Wildlife, Fiords & Mountains
| From Christchurch to Christchurch |
10 days |
View Prices |
Highlights:
- Viewing penguins, albatross near Dunedin
- Optional country farmstay on a traditional sheep farm
- Iconic Milford or Doubtful Sounds
- Queenstown, NZ's premier alpine resort
- The spectacular Southern Alps
- NZ's highest peak, Aoraki Mount Cook
- Christchurch city's parks and gardens
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Your tour will be organised over the dates you require.
All tour itineraries may be amended for any duration to suit you.
Tours are suitable for 1-4 persons and children 12 years and over.
We will help you have the best self drive vacation possible!
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Arrive Christchurch
Welcome to the 'Garden City'.
You will be met by our representative on arrival and receive your travel documents before transferring to your central city accommodation.
The South Island's largest city, Christchurch is exceptionally beautiful with its stunning parks and gardens, the Avon River meandering through the city centre and its dramatic harbour within the flooded crater of an extinct volcano.
Take a punt ride, enjoy walks around the city, visit the Arts Centre boutique craft shops, experience life on the southern continent at the International Antarctic Centre and be entertained at the Court Theatre or brilliant Art Gallery.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2 - Christchurch - Dunedin
(approx 5:00 hours driving time)
Your rental vehicle will be delivered this morning.
Cross the edge of the sun bleached Canterbury Plains with its extensive farmlands and crop fields, passing delightful country towns and villages.
Call into Oamaru and visit the old port quarter with its fascinating preserved colonial white stone buildings. Stop at the beach settlement at Moeraki and investigate the unusual smooth spherical rocks scattered along the beach.
Arriving in Dunedin, you will experience the city's distinctive Scottish heritage.
Drive to nearby Otago Peninsula and enjoy the delight of the world's majestic ocean wanderers at the Royal Albatross Centre. New Zealand fur seals, the rare yellow-eyed penguin, blue penguins as well as an abundance of other birdlife make this "the finest example of eco-tourism in the world" - Sir David Bellamy.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 3 - Dunedin
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 4 - Dunedin - optional Country Farmstay or Te Anau
(approx 4:00 hours driving time)
Travel through the lush sheep and dairy lands of Otago and Southland enroute to your optional country farmstay or the township of Te Anau, picturesquely sited on Lake Te Anau.
A country farmstay will allow you the opportunity to enjoy traditional New Zealand hospitality and experience life on a typical South Island farm.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 5 - optional Country Farmstay - Te Anau - Milford - Te Anau
(approx 5:30 hours driving time)
Farewell your farm hosts and drive to Te Anau, then deep into the Fiordland National Park with its primeval beech forests and mirror lakes. Emerge from the carved Homer Tunnel into spectacular Milford Sound where mountains rise vertically from the sea floor 1.2 kilometres into the sky.
Take a cruise and view hanging valleys, plunging waterfalls and captivating wildlife surrounded by sheer mile-high mountain walls, before returning to Te Anau.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 6 - Te Anau - Queenstown
(approx 2:45 hours driving time)
At the head of Lake Wakatipu look out for the historic train - the Kingston Flyer, before following the lake shore below the jagged Remarkable Mountains into Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world.
This alpine town offers an amazing range of attractions including canyon jet boat rides, mountain biking, bungy jumping, helicopter flights, horse treks and 4WD expeditions.
There are also more passive pastimes - wilderness safaris, historic steamer lake cruises, gondola cableway, superb golf courses and gardens as well as uncovering gold-mining artifacts in the quaint town of Arrowtown.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 7 - Queenstown
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 8 - Queenstown - Mount Cook Region
(approx 4:00 hours driving time)
Driving through the centre of the South Island you follow the spectacular backbone of the Southern Alps. Huge glacial lakes have been connected by a series of man-made canals to produce hydro-electricity for the nation.
At Lake Pukaki, if the weather is kind, you will see the most stunning view of New Zealand's highest peak, Aoraki Mount Cook.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 9 - Mount Cook Region - Christchurch
(approx 3:20 hours driving time)
Lake Tekapo in the heart of the dramatic McKenzie Country provides great photo opportunites with its Church of the Good Shepherd and sheepdog statue, before you continue northwards to Christchurch travelling through Burkes Pass and the pasture and grain lands of the Canterbury plains.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 10 - Chritstchurch
Spend your last day in 'The Garden City' shopping for those last minute gifts and unique New Zealand products before you return your rental vehicle and catch your departure flight.
Tour Price (per person)
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| Style |
Quality |
Superior |
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Share Twin
(NZ$) |
Single
(NZ$) |
Share Twin
(NZ$) |
Single
(NZ$) |
| Car - Compact |
POA |
$3659 |
POA |
$5376 |
| Car - Intermediate |
$1946 |
$3752 |
$2850 |
$5469 |
| Car - Full Size |
$2098 |
POA |
$3014 |
POA |
| 4WD - Intermediate |
$2125 |
POA |
$3045 |
POA |
Prices are valid to 31 May 2011.
Whats Included:
- Meet & Greet and transfer to hotel on arrival
- Automatic compact, intermediate, full size car or intermediate 4WD
- Quality style - Quality Bed & Breakfasts/mid-range hotels
- Superior style - Superior Bed & Breakfasts/superior class hotels
- Optional country farmstay
- New Zealand touring information - distances, times and directions, map
Prices are in New Zealand dollars and include 15% GST (Government Goods & Services Tax). Click Here for an online currency converter to convert prices to your own currency (approximate only).
POA - Price on application.
Prices are available for three and four persons travelling together in an automatic full size car, intermediate 4WD or people mover/minivan. Please enquire.
A revision fee of NZ$40 per amended itinerary day is charged for any part of the itinerary which you require to be changed. Additional days in the arrival and departure cities do not incurr a revision fee.
Optional country farmstay dinner - NZ$60 per person, additional charge.
1 June 2011 - 31 May 2012 prices provided on request.
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Special Interest
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