Itinerary
- Day 1
Christchurch
Your private driver picks you up at Christchurch airport and takes you to your hotel. After settling in, spend the afternoon wandering around the garden city to see the tree-lined streets and green spaces. You can hop on the double decker bus to check out various spots, or take the historic tram over to the botanic gardens and the cardboard Transitional Cathedral if you prefer a slower pace.
- Start point
- Christchurch Airport, Christchurch, Canterbury Region, New Zealand (Our private transfer company will pick you up from the airport upon arrival)
Included Activities
- Private transfer from Christchurch airport to accommodation
Optional Activities
- Hop on/hop off bus sightseeing tour
- Historic tram ride to botanic gardens
- Visit Transitional Cathedral
Landmarks Christchurch Botanic Gardens Transitional Cathedral 
- Day 2
Christchurch to Mt. Cook National Park
Pick up your rental car this morning and head through the Canterbury plains, stopping in Geraldine and Fairlie along the way. You'll go over Burkes Pass to reach Tekapo, then continue to Lake Pukaki where you can see Mt Cook reflected in the turquoise glacier-fed water. By late afternoon, you'll be in Mt Cook Village checking out the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, which has a theatre and Digital Dome Planetarium showing the region's history.
Included Activities
- Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre Pass
Landmarks Aoraki Mt Cook Lake Pukaki Lake Tekapo Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre 
- Day 3
Mt. Cook National Park to Dunedin
Leave Mt Cook and drive past Twizel (a Lord of the Rings filming spot), then through Omarama, New Zealand's gliding capital. Stop at The Wrinkly Ram to see sheep shearing demonstrations and grab lunch. Later you'll wind through the Waitaki Valley toward the east coast, arriving in Oamaru to see the white stone buildings. If the timing works out, you might catch blue penguins coming ashore at dusk. After that, detour to Moeraki to see the famous Boulders before heading to Dunedin to explore the Scottish and Edwardian architecture around The Octagon.
Optional Activities
- Sheep shearing demonstrations at The Wrinkly Ram
- Blue penguin viewing at Oamaru (dusk, subject to timing)
- Moeraki Boulders viewing
Landmarks Moeraki Boulders Oamaru The Octagon 
- Day 4
Dunedin to Te Anau
Drive through Southland farming country along the scenic coastal route through The Catlins, stopping at Kaka Point for cliff and ocean views. You'll pass through Invercargill, Riverton, and Colac Bay, then head north to Manapouri (optional cruise to Doubtful Sound available if you want). Continue to Te Anau and in the evening, take a cruise on the Luminosa catamaran across Lake Te Anau, then explore the 12,000 year old cave system by walking along limestone paths and gliding through darkness to see thousands of glowworms.
Included Activities
- Te Anau Glowworm Caves Tour
- Scenic cruise across Lake Te Anau on catamaran Luminosa
Optional Activities
- Day or overnight cruise to Doubtful Sound from Manapouri
Landmarks Te Anau Glowworm Caves Lake Te Anau Doubtful Sound Kaka Point - Day 5
Te Anau to Milford Sound
Drive to Milford Sound through mountains, lakes, and glacier-carved valleys. Take the short Chasm Walk through beech forest past waterfalls, then go through the Homer Tunnel before reaching Milford village with views of Mitre Peak. Board the Real Journeys nature cruise for two and a half hours seeing waterfalls, peaks, and native wildlife like dolphins and seals, with a picnic lunch included. You'll drive back to Te Anau the same day after the cruise.
- Meals
- Lunch (Picnic lunch during Milford Sound nature cruise)
Included Activities
- Chasm Walk
- Real Journeys Milford Sound nature cruise
- Picnic lunch during cruise
Landmarks Milford Sound Mitre Peak Homer Tunnel 
- Day 6
Te Anau to Queenstown
Cross the tussock lands toward Queenstown, passing through Mossburn and Southland countryside with mountain views. Once in Queenstown, the adventure capital, take the Skyline Gondola up the steepest cable car lift in the Southern Hemisphere for panoramic views of The Remarkables, Walter Peak, and Lake Wakatipu below.
Included Activities
- Skyline Gondola Queenstown ride
Landmarks Lake Wakatipu The Remarkables Coronet Peak Cecil Peak Walter Peak 
- Day 7
Queenstown to Franz Josef Glacier
Cross the Crown Range, New Zealand's highest sealed road, to reach Wanaka. Skirt Lake Wanaka and Hawea, then stop at Blue Pools for a one hour walk through beech forest to a glacier-fed swimming hole. Head through Haast and up the wild West Coast (600 km of bush and rainforest), passing Fox Glacier before arriving in Franz Josef. In the evening, relax in the Franz Josef Glacier Hot Pools nestled in rainforest, with water temperatures between 36 to 40 degrees Celsius from the glacial stream.
Included Activities
- Franz Josef Glacier Hot Pools entry
Optional Activities
- Blue Pools 1 hour return walk
Landmarks Lake Wanaka Mt Aspiring National Park Blue Pools Haast Franz Josef Glacier 
- Day 8
Franz Josef to Christchurch via TranzAlpine Train
Drive north through Hokitika, the historic gold mining town known for Greenstone, then head to the coast for sea views or craft shops. Continue to Greymouth and return your rental car at the train station. Board the TranzAlpine Scenic Train heading east across the South Island through Arthur's Pass National Park, beech forest, river valleys, and Southern Alps peaks, descending to the Canterbury Plains before arriving back in Christchurch. Your private driver meets you at the station and transfers you to your accommodation.
Included Activities
- TranzAlpine Scenic Train journey from Greymouth to Christchurch
- Private transfer from Christchurch train station to accommodation
Optional Activities
- Greenstone shopping in Hokitika
- Hokitika craft shops
Landmarks Hokitika Greymouth Arthur's Pass National Park 
- Day 9
Departure from Christchurch
Your private driver picks you up from your accommodation and takes you to Christchurch Airport for your departing flight.
- End point
- Christchurch Airport, Christchurch, Canterbury Region, New Zealand (Our private transfer company will pick you up from your hotel and drop you at the airport to continue your onward journey)
Included Activities
- Private transfer from accommodation to Christchurch airport
