View Gallery Home Coach Tours New! 12 Day Winter Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer Discover New Zealand's winter wonderland on the 12-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer Winter Tour. From the Southern Alps to the fiords, experience stunning landscapes, rich history, and unforgettable alpine adventures. Operated by Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer Classic Rail Tours Overview price from 6,596 AUD per person duration 12 days and 11 nights you will visit Christchurch, Greymouth, Franz Josef, Haast, Queenstown, Te Anau, Doubtful Sound, Tuatapere, Invercargill, Dunedin, Oamaru, Aoraki, Mt Cook, Geraldine South Island Saved to favourites View tour dates Enquire about this tour Itinerary This 12-day rail and coach journey takes you through the South Island, crossing snow-capped alpine landscapes. Day 1 - Christchurch Christchurch Tram 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. Stay at Distinction Hotel Christchurch Day 2 - Christchurch - Greymouth - Franz Josef 1 of 2Travelling through the snow, TranzAlpine Train Journey 2 of 2Otira Viaduct Lookout, Arthur's Pass National Park 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. Stay at Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Day 3 - Franz Josef - Haast - Queenstown 1 of 4Fox Glacier - Photo: Tourism West Coast 2 of 4Waiatoto River, Haast 3 of 4Ruby Island Cruise on Lake Wanaka 4 of 4The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown 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. Stay at Millenium Hotel Queenstown Day 4 - Queenstown TSS Earnslaw on Lake Wakatipu in winter - Photo: Destination Queenstown 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. Stay at Millenium Hotel Queenstown Day 5 - Queenstown - Te Anau Queenstown Gondola - Photo: Skyline 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. Stay at Distinction Hotel Luxmore Day 6 - Te Anau - Doubtful Sound - Te Anau 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. Stay at Distinction Hotel Luxmore Day 7 - Te Anau - Tuatapere - Invercargill Takahe, Native New Zealand Bird 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. Stay at Distinction Hotel Invercargill Day 8 - Invercargill - Dunedin 1 of 2Otago Harbour, Dunedin - Photo: DunedinNZ 2 of 2Otago Harbour Wildlife Cruise 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. Stay at Distinction Hotel Dunedin Day 9 - Dunedin 1 of 3Larnach Castle, Dunedin 2 of 3Larnach Castle, Dunedin 3 of 3Larnach Castle, Dunedin In the morning, we explore the remote Taieri Gorge by Dunedin Rail over river gorges, weaving our way through a myriad of historic tunnels and guide you to the historic Wingatui Viaduct, a marvel of 1880s construction that remains the largest wrought iron structure in New Zealand. An afternoon at leisure is planned or there is the optional excursion visit to Larnach Castle for a decadent high tea & garden tour. Stay at Distinction Hotel Dunedin Day 10 - Dunedin - Oamaru - Aoraki, Mt Cook Aoraki Mt Cook, Mackenzie Departing from Dunedin by rail, we continue to hug the coast towards Oamaru. We then detour inland via Waitaki Valley & Omarama by coach and onwards towards the spectacular Aoraki Mt Cook. Here, we find the home of the tallest mountain in New Zealand, which helped Sir Edmund Hillary to develop his climbing skills in preparation for the conquest of Mt Everest. Recognised as part of the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO World Heritage Area, the National Park is a breath-taking environment of glaciers, terminal lakes, turbulent rivers and Australasia’s tallest peak, the mighty Aoraki Mt Cook soaring above at 3,724 metres. There is the option after dinner to enjoy star-gazing at the Planetarium, digitally immersed in what has been voted the world’s largest “International Dark Sky Reserve”. Stay at Hermitage Hotel Day 11 - Aoraki, Mt Cook Enjoy a leisurely morning and then a visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, which is a tribute to New Zealand’s global icon as well as discovering New Zealand’s colourful transport, climbing and hotel history. Followed by an afternoon scenic drive through the National Park surrounded by the silent splendour of the Southern Alps. Morning optional activity includes a scenic ski plane or Helicopter flight with expert pilots navigating their way over the glacial lake, passing soaring mountain tops over NZ’s longest glacier – the 600-metre thick, Tasman Glacier. A true highlight to round of a magical day is a Hillary family representative presentation in the Sir Edmund Hillary Centre Theatre before dinner. The optional Planetarium show takes place in the theatre after the Hillary Presentation. Stay at Hermitage Hotel Day 12 - Aoraki, Mt Cook - Geraldine - Christchurch A morning departure from the hotel leaving Aoraki Mt Cook by coach, we journey back to the coast via Tekapo, Geraldine and Rakaia on the way to Christchurch. On arrival in Christchurch, This brings us to the end of the tour. There is the option for post-tour accommodation at the Distinction Hotel in Christchurch. View More Expand All | Collapse All Inclusions 11 nights' of hand selected 4-star accommodation 11 cooked breakfasts, 8 sumptuous dinners (including welcome dinner), 9 lunches including a gourmet BBQ lunch at Walter Peak and Skyline Queenstown's Stratosfare restaurant and bar Luxury coaches & an experienced tour guide Christchurch city tramp trip TranzAlpine rail journey RealNZ cruise Lake Wakatipu Walter Peak Homestead Skyline gondola & Stratosfare lunch Doubtful Sound day trip & cruise Takahe sanctuary Te Hikoi Museum Bill Richardson Transport Museum Taieri Gorge rail trip Dunedin Railways rail journey to Oamaru Sir Edmund Hilary Alpine Centre (Hilary family guest speaker presentation) View More Operated by Tour Style Classic Rail Tours Dates & Pricing 2025 Guaranteed departure Pending confirmation Jun 28 Jul 12 Jul 26 Aug 09 Aug 23 Sep 06 Start Date End Date RRP Twin ShareSingle Our Price Twin ShareSingle You Save Check Availability 28 Jun 2025 09 Jul 2025 6,596 AUD 6,596 AUD Enquire 12 Jul 2025 23 Jul 2025 6,596 AUD 6,596 AUD Enquire 26 Jul 2025 06 Aug 2025 6,596 AUD 6,596 AUD Enquire 09 Aug 2025 20 Aug 2025 7,068 AUD 7,068 AUD Enquire 23 Aug 2025 03 Sep 2025 7,068 AUD 7,068 AUD Enquire 06 Sep 2025 17 Sep 2025 7,068 AUD 7,068 AUD Enquire Enquire about 12 Day Winter Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer Select your preferred dates, request an availability check and receive a personalised quote. 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