the snowcapped grandeur of the Southern Alps and Fiordland.
Curating more than 40 hours of total travel time into individual 3-hour and 12-hour programmes, Go South embraces taking the slow route by traveling overland across the length of the country and in nearly real-time. It’s a curated road trip through some of the best destinations the country has to offer.
From the classic Interislander ferry trip across Cook Strait . . . to KiwiRail’s Great Journeys . . . the recently opened Coastal Pacific rail route along the Kaikoura coast . . . a vintage LandRover in the heart of dense Westland rainforest, and a heritage sailboat passing through Milford Sound, Go South explores the country while harkening back to a simpler and slower time.
It’s hypnotic, addictive, and meditative. With the push of a button you can be transported somewhere else and experience the country in a way you might never have the time to take – or even consider - in real life. But this journey isn’t just a collection of stunning landscapes – at its heart is the story of the New Zealand experience. Around each bend hidden stories and otherworldly views are revealed as fascinating tidbits and elements of background colour emerge on screen through innovative ‘augmented reality’ style graphics.
With no score, no narration, an intentionally immersive sound design, and beauty shots held far, far longer than expected, the journey is a signature piece of television.