NEW ZEALAND HOSTED GRAND RAIL TOUR. 21 days/ 20 nights.
Includes: Northern Explorer", Wellington (2 nights), Picton (1 night) , Kaikoura (1 night), "Coastal Pacific", Christchurch (2 nights), (7 day tour ends) "Tranz Alpine", Shantytown, Hokitika (1 night), Reefton, Denniston, Nile River Railway, Punakaiki (1 night), Christchurch (1 night) (10 day tour ends), Extension to Mt Cook, Queenstown, Doubtful Sound overnight cruise, Queenstown (16 day tour including "Kingston Flyer" ends), Invercargill (Stewart Island option) Catlins, Dunedin, Taieri Gorge and Seasider trains. (21 day tour ends)
Departs Auckland Monday March 10 - returns March 30, 2025. (Includes "Taieri Gorge" and "Victorian" train from Dunedin to Oamaru return
Depart other mondays for minimum of 4 subject to space availabilty. Locally hosted in each area. A similar tour will operate departing Auckland 17 February for minimum of 4. Includes "Seasider" instead of "Victorian" from Dunedin
You may join or leave this tour at Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, or Dunedin.
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ITINERARY - Ultimate Grand Rail tour 21 Days/20 nights
Day 1. Monday. March 10. AUCKLAND - WELLINGTON
Complimentary transfer from home to the nearest railway station provided from Auckland (south of Orewa), Waikato, and Bay of Plenty.
7.45am. Depart Auckland Strand Railway Station aboard the "Northern Explorer". Depart Papakura 8.40am, Hamilton 10.15am, and Otorohanga 10.54am.
Sit back and relax and enjoy the scenes of suburban Auckland and rural Waikato dairy farmland and travel south through the central North Island including the famed Raurimu Spiral, a major engineering feat, and through the Tongariro National Park with magnificent views of the central North Island volcanoes in fine weather. Arrive Wellington 6.25pm. Transfer to your hotel in the central city.
Day 2. Tuesday. March 11. WELLINGTON. (B)
Explore the capital city on our included tour. Visit Oriental Bay and enjoy part of the beautiful Marine Drive. Enjoy a guided tour of Weta Workshop and visit Seatoun and Mt Victoria for a panoramic view over the city, guided tour of Government House (subject to approval at the time), the Botanical Gardens (optional cable car ride - extra expense). Optional visit to Zealandia Eco reserve, a guided tour of Parliament Buildings, and/or Te Papa. (Tour ends at Parliament Building. Guided tours of Parliament are available but should be prebooked. If you do not wish to enjoy the tour of Parliament our vehicle can drop you off at, Zealandia, your hotel, or Te Papa).
Day 3. Wednesday. March 12. WELLINGTON - PICTON. (B)
Transfer to the Interislander terminal and depart at 8.45am for the 3 hour 45 minute cruise across Cook Strait and through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton arriving 12.15pm. This afternoon visit the "Edwin Fox" ship restoration project and enjoy a mail boat cruise of the Marlborough Sounds. Depart Picton at 1.30pm and return about 5.30pm. Cruise the Sounds delivering the mail to the local residents and learn the history from the skipper. Enjoy about 15 minutes at Ship Cove where Captain Cook spent much time. Overnight Picton Yacht Club, or Scenic Marlborough hotels.
Day 4. Thursday. March 13. BLENHEIM - KAIKOURA (BD)
Visit the Marlborough Museum, Petere Jackson's Aviation Heritage Museum, and a winery for some wine tasting. Join the "Coastal Pacific" train at Blenheim departing at 2.05pm for the scenic ride down the Kaikoura Coast to Kaikoura arriving 4.25pm. Transfer to our accommodation. Seafood dinner tonight.
Day 5. Friday. March 14. KAIKOURA - CHRISTCHURCH. (B)
Free morning to explore and enjoy Kaikoura and visit the seal colony. Optional whale watch cruise or flight or Dolphin cruise. Depart Kaikoura 4.25pm aboard the "Coastal Pacific" to continue our journey south to Christchurch arriving at 7.30pm.
Day 6. Saturday. March 15. CHRISTCHURCH. (BD)
We have left today free for your own activities. Your hotel is in the centre of the city. Optional tours are available of the city, Port Hills, Hanmer Springs, Akaroa, etc. We recommend a visit to the Orana Wildlife Park and Antarctic Centre. Optional visit to Ferrymead's collection of trams and trains.
Enjoy the Tramcar dinner tonight
Day 7. Sunday. March 16. CHRISTCHURCH - HOKITIKA
7 day tour ends with checkout in Christchurch this morning. Transfer to the airport provided.
Transfer to the rail station.
8.15am. Depart Christchurch railway station aboard the "Tranz Alpine" express for one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world across the Canterbury Plains climbing through the foothills of the Southern Alps criss crossing the Waimakariri River on the way to Arthurs Pass for a brief break. Travel through the Otira tunnel and descend into the rainforest of the West Coast. Pass Lake Brunner and the Grey River and arrive Greymouth 1.05pm.
You will be met by your local guide and visit Shantytown. Ride the train, pan for gold, and recapture something of the atmosphere of the gold rush era. On to Hokitika and catch up on Hokitika in its prime during the gold rush
Accommodation and breakfast at the Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika.
Day 8. Monday. March 17. HOKITIKA - REEFTON - DENNISTON - WESTPORT - PUNAKAIKI (B)
Drive north to Reefton. Visit the Reefton Distillery Co with a little tasting and the Bearded Mining Company for a visit to a recreated miners hut and cup of billy tea. Drive to the Denniston lookout and on to Denniston to see the famous incline and discover the history of the area,. See the Banbury Drystone Arch and the historic mine workshop. Visit the Westport coal museum and Cape Foulwind seal colony before arriving at the Scenic Punakaiki Hotel.
Day 9. Tuesday. March 18. PUNAKAIKI - GREYMOUTH - CHRISTCHURCH (B)
We visit the historic gold mining town of Charleston for a ride on the Nile River railway through the rainforest. Explore the Punakaiki Rocks and Paparoa National Park.
Return to Greymouth for a short tour and time to explore. Rejoin the "Tranz Alpine" train departing 2.05pm to recross the Southern Alps to Christchurch where arrival is scheduled for 7pm. You will be transferred back to your accommodation.
Day 10. Wednesday. March 19. CHRISTCHURCH - LAKE TEKAPO OR MOUNT COOK. (B)
10 day tour ends at checkout this morning. We will transfer you to the airport.
We drive across the Canterbury Plains to Lake Tekapo with time to see the sheep dog monument and church of the Good Shepherd before continuing along the shores of Lake Pukaki to the Hermitage in the heart of the Mt Cook National Park. Free time for helicopter or ski plane flights, alpine walks, or a cruise among the icebergs on the lake at the base of the Tasman Glacier.. Accommodation at the Hermitage hotel with breakfast.
Prefer to stay at Tekapo for the Dark Sky experience (sorry we cannot guarantee clear skies)? No problem. Cost remains the same with accommodation and breakfast at Bluewater Resort - Dark sky experience extra.
Day 11. Thursday. March 20. TEKAPO OR MOUNT COOK TO QUEENSTOWN (B)
Time for activities if you missed yesterday and we depart late morning. Drive through the Mckenzie Country and over the Lindis Pass to the fruit growing region of Cromwell then on to Queenstown.
Day 12. Friday. March 21. QUEENSTOWN (BD)
The day is free to explore as you wish. Maybe visit Glenorchy or Arrowtown, enjoy an exciting jet boat ride, or whatever you wish. Optional day tour to Milford Sound with cruise. Overnight in Te Anau to join Doubtful Sound cruise Saturday. Extra Cost $150 per person.
Day 13. Saturday. March 22. DOUBTFUL SOUND excursion. Optional overnight. (BD)
Transfer to Manapouri and cruise across the bush clad Lake Manapouri to the West Arm. Drive across Wilmot Pass, and join our cruise to the head of the Sound. Doubtful Sound is much more extensive than Milford Sound. Return to Te Anau late afternoon. Picnic lunch included.
Optional overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound - extra cost $350 per person twin $700 single including dinner and breakfast on board. Overnight sailings fill fast. Book early!
Day 14. Sunday. March 23. DOUBTFUL SOUND - QUEENSTOWN. Includes Kingston Flyer. (BD)
Drive to Kingston to join the historic "Kingston Flyer' steam train for a 2 hour round trip journey and return to Queenstown
This evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak sheep station for a barbecue dinner.
Day 15. Monday. March 24. QUEENSTOWN (BD)
The 15 day tour ends at checkout this morning. Transfer to Queenstown airport provided.
We drive from Queenstown to Lumsden and on to the Croydon Aviation Centre at Mandeville to see the Tiger Moth and other vintage aircraft restoration and it is usually possible to arrange a Tiger Moth and/or Dominie flight and aerobatics (must be prebooked) (www.croydonaviation.co.nz). Continue to beautiful Riverton and enjoy Te Hikoi at Riverton en route. 1 night in Invercargill.
Day 16. Tuesday. March 25. INVERCARGILL. Stewart Island options by boat or air (B)
The day is free to explore Invercargill including the botanical gardens, Tuatara centre, Bill Richardson Transport World www.transportworld.nz), E Hayes Motorworks (www.ehayes.co.nz), Motor Cycle Mecca (www.motorcyclemecca.nz), and unleash your big kid operating bulldozers and diggers (www.digthisinvercargill.nz). All activities today are extra expense.
STEWART ISLAND options
Cruise: Transfer to Bluff and visit Stirling Point. Cruise to Stewart Island for a 90 minute tour of Oban to learn of its history before cruising to the bird sanctuary of Ulva Island. Explore the island and meet the friendly birds before returning to Invercargill for the night. A picnic lunch is included. Extra cost $490
Air: Transfer to Invercargill airport for the 20 minute flight to Stewart Island. Tour Oban for an hour and a half and take a water taxi to the bird sanctuary of Ulva island for a self guided walk (this option requires a 15-20 minute walk to and from the Water taxi) before returning to Invercargill. Cost $ 440 per person
Air/cruise: To maximise your time on Stewart Island and see it from the air and sea we suggest flying to Stewart Island at 8am for a few hours to explore 'downtown' including the DOC information centre. Enjoy a 1.5 hour tour of Oban which covers virtually all the roads on Stewart island. Depart Oban at 12.45pm by catamaran for a cruise on Patterson Inlet to Ulva island for a guided island walk. Return to Oban at 3.15pm and stay on the boat to cruise to Bluff. You will be met and visit Stirling Point before returning to Invercargill. Tour cost $550
Day 17. Wednesday. March 26. INVERCARGILL - CATLINS - DUNEDIN. (B)
Enjoy a scenic drive through the Catlins. one of New Zealand's most beautiful and unspoiled wilderness areas. See the wildlife, waterfalls,and beautiful coastal scenery and visit Curio Bay and Nugget Point lighthouse, and the Owaka museum to catch up on shipwrecks on the coast! Continue to Dunedin for 4 nights.
Day 18. Thursday. March 27. DUNEDIN (B)
Today we join the "TAIERI GORGE INLANDER" train to travel into Central Otago to Pukerangi and return. Depart Dunedin 9.30am and return 2.15pm. Photostops at cliffs, ravines, and viaducts and a full history of the area.
Day 19. Friday. March 28
This morning visit historic "Olveston House", Knox Church, The Octagon, and the world's steepest street. This afternoon tour the Otago Peninsula including Larnachs Castle and the Albatross Centre. (Optional nature cruise around Otago peninsula instead of Albatross centre - same price)
Day 20. Saturday. March 29. DUNEDIN - OAMARU - 'VICTORIAN" train (B)
We enjoy a rare opportunity to travel the rail route from Dunedin to Oamaru. Travel around Otago Harbour and Port Chalmers, and through Seacliff and Merton,.Depart Dunedin 9.25am, arrive Oamaru 12.15pm for almost 3 hours to enjoy Oamaru. The historic precinct is a 10 minute walk from the railway station. Visit the Steampunck museum and explore the historic precinct and try the local cafes. Depart Oamaru 3pm. Arrive Dunedin at 5.45pm and return to our hotel.
Day 21. Sunday. March 30. DUNEDIN DEPART
Transfer to Dunedin airport for departure. Departure air fares not included.
You are welcome to stay longer in Dunedin if you wish.
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