Itinerary
Experience the ultimate South Island adventure on this 14-day luxury rail and coach journey, featuring iconic train rides, stunning cruises, exclusive Hillary family insights, and premium 4–5-star accommodation. Discover New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes, heritage, and flavours through unforgettable experiences inspired by Sir Edmund Hillary’s legendary spirit.
Optional pre-tour accommodation is available at Distinction Hotel. Registration to meet your fellow explorers and tour guides starts is from 2.30pm – 5pm at Distinction Hotel in Christchurch.
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.
On arrival in Greymouth – the “Pounamu Pathway” is a newly opened immersive visitor experience highlighting the rich Māori Culture, history, and West Coast heritage – crafted by Wētā Workshop.
Luxury coaches await to transport you to your hotel in the ruggedly beautiful Franz Josef.
Wake up to enjoy the option for a helicopter tour of the Franz Josef glacier. Leaving Franz Josef, we travel down the West Coast 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 from the hotel.
Wake up to join a lake cruise on board the historic TSS Earnslaw, the 1912 Edwardian steamboat, which takes us across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet BBQ lunch.
Departing Queenstown, we continue to the village of Kingston which is nestled on southernmost end of Lake Wakatipu. Here, the iconic Kingston Flyer Steam Train awaits to take you on a memorable return journey between Kingston & Fairlight.
Then, we enter the Fiordland National Park district, continuing to traverse the Southern Scenic Route, our journey calls in to visit the Takahe Bird Sanctuary. Takahe are the stars of the show and meeting these prehistoric-looking characters is a ‘must do’ for Fiordland visitors. The sanctuary is a large part of the success of the Takahe Recovery Programme.
Experience 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 or an optional jet boat experience.
Traveling along the Milford Road (between Te Anau and Milford) is one of the finest alpine drives in the world. The scenery is exceptional, ranging from broad grassy flats, dense rainforest and towering mountains through to glacial lakes and alpine herb fields. A day tour to Milford Sound offers some of the most spectacular natural scenery to be viewed anywhere in the world. Board the coach and travel through stunning scenery along the Milford Road and into Fiordland, where your cruise boat awaits you. The tour includes a cruise around the fiord so you can experience its wonders up close and see landmarks like Mitre Peak and amazing wildlife, such as dolphins and seals. Cruise the inner most reaches of Milford Sound to the open Tasman Sea and back (or there is the optional upgrade to explore Doubtful Sound instead).
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.
Departing Te Anau for Invercargill, where we board a recently re-established train, “The Mainlander” which weaves it way through rolling hills and lush scenic rural landscapes of the deep south of New Zealand, to 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 are the optional excursions visit to Larnach Castle for a high tea & garden tour or explore the ‘hidden’ underground Fort Taiaroa, located underneath the Royal Albatross breeding colony at Taiaroa Head.
Departing Dunedin by The Mainlander Train, 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.
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 up the Hooker Valley through the National Park surrounded by the silent splendour of the Southern Alps. Morning optional activities include a glacier explorer cruise or a scenic ski plane 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. Guest speaker is a Hillary family representative in the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre Theatre before dinner. The optional Planetarium Show takes place in the theatre after the Hillary presentation.
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, enjoy either a privately chartered Tram for a historic tram journey around the city or explore modern day Antarctica at the International Antarctic Centre and experience a taste of this unique and breathtaking continent – just like the explorers before you.
Departing Christchurch on the Coastal Pacific Scenic Train, our destination is Kaikōura, home of resident whales, where the guardians of the seas – the mountains of the Southern Alps – rise majestically from the deep trenches of the Pacific Ocean. Several different species of whale can be seen off the coast of Kaikōura at different times of the year, and most of the time, the huge resident Sperm Whales can be sighted. The ocean trench just off the coast means sperm whales are often seen close to shore. Enjoy the option to go on a whale watching cruise, 4WD farm tour or a zip line experience whilst in Kaikōura.
This morning, we board the Coastal Pacific train again, departing Kaikōura’s dramatic mountain backdrops onwards to the Marlborough winelands region. The coastal route heads inland, crossing the historic railroad bridge at Seddon and bursting out to the Awatere Valley, then through the Dashwood Pass en route to Blenheim by train. Continuing back to Kaikōura by coach after enjoying a leisurely wine tasting at Allan Scott Winery or a visit to Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre.
Wake up in Kaikōura and travel via Greta Valley to Weka Pass Railway in Waikari – journey through the unique limestone beauty of the Weka Pass in heritage carriages hauled by a vintage diesel-electric locomotive. Continue by coach through the rural Canterbury plains to Christchurch where the tour ends at lunchtime.
