Day 1

You will be met on arrival from your flight and a private driver will deliver you to your Christchurch accommodation.

On arrival into Christchurch airport you will be met from your flight and a private transfer will deliver you to your accommodation. The rest of the day is yours to explore at your leisure. Christchurch City has much to offer visitors and Cathedral Square provides a great focal point. A great way to see some of the city centre sights and attractions though is by the famous historic trams. A 30 minute loop allows hop-on, hop-off at museums, art galleries, gardens and shops.

Day 2

The drive north from Christchurch to Kaikoura takes you through some fine rolling farmland and North Canterbury's major wine region, the Waipara Valley. A great detour to take is to head inland and visit Hanmer Springs for a dip in the natural hot pools. Crossing the Hawkswood Range you descend towards the spectacular Kaikoura coastline and the road hugs the ocean as it winds its way the remaining 15 kilometres to the township.
Kaikoura Township is a bustling little place with many cafes, restaurants and shops but the main reason for visiting here is the wildlife. Whale Watch Kaikoura is New Zealand's only marine-based whale watching company offering visitors an exciting up-close encounter with the Giant Sperm Whale at all times of the year. Kaikoura is New Zealand's world famous whale watching destination. Sperm Whales can be seen here year-round while depending on the season you may also see migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales.
Another great Kaikoura activity is Swimming with the Seals. Donning a wet suit you have the opportunity to interact with these inquisitive creatures on their terms. Wings over Whales also offer tours from fixed wing aircraft to view the whales and other marine creatures from 500 feet in the air.

Day 3

The road hugs the shore for around 50 kilometres and offers many chances to view the native wildlife such as seabirds and New Zealand fur seals. To the east is the turquoise of the South Pacific Ocean and to the west the towering Kaikoura Ranges. Crossing the ‘dry hills’ of the Marlborough ranges you head towards one of the most spectacular coastlines of the South Island, the Kaikoura Coast.
Blenheim sits right at the heart of the New Zealand's largest wine producing region, Marlborough, and is ideally located to enjoy an afternoon sampling of the local produce.
A short drive from Blenheim to the busy port town of Picton, and its here from that the Interislander ferries arrive and depart. The town centre is quite small with plenty of shops and cafes and the waterfront area is a very pleasant place to spend a few hours watching the activity of the ships. The Edwin Fox Maritime Centre on the wharf is worth a visit with the star attraction being the vessel the Edwin Fox, reputably the 9th oldest ship in the world. Its also the starting point the for the famous Queen Charlotte Walk.
Queen Charlotte Drive travels the Marlborough Sounds coastline between Picton and Havelock. Magnificent views of the sounds can be had from many vantage points so allow plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. If you can spare the time take the narrow windy road to Portage along Mahau Sound and Kenepuru Sound with their bush clad hillsides and secluded sandy coves.
The small port town of Havelock has a great variety of cafes and restaurants to choose from so plan your journey to arrive in time for lunch. The highway between Nelson and Picton also crosses the Pelorus River and just at this junction is the famous and historic Pelorus Bridge. From here there are a number of forest walks with the most popular the 30 minute loop through beech, rimu and totara forest to the swing-bridge.
Crossing the Bryant Range you arrive onto Tasman Bay and the city of Nelson. Mapua and Motueka are around 45 minutes further around the bay putting you in a great position to explore beautiful Abel Tasman National Park.

Day 4

Abel Tasman is renowned for its golden beaches, sculptured granite cliffs, and its world-famous coastal track. It also has a mild climate and is a great place to visit at any time of the year. The main attractions in the park are walking, sea kayaking and enjoying its many beaches.
Wilsons Abel Tasman have been showing off the park to visitors for many years and their range of self guided cruise and walks has something to suit everyone. Enjoy a scenic cruise along the coast to a beautiful bay and after being dropped off enjoy the coastal track to the next bay where you will be collected from at a predetermined time.
Sea Kayaking is also a popular way of exploring the region and Wilsons also operate a kayak, seals and walk trip. Using stable double kayaks these trips are suitable for anyone.
For a more in depth tour of the park by kayak then the Beaches and Bays Guided Sea Kayak tour may be the answer.

Day 5

The drive today takes you along the Buller Gorge and offers some wonderful scenery as you follow this magnificent river. The town of Murchison is a quiet place and a great lunch stop. Underneath its sleepy farming facade is an adventurers paradise with white water rafting, kayaking, 4WD trips and some great trout fishing.
The first major town (by this regions standard) is Inangahua and a small museum tells of the earthquake that hit the region in 1968 leaving 70% of the buildings damaged or inhabitable. Further along the river one of the must stop places is Whites Creek and New Zealand's longest swing bridge. Crossing the river you get magnificent views of the gorge and once on the other side there are short bush walks, jet boat rides and some of the historic gold mining remnants.
The port town of Westport is the largest on the Northern West Coast. A history of gold mining, logging, fishing coal mining gives the town a hard working feeling. And to reward the hard workers the town has an extraordinary amount of pubs.
There are plenty of activities here such as caving, bush walks and surfing but one of the most popular is to take a trip to Tauranga bay and the seal colony. Just 15 kilometres south at Cape Foulwind (named by Captain Cook for the difficult sailing conditions and not the smell of the seals!), you will find a breeding colony of New Zealand fur seals. A well marked and easy 10 minute walking track takes you to colony where you can see the creatures lazing around or swimming in the ocean.
The spectacular West Coast coastline guides you to Paparoa National Park and to Punakaiki where a walk along the paths around the pancake rocks is a must.

Day 6

Heading south towards Greymouth there are two options. Continue through Greymouth and towards kumara and then join the highway or take the scenic route through the back country and past Lake Brunner. This drive is well signposted and passes through classic West Coast farmland. The township of Lake Brunner is fast becoming a popular holiday spot with the tranquil lake providing some great fishing.

State Highway 73 is the main road between the West Coast and Christchurch and the scenery is spectacular - even in the rain - and there is pretty good chance of rain in the high alpine mountains. With hundreds of waterfalls cascading down the bush clad hillsides it's not a road to be rushed. Originally the road was a pass used by Maori as they made tier seasonal passage to look for the greenstone abundant in the West Coast mountains. When the gold rush hit the West Coast in the late 1800's then a road was quickly developed and not soon after the train. Today the main use for the track is transporting coal to Lyttelton Harbour but once a day the now world famous Tranz Alpine Scenic Train takes a few hundred tourists and visitors between the two oceans.

The Otira Gorge on the Western side of Arthur's Pass features a remarkable piece of engineering with the road passing high on a viaduct through this large valley. This is a recent addition to the route as the old road was washed away in a rock fall a few years ago. There are numerous lookout points giving great views of the valley and its engineering feat but watch out for the local residents, the kea. this bird is the worlds only alpine parrot and can be extremely cheeky.

Arthur's Pass Township is bustling place in the peak season with many walkers and adventurers using it as a base for the forays into the mountains of Arthur's pass National Park. The Department of Conservation centre here has an excellent display of the local history and is a great source of information for the many short walks in the area.

Day 7

Travel through the Otira Gorge towards the wild West Coast. The next town is Hokitika and this is a great place to explore the craft and gift stores. The Jade or Greenstone on offer in Hokitika is probably some of the best you will see in the country. The Hokitika Gorge, off the beaten track and inland a little is a spectacular detour. Turquoise waters flowing through a narrow gorge. A great short walk will deliver you to this piece of paradise.
Ross is the site of an old gold mining town and some of the old buildings and workings remain. In fact Ross is still home to one of the few working gold mines left in New Zealand and the local information centre offers you the chance to pan for gold.
Continuing south Hari Hari is the township that Guy Menzies decided to land in (or rather crash land) as he became the first person to fly solo across the Tasman.
Whataroa, a small township on the main road is where you would head off to see one of the worlds rarest birds. The entire population (somewhere between 150 and 200 birds) of the the New Zealand white heron or kotuku nest at the Waitangi Roto Nature Reserve and guided tours from October to March will take you there.
Arriving in to the Glacier region you catch your first glimpse of Franz Josef Glacier from a few kilometres out as it flows from the Southern Alps. Franz Josef township is a lively place with a great atmosphere, plenty of choice to dine out and some wonderful activities to enjoy.

Day 8

The main attraction in Franz Josef is of course the glacier. Very few places in the world have such large glaciers almost at sea level and even more unusually is that the lower slopes are amongst rain forest.
Franz Josef Glacier Guides have a great choice of guided interpretive walks to and on the glacier. While you can walk without a guide along the valley floor you must take a licensed tour to get any closer than 100 metres of the glacier. The tours offered are an interpretive Valley Walk (3 hours), a Half Day (4 1/2 hours) hike including around 1 1/2 hours on the lower glacier, a Full Day (7-8 hours) adventure onto the ice and for the very adventurous a full day of Ice Climbing. All equipment is provided for these tours.
One of the most popular ways to experience the glaciers though is on a Helihike. A Scenic helicopter flight delivers you to the upper slopes where a guide then accompanies you for around 2 hours over the ice flows, caves and crevasses.
Other scenic flights with short lacier landings are available with The Helicopter Line and Mt. Cook Ski Planes offer unique ski equipped fixed wing aircraft landings.
The township, although small, has a lively atmosphere during its busy seasons and there is plenty of choice to dine out and reflect on your days adventure.

Day 9

Heading south you pass through the second glacier town of Fox Glacier. A short side trip to view the glacier is easy before heading along the coast and more classic West Coast bush scenery. At Knights Point Lookout elephant seals can often be seen basking on the sandy beaches at the far end of the point. Crossing the massive Haast River you turn inland and head into the valley climbing through mountains littered with waterfalls. The Haast Valley offers a spectacular view of the river and its enormous power. The Blue Pools near Makarora are a great 30 minute walk. Lakes Wanaka and Hawea guide you into the alpine township of Wanaka.

Day 10

From Wanaka you cross the Crown Range via the highest sealed road in the country. As the road descends toward Queenstown you can enjoy spectacular views of the Wakatipu basin and the Remarkables mountain range.
Lake Wakatipu guides you south towards Te Anau and Fiordland National Park and at the southern end of the lake tiny Kingston Township is home to a classic steam train, The Kingston Flyer, and rides are offered during the summer months. The rolling farmland of Southland accompanies you as you pass through Garston, Athol and Five Rivers before turning west towards Mossburn, the deer capital of New Zealand.
You soon arrive into Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park.

Day 11

The Milford Road

Countless photo opportunities and short walks mean this drive should not be rushed. The Mirror Lakes create perfectly clear reflections of the surrounding mountains and glacier formed meadows and ancient native beech forest create a unique and fascinating landscape. The Homer Tunnel is an incredible engineering feat at 1219 metres long. The road slopes towards Milford at a rate of 1 in 10. The chasm (a short 15 minute walk) demonstrates the incredible power water has as it continues to shape and carve the valley. Most stops and points of interest are well signposted on the 121 kilometre road but don't underestimate how long this drive will take you with scenic stops.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound is the best known of the sounds that lie throughout Fiordland National Park and is also the only fiord accessible by road. Sheer cliffs starting hundreds of metres below the waters surface rise spectacularly to the sky. It is 16 kilometres from the head of the fiord to the open sea and Real Journeys cruise vessels will take you there and back comfortably in around 2 hours. Dolphins and seals can often be seen, and following a large downpour the waterfalls that line the fiords are magnificent, particularly the 146 metre high Stirling Falls.

An extended and leisurely 2½ hour cruise of Milford Sound on board the Milford Mariner, MV Sinbad or Milford Wanderer. These modern vessels, purpose built for operating in a fiord environment, have been designed along the lines of a traditional trading scow, and have real character. These relaxing cruises have special appeal for the independent traveler and an on board nature guide provides detailed interpretation and commentary.. There is plenty of time available to explore points of interest and to view the stunning scenery, including waterfalls, rainforest and the towering peaks. Keep a lookout for dolphins, seals and penguins.

Day 12

The drive from Te Anau to Manapouri is just 30 minutes but allow at least one hour to include check in time for your cruise. 
A Doubtful Sound overnight cruise on board the Fiordland Navigator offers a very special dinner, bed and breakfast wilderness experience. Real Journeys Doubtful Sound overnight vessel, the Fiordland Navigator, is designed along the lines of a traditional New Zealand coastal trading scow to reflect Fiordland's heritage. The purpose built vessel accommodates passengers either in private cabins with ensuite bathrooms or in quad-share bunk style compartments with shared bathroom facilities. The vessel has spacious deck areas for viewing the wilderness scenery and wildlife of Doubtful Sound. Of particular interest, if sighted, are fur seals, dolphins, and in season, rare penguins.
Activities include kayaking and excursions in the tender vessels (stabi craft) to explore the coastline.
Departing Manapouri at 12:30 you enjoy a short cruise across beautiful Lake Manapouri and after a coach trip over Wilmot Pass, you will board the Fiordland Navigator at Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound.
There is plenty of time on your overnight cruise to enjoy the stunning views and to discover the hidden arms of Doubtful Sound. Fur seals and bottlenose dolphins are often seen and at times, rare penguins can be observed. There is also time for you to kayak around the shoreline or go exploring in the tender craft with our nature guide. As the shadows lengthen we'll drop anchor at a favourite mooring for the night. After the days activities, enjoy a delicious evening buffet meal in the spacious dining saloon. After enjoying sunrise in the sound a hearty breakfast awaits before your journey back to Manapouri where you disembark at around midday.The Fiordland Navigator is purpose built for cruising in the fiords. The vessel offers spacious viewing decks, a comfortable dining saloon and observation lounge.

Day 13

Heading South and onto the Southern Scenic route the drive from Manapouri to Invercargill passes through some wonderful and often overlooked regions of Southland. The Blackmount Road offers some great sidetrips if you have the time and one in particular is the 50 kilometre round trip to Lake Haruoko, New Zealand's deepest lake. A little further south is the Clifden suspension bridge which dates back to 1899. The early sawmilling settlelement of Tautapere is next. Known as the 'hole in the bush' the town features an attractive domain. Orepuki on the coast was once 'almost' a gold town but the fine dust proved too hard to extract commercially. You can still sometimes see gold dust in the beach sand at Monkey Bay.
Riverton is Southland's oldest community established by whalers in the 1830's and many of the original cottages have survived throughout the town. The Riverton Early Settlers Museum tells the story well.

Day 14

Stewart Island is New Zealand's third largest Island, approx. 65 kms long and 45 kms wide - it is separated from the South Island by the Foveaux Straits. The Island is relatively low lying and undulating with the highest point, Mt Anglem/Hananui, rising to 981 mtrs. Largely unihabited and unmodified - it is mainly covered in native bush, with wetlands, sand dunes and a varied coastline from sandy beaches to sheer cliffs. The coastline is fringed with vegetation and boardered by crystal clear waters hosting an abundance of marine life - a real paradise for nature lovers.
Named "Rakiura" by Maori - which means "Glowing Sky", Stewart Island enjoys spectacular sunrises, sunsets and aurora. New Zealand's southernmost populated area, Stewart Island has less than 400 residents, most of whom live in and around Halfmoon Bay, in the north east. There is only 28 kms of roads servicing the populated area.
Ulva Island is an idyllic, predator-free bird sanctuary for rare and endangered bird and plant species, a paradise for birds and bird lovers... only 266 hectares with great walking tracks, located in the southern-most island of New Zealand, Stewart Island.
The real attraction to Stewart island is the isolation and the untouched unspoilt wildlife and native bush. An overnight adventure here is highly recommended.

Day 15

Ulva Island is a predator free sanctuary just 12 minutes by water taxi from Golden Bay on Stewart Island. Sitting in Paterson Inlet the island is just 269 hectares and has no permanent human inhabitants. Some great well signposted and easy paths allow you to spend as little time as you wish or the whole day. Some of the best golden sand beaches in the South Island can be found here but the real attraction is the flora and fauna. Following some great conservation work Ulva Island is now predator free which means it's a safe place for many rare and endangered native species including kiwi, the rare South Island saddleback, Stewart Island robin, the inquisitive weak, yellowhead, rifleman, bellbirds and kaka to name a few. Here you will also find some of the best examples of native podacarp forest anywhere and the hugely varied flora is worth the visit alone. Access is easy, just arrange a water taxi to take you from Golden Bay and arrange a collection time to be picked up. About 4 hours allows you to comfortable explore all the tracks on the island.

Day 16

Take a scenic flight across Foveaux Strait to the mainland.

The scenic route from Invercargill to Dunedin takes you via the Southern Scenic Route. Well signposted from Invercargill the route takes you along the rugged Otago coastline and its many secluded beaches and bays and many are great places to spot New Zealand fur seals and sea lions. At Nugget Point, penguins and elephant seals can also be spotted. Curio Bay is home to a 160 million year old fossilised forest. Get an early start for this drive as you can easily pass the whole day exploring the many attractions along the Southern Scenic Route.

Day 17

Dunedin City Centre is full of grand and fascinating buildings and none more so that Dunedin Railway Station, recently listed as one of top 100 buildings in the world. From the station you can take a scenic train journey along the Taieri Gorge.
The Otago Peninsular is just a short drive from the city centre and offers some unique wildlife experiences. Here you can visit the only mainland Royal Albatross breeding colony in the world. The beaches and hillsides are also home to the yellow eyed penguin, the world's rarest penguin and seals, sea lions and a host of other bird life can be seen. Monarch Wildlife Cruises offer a choice of guided tours to explore the peninsular. New Zealand’s only castle, Larnach Castle, has spectacular views from its extensive gardens and also a fascinating history.

Day 18

Heading north from Dunedin your first stop should be Moeraki to explore the famous and unique boulders strewn on the beach. Another worthwhile stop is Fleurs in the township, one of the finest cafes in New Zealand. Before heading inland along the Waitaki Valley you pass through the histoirc township of Oamaru and its Stone buildings. Take time to head into the old quarter and if your timing is right you may get to see some of the local resident little blue penguins. The Waitaki Valley makes a large contribution to New Zealand's electricity supply with its 3 hydro dams. Arriving into Omarama you are now truly in the high country but don't think these vast empty lands are useless, these are some of the country's most productive merino sheep stations. The turquoise waters of Lake Pukaki guide you the final 45 minutes to Mt. Cook Village.

Day 19

Your first stop today should be the visitor centre on the southern shores of Lake Pukaki. As well as a great presentation detailing the formation of the region over thousands of years you are also often rewarded with uninterrupted views of over 50 kilometres to the peak of Mt. Cook.
Lake Tekapo, the northern most of the large Southern Lakes also the reflective quality that Pukaki has making the waters a bright turquoise on certain days. This busy little township is home to some of the most photographed subjects in the country, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Collie Dog statue. It's a great place to take a scenic flight, enjoy a guided horse trek, a boat trip on the pristine lake or just enjoy the magnificent views.
From here you descend from the high country through Burkes Pass and into rich farmland. Beautiful Valley guides you to the town of Geraldine before you cross the vast Canterbury Plains back towards Christchurch City.

Day 20

Explore more of Christchurch before dropping your rental car at the airport depot and continuing your onward journey.