Tour 305. DEEP SOUTH AND STEWART ISLAND. 7 days/6 nights
Commences Dunedin every Sunday until 20 April, 2025 - ends Invercargill, Te Anau, or Queenstown. Minimum 2 passengers
7 days/6 nights Dunedin to Invercargill, Te Anau, or Queenstown or vice versa
10 days/8 nights Dunedin to Queenstown or vice versa including Doubtful and Milford Sounds
13 days/12 nights Dunedin to Christchurch or vice versa including Fiordland and Mount Cook.
This is a flexible freedom tour using local operators for each stage of the journey. You may have a different driver each day! You are welcome to extend or adapt the itinerary for your interests. Tour can commence other days for minimum of 4. the "Taieri Gorge Railway is a fabulous part of Dunedins history and does operate soime days during summer. See end of this itinerary for schedule. Start your Dunedin experience earlier if you wish to include it.
Day 1. Sunday. DUNEDIN ARRIVE.
Arrive Dunedin today and transfer to your accommodation in Dunedin for 3 nights. Accommodation usually at Southern Cross or Distinction Hotels in the centre of the city.
Day 2. Monday. DUNEDIN
Join Horizon Tours for a tour of introduction to Dunedin. See the Octagon, Dunedin Railway Station, St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, First Church of Otago, University of Otago, and walk the world's steepest street if you wish! Continue to viewpoints of the city and visit St Clair and St Kilda in South Dunedin. This afternoon visit Larnachs castle including the grounds with access to the ballroom cafe and historic stables as well as the castle. Finish the day with a visit to the amazing Royal Albatross Centre to view the Albatross and return to the hotel.
Day 3. Tuesday. DUNEDIN
The day is free to explore at your leisure. We recommend both the Otago Museum and Early Settlers museum plus historic Olveston House for a guided tour.All activities extra expense.
Day 4. Wednesday. DUNEDIN - CATLINS - INVERCARGILL.
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 Nugget Point lighthouse, petrified forest (available low tide only), and Curio Bay.
Day 5. Thursday. INVERCARGILL. Stewart Island options by boat or air
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/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 with picnic lunch included 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
Please note. It is possible to stay for 1 or both nights on Stewart Island if accommodation is available for additional cost. Book early as accommodation is very scarce. A Kiwi encounter tour (extra cost $249) with the probability of seeing kiwi in the wild is available at night.
Day 6. Friday. INVERCARGILL
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). A special tour to the Croydon Aviation Centre at Mandeville (1.5 hours drive each way) can be arranged to see the Tiger Moth restoration and it is usually possible to arrange a Tiger Moth and/or Dominie flight and aerobatics (must be prebooked and these flights are very weather dependent) (www.croydonaviation.co.nz). All activities today are extra expense.
Day 7. Saturday INVERCARGILL DEPART
The 7 day tour ends in Invercargill this morning. The airport is a few minutes drive away. Transfer not included.
Tour cost per person: 2 per room $2,790. Single room $3,900
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Transfers can be provided to Te Anau, Manapouri, or Queenstown.
Visit the gardens and continue to Riverton for a guided tour of the Te Hikoi Museum with film and learn the early history of settlement in the area and visit the beach. Continue through Tuatapere to Te Anau Accommodation at Luxmore Hotel. Those finishing in Queenstown arrive early evening.
Day 6. TE ANAU - DOUBTFUL SOUND (B)
Transfer to Manapouri and cruise the lake to West Arm and cross Wilmot Pass to Doubtful Sound and board your overnight cruise. Dinner included on board. Comfortable 'compact' cabins with private shower/toilet. Explore the extensive fiords to the Tasman Sea. Anchor overnight in a quiet bay. Optional evening exploring by kayak or ships tender to get up close and personal with nature.
Overnight cruises are very popular. Book early
Day 7. DOUBTFUL SOUND - TE ANAU. (B)
Disembark after breakfast and return to Manapouri and Te Anau about midday.
Day 8. MILFORD SOUND - QUEENSTOWN (B)
Enjoy a day of magnificent scenery travelling through the Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys to magnificent Milford Sound. Cruise to the head of the sound under majestic Mitre Peak and see Bowen Falls. Picnic lunch included. return through Te Anau to Queenstown arriving early evening.
Day 9. QUEENSTOWN (B)
Free day to enjoy the scenery and all activities of Queenstown.
Day 10. QUEENSTOWN DEPART. (B)
You will be transferred to the airport for departure or why not continue to the West Coast and Christchurch.
Tour cost per person
5 days. Dunedin - Invercargill or vice versa. 2 per room $2,290. Single room $2,990. To end in Te Anau or Queenstown add $200.
10 days. Dunedin - Queenstown or vice versa: 2 per room $5,490......... Single room $6,700
13 days. Dunedin - Christchurch or vice versa. 2 per room $6,990......... Single room $8,900
Tour cost includes - 5 day tour:
** Arrival and departure transfers in Dunedin and Invercargill
** All travel from Dunedin to Invercargill. To end in Te Anau, or Queenstown add $200
** 4 nights accommodation and breakfast at 4 star hotels
** Sightseeing admissions to "Olveston House", Chinese Gardens, Larnachs Castle, Albatross Centre.
10 day tour includes Te Hikoi, Milford Sound cruise, Doubtful Sound overnight cruise including dinner and breakfast
DEEP SOUTH AND STEWART ISLAND PLUS WEST COAST.
Day 10. Wednesday. QUEENSTOWN - WANAKA - FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER (B)
Drive to the historic gold mining centre of Arrowtown. Explore the town and the remains of the Chinese village and continue through the Kawarau Gorge or over the Crown Range to Wanaka for a brief stop with optional (own expense) visit to amazing Puzzling World. Continue through Makarora and over the Haast Pass into the rainforest and spectacular coastline of the West Coast. Visit Shipwreck Beach, and beautiful Lake Matheson. Overnight Scenic Franz Josef Hotel.
Day 11. Thursday. FRANZ JOSEF - HOKITIKA OR PUNAKAIKI (B)
Visit the Franz Josef Glacier lookout with time for a helicopter or ski plane flight or heli hike on the glacier (extra expense and weather permitting) or bush walk. Drive north to enjoy the Treetops walk overlooking Lake Mahinapua. Enjoy the wetlands eco cruise and see jade carvers at work. Overnight Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika or Scenic Punakaiki Hotel.
Day 12. Friday. HOKITIKA - PUNAKAIKI - CHRISTCHURCH (B)
After a short tour of Greymouth continue to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks in the Paparoa National Park. Explore the area before visiting the recreated gold mining village of Shantytown to pan for gold and ride the train into the forest and the site of an old saw mill. Drive over spectacular Arthurs Pass and the Canterbury Plains arriving Christchurch late afternoon. You will be taken to any address in Metro Christchurch.
Option to travel on the "Tranz Alpine" train if you wish from Greymouth to Christchurch departing Greymouth 2.05pm and arriving Christchurch 7.00pm. Extra cost $240 per person
Day 13. Friday. CHRISTCHURCH DEPART (B)
You will be transferred to the airport for departure.
Tour cost per person
13 days. Dunedin - Christchurch: 2 per room $6,500......... Single room $8,700
Tour cost includes:
** Arrival transfer in Dunedin
** All travel from Dunedin to Christchurch
** 12 nights accommodation and breakfast
** Sightseeing admissions to "Olveston House", Chinese Gardens, Larnachs Castle, Albatross Centre, Te Hikoi, Milford Sound cruise, Doubtful Sound overnight cruise, Treetops, eco cruise, Shantytown.
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