Experience the best New Zealand has to offer. Have your accommodation and transport to be pre-booked for you.

 

Day 1: Arrive Christchurch
Transfer from airport to first nights’ accommodation included

Day 2: CHRISTCHURCH - GREYMOUTH
Today you make your own way to the Christchurch railway station to catch the TranzAlpine train across to Greymouth. The TranzAlpine is world renowned as 'The Great New Zealand Rail Adventure'. Crossing the huge and fertile patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains, The TranzAlpine winds its way over massive viaducts, through spectacular gorges and river valleys, before tracking slowly across the country's greatest mountain range, the Southern Alps. Following rivers and skirting lakes, it descends through lush beech forest to the Tasman Sea and the town of Greymouth. When you arrive into Greymouth it’s a short walk to your hostel.

Day 3: GREYMOUTH - FRANZ JOSEF
Today you meet the Magic Coach for the first time to travel to Franz Josef. After leaving Greymouth at 8am the day is reasonably short arriving into Franz Josef at about 12.30 in time to do one of the many activities available. The half-day Glacier hike is very popular and can be arranged through your driver. We stop off at Hokitika to have a look at some traditional greenstone art at the town’s carving centre and then it’s on to Ross an old gold mining town. You can pan for gold and maybe you’ll get to take some home!

Day 4: FRANZ JOSEF - QUEENSTOWN
There is an early start this morning as you head down the last stretch of the West Coast to Queenstown where you arrive in the late afternoon. First stop is Lake Matheson, known as the ‘Mirror Lake’ for its crystal clear waters where you can see reflections of the Southern Alps and Mt Cook. Heading on into the Central Otago region the landscape changes from dense forest to vast plateaus, with picturesque stops at Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka. Towards the end of the day you stop off at the world’s first commercial bungy site, the 42m high Kawerau Bridge where you can jump off or just watch others jump before heading into Queenstown and your next two nights accommodation.

Day 5: IN QUEENSTOWN
Spend the day trying out some of the huge range of activities on offer in, ‘the adventure capital of the world’ or take a day trip into the majestic Milford Sound where you can cruise the fiords while taking in the stunning flora & fauna.

Day 6: QUEENSTOWN - DUNEDIN
On the way to Dunedin you drive through many towns founded as gold miner’s settlements in the late 1800’s and past the huge, Clyde Dam Hydroelectric power station built in the 1980’s. Today’s journey is reasonably short arriving into Dunedin in the early afternoon. You have time to go on the much-recommended Elm Wildlife tour, try some chocolate on the Cadbury’s chocolate factory tour, some local beer on the Speight’s Brewery tour or just relax at your hostel.

Day 7: DUNEDIN - TEKAPO
First stop today is the world’s steepest street, Baldwin Street in south Dunedin, go for a stroll up the hill or if you’re really fit try to run to the top. After leaving Dunedin we drive up the coast stopping at the Maoraki Boulders, huge round rock formations on the seashore. Next you head inland to Omarama where you can have a good look around a typical New Zealand farming town and have a good hearty lunch at the local pub.

After lunch we head onto Lake Tekapo and head off the main highway to drive by the many crystal clear dams in the Waitaki Valley. You get to walk across a dam and get a real idea of the huge volume of water they hold. After a brief stop in Twizel today’s journey ends in the beautiful lake side settlement of Tekapo home to the idyllic Church of the Good Shepherd and hundreds of picture perfect views.

Day 8: TEKAPO - CHRISTCHURCH
After a quick drive through stunning scenery and onto Christchurch today. Travel through Fairlie and Geraldine before heading out onto the Canterbury Plains, the largest flat area of land in New Zealand and a huge contrast to yesterday’s scenery. You arrive into Christchurch early this afternoon so make sure you have a good look around the South Island’s largest and most cosmopolitan city.

Day 9: End Christchurch after breakfast.

Please note: New Zealand Flexi -Touring packages are not ‘fully guided, group tours’.

These itineraries include transport (no guide will travel on the coach, but you will be met by hostel staff at each stop and transferred to your accommodation), YHA accommodation and optional activities (operated by local guides who are experts in their area). Everything is pre-booked for you and you are provided with details of each segment, so you do not have to worry about a thing! The advantage of Flexi-touring is that it is tailored to each person’s requirements, departs daily and you are not paying high costs to have a guide sitting on a coach with you.

YHA membership will be required to be paid as a local payment $A35 on your first night stay.

Trip Information

Starts In: Christchurch
Ends In: Christchurch
Duration: 9 Days.
Departs: Regular departures
Group Size: Open
Transport: Coach
Accommodation: Dorm
Activity: South Island Highlights with Tranz Alpine
Ages: Open
Tour Code: MSNZ
Operator Code: MSNZ

Countries Visited

New Zealand

Trip Highlights

• Christchurch
• Greymouth
• Franz Josef
• Queenstown
• Dunedin
• Tekapo
• Dorm accommodation