Are you able to give options yet? Will there be any children on your tours?

Are you considering any other tours aside from Southern Spotlight? Regarding children traveling on the tour, it is certainly possible for families to join if some of the travelers include their children.

Do you have spots available for 28 December? Is this tour using train? Where the tour ends? How we can get to airport? Can we pay for an extra night?

This tour will include a train ride at TranzAlpine at the day 8 of the trip. The tour will ends at Hotel Ibis Christchurch after your breakfast. You have to arrange your transfer or transportation going to the airport after the tour. You can get an extra night accommodation with us either pre or post accommodation for your trip. Both pre and post accommodation will be at Hotel Ibis Christchurch.

Do you have trips available for April 2026 for New Zealand which includes the train

Are you looking to visit only the South Island in New Zealand, or are you looking to visit both islands? I'll be happy to take a look at some options for you that include the TranzAlpine train

Southern Spotlight (2025/2026)

9 days

•

Start and end in Christchurch

3.9

7 traveler reviews

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No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:

Gold Operator: AAT Kings
Explorer: Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
Group Tour: Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 20 - 48
All Ages Welcome

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Day 1
Christchurch
Accommodation
Hotel (Ibis Hotel Christchurch)
Day 2
Lake Tekapo
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation
Hotel (Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel)
Included Activities
- Christchurch city tour viewing innovative Cathedral and Turanga library
- Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience at Tekapo
- View Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo
Landmarks
Christchurch Cathedral
Turanga Central Library
Church of the Good Shepherd
Lake Tekapo
Day 3
Oamaru - Dunedin
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Scenic Hotel Dunedin City)
Optional Activities
- Explore Oamaru's Victorian heritage buildings
- Walk Oamaru's art-lined alleys
- Wildlife discovery including fur seals near Dunedin
- Visit Speight's Brewery
Landmarks
Oamaru
Speight's Brewery
Day 4
Fiordland - Te Anau
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation
Hotel (Distinction Luxmore Hotel)
Landmarks
Fiordland National Park
Otago University
Day 5
Milford Sound
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown)
Included Activities
- Cruise Milford Sound/Piopiotahi with waterfall views
Landmarks
Fiordland National Park
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi
Day 6
Queenstown
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner (Gourmet barbecue dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm)
Accommodation
Hotel (Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown)
Included Activities
- Cruise Lake Wakatipu aboard TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak
- Gourmet barbecue dinner and farm show at Walter Peak High Country Farm
Optional Activities
- Skippers Jet adventure
- Kiwi Park visit
Landmarks
Lake Wakatipu
Walter Peak High Country Farm
Kiwi Park
Day 7
Lake Dunstan - Lake Hawea - Franz Josef
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier)
Included Activities
- View Franz Josef Glacier from panoramic viewpoint
Optional Activities
- Scenic flight over Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere
Landmarks
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Dunstan
Lake Hawea
Haast Pass
Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere
Day 8
Hokitika - Christchurch
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation
Hotel (Ibis Hotel Christchurch)
Included Activities
- TranzAlpine train journey to Christchurch with panoramic views
Optional Activities
- Explore pounamu (native greenstone or jade) in Hokitika
Landmarks
Hokitika
Day 9
Christchurch

Landmarks
Christchurch Cathedral
Turanga Central Library
Church of the Good Shepherd
Lake Tekapo

Landmarks
Oamaru
Speight's Brewery

Landmarks
Fiordland National Park
Otago University

Landmarks
Fiordland National Park
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi

Landmarks
Lake Wakatipu
Walter Peak High Country Farm
Kiwi Park

Landmarks
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Dunstan
Lake Hawea
Haast Pass
Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere

Landmarks
Hokitika

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Ibis Hotel Christchurch
Hotel
Days 1, 8
Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel
Hotel
day 2
Scenic Hotel Dunedin City
Hotel
day 3
Distinction Luxmore Hotel
Hotel
day 4
Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown
Hotel
Days 5, 6
Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
Hotel
day 7

Operated by

AAT Kings

Gold Operator

Rating: 4.3(116 reviews)
Response time: within 3 days
Response rate: 86%
Cancellation policy

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

3.9

Overall rating based on 7 Reviews

Itinerary
4.8
Transport
4.8
Guide
5.0
Accommodation
4.3
Food
4.3
Tour Operator
4.3

W
Woldeyesus
April 7th, 2026
Service was great and the touring team was awesome!!
Traveled in March 2026
Marina
January 6th, 2026
We were very happy with our tour! It was very well organised, good accommodation, tasty meals, and with tour...
We were very happy with our tour! It was very well organised, good accommodation, tasty meals, and with tour director and driver doing the best job of looking after people!Show more
Traveled in December 2025
D
David
December 3rd, 2024
Beware, this tour does not operate fully throughout the year and if, like us, the Tranz Alpine Railway is not running...
Show more
Traveled in October 2024
D
Dianne
December 19th, 2023
Isobel was an outstanding tour guide, full of amazing and interesting information, funny, down to earth, a wonderful...
Isobel was an outstanding tour guide, full of amazing and interesting information, funny, down to earth, a wonderful story teller, competent, organised, nice to everyone. We've done two other Trafalgar bus tours and she has been our favourite tour guide. Darrell was a superb bus driver, always calm, navigating different terrains and weather with ease. We felt 100% safe in his competent hands. I liked that so much of the good stuff was included in the tour, e.g. the cruise on Milford Sound, and the wonderful ferry ride and dinner on the farm in Queenstown. It was fast paced, but we did cover an incredible amount in 8 days.Show more
Traveled in November 2023
M
Moumita
March 10th, 2020
We had a great guide but the tour itself had a very brief covering of the Franz and fox that was very dissappointing....
Show more
Traveled in March 2020
Reply from: AAT Kings
Hi Moumita, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed travelling with our Travel Director, but we are sorry to hear that other parts of the Guided Holiday did not meet expectations. If you would like to discuss further then please contact us at guestrelations@ttc.com with some further information including your name, booking reference and departure date. Many thanks, AAT Kings
Show more
R
Rosemary
February 26th, 2020
Very good tour, excellent tour director and driver. Itinerary super, fantastic scenery, food mostly very good, hotels...
Show more
Traveled in February 2020
Reply from: AAT Kings
Hello Rosemary, Thank you very much for your feedback. We are looking forward to welcoming you on an AAT Kings time again in the future. Many thanks, AAT Kings
Show more
G
GingerSutton
February 8th, 2019
View in English
Traveled in January 2019
Reply from: AAT Kings
Hi Ginger, Thanks so much for sharing your feedback! We hope to see you again soon on another AAT Kings tour! Many thanks, AAT Kings
Show more

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

Instant Confirmation
-8%
From Sunday
13 Sep, 2026
To Monday
21 Sep, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
$3,645
US $3,353 per person
Multiple Room Types
Instant Confirmation
-8%
From Sunday
27 Sep, 2026
To Monday
5 Oct, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
$3,645
US $3,353 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Sunday
4 Oct, 2026
To Monday
12 Oct, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
Sold out
From:
US $3,645 per person
See Similar Tours For These Dates
Instant Confirmation
From Sunday
11 Oct, 2026
To Monday
19 Oct, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $3,718 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Sunday
1 Nov, 2026
To Monday
9 Nov, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
Sold out
From:
US $3,718 per person
See Similar Tours For These Dates
From Sunday
8 Nov, 2026
To Monday
16 Nov, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
Sold out
From:
US $3,645 per person
See Similar Tours For These Dates
1 Other Unavailable Departure
From Sunday
15 Nov, 2026
To Monday
23 Nov, 2026
English
Filling Fast
Check the availability with the operator
Departure on request
From:
US $3,718 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Sunday
29 Nov, 2026
To Monday
7 Dec, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
Sold out
From:
US $3,645 per person
See Similar Tours For These Dates
Instant Confirmation
From Sunday
6 Dec, 2026
To Monday
14 Dec, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $3,718 per person
Multiple Room Types
Instant Confirmation
From Sunday
13 Dec, 2026
To Monday
21 Dec, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $3,718 per person
Multiple Room Types

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What our customers ask about this tour

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K
Ken
Asked on September 13th, 2025
Are you able to give options yet? Will there be any children on your tours?
Age Range
Tour Details
- AAT KingsOperator•Written September 2025
  Are you considering any other tours aside from Southern Spotlight? Regarding children traveling on the tour, it is certainly possible for families to join if some of the travelers include their children.
B
Ben
Asked on August 22nd, 2025
Do you have spots available for 28 December? Is this tour using train? Where the tour ends? How we can get to airport? Can we pay for an extra night?
Accommodation
Flights / Transfers
Tour Details
Transport
- AAT KingsOperator•Written August 2025
  This tour will include a train ride at TranzAlpine at the day 8 of the trip. The tour will ends at Hotel Ibis Christchurch after your breakfast. You have to arrange your transfer or transportation going to the airport after the tour. You can get an extra night accommodation with us either pre or post accommodation for your trip. Both pre and post accommodation will be at Hotel Ibis Christchurch.
- B
  Ben
  Traveler•Written September 2025
  Please confirm how much a pre tour accommodation cost?
- AAT KingsOperator•Written September 2025
  Pre-Hotel: Hotel Ibis Christchurch. Amount: $149.00 per night and per person for a twin room. Status: On-Request.
- B
  Ben
  Traveler•Written September 2025
  Does it include breakfast?
- AAT KingsOperator•Written September 2025
  Yes, the pre and post accommodations will include a breakfast for the guests.
M
Megan
Asked on February 13th, 2025
Do you have trips available for April 2026 for New Zealand which includes the train
Tour Details
Transport
- AAT KingsOperator•Written February 2025
  Are you looking to visit only the South Island in New Zealand, or are you looking to visit both islands? I'll be happy to take a look at some options for you that include the TranzAlpine train

No departure dates available

No dates, no problem! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive:

Travel inspiration for similar adventures
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Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 289306

Currency
$
New Zealand Dollar
New Zealand
Plugs & Adapters
As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type I.
Type I
New Zealand
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before July 5th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after July 5th, 2026, a minimum payment of $200 is required to confirm your booking with AAT Kings. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- Some departure dates and prices may vary and AAT Kings will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
- The following cards are accepted for "AAT Kings" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- Your money is safe with TourRadar, as we only pay the tour operator after your tour has departed.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of AAT Kings. Please familiarize yourself with the AAT Kings payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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Southern Spotlight (2025/2026)

No departure dates available

Itinerary

Christchurch

Lake Tekapo

Included Activities

Oamaru - Dunedin

Optional Activities

Fiordland - Te Anau

Milford Sound

Included Activities

Queenstown

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Lake Dunstan - Lake Hawea - Franz Josef

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Hokitika - Christchurch

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Christchurch

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Where You'll Stay

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

Dates & Availability

Want to read it later?

Why book with TourRadar?

What our customers ask about this tour

No departure dates available

Good to Know

Keep Exploring New Zealand

Southern Spotlight (2025/2026)

No departure dates available

Itinerary

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Where You'll Stay

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

Dates & Availability

Want to read it later?

Why book with TourRadar?

What our customers ask about this tour

No departure dates available

Earn while you share

Good to Know

Keep Exploring New Zealand

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