South Island Adventure Holiday
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south island adventure holiday
- With Accommodaton and rental car
- Flight and Cruise Milford Sound
- Shotover Jet, Queenstown
- Helihiking tour, Fox Glacier
- White Heron tour/ Okarito lagoon
- Underground Caving tour
- Abel Tasman Kayaking day tour
- Whalewatch Kaikoura
- Note, this example can be amended to your needs
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> Bronze option
> Silver option
> Gold option
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DAY 1
- Arrive Christchurch Airport and transfer to your accommodation. This is centrally located with an outlook over Hagley Park and the River and within easy walking distance of the Botanical Gardens, Arts Centre and Canterbury Museum. Take a Tram ride fom the Arts Centre and stop off in New Regent St for coffee and a browse the shops.
- Dine tonight at Pescatore in The George Hotel or a short walk away at Hayes in Victoria Street.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Elizas B&B (Room) / Silver: The George Hotel (Room) / Gold: The George Hotel (Suite)
DAY 2
- Collect your rental car this morning and drive to Wanaka to start your South Island adventure holiday. You are based for the next 3 nights in Wanaka.
- Aim for Lake Tekapo for a picnic lunch stop. This is a 2.5 hour drive from the outskirts of Christchurch and Geraldine is a pretty rural service town en- route which is a good place to stop for supplies.
- At Lake Pukaki stop at the lookout for views up to Mt Cook. If time allows and the weather is clear you may want to drive up to Glentanner on the Mt Cook road and take a scenic flight over the Southern Alps with Air Safaris (optional)
- Accommodation: Bronze: Te Wanaka Lodge / Silver: Riverrun Lodge / Gold: Riverrun Lodge
- Driving Time: Allow 5.5 hours
DAY 3
- This morning depart early from Wanaka airport for a scenic flight to Milford with Wanaka Flightseeing (Gold). See Mt Aspiring and Milford Sound from the air then experience a 2 hour cruise the length of Milford Sound before returning by air over Glenorchy and Queenstown.
- Returning to Wanaka, enjoy a relaxing lunch in one of the waterfront cafes and then explore the lake front and town on foot or drive up the West side of the Lake to the Matukituki Valley. The Department of Conservation office in Wanaka can provide maps for South Island adventure holiday.
- For dinner, drive up to the historic Cardrona Hotel in the Cardrona Valley 20 minutes away.
- Accommodation: Same.
DAY 4
- Today drive over the Crown range via Cardrona to Queenstown. This one hour drive is very scenic and the last portion winds down the mountain range towards Lake Wakatipu - drive carefully!
- There is plenty to see in and around Queenstown - start with Arrowtown and then on into Queenstown via the Skippers Canyon Bridge. After lunch on the Queenstown waterfront join Shotover Jet (Bronze) for an adrenalin rush boat trip up the Shotover River.
- Take a Gondola ride, drive up the edge of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy or take the Earnslaw (optional) boat cruise across the lake to Walter Peak High Country Station.
- Return home via Lake Hayes, the Kawarau Gorge where you can stop for a bungy jump (part of you South Island adventure holiday!?) or at least watch other jumpers then travel onto Cromwell and Wanaka.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Same
DAY 5
- Depart Wanaka for Fox Glacier driving via lake Hawea and the thick rainforest of Haast Pass. Along the way stop at the Blue Pools, the Haast River and Lake Paringa.
- Stay in Fox Glacier for the next 2 nights.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Ropatinis B&B / Silver: Misty Peak Lodge / Gold: Te Weheka Inn
- Driving time today allow 4 hours
DAY 6
- Join Alpine Guides in Fox Glacier this morning for a Helihike (Silver and Gold) onto the Glacier
- Take a drive out to the rugged Gillespies Beach. The right site for your South Island adventure holiday!
- Walk around lake Matheson at sunset for views and reflections of the Glacier and Mt Cook .
- Accommodation: Bronze: Same
DAY 7
- Drive from Fox Glacier to Franz Josef, Lake Mapourika and onto Whataroa. Visit the White Heron Nesting Colony at Okarito.
- Other good stops include the very pretty lake Ianthe and Hokitika for greenstone carving, handmade jewellary and glass blowing.
- Try the menu at Trappers, Hokitika's wild food restaurant.
- Drive on to Punakaiki and view the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Stay in Punakaiki tonight.
- Accommodation: Bronze: The Rocks Homestay / Silver: Hydrangea Cottages / Gold: Punakaiki Rocks Hotel
- Driving time today 3.5 hours
DAY 8
- Take the walk along Truman Track to the beach this morning.
- Join Norwest Adventures (Bronze and Silver) for an open topped train trip through the rainforest of the Nile Valley. You can also take in a caving trip here or underground tube rafting.
- Stop at Cape Foulwind and the Bayhouse cafe for lunch.
- Stay near the Abel Tasman National Park for the next 2 nights
- Accommodation: Bronze: Bayview B&B / Silver: The Resurgence / Gold: Eden House
- Driving time today 3.5 hours
DAY 9
- Join Abel Tasman Wilsons Experience (Bronze and Silver) for a day trip into the park which includes sea kayaking and walking on the Abel Tasman Track
- Return for dinner and relax under the stars after your energetic day on your South Island adventure holiday!
- Accommodation: Same
DAY 10
- Drive from Motueka to Kaikoura today. Drive to Mapua and try the chowder at The Smokehouse Cafe on the wharf. Spend an hour or so in Nelson, a great place to buy art including pottery and hand-blown glass.
- Good stops are the Pelorus River, Havelock, Highfield Winery in Blenheim and The Store at Kekerengu.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Dylans Country Stay / Silver: Miharothia Lodge / Gold: Hapuku Lodge
- Driving Time today 4 hours
DAY 11
- Join Whale Watch Kaikoura this morning or Dolphin Encounters (optional) - or do both!
- Take a walk around the peninsula and see the seal colony.
- Take the inland Road from Kaikoura to Hanmer Springs and stay tonight.
- Soak in the hot pools (relaxing is also part of your South Island adventure holiday) or take a walk up Conical Hill this evening.
- Accommodation: Bronze: Cheltenham House / Silver: Cheltenham House / Gold: Albergo Cottage
- Driving time today 2 hours
DAY 12
- Depending on your departure time , you may want to stop for lunch at a Waipara Vineyard such as Pegasus Bay. For a more casual dining experience, the Norwester Cafe in Amberley, the Pukeko Cafe or Brew Moon are good options. Stop off at Waikuku or Woodend Beach or head straight into Christchurch.
- The Antarctic Centre near the airport is a good stop for a few hours prior to your flight
- Driving time to Christchurch airport allow 2 hours
Contact us to Plan Your South Island adventure holiday
Other GUEST New Zealand Travel Packages:
To Fellow Travellers: My son Peter and I live in Colorado, USA. We were planning a trip to New Zealand but didn't really know where to start. Fortunately we came into contact with GNZ Travel. Michael and his staff were very thorough and communicative. One of the things I really liked about working with GNZ is their after the sale service. During our trip we decided to make some last minute changes and GNZ was right there, making all the neccessary arrangements and follow thru so our trip was even that much more enjoyable and hassle-free. New Zealand is a wonderful tourist destination and GNZ really know their stuff.
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