TEN DAY
SOUTH ISLAND CIRCUIT
This Budget 10 Day Tour has it all, from Lakes Mountains and Glaciers, the tour covers the South Island and includes Mount Cook National Park, Queenstown, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound’s Cruise and the West Coast Glaciers, Abel Tasman National Park and Whale watching.
TOUR CODE BUDSI10
NORMAL TOUR COST nz$1995 PER PERSON SHARE TWIN
TOUR COST nz$2385 FOR SINGLE
DAILY DEPARTURES
Day 1
Christchurch - Mount Cook - Queenstown
A day for spectacular sights, we farewell Christchurch and travel through Ashburton, Geraldine and Fairlie, over Burke’s Pass into the vast Mackenzie Basin to the magnificent blue waters of Lake Tekapo. We visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and the statue of the Collie dog, and then continue to Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain. Time is available to enjoy an optional scenic flight over the ancient rivers of ice and the West Coast Glaciers (weather permitting – a highly recommended option), before continuing on over Lindas Pass and following the Kawerau Gorge to Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital
Day 2
Queenstown
Milford Sound Nature Cruise Day Excursion
(Included in tour cost).
Travel from Queenstown via Lake Te Anau to the beautiful Milford Sound, located in the World Heritage Fiordland National Park. Explore dramatic, moody Milford Sound in a leisurely and relaxed way with our nature guides. Our vessels, the Milford Mariner and Milford Wanderer are designed along the lines of traditional trading scows. They have been purpose built to operate in the fiords and offer a laid back, extended cruise option. Throughout your cruise, our nature guide provides an engaging commentary about the magnificent scenery and wildlife (English only). Keep a look out for dolphins, seals and penguins. Here we cruise the sounds and get close up views of the magnificent scenery that this World Heritage Area has to offer. Be inspired as mountain peaks soar overhead and waterfalls tumble hundreds of metres into the sea below. Return by coach to Queenstown
Day 3:
Queenstown Day at leisure
Your hotel concierge can assist you with information and reservations for the huge number of things to see and do.
An extra nights accommodation can be added on in Queenstown for nz$85 per person share twin.
Day 4:
Queenstown - Franz Josef Glacier
We follow the Kawerau Gorge Road to Cromwell, continuing onto the popular Lake Wanaka, the starting point of the mighty Clutha River. From here we travel past Lake Hawea before following the upper reaches of Lake Wanaka to Makaroa and traversing the rugged Haast Pass into the Westland National Park. Arriving at Haast, you are surrounded by a landscape of rainforest, wetlands, sand dunes and surf-pounded shingle beaches. This wilderness forms part of the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, so designated because South Westland and Fiordland have some of the most dramatic forest and mountain scenery and natural resources in the world. On arrival there is time for a scenic flight (weather permitting, own expense).
Day 5:
Franz Josef Glacier
Come and explore the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, where you'll find the ancient Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glaciers nestled amidst primeval rainforest. Here the lakes, rivers, forests and beaches of an untamed, yet accessible wilderness, are as pure as you will find anywhere.
Why not try a scenic flight which encompasses the two famous glaciers and many more besides. These frozen rivers of ice can travel up to 3 metres per day down the mountain valleys OR perhaps a heli-hike on the glacier after an exciting scenic flight, you land high up on the glacier and undertake a two hour guided hike amongst some of the most pristine and awe-inspiring glacier scenery available.
Day 6:
Franz Josef Glacier - Greymouth - Punakaiki
Today your tour continues along the rugged West Coast to Greymouth, the centre for thousands of miners during the historic gold strikes of the 1860s. We then continue northward along the Coast to visit the pancake rocks at Punakaiki – These sedimentary rocks have been hammered by the sea, and wind erosion forming layered rocks giving a look of a large stack of pancakes. Paparoa National Park Spectacular cliffs and caves typify the West's rugged coastline, with one of the best known features being pancake rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki. These fascinating limestone formations put on a spectacular spouting display on a high tide with a strong westerly swell.
Day 7
Punakaiki – Nelson
We continue northward along the Coast to Westport, after following the Buller Gorge we travel through the Golden Downs Forest, passing Brightwater, the birth place of Lord Rutherford, the New Zealand science pioneer who split the atom. We arrive in Nelson this being our first city of New Zealand.
Day 8
Nelson
Welcome to the wonderful world of the Abel Tasman - New Zealand’s smallest, sunniest and most popular national park. Abel Tasman, the Dutch explorer, was the first European to visit New Zealand. In 1642 he anchored his two ships in Golden Bay near the present park. The Abel Tasman National Park was opened in 1942, on the 300th Anniversary of Tasman’s voyage. This park is located at the top of the South Island and is best known for its gentle coastal walk, golden beaches, towering granite domes and honeycomb cave systems.
Today you have the option of having a rest day or an optional tour of touring the rich apple growing areas of Richmond, Mapua, Tasman and Redwood Valley to Motueka and then on to Kaiteriteri Beach, a hidden jewel in the top of the South Island. A boxed lunch is provided today as we board our sightseeing boat to cruise close into protected southern bays as we travel past Split Apple Rock and the various seal colonies, then the scenery changes; Onetahuti marks the beginning of the northern beaches- large sweeps of golden sand separated by picturesque bush headlands. We then return to Kaiteriteri for our bus journey back to Nelson. OUR COST is nz$145 p.p. and includes a lunch box
Day 9
Nelson – Kaikoura
This morning depart Nelson and travel over the Whangamoa Saddle and the Rai Saddle before reaching Blenheim, here you have a short break to go for a walk around the city centre before your journey continue down the rugged East Coast to Kaikoura.
Day 10
Kaikoura – Christchurch
This morning you have the option of going whale watching. Every Whale Watch tour is a unique experience and the sightings vary. Giant Sperm Whales are the stars of the show and year-round residents. A typical Whale Watch tour may encounter New Zealand Fur Seals, pods of Dusky Dolphins and the endangered Wandering Albatross. Depending on the season you may also see migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales. Kaikoura often hosts the world's largest dolphin - the Orca - and is home to the world's smallest and rarest - the Hector's. Kaikoura also attracts the largest concentration and variety of seabirds on mainland New Zealand including 13 species of Albatross, 14 varieties of Petrels and 7 types of Shearwater. Tour departs at 10.00am and returns approx 2.00pm. we will book your whale watch cruise, but clients need to pay on the day, (due to weather conditions) Cost approx nz$140 per person.. This afternoon you continue you journey to Christchurch.
PLEASE NOTE ALL OPTIONAL TOURS MUST BE BOOKED AT THE TIME BOOKING YOUR TOUR
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
• 9 Night’s accommodation in hotel and motels all centrally located.
• Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park
• Milford Sound Day Excursion including Red Boats Cruise
• Optional Abel Tasman Cruise
• Optional Whale watch
• West Coast - Franz Josef Glaciers
• All transport based on public transport
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING LINK, AS IT WILL EXPLAIN ALL ABOUT BUDGET TOURS http://www.tourandtravel.co.nz/tour.aspx?tourid=1171
All our Budget Tours are flexible and most can be done in reverse, extra nights can be added in, at any point. We can offer you very competitive rates for both pre and post tour accommodation if required.
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