7-Day South Island Coastal Tour
Enjoy a 7-day New Zealand South Island tour from Christchurch to Otago Peninsula, Queenstown, and Milford Sound. Take a seven-day coach and Taieri Gorge Railway tour of New Zealand’s South Island from Christchurch. Listen to onboard commentary as you travel from Christchurch to Dunedin, then on to Queenstown and the Franz Josef Glacier via the west coast before returning to Christchurch on the TranzAlpine train.
Six nights’ lodging, a Milford Sound cruise, and a guided tour of Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, including admission to the royal albatross colony, are all included in your itinerary.
7-Day South Island Coastal Tour
Highlights
- Visit the coastal city of Dunedin
- Discover the wildlife of Otago Peninsula
- Enjoy a scenic Taieri Gorge Rail Journey
- Free day in Queenstown
- See the wildlife of Milford Sounds
- Take photos of the amazing Franz Josef Glacier
- Take the lovely TranzAlpine Rail Journey
Itinerary
Day 1: Christchurch/Dunedin
This morning, travel by coach or train for your journey to Dunedin. Head south through the Canterbury Plains and onto Dunedin, which boasts some of the most beautiful architecture in New Zealand.
Day 2: Dunedin
Board a double-decker bus this morning for a one-and-a-half-hour tour of Dunedin’s historic sights. This afternoon, you will be taken on a tour of the Otago Peninsula including the renowned Royal Albatross Colony (seasonal due to Albatross breeding).
Day 3: Dunedin/Queenstown
Today, board the Taieri Gorge Train and enjoy the rugged, unspoiled landscape of Otago with the opportunity for sightseeing stops along the way. Experience the breathtaking views of this historic journey to Pukerangi where you will board your coach and continue the journey to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand.
Day 4: Milford Sound Day Excursion
Lake Wakatipu is surrounded by the imposing Remarkables as you make your way to Te Anau, the “Gateway to Fiordland National Park”. The Eglinton Valley is the first valley you encounter as you enter the Fiordland National Park. The Mirror Lakes, a world-famous photo stop, are among the highlights of this tour through an ancient beech forest.
Continue up Hollyford Valley past the breathtaking Christie Falls and into the 1.2-kilometer-long Homer Tunnel, which was carved out of solid mountain rock. The Cleddau Valley and Milford Sound await you after you emerge from the Homer Tunnel. Milford Sound is one of New Zealand’s most spectacular natural wonders, home to Mitre Peak and rock walls scarred by glaciers that rise 1200 feet vertically out of the water.
Then, get back on the coach and head back towards Queenstown. Onboard lunches are available at an extra cost.
Day 5: At Queenstown
Enjoy a free day in Queenstown.
Day 6: Queenstown/Franz Josef Glacier
The Haast Pass, New Zealand’s most scenic highway and entry point to the World Heritage-listed Westland National Park, can be reached by following the shores of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. Once you’ve crossed Central Otago’s treeless grasslands, the Southern Alps and Westland’s rivers and rainforests come into view at the highest point.
Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are located on the west coast of New Zealand and can be reached by driving further up the coast. More than 7,000 years old and stretching 11 kilometers long, the Franz Josef Glacier is one of the largest in the world. In the end, the river emerges from a dark, powdered rock cave that creaks and arches over the river’s entrance. For anyone who comes to New Zealand, seeing this “river of ice” is a must-do.
Day 7: Franz Josef/Greymouth/Arthur’s Pass/Christchurch
Shantytown, a re-creation of a Westland Gold Rush town, is the next stop on your journey. Travel from Shantytown to Greymouth, where thousands of gold diggers congregated during the historic 1860’s strikes. You can take the world-famous Tranzalpine Train from Greymouth to Christchurch, which will take you over the Southern Alps, through lush beech forests, past tranquil lakes, across massive viaducts, through the stunning Waimakariri Gorge, and across Canterbury Plains farmlands.
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