Dazzling South Island
| From Christchurch to Christchurch |
14 days |
View Prices |
Highlights:
- Kaikoura's dramatic coastline and mountains
- The Marlborough wine region
- Nelson's beaches, Abel Tasman National Park, arts & crafts
- Franz Josef & Fox glaciers, the spectacular Southern Alps
- Queenstown, NZ's premier alpine resort
- Optional country farmstay on a traditional sheep farm
- Iconic Milford or Doubtful Sounds
- Viewing wildlife on Dunedin's Otago Peninsula
- 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 - Blenheim
(approx 4:30 hours driving time)
Your rental vehicle will be delivered this morning.
Begin your journey travelling north through Kaikoura a delightful fishing town offering stunning contrasts between the close snow-capped mountains and the rolling southern ocean. Here the Pacific coastline is dramatic and ever changing. This is nature's playground, home to giant sperm whales.
New Zealand's gourmet paradise, the Marlborough region and township of Blenheim is renown for some of the world's premier Sauvignon Blanc wines. Follow the wine trail and sample great vintages or just relax and enjoy the vineyard restaurants.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 3 - Blenheim - Nelson
(approx 2:35 hours driving time)
Take the Queen Charlotte Drive from Picton around the beautiful coastline of one of Marlborough's legendary sounds.
In Havelock at the head of Pelorus Sound, feast on local mussels for which the area is renowned and uncover treasures in the art, craft and collectables shops.
The Nelson region is an area of great beauty with a Mediterranean-type climate, sunny golden beaches and crystal clear bays, boutique wineries, apple orchards, a vibrant craft and art community and the famous World of Wearable Art museum.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 4 - Nelson
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 5 - Nelson - Punakaiki - Hokitika
(approx 5:00 hours driving time)
It is an outstanding drive through forested mountain scenery and the rugged Buller Gorge. Visit Westport on the Tasman Sea coast with its seal colony at Cape Foulwind, before exploring the pancake rocks and blow holes at Punakaiki.
Formerly an 1860's gold rush settlement, Hokitika still has the feel of a frontier town, where you can find your own treasures of gold and jewellery in the cheerful shops.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 6 - Hokitika - Glacier Country
(approx 3:00 hours driving time)
The scenery is dramatic and ever changing as you travel south through spectacular forests, across racing torrents and past serene, bush clad lakes.
Nestled between the sea and the high alps, the huge ice-age glaciers Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier descend right into the forests allowing you to take a guided walk or helicopter landing flight on the rivers of ice.
Nearby at Lake Matheson, you may experience the classical reflections of New Zealand's two highest peaks in the mirrored waters.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 7 - Glacier Country - Queenstown
(approx 5:45 hours driving time)
Your journey continues through the South Westland World Heritage Area, a place of incredible beauty and natural value, over Haast Pass to Lake Wanaka and through the old gold workings of the Kawarau River Gorge into Queenstown.
Surrounded by majestic mountains, Queenstown on the shore of Lake Wakatipu is a vibrant ski town in winter and a buzzing summer adventure playground.
The amazing range of attractions includes 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, boutique pinot noir wineries, superb golf courses and gardens as well as uncovering gold-mining artifacts in the quaint gold-mining town of Arrowtown.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 8 - Queenstown
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 9 - Queenstown - optional Country Farmstay or Te Anau
(approx 3:00 hours driving time)
Take in the magnificent landscape 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 10 - optional Country Farmstay - Te Anau - Milford - Te Anau
(approx 5:30 hours driving time)
Te Anau is within easy reach of the delights of the Fiordland National Park.
Travel through the Eglinton Valley, the Homer Tunnel and down the Cleddau Canyon to Milford Sound deep in the Park, to board a cruise and view captivating wildlife surrounded by sheer mile-high mountain walls before returning to Te Anau.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 11 - Te Anau - Dunedin
(approx 4:15 hours driving time)
Savour the lush sheep and dairy lands of Southland and Otago before arriving in Dunedin, where you will experience the heritage of its Scottish founders.
Visit Dunedin Museum with its outstanding natural history displays, wander through the Victorian Railway Station with its Royal Doulton mosaic floors and discover colonial history at classical Olveston House and Larnach Castle high on the peninsula, before checking out the playful penguins and Royal Albatross Colony.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 12 - Dunedin
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 13 - Dunedin - Christchurch
(approx 5:00 hours driving time)
For the early part of your trip you will be accompanied by sweeping seascapes. Stop at Moeraki and see the large, smoothed rock spheres embedded on the beach.
Call into Oamaru and visit the old port quarter with its fascinating preserved colonial white stone buildings, before crossing the edge of the sun bleached Canterbury Plains with extensive farmlands and crop fields, enroute to Christchurch.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 14 - Christchurch
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 |
$5135 |
POA |
$7615 |
| Car - Intermediate |
$2735 |
$5269 |
$4042 |
$7753 |
| Car - Full Size |
$2956 |
POA |
$4264 |
POA |
| 4WD - Intermediate |
$2998 |
POA |
$4300 |
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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View More Meet New Zealand Self Drive Tour Selections
North & South Island - Auckland to Christchurch
South & North Island - Christchurch to Auckland
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Road & Rail Combo - incl Tranz Alpine train journey
Special Interest
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