New Zealand's South Island self-drive
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Itinerary
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Christchurch.
On-board your international outbound flight to Christchurch.
Arrive in Christchurch today where you will be welcomed by one of our representatives and transferred to your accommodation for the next two nights. Relax, unwind and recover from your flight, there is plenty to do in Christchurch within an easy stroll of your accommodation.
Enjoy the day at leisure in Christchurch. The nearby beach suburbs of New Brighton and Sumner are well worth a visit - here you can enjoy a coffee whilst watching the surf roll in.
Take a taxi to the airport to collect your car this morning and make your way north from the city today and inland to Hanmer Springs. Enjoy an afternoon soak in the famous and therapeutic hot pools here.
Today you take a scenic drive along the Lewis Pass then north through Murchison to Motueka, close to the Abel Tasman region.
Today you get to explore this pristine area from the water and on foot. Start with a kayaking trip around the edges of the National Park, paddling gently with the breeze. Then, enjoy a cruise along the coast to a beautiful beach where you are dropped off to enjoy a short walk on one of the tracks here.
You start your journey down the west coast today and make your way to Hokitika. This is a long drive so we suggest making a day of it and stopping of at sights along the way. You might like to stop at the Pancake Rocks, near Punakaiki.
Make your way south along the wild West Coast to Franz Josef, the scenery on this drive is fabulous! The rest of the day is at leisure, perhaps visit Te Koha Gallery where you can try your hand at jade carving.
Today is at leisure to explore Franz Josef, you might like to visit Lake Matheson for stunning views of nearby Fox Glacier and Mount cook, take a glacier valley walk up to the Franz Josef Glacier or arrange for a helicopter or light aircraft flight over the glaciers.
Another stunning drive down the coast and inland to Lake Wanaka. There are lots of lovely spots to stop and go for short walks; each with something fascinating to see and photograph, along the way.
Today you join a delightful 4WD eco-tour to a privately owned high country station. You will see deer, sheep and cattle, learn a little about the station and take in some of the most magnificent views that Wanaka has to offer. To top it off you'll enjoy a lovely cup of tea served on top of one of Wanaka's wild hills with probably one of the most beautiful views in New Zealand.
You make your way to Te Anau today, where you will spend the night before embarking on your overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound. Do stop in and visit Queenstown as you pass through. Arrowtown is also a lovely little town you will reach before Queenstown and well worth a visit.
A wonderful experience awaits as you embark on a magical journey to Doubtful Sound, you will spend the night here, and wake up as some of only a few people to experience the Sound first thing in the morning. Keep a sharp eye out for wildlife such as Penguins, Otters, Dolphins, Seals and Albatross.
You will be dropped off at Te Anau this lunchtime, collect your car and drive down to Invercargill where you will catch a short 20 minute light aircraft flight over to Stewart Island.
Today you will enjoy a half day tour of Stewart Island and Ulva Island, learning all about the abundant birdlife and botany of these unique places. If you wish, you can extend this to a full day tour, just let your specialist know.
A short 20 minute hop on the small plane back to Invercargill this morning and you'll drive on up to Dunedin, where you will spend the next two nights at leisure.
Dunedin is a beautiful city to explore, in addition to the architecture, you might like to arrange for a boat tour around the Otago peninsula, to see some of the native penguins.
A long drive up to Christchurch today, so we suggest making a day of it and stopping at Oamaru and Timaru to see the sights along the way. You will spend your last night in Christchurch tonight. Why not go for one last dinner on board the Tramway restaurant, which trundles around the city as you dine on fine New Zealand cuisine.
Today you will meet your international flight home.
Arrive home today to complete your journey.
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Our trips don’t come off the shelf. There’s no set recipe. Each itinerary is tailor-made down to the finest detail, built around your tastes and interests. Quite simply, we listen to what you want and then carefully design an individual trip to match, working to your budget and with an absolute commitment to quality.
We have experts for each and every one of our destinations, with the knowledge that comes from having visited many times or even lived there. Our specialists will design a trip around you, show you the highlights from a different angle, and introduce you to places and experiences that others might miss.
Our flexibility promise
As the world adjusts to travel in times of uncertainty, we want you to be able to look ahead to your next trip knowing you can change your plans if needed. And, with specialists who are experts in their destinations and remain your single point of contact before and while you travel, we promise you can book with us in absolute confidence.
Our flexibility promise
Change your plans free of charge up to 30 days before departure
We’ll move your travel dates or switch the value of your booked trip to another destination at no expense to you up to 30 days before you’re due to depart. You’ll receive a 100% travel credit equivalent to the amount you paid toward your original booking.
Valid for new bookings made on or before October 31, 2020, for travel by Dec. 31, 2021. Travel dates may be moved to departures up to December 31, 2022. Excludes select cruises and airfare. Additional charges may be incurred based on changes to your trip such as accommodation and/or seasonality.
Full-refund guarantee on trips close to home
14-day cancellation policy for trips to the US, Canada or Caribbean
We want to help you navigate the uncertainty that remains around travel by giving you the flexibility to book a trip to any of our destinations in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean this year in complete confidence. With our 14-day cancellation policy, you can cancel your trip up to two weeks before you’re due to depart for any reason and receive a full refund, when you book your trip on or before October 31, 2020 for travel before December 14, 2021**.
Valid on new bookings within the US, Canada or Caribbean made on or before October 31, 2020 for travel by December 14, 2021. Certain policy variations may apply dependent on property selection and dates. Specific details will be provided by your specialist. Any portion of a new booking paid with an existing travel credit will be refunded in the form of a travel credit. Excludes flights and select properties.
Set your travel plans in motion with a video appointment
Talking face to face with your specialist can be an invaluable starting point for sharing thoughts and ideas as you begin to imagine your next trip. You can take as much time as you need to speak to your specialist and discuss all your plans with one of our video appointments. Just think of it as your own personal webinar — your specialist will share a wealth of insight, aided by images, maps and other visuals, to inspire you and provide advice for your trip, based on what you want to experience.
It's easy to arrange
- Book a video appointment (we’ll ask you for a few details about your travel plans).
- One of our specialists, who’s an expert in your chosen destination, will get in touch to arrange a time and date to suit you. If your travel companions are in different households, we’ll invite them to join, too, so you can all chat together.
- Your specialist will send you a link to your video appointment by email. We suggest using a computer or laptop, which means there’s no software to download.
- Settle down with a drink, click on the link to join the appointment and your specialist will be there to welcome you.
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