Day 3

Nelson is noted for its large fishing port, orchards, hops and beer, and is the oldest settled region in the South Island. Excellent local clays make Nelson the home of many of New Zealands internationaly recognised potters. Visit Golden Bay via the "marble mountain", Takaka hill. Drive through the forests of Golden Downs, into the earthqauke region of Murchison and the Buller Gorge. Follow the winding Buller river, bush clad hills, solitude, to the West Coast township of Westport.

Day 4

Coal, Gold, Forsetry, all exploited from the 1860's to the present day. Visit the Denniston plateau, travel the Coast road to the Pancake rocks and blowholes, then onto Greymouth and Shantytown, see how the pioneers lived. Onto Hokitika, scene of the 1860's gold rush after California. Noted for its finely carved local Jade. 

Day 5

Travel further down the Coastal highway beside the southern alps to the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. View the summit of New Zealands highest peak Mount Cook (Aoraki) by helicopter. Drive through vast Rimu forests (Red Pine) past tranquil and deserted wild beaches. Stay in remote Haast.

Day 6

 

Cross the Southern Alps again by the rugged Haast Pass, to the beautiful lakes district of Central Otago. Breath taking views of wide tussock plains, snow cap mountains and the deep blue waters of lakes Hawea and Wanaka. Visit the warbirds museum, see fighter planes from the second world war. Through the goldfields of the wild Kawarau gorge, we reach the alpine resort city of queenstown beside beautiful Lake Wakatipu.

Day 7 & 8

Vintage steamship, alpine gondala, white water rafting jetboating, bungy jumping, vineyards, cafes, stunning mountain vistas and much more. We stay 2 nights here there is so much to see and do.

Day 10

Back through the mountains to lake Te Anau, then Lake Manapouri, Ferry across to Deep Cove then bus down into the underground power station. On through the rich farmlands of Southland to New Zealand's southernmost city of Invercargill. 

Day 11

Back to the Pacific Coast, through the Catlins forest to the university city of Dunedin, "the Edinburgh of the south." Magnificent old buildings reminiscent of its scottish ancestry.

Day 12

Past man-made hydrolakes, fast flowing alps-fed rivers, old gold mining townships, huge hydro-eletric dams, the scenery just keeps on changing. Onto the spectacular mount cook (aoraki) stay at the famous Hermitage, listen to the Kea's calling (Native Alpine Parrots.) and avalanches rumbling.

Day 13

Travel around the shores of Glacier-fed jade blue lakes Tekapo and Pukaki, into the rolling hill country townships of Fairlie and Geraldine, home of the famous merino sheep, and then back to the Canterbury Plains and the Southern most English city of Christchurch.