12 Day Winter Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer

Your Tour Registration starts at 2:30pm and then you get to spend the afternoon exploring Christchurch by Tram at a leisurely pace. The “Ice- breaker” Welcome Dinner and Tour Briefing will be held at the hotel restaurant at 6pm.

Your journey begins at Christchurch Railway Station, where the iconic TranzAlpine awaits. Often regarded to be one of the world’s great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes. The journey is 223 kilometres one-way, taking almost five hours. You will see epic vistas, travel the edges of the ice-fed Waimakariri River, traverse the majestic Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps, and see large tracts of native beech forest.

Luxury coaches await in Greymouth to transport you to your hotel in the ruggedly beautiful Franz Josef.

Wake up to enjoy the option for a helicopter tour of the Fox Glacier. Leaving Franz Josef, we travel down the West Coast to Fox to enjoy the option of a helicopter tour of the Fox Glacier. Continuing on through the Haast Pass, journeying through large tracts of native rain forest and over the Southern Alps. This remote area has a ruggedly beautiful landscape of vast rainforests, gushing waterfalls and snow-capped mountains. Continuing through Makarora on the border of Mount Aspiring World Heritage Park, we pass by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Wanaka, Lake Hawea and Lake Dunstan.

The adventure playground of Queenstown then awaits! Cap off a special day as we take in The Remarkables Mountain Range and the view of Lake Wakatipu.

Wake up to join a winter lake cruise which takes us across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet BBQ Lunch. Enjoy the afternoon on your own exploring Queenstown.

Before departing Queenstown enjoy unforgettable views sky high with a trip up the iconic Queenstown Gondola, followed by a delicious buffet on top of the world at Stratosfare Restaurant and Bar.

We then travel by luxury coach to Te Anau, known as the gateway to Fiordland National Park.

Take in the breathtaking landscapes and for those who wish to add on a unique experience, take part in a guided Glowworm cave tour for a truly magical experience.

Traveling from Te Anau to Doubtful Sound is one of the finest scenic drives in the world. The scenery is exceptional, ranging from glacial lakes, deep fiords, towering mountains and dense rainforest. Board the coach and travel through stunning scenery from Te Anau and into Fiordland, where it is a short cruise across Lake Manapouri to get you to the base of Wilmot Pass. After travelling over Wilmot Pass by coach, you will find the remote & magical Doubtful Sound. The tour includes a cruise around the fiord so you can experience its wonders up close and see waterfalls and amazing wildlife, such as dolphins and seals. Cruise the inner most reaches of Doubtful Sound to the open Tasman Sea and back.

A one-day itinerary is enough to see all the beautiful views along the way, take a scenic cruise around the fiord, and get back to Te Anau in time for dinner.

As we depart Te Anau for Invercargill, we start the morning with a visit the Takahe Bird Sanctuary. Takahe are the stars of the show and meeting these prehistoric-looking characters is a ‘must do’ for the Fiordland visitors. The sanctuary is a large part of the success of the Takahe Recovery programme. Driving to Riverton via the small rural town Tuatapere we stop at Te Hikoi Museum which showcases the history of how Māori and Europeans adapted to life in this area. Arriving in Invercargill we will stay at the brand-new Distinction Invercargill hotel.

In the morning, we will visit Invercargill’s Bill Richardson Transport World which features over 300 classic vehicles. On board our luxury coach we then venture via The Caitlins towards Dunedin. With stops along the way to soak in the lush rainforest, waterfalls and wildlife. Known as the wildlife capital of New Zealand, Dunedin prides itself on its beautiful built heritage, stunning scenery and unique biodiversity.