Find out what makes the South Island one of the world’s most admired places
This is the New Zealand you’ve always heard about – endless lakes, snow-capped mountains and pristine glaciers. Spend seven days discovering the best of the South Island with a passionate local leader at the helm. Encounter creativity and resilience in Christchurch, gaze at out-of-this-world stars in Lake Tekapo, get your adrenaline pumping in Queenstown, take your time in postcard-pretty Wanaka and stand in awe of the Franz Josef Glacier. With thrilling activities available around every corner, this adventure is sure to get your heart racing (and that’s just from the views!).
Starting off in Christchurch, see the cool and creative ways the city has rebuilt post-earthquake before heading to the stunning shores of Lake Tekapo.
Calling all adventure seekers! Queenstown is overflowing with adrenaline-pumping activities, so dive straight in or sit back with a glass of world-class local wine.
It just doesn’t get better looking than Wanaka. From its centrepiece lake to surrounding mountains, uncover all this pretty little spot has to offer.
Stand in awe of the epic Franz Josef glacier and visit a local gallery to learn about the significance of pounamu (greenstone) to Maori culture while carving your own pendant.
All aboard for one of the world’s most spectacular train journeys – take the famous TranzAlpine through the Southern Alps for the final stretch of your adventure.
This trip is operated and run by Haka Tours, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Haka customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Haka Tours to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time in New Zealand.
Accommodation on this trip is in mixed-gender multi-share dormitory style hostels with shared facilities.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our New Zealand South Island Express trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
ROOMING
Accommodation on this trip is in mixed-gender multi-share dormitory style hostels with shared facilities.
PRIVATE ROOM SUPPLEMENT
A supplement for a private room is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. If you are a single traveller this will give you a single room, if you are travelling as a couple a double room will be allocated to you. Please note that due to the small properties we use there is only a limited amount of private room supplements available per trip departure. If you would like to book this service or enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.
START & END TIME
This trip start with an early morning meeting over breakfast on day 1 and ends after breakfast on the last day.
MINIMUM NUMBERS
Please note this trip requires a minimum number of booked customers to guarantee the departure. Your Booking Agent will advise at time of booking if the departure has met minimum numbers. If minimum numbers are not met, you will be advised no later than 56 days out from departure (prior to full payment due). We recommend arranging flights and related travel services once your departure is guaranteed. In the event that your departure is cancelled due to minimum numbers not being met, a full refund will be provided of monies paid.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
New Zealand is the adventure capital of the world, and there are plenty of opportunities for you to customise your itinerary with as much adrenaline as you like. However please note that a lot of activities you may be interested in can sell out well in advance of your arrival. To ensure you have the opportunity to participate in your chosen activities and don’t miss out due to unavailability, we have made a selection of those activities available to be pre-booked via your booking agent. Please see the daily itinerary and the 'optional activities' section in your trip notes for a list of activities you can pre-book. Not all activities may be available on your particular departure, and the list of activities is not exhaustive, as there are other optional activities that can be booked either via your leader or the relevant supplier on the ground. Please consult with your booking agent should you have any questions or require any further information on any of these activities.
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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