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

Today you head into the heart of the South Island. Crossing the vast Canterbury Plains along the inland scenic route the first township of Geraldine offers an ideal refreshment stop before you head into Mackenzie country.

Passing through places such as Beautiful Valley it's not hard to understand where the names originate. Ascending Burkes Pass and onto the high country plateau and the picturesque town of Lake Tekapo, the first of the large Southern Lakes. 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.

Lake Pukaki is just another 30 minutes from Lake Tekapo and its from here you can be rewarded with spectacular views the full length of the lake and into Mt. Cook National Park. In Mt. Cook Village a myriad of activities are available from glacier landings by ski plane or helicopter, kayaking on a glacial lake and a host of walks to suit all abilities and time frames. At The Hermitage Hotel the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre is a must see.

Day 3

Twizel, just south of Mt. Cook was the location of many Lord of the Rings movie scenes and a little further on is Omarama, the gliding capital of New Zealand. Wrinkly Rams is a local café and also offers an informative sheep shearing demonstration. Heading down the Waitaki valley you follow the hydro power generating system towards the east coast.
The town of Oamaru is most famous for its buildings constructed with the unique locally quarried white stone. Explore the old quarter or if you don't mind a late arrival into Dunedin then stay around to see the blue penguins come ashore at dusk. Further south the Moeraki Boulders are a unique geological feature and worth the short detour to the beach to view.
Arriving into Dunedin you can appreciate the city's Edwardian and Scottish heritage through its fine buildings particularly around the Octagon and city centre.

Day 4

The drive to Te Anau takes you through classic Southland farmland scenery but if you want to spend the whole day exploring a little off the beaten path than taking the Southern Scenic Route through The Catlins is highly recommended. Following the incredible Otago coastline to Invercargill the route passes through the fishing town of Riverton and Colac Bay before heading north through Tuatapere and onto Manapouri. It's from here that you can embark on a day or overnight cruise to Doubtful Sound.
Just a little further north and you arrive into the lake side township of Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park and the world famous Milford Sound.

Day 5

Crossing the rolling tussock lands you pass through Mossburn, the deer capital of New Zealand. On the southern shore of Lake Wakatipu sits Kingston, home to classic steam train, The Kingston Flyer. Following the lake north the Remarkable mountain range towers over you as you approach the adventure capital of Queenstown.

Day 6

Crossing the Crown Range, the highest sealed road in the country, you arrive into the alpine town of Wanaka. The route follows the shores of Lakes Wanaka and Hawea before you enter the township of Makarora, the gateway to Mt. Aspiring National Park and the Blue Pools here are a wonderful 30 minute walk through pristine native beech forest. Descending into Mt. Aspiring National Park and towards the Haast Pass, crashing rivers and waterfalls are around every corner. Crossing the Haast River you are now truly on the wild West Coast, a 600 kilometre stretch of bush, rainforest and podocarp forest. First Fox Glacier welcomes you to the glacier region and Franz Josef township is just a further 45 minutes.
A great way to experience the glaciers is with The Helicopter Line or Mt. Cook ski planes.

Day 7

The drive north from Franz Josef takes you through the historic gold mining region of Ross and the town of Hokitika, a great place to explore the craft stores, in particular the jade or greenstone. The largest town on the West Coast, Greymouth is also the starting point for the Tranz Alpine Scenic Train. Drop your rental car at the depot (located at the train station before checking in for your train journey.

Considered one of the worlds great train journeys, the Tranz Alpine scenic train takes you from Greymouth to Christchurch, from the West Coast and the Tasman Sea to the east coast and the Pacific Ocean. From your carriage you'll see the spectacular Otira Valley and mountains of Arthur's Pass National Park and the Southern Alps. Rivers, waterfalls and lush beech forest followed by high country farmland whisk by before your journey follows the Waimakariri River and then onto the Canterbury Plains before arriving into Christchurch just after 6pm.
On arrival into Christchurch train station a private transfer will deliver you to your accommodation.

A private transfer will meet you on arrival into Christchurch train station and drive you to your Christchurch accommodation.

Day 8