New Zealand

Southern Encounter

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8 Day Adventure Tour Queenstown to Christchurch

Highlights: Come with us while we take you on some awesome adventures in New Zealand on our Southern Encounter tour from Queenstown to Christchurch via the undiscovered secrets of the deep South of the South Island.   The 3rd in a series of 3 interconnecting 8 day itineraries that provide a slightly slower pace and some more activities. This tour is great to combine with the Northern Encounter and West Coast Encounter

Small groups travelling in modern, comfortable 16 seater buses for maximum enjoyment. Over the 8 days we will take you on activites such as: hiking, wildlife watching and kiwi spotting! Stay the night at quality accommodation in great and unique locations. Our friendly, supportive and qualified guides will make this an experience never to forget.

"Dave was excellent, humourous, teaching about the flora & fauna and well versed in New Zealand." 

Itinerary

Day 1         Queenstown to Doubtful Sound

Starting with a pick up after breakfast at Queenstown, out trip travels down the lake and into rural Southland. Across the rolling plains, the trip arrives at Te Anau and the chance for a quick break, before continuing the short drive down to Lake Manapouri. Here we leave the vehicle and start the trip into Doubtful Sound, firstly by launch across the lake, and then by coach over the spectacular Wilmot Pass and finally down into the Sound. Here we board the Navigator and locate your cabin to begin the magic overnight into this zone of natural quiet. (L,D)

Day 2         Doubtful Sound to Stewart Island

The evening spent among the beech covered sound is followed by the morning spent nosing around various parts of the sound, often experiencing dolphins and seals on the shore. By midday we are back on the coach and retrace our path via Wilmot Pass and the launch. Then by coach we drive through to the southern most town of Bluff in time to catch the ferry across to Stewart Island and our most recent National Park: Rakiura NP. (B, L) 

Day 3        Stewart Island

With only 29kms of road, Stewart Island is special and rapidly developing the reputation for the new frontier. There is a wealth of things to do, from a visit to the wildlife on Ulva Island, hiking the local tracks, or trying your hand at sea kayaking. The day is completely unstructured and yours to pursue as you wish. (B)

Day 4         Stewart Island to the Catlins

Having experienced our free day on the Island, we depart this morning again by ferry to regain the coach. Heading up the east coast we enter the Catlins conservation park with its many magical locations and experiences. The fossilised forest on the beach, beautiful hidden waterfalls and/or remote lighthouses make this a day of discovery before locating our accommodation on the beach front for the night. (B, L)

Day 5        The Catlins to Dunedin

Today we are Dunedin and the Otago Penisula bound which takes us through the remainder of the Catlins and onto the rural plains leading into Dunedin, student capital of NZ! Sheltering the harbour is the Otago Peninsula and at the headlands is a wildlife treat with NZ's only mainland Albatross colony. On the way back we get to visit NZ's only castle on the hillside above the city before settling in and enjoying the local shopping. (B, L)

Day 6         Dunedin to Mount Cook

Mount Cook is spectacular and rises above the Hermitage and the village nestled beneath the peaks and glaciers of the area. The 3.5 hour drive to get there is a delight as we track up the coast and then inland to the vastness of the tussock covered Mackenzie Basin and the huge glacial lakes. Once at the village we have a three hour easy hike on well formed tracks to the Hooker Glacier lake with superb mountain views. For further exploration - or as a less active alternative, the new Sir Edmund Hillary museum provides endless entertainment, - before an evening meal beneath the peaks of the southern alps. (B, L)

Day 7         Mount Cook to Christchurch

Few people get the chance to get as up close and personal with a glacier and this morning we join a boat trip on the rapidly expanding terminal lake of the Tasman Glacier. The rigid hulled inflatables get us well up into the glacier and we receive a great interpretation understanding of the time we are ‘in the ice'. Back in our coach, we drive via Lake Tekapo and onto a farm lunch and a final kiwi family experience. A last sector back over the Canterbury Plains has us in Christchurch by early evening. (B,L)

Day 8         Depart Christchurch

The trip finishes after your breakfast and check out leaving you free to travel on to further destinations. (B)

(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

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