Today is the first day of your tour. Arrive in Christchurch at any time today and explore the city. Wander through the laneways looking for street art, find a hidden eatery or hop on the tourist tram and see the city sights. This evening you'll meet your Guide and your group and enjoy a dinner together.
Meals included: Dinner
Bike rides: Hagley Park Bike Ride
Accommodation: Dorm
This morning, we’ll wake up after a great night’s sleep and hit the road towards arguably the most beautiful part of the South Island. We’ll take an incredibly scenic journey to the breathtaking Lake Tekapo, where you will see the most spectacular turquoise waters which get their colour from the glacial flour brought down from the rivers flowing from glaciers high up in the mountains.
Today, go for a hike, a bike ride, or just relax at camp. If you’d like to see some if the amazing sights of Tekapo from the skies, go for an epic scenic flight this afternoon, and this evening, you can go for a soak in the nearby hot pools or enjoy some world famous star gazing at the Mt John Observatory - you are staying in an International Dark Sky Reserve, after all!
Meals included: Breakfast & lunch
Walks: Mt John walkway
Bike rides: Lake Tekapo Regional Park
Activities (own cost): Scenic Flight, Tekapo Hot Pools, Star Gazing
Today you get to immerse yourself in the snow-capped mountain scenery that New Zealand is famous for. This morning we’ll explore the spectacular Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. We’ll hike to the base of NZ’s highest mountain following a trail up the Hooker valley where you’ll cross swing bridges and experience stunning views of the mountains before finishing up at a glacial lake with some awe inspiring views of the Hooker Valley glacier - trust us, you’ll want to bring your camera for this! Next, we’ll travel back towards the Pacific coast and make a quick stop in the historic town of Oamaru before getting to the small village of Moeraki, where we’ll camp for the night. Go for a walk this evening to a great view point offering expansive views of the Pacific Ocean and try to spot a little Blue Penguin along the shore.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Walks: To the base of Mount Cook & Hooker Valley, explore the Moeraki Heritage Trail
Bike rides: 13km Alps2Ocean trail ride
If the tide is low this morning, we’ll go for a walk along the beach to see the mysterious Moeraki boulders. These perfectly round spheres of rock have formed over millions of years and have found their way onto the beach near Moeraki and make for some fun photo opportunities. Afterwards it’s onto the historic Scottish city of Dunedin, the South Island's second-largest city and home to NZ’s only castle. Dunedin is home to the world’s steepest residential street and the coastline is home to some fantastic and rare wildlife. Take a tour onto the Otago Peninsula to view some of the diverse wildlife which includes Albatross and Fur Seals, or for the adventurous, why not try surfing at one of Dunedin’s best breaks! Our camp is a short distance from St. Kilda beach with a variety of restaurants close by to choose from.
Meals included: Breakfast
Walks: World’s steepest street, explore Dunedin city
Bike rides: West harbour cycle trail (11 km)
Activities (own cost): Otago Peninsula Wildlife Tour, Otago Early Settlers Museum
Today is one of our longer travel days as we drive through some of New Zealand’s most dramatic natural scenery on our way to Fiordland. Make sure you have some snacks, and that all your devices are fully charged, particularly your camera! Large parts of the landscape along the drive today have been carved out over thousands of years, leaving stunning paths weaving through snow-capped mountains. Tonight’s camp is on the lakeside in Te Anau. The bikers can go for a ride on the lake to lake Te Anau trail and the rest of us can enjoy a leisurely walk along the lakefront or head up to the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary where we can see the endangered native Takahē. If you’d like to do an activity, we recommend the incredible glowworm caves tour and boat ride.
Meals included: Breakfast & dinner
Walks: Plenty of short walks from camp
Bike rides: Lake to Lake Te Anau trail, lakefront Te Anau trail (5 km)
Activities (own cost): Te Anau glowworm caves tour & boat ride
Today we’ll travel along one of the world’s most scenic roads and into Milford Sound! Described as the 'Eighth Wonder of the World', Milford Sound was carved by glaciers during the ice ages. We highly recommend boarding a cruise, where you'll see dramatic waterfalls and snow-capped peaks and if you’re
lucky, some wildlife! At different times of year, penguins, dolphins, seals and even whales have been spotted at Milford. As it’s just the one road in and out, we head back along the same breath-taking route to our lakeside camp in Te Anau. Along the way, we drop off those doing the Routeburn Track, one of New Zealand’s 9 Great Walks. This hike is a haven for native birdlife. Charge up your camera as this hike offers everything from mountainous peaks and sheer rock faces to pristine lakes, cascading waterfalls and dense, luxuriant forest.
Meals included: Breakfast & lunch
Walks: Routeburn Track (must be pre-booked and hikers will rejoin the group in Queenstown)
Activities (own cost): Milford Sound Cruise, Te Anau glowworm caves tour & boat ride
After breakfast this morning, we’ll make our way to Queenstown, the adventure capital of NZ that sits along the shores of the photogenic Lake Wakatipu. There’s a huge selection of activities to choose from here, from an adrenaline pumping bungy, canyon swing and skydive to a relaxing steam boat cruise or gondola ride - this place has it all. There are great tracks around the lake ideal for bikers and hikers and all with wonderful views of this alpine region. Camping isn’t feasible in this bustling alpine village, for the next two nights we stay in dorm-share accommodation in a centrally located hostel. Perfect for making the most of all Queenstown has to offer!
Meals included: Breakfast
Walks: Queenstown walks, Queenstown hill
Activities (own cost): Too many to list - something for everyone (check out Flying Kiwi's website or ask them for details)
With so much to do we’ll spend another full day in the fantastic Queenstown, so everyone has the opportunity to have those once in a lifetime experiences. Speaking of experiences, may we suggest trying the legendary Fergburger! For those on the Routeburn Track, you will rejoin the group here today and this evening you’ll be able to experience everything this vibrant resort town has to offer. Tonight, we dine out at one of Queenstown’s many delicious eateries - a great chance for your group to enjoy a feast at an iconic Queenstown eatery (own cost).
Meals included: Breakfast
Walks: Queenstown walks, Ben Lomond
Bike rides: Lake Wakatipu trail (16km), Queenstown trail (48 km)
Activities (own cost): Too many to list - something for everyone (check out Flying Kiwi's website or ask them for details)
A last chance to indulge in the Queenstown action before finishing your tour with us here and saying farewell to your fellow Flying Kiwi travellers!
Meals included: Breakfast
- Experienced tour guide
- All local transportation. If you have chosen the bike rental option, then it is also included.
- 8 night's accommodation
- Meals as specified in itinerary
