SOUTHERN SPECTACULAR


 

10 DAYS
GUIDED HOLIDAY

Spend time with a Kiwi couple who will tell you about the joys and challenges of farming in the foothills of the Southern Alps. Watch master carvers as they create works of art from blocks of magnificent New Zealand greenstone. These personal encounters provide a human touch that complements the grandeur of the renowned natural beauty of The Land of the Long White Cloud, with its soaring peaks and waterfalls and its serene lakes and pastureland.

 

DAY 1    WELCOME TO CHRISTCHURCH
Christchurch’s energy is evident wherever you go. The city has bounced back after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 and is now thriving once again. Contemporary art galleries, boutiques and open-air markets add to the city’s creative vibe. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers this evening for a Welcome Reception.
Hotel: Distinction Christchurch Hotel

DAY 2    CHISTCHURCH - TWIZEL
Visit Morelea, the home of Angie and Stan Taylor, for a Be My Guest barbecue lunch and hear about a lifetime spent farming in New Zealand. This afternoon see Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki, and view the famed Church of the Good Shepherd with its alter window framing stunning views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Continue to Twizel, a base for mountain climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, horse trekking and hiking.
Hotel: MacKenzie Country Hotel
Included Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest lunch, Dinner with wine

DAY 3     TWIZEL - DUNEDIN
This morning after breakfast, visit the spectacular Waitaki Hydro Power Scheme, a series of interconnected lakes and canals used to generate electricity on the Waitaki River, New Zealand’s longest. See the monumental spillway of the Benmore Dam before exploring the historic town of Oamaru, with its stately tree-lined streets and celebrated white limestone buildings. Then you’ll make your way to New Zealand’s southernmost city, Dunedin, home to many fine examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Designated by UNESCO as a City of Literature, Dunedin is a magnificent example of a small city that lives, breathes and connects through its people, its culture and its intense love of literature. It is well known as a university town of excellence in research and learning, and a city where writers, books and literature thrive. With the rest of your afternoon at leisure, relax and unwind or join an optional experience to see more of the region.   This afternoon choose one from a range of Included Choice sightseeing experiences. Tour imposing Larnach Castle, ride the historic Taieri Gorge railway, take a wildlife cruise or experience an interactive tour of famous Speight’s Brewery.
Hotel: Scenic Hotel Southern Cross
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with wine

DAY 4    DUNEDIN - TE ANAU
Today, travel through lush green sheep-grazing country on your way to the spectacular Fiordland National Park and the town of Te Anau, nestled in the southwestern corner of the South Island. Lake Te Anau covers an area of 344 km², making it the secondlargest lake in New Zealand and the largest in the South Island. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Hotel: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with wine

DAY 5    TE ANAU - QUEENSTOWN
Your experience in magnificent Milford Sound today is sure to be one of the highlights of your journey. Travel first through native rainforests and lush meadows to Mirror Lakes and the hand-hewn Homer Tunnel, and marvel at the stunning Cleddau Valley. Your unforgettable Milford Sound cruise takes in cascading waterfalls, hanging glacial valleys, and the sheer pinnacle of Mitre Peak. After disembarking, travel on to beautiful Queenstown.
Hotel: Millennium Hotel, Queenstown, 2 nights
Included Meals: Breakfast

DAY 6    QUEENSTOWN
Today, choose one from a range of Included Choice sightseeing experiences. If you’re feeling energetic you have the option to ride the exhilarating Shotover Jet boat or take a gondola to Bob’s Peak for thrilling luge rides. For the more laid-back, a 4WD minibus tour will take you through spectacular Skippers Canyon, or you might like to visit the Kiwi Birdlife Park, where a zoologist will introduce you to some amazing animals. After an action-packed day, settle into a peaceful cruise this evening across Lake Wakatipu aboard the iconic vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue Highlight Dinner and an entertaining farm show.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Highlight Dinner

 

 

 

 

 DAY 7    QUEENSTOWN - FRANZ JOSEF
Your destination today is the wild west coast of the South Island. Stop to visit the faithfully-restored gold mining settlement of Arrowtown, where more than 70 original buildings from the gold-rush era are still preserved, and enjoy the serenity of the region’s vivid blue lakes, the most famous of which is pristine Lake Wanaka. Drive over the spectacular Haast Pass, passing the 96-metre Thunder Creek Falls on your way to the extraordinary Franz Josef Glacier.
Hotel: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier (Douglas Wing)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with wine

DAY 8    FRANZ JOSEF - PUNAKAIKI
Explore the glacier this morning, then spend some time amongst temperate rainforest giants on the West Coast Treetop Walkway. Travel on to Hokitika, home of New Zealand’s famous greenstone. Pounamu (its Māori name) is of great cultural significance in Māori culture and was prized for its strength, durability and beauty. It was used for weapons, tools and personal ornaments, and also denoted great status. Continue to Punakaiki to view the intriguing Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. You’ll spend the night in an eco-friendly resort right on the waterfront.
Hotel: Punakaiki Resort
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with wine

DAY 9    PUNAKAIKI - CHRISTCHURCH
Board the iconic TranzAlpine train in the village of Arthur’s Pass this morning and embark on one of the world’s great train journeys, passing through magnificent landscapes ranging from the fertile farmlands of the Canterbury Plains to rugged gorges and pristine ice-fed streams and lakes. The train forges through tunnels and over viaducts with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, towering beech forests and lush river valleys. Back in Christchurch, join your Travel Director for a Farewell Dinner.
Hotel: Distinction Christchurch Hotel
Included Meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner

DAY 10    FAREWELL FROM CHRISTCHURCH
Say farewell to your fellow travellers when your holiday comes to an end this morning after breakfast.
Included Meals: Breakfast


 



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