10 Days | Scenic beauty, fresh cuisine and incredible mountainscapes in the South Island
Taking you from Christchurch to Queenstown via glaciers, wineries, lakes and an overnight cruise on Milford Sound, this 10-day Premium trip showcases the natural beauty and thriving food and wine scene in the South Island of New Zealand. Forage for fresh ingredients with a local chef in Otago, set your pulse racing during a jetboat ride in Queenstown and come face to face with endangered species at a wildlife centre on the West Coast, including New Zealand’s rarest kiwi. With a friendly leader to guide the way, you’ll experience a landscape that has been shaped by the elements over thousands of years.
Trip overview
- Start
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Finish
- Queenstown, New Zealand
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- New Zealand
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Premium
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- PHPS
Our best 4-star accommodation and the highest level of service
All must-see locations plus authentic experiences exclusive to Premium
Trips led by our most experienced and highest-rated local leaders
- Experience some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery during your Feature Stay on Milford Sound aboard a purpose-built vessel.
- Savour the flavours of the Otago region with a chef-led food and foraging Exclusive Experience on an expansive and stunning New Zealand deer station.
- Take an exhilarating jetboat ride on the Kimi Akau (Shotover River). This Exclusive Experience takes you deep into the spectacular Shotover Canyons, with the Ngai Tahu - the Maori people of this land.
- Enjoy a ranger-guided walk around the aptly named Blue Pools that feed the Makarora River and learn about the important work of the Aspiring Biodiversity Trust to reduce predators and save some of New Zealand’s rarest species.
- Take a 'backstage tour' of the West Coast Wildlife Centre, helping bring the critically endangered Rowi and Haast tokoeka kiwi back from extinction. Come face-to-face with these rare creatures.
- The diversity of the seasons here makes for incredible scenery, but the weather in this region can be unpredictable. It’s best to wear layers at all times of the year in case conditions change during the day. At night the temperature can really drop, so bring your warm clothes.
- There are walking opportunities throughout this trip. We recommend you bring good quality walking shoes if you're keen to enjoy a hike - or two!
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 May 2025 - 31 August 2026
Inclusions
9 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
Private vehicle, Jet boat, Cruise boat
Hotel (6 nights), Homestead (2 nights), Cruise boat (1 night)
- Arrival airport transfer
- Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
- Luggage transfer
- Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
- 24/7 on-ground support
- Christchurch - Welcome Dinner
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer
- Greymouth - Monteith's Brewery Tour & Tasting
- Greymouth - Pounamu (Greenstone) Studio Visit
- Christchurch - Leader-led Orientation Walk
- Lake Brunner - Nature Walk
- Hokitika - West Coast Treetops Walk
- Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre Visit with Ranger
- Punakaiki - Rocks & Blowhole Visit
- Makaroa - Aspiring Biodiversity Trust Lunch
- Makaroa - Guided Flora and Fauna Walk with Local Ornithologist
- Wanaka - Criffel Station Foraging & Lunch Experience with Local Chef
- Milford Sound - Overnight Boat Cruise
- Gibbston Valley - Wine Tasting
- Arrowtown - Leader-led walk
- Queenstown - Farewell Aperitivo
- Queenstown - Shotover River Jetboat Experience
- Franz Josef - Lake Mapourika Scenic Cruise - NZD120
- Franz Josef - Waiho Hot Tubs - from - NZD89
- Franz Josef - Heli-Hiking Tour - from - NZD695
- Franz Josef - Kayaking Excursion - from - NZD145
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A Single Supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. The price of the single supplement does not include the following nights, where a single room does not form part of the package. In this case you will be matched up with another traveller of the same gender: Day 7 - Milford Sound Cruise
Please also note that due to the small properties we use there is only a limited amount of single supplements available per trip departure. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.
2. The Milford Sound Cruise is seasonal and weather dependent. Some departures may require a slight shift in itinerary to make sure the cruise is included. Trips departing on 13 September 2024 (PHPS240913), 29 November 2024 (PHPS241129), and 15 November 2024 (PHPS241115) will stay in Queenstown on day 7 and board the Milford Sound cruise on day 8.
3. On the trip departing on 16 May 2025 (PHPS250516) the Milford Sound cruise has finished for the season so the Feature Stay will instead be at the Milford Sound Lodge.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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