11-Day New Zealand South Island Guided Tour: Takahe

Kia Ora (hello) and welcome to Christchurch, where you’ll begin and end your tour. Depart early this morning aboard a public bus service (unguided) to Blenheim where you’ll meet your Stray Guide and group. We’ll depart from Picton i-SITE or Blenheim i-SITE (The Railway Station), and set off through the picturesque Marlborough region. We’ll continue through to Marahau, situated right on the edge of the spectacular Abel Tasman National Park where we’ll spend our evening relaxing around the campfire and looking at the stars.

• Accommodation: The Barn or similar
• Optional paid activities: Wine tasting
• Meal options: We’ll stop at a supermarket to stock up on supplies—self-cater or join the optional group dinner
• Free activities: Stargazing

Today is a free day in Abel Tasman National Park. From our accommodation we can hike straight into the park (no water taxi required) and walk the Abel Tasman Coastal track up to Anchorage Bay.

The park is full of lush bush and there are plenty of opportunities to explore the golden sand beaches and swim in the brilliant blue waters throughout your journey. The walk is approximately 4 hours each way but you can get a water taxi back if you’d like extra time to soak it all in.

• Accommodation: The Barn or similar
• Meals included: Continental breakfast
• Meal options: Pack a picnic lunch and lots of snacks for the hike, self-cater in the kitchen or use the BBQs
• Free activities: Hike in the national park, relax on the golden sand beaches, see Cleopatra’s Pools
  • Optional paid activities: kayaking, water taxi, canyoning, and sailing.

Today we’re heading down New Zealand’s wild West Coast! A super scenic drive, this area is known for its untamed beaches and masses of lush rainforest. Named one of the top drives in the world by Lonely Planet, this road offers views for days! We’ll stop at the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes to explore this unique part of coastline and then we’ll head into Hokitika, famous for its arts scene and greenstone (pounamu). 

Our accommodation tonight is located on the shores of the Tasman Sea. Treat yourself to some dinner in their Ocean View restaurant or go for a walk and explore Hokitika. We highly recommend a visit to sunset point where you can explore the Tambo ‘shipwreck’, see amazing views of Hokitika beach with Aoraki Mt Cook in the distance and watch the sun setting over the horizon. Once it’s dark, go for a walk to the glowworm dell and see the glittering lights above you before heading back to your accommodation for a peaceful night of rest.

Accommodation: Hokitika Beachfront Hotel or similar

Meals included: Continental breakfast

Meal options: Local eateries

Free activities: Head down to Hokitika Beach for sunset

It’s a short drive today towards the charming little village of Franz Josef. The landscape will change from coastline to dramatic, lush rainforest so just another day of incredible NZ scenery (have your phone charged for pics). 

We’ll get to Franz Josef around lunchtime, giving you plenty of time to experience Franz Josef Glacier, an iconic highlight of the West Coast and New Zealand in general. Get a shuttle to the beginning of the track and then hike through native bush and across glacial streams to the terminal face of the glacier for spectacular photos or just relax in the township and enjoy the views. If you’d like to see the glacier up close (before that pesky climate change melts it for good) you can go for an incredible heli-hike and actually stand on the glacier!

Accommodation: Franz Josef Motel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast

Meal options: Local restaurants

Free activities: Glacier Valley hike, bush tracks

Optional paid activities: Heli Hike to Franz Josef Glacier, Shuttle to Track

We’ll start our day with a relaxed walk around Lake Matheson, known for its stunning views of Aoraki/Mt Cook which reflects back onto the lake on still days! Next we’ll visit charming Wanaka, famous for its stunning lake and breathtaking mountain scenery. We'll enjoy a late lunch and take time to soak in the views and perhaps even snap a picture of THAT Wanaka tree.

Afterwards, we’ll make our way to Queenstown - the ‘Adventure Capital of the World’! Queenstown is the spiritual home of bungy jumping, and offers unlimited adventure and entertainment. When we arrive we’ll head straight to our accommodation which offers a swimming pool, fitness centre and sauna, so you have plenty of opportunities to relax after all that excitement!

Accommodation: Mercure Queenstown or similar

Meals included: Breakfast

Meal options: Local restaurants and cafes

Free activities: Lake Matheson scenic walk

Today is a free day in Queenstown. Yaaaasssss Queen(stown)! After breakfast, go and explore the beautiful mountain scenery with one of the many free hikes or join an activity of your choice! This evening, we recommend trying the famous Fergburger, checking out the nightlife, or enjoying a hot chocolate on the lakefront and listening to the live artists scattered across the shore.

• Accommodation: Mercure Queenstown or similar
• Meals included: Breakfast
• Meal options: Local restaurants
• Free activities: Hike Ben Lomond, the Queenstown Hill, or Bob’s Peak
  • Optional paid activities: Bungy, jet boating, skydiving, ziplining, horse riding, wine tasting, luging

After all that adventure it’s time to depart Queenstown towards Te Anau, the gateway to the stunning Fiordland National Park. On arrival in Te Anau, we’ll make our way to the Fiordland Cinema to watch the breathtaking short film Ata Whenua - Shadowland. We’ll see incredible footage over the National Park and its wondrous landscapes and unique wildlife, before we see it for ourselves on our cruise along the Milford Sound tomorrow! 

In the afternoon we’ll take a water taxi to Brod Bay where we’ll be able to walk a part of the Kepler track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, across the Coal Creek Bridge and along the shores of Lake Te Anau back to our accommodation (summer only). We’ll spend the night at our hotel in the serene lakeside town.

Accommodation: Te Anau Distinction Luxmore Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Meal options: Local restaurants

Included activity: Entrance to Ata Whenua movie, Water Taxi to Brod Bay (Oct-Apr)

Free activities: Kepler Track Great Walk

This morning we’ll depart Te Anau and head towards the iconic Milford Sound where we’ll board a boat and cruise across the Sound (fun fact: it's not actually a sound, it’s a fjord!) to see towering Mitre Peak plus rainforests, waterfalls, and loads of amazing wildlife like Fur Seals, Penguins and Dolphins. 

In the evening you have the option to see the glowworm caves in Te Anau, go for a stroll through the town or around the lake, or relax at our accommodation.

• Accommodation: Te Anau Distinction Luxmore Hotel or similar
• Meals included: Breakfast
• Meal options: Local restaurants
• Included activity: Milford Sound Day Trip including Scenic Cruise
  • Optional paid activities: Glowworm Caves

We’ll depart Te Anau early to drive over the Lindis Pass and through the Mackenzie Country, past the vivid blue waters of Lake Pukaki on the way to our amazing stop at the base of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki Mt Cook. We’ve made this drive sound great but honestly - we reckon it’s one of the most stunning days you’ll have in the whole of NZ.

We arrive in the early afternoon with time to do an optional experience like a boat tour on a glacial lake surrounded by snow-capped alps (sounds epic? It is). Alternatively, we can check out the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre or do one of the many great short walks in the park. We would be remiss if we didn’t recommend the Hooker Valley track (weather dependent) which in our opinion is in the top shorter walks in NZ. If it’s a clear night, head outside to experience one of the best stargazing spots in the country.

• Accommodation: Mount Cook Alpine Lodge or similar
• Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
• Free activities: Take photos of awe-inspiring scenery, walk the incredible Hooker Valley track (weather dependent), stargazing
  • Optional paid activities: Visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre (entrance included May-Sept), Glacier Explorer boat tour

Leaving Mount Cook we’ll make our way through a landscape made famous by the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films. We’ll stop to check out the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd (an iconic photo stop), and if you like you can go and relax in the Tekapo hot pools, do some snow tubing or ice skating (winter only) or hike up to the Mt John Observatory for incredible views of the lake from above. After lunch, we’ll continue to our final overnight stop in Christchurch where we can head out for our final group dinner together (own cost) to celebrate an incredible journey around Aotearoa/New Zealand.

• Accommodation: Scenic Cotswold or similar
• Meals included: Breakfast
  • Free activities: Hike to Tekapo Mt John Summit, check out the historic Church of Good Shepherd, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Hagley Park

This morning we highly recommend exploring Christchurch. Wander the city streets and laneways to discover creative street art intended to bring cheer and color to a city once buried in rubble, check out the incredible modern shopping district, go for a beer at one of the quirky local pubs, spend an hour punting down the Avon River, explore the stunning Botanic Gardens, or hop on the historic tourist tram and see it all! As today is our final day, our adventure is coming to an end, and we can’t believe it’s over! We’ll say goodbye (or see you soon) to our mates and go our separate ways for now. We hope everyone had a blast and remains World Tours 360 Mates for forever!

• Meals included: Breakfast