South Island Discovery

Kia Ora and welcome to Christchurch, New Zealand for your South Island Discovery tour. Christchurch is one of the world’s most unique destinations, combining urban regeneration with heritage and culture. Meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers tonight at a welcome dinner. Overnght stay in Christchurch.

Meals Included: Dinner

Travel though the Canterbury plains towards the coastal highway today where the rugged mountains meet the ocean. Visit the town of Kaikoura famous for its diverse marine life especially whale sightings during the season. 
Arrive in Marlborough, New Zealand’s largest wine growing region. Enjoy a two-night stay in Blenheim, home to the country’s finest Sauvignon Blanc.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

View Sir Peter Jackson’s collection of World War 1 and 2 planes during your visit to the Omaka Aviation Centre today. Witness the fascinating recreation of war scenes and rare memorabilia on display, including items belonging to the famous Red Barron himself.
Later, discover wine facts about the famous wine region, known for its mild climate and year round sunshine during a visit to one of the many wineries, followed by wine tasting and lunch. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Continue your discovery of the top of the South Island and its sun-drenched national parks. The city of Nelson is the oldest in the South Island and known for its local arts and craft stores and art galleries. It is also the gateway to New Zealand’s smallest national park – the Abel Tasman, known for its white sand beaches and turquoise water. Enjoy an afternoon cruise from Kaiteriteri Beach where you will get a chance to see the famous Split Apple Rock, witness native fur seals in their natural habitat, and marvel at the golden sands. Stay overnight in Nelson.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Travel to the wild west coast of New Zealand. Enjoy the dramatic scenery on the Great Coast Road voted one of the top 10 coastal drives in the world. See the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes, where columns of water shoot skyward from rocks that resemble giant stacks of pancakes.
Upon arriving in Hokitika for your overnight stay, learn all about the famous New Zealand green stone, pounamu, and perhaps buy some to gift your loved ones back home.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Start your day with a visit the National Kiwi Centre to view the country’s national bird and other native species before seeing the Franz Josef Glacier with its ever-changing face for yourself. Enjoy an overnight stay at Franz Josef with fantastic mountain views.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

See the snow-capped mountains of the Southern Alps as you travel along the west coast before travelling via the Haast Pass. Stop in Wanaka and enjoy the picture-perfect views of the lake and the surrounding Mt Aspiring National park. Taste the famous stone fruit at Cromwell before arriving in Queenstown, the picturesque town located against a stunning backdrop of Southern Alps and Lake Wakatipu. Your picturesque hotel is your beautiful abode for the next three nights.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Cruise on Lake Wakatipu on a vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Station where you will enjoy a sheep show and lunch. TSS Earnslaw is an integral part of Queenstown pioneering history and a Queenstown icon. Known as The Lady of the lake, the vessel provided an essential link between the isolated farming communities along the lake and the outside world. At 48 metres long this was the biggest boat on the lake and carried passengers, sheep, cattle mail and supplies. Later, immerse yourself into New Zealand’s farm life as you watch farm dogs round up sheep from the paddocks at Walter Peak.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, enjoy a day at leisure as you choose from your Discover More options.

Meals Included: Breakfast

The road to Te Anau travels in the shadows of the rugged mountain range called The Remarkables.
Travel to Fiordland National Park. A world heritage listed site, it is one of most dramatic and beautiful parts of New Zealand. Witness the spectacular Milford Sound, carved by glaciers over 100,000 years ago, stand in awe on your cruise as you meander past towering cliffs, peaks and waterfalls. You’ll soon realise why Milford Sound was described by Rudyard Kipling as the eight wonder of the world. Later, return to the picturesque township of Te Anau for your overnight stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Leave the beauty of Lake Te Anau behind this morning to make your way to Dunedin, New Zealand’s oldest university city, also known as the Edinburgh of New Zealand. Surrounded by dramatic hills, Dunedin is one of the best-preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the southern hemisphere. Visit Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only Castle, situated on the picturesque Otago Peninsula. Explore its beautiful garden, rated “Garden of International Significance", and gain an insight into the wealthy Victorian lifestyle of the castle’s past inhabitants. Enjoy a tour of the historic Speights Brewery, where beer has been brewed since 1876. Stay overnight in Dunedin.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Visit the Moeraki Boulders, a unique sight featuring huge spherical boulders scattered across a sandy beach, before arriving in Twizel, the largest town in the Mackenzie Basin. Twizel as a town was built in 1968 to house the works for local hydro scheme. Enjoy an overnight stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd where the altar window frames a perfect view of the Southern Alps beyond the lake. The church was built in 1935 for the pioneer families of the Mackenzie district and is still used as a place of worship. Tekapo is part of a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve making it the perfect spot for stargazing because of its clear nights and lack of light pollution

Travel across the Canterbury plains before arriving back in Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island. Christchurch is one of the world’s most unique destinations, combining urban regeneration following the 2010 Earthquake with heritage and culture. Celebrate the end of your adventures with an interactive Maori Performance.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay longer and add the TRANZ Alpine as a day trip from Christchurch (extra expense).

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Evergreen Tours cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.

Meals Included: Breakfast