- In-depth Cultural
- Family
- Self-Guided
- Private
- Explorer
- Personalized
- Coach / Bus
- Christmas & New Year
- Silver Operator
- Thrifty Tours
- Private Tour
- Travel exclusively with your friends and family
- Self-guided
- Independent exploration, backed by expert advice and support
- Guided in English
- Age range 1 to 100
Places You’ll See
Highlights
- Cruise on the magical waters of Milford Sound.
- Journey over the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine Train.
- See the awe-inspiring Franz Josef Glacier.
- Travel past crystal clear lakes and towering mountains.
Itinerary
- Introduction
- Day 1 Christchurch to Mt Cook National Park to Queenstown
- Day 2 Free Day to Explore Queenstown
- Day 3 Milford Sound Day Tour with Real Journeys
- Day 4 Queenstown to Franz Josef Glacier
- Day 5 Franz Josef to Greymouth Train Station, TranzAlpine Train to Christchurch
What's Included
- Accommodation
- Guide
- Meals
- Additional Services
- Transport
- Free eSIMTourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.
What's Not Included
- Flights
- Optional
- Additional Services
Operated by
Thrifty Tours
Number of tours
28
Age Range
5 to 99 years old
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
100%
It's all about enjoying the flexibility of travelling where you want when you...
Read moreCustomer Reviews
- Overall RatingExcellent
- ItineraryExcellent
- GuideGood
- TransportExcellent
- AccommodationExcellent
- FoodGood
- CGCheryl· May 3rd, 2025Overall the itinerary was excellent, allowing us to experience as much of S Island as possible in our short 5 day trip. All of our guides were wonderful and we enjoyed learning about NZ from them. It was well organized. Our one critique was that we were not clear on what to expect for breakfast opportunities. We didn’t know that “morning tea” would be at a bakehouse with pies which would have been good to know. On day 4 and 5 we didn’t realize we wouldn’t have an opportunity for breakfast stop and didn’t allow time to get food before leaving. So it would be helpful to have more clarity on this in the itinerary.Show moreTrip date: April 2025
- BHBrenda· May 2nd, 2023Make certain that meals are included. We had a 13 hour bus trip from Chchurch to Queenstown. We arrived in Qtown at 8 pm, had to get ourselves to hotel AND figure out supper. Early morning pick up next day. There was no provision to see Franz Joseph glacier until I contacted Th tours. Was then arranged. Why was that overlooked? We had this trip booked in 2020 when we had to return home due to pandemic. Not as good a trip as we had in 2020.Show more
Thrifty Tours commented on this reviewHello Brenda, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and we are very sorry to hear that this tour did not meet your expectations. We have taken this feedback onboard and we will make sure that this won't happen again to our future... Show moreTrip date: February 2023 - FMFalkenstein· March 17th, 2023Automatic translation available in English. View in EnglishExcept for the booked hotel in Queenstown, which was completely worn out (worn furniture, defective windows) and the lack of transport back to the hotel after the trip to Milford Sound (we were dropped off at the bus station and had to take a cab at our own expense), everything was well organized. We also incurred additional cab costs due to the hotel change in Queenstown. Both very unbearable!Show moreThrifty Tours commented on this reviewHi Falkensten, Thank you for your review and we are glad that you had a great tour! We are sorry to learn that you were dissatisfied with the accommodation provided in Queenstown. We contacted the hotel to follow up on your feedback and they were also... Show moreTrip date: February 2023
- KGKevin· March 10th, 2023All in all our trip was very nice. Saw so much of the South Island. Our trip from Christchurch to Queenstown was a long day on an intercity bus. Everything went fine, but a long day of travel, with not much information.Show moreThrifty Tours commented on this reviewHello Kevin, We are incredibly grateful that you took the time to leave us a review, we hope you enjoyed the rest of your travels. Thank you very much. The Thrifty Tours TeamTrip date: February 2023
- LPLynn· December 28th, 2022Perfect trip for what we were looking for in terms of sites and timesShow moreThrifty Tours commented on this reviewThank you for your review Lynn, we appreciate you sharing your experience with us and are happy that your trip of the South Island was perfect for what you wanted. We hope you made some wonderful memories to take home!Trip date: December 2022
- SKSven· February 29th, 2020Well organised , especially different local tour operator involved For the first night (extra night) I especially requested early check-in, but that was ignored reaching 6 hours before regular room availability is no fun .Show moreTrip date: February 2020
- RBRachel· January 10th, 2020The staff who helped book our tour were truly wonderful, and provided a high level of communication. Unfortunately our trip was interrupted by rock slides and bad weather (completely out of their control). Aside from that, it was great! Important to note, this trip requires many days straight of travel to see all the sites. If you can make it work, I would recommend taking longer than 5 days to try to fit it all in, for a more leisurely trip.Show moreThrifty Tours commented on this reviewHi Rachel, Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, and yes you did travel during some interesting weather! We are happy to hear you enjoyed yourselves regardless. Warm wishes, The Thrifty Team via Tour RadarTrip date: December 2019
- KPKamala· December 1st, 2019There were no guides provided although this was supposed to be a guided tour. The commentary by the bus drivers was inadequate. There was of course no guiding at the sites itself. The itinerary was very rushed and poorly planned. As it was a hop-on-hop-off type of tour, there was no flexibility when the weather worked against us. We simply had to abandon certain sights. The single person supplement which I was forced to pay was outright extortionist. There were other singles whom I met who told me that they did not pay a similar surcharge. I feel downright cheated.Show moreThrifty Tours commented on this reviewHi Kamala, Thanks for getting in touch and we are sorry to hear that you were disappointed in this tour. Apologies if there was any miscommunication here - all of our tours are independent tours, which gives flexibility for travelling on your own... Show moreTrip date: November 2019
- XZXiaoqi· May 14th, 2019it will be great if tours with cheaper accommodation (e.g. YHA) can be made available particularly for solo travelers, for this tour, as I`m travelling by myself, I had to pay extra (around) $600 on accommodation.Show moreTrip date: April 2019
- MAmary· April 30th, 2019My tour coordinator, Amanda, was awesome! She...Show moreTrip date: March 2019
Dates & Availability
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- From Thursday5 Jun, 2025To Monday9 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Friday6 Jun, 2025To Tuesday10 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Saturday7 Jun, 2025To Wednesday11 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Sunday8 Jun, 2025To Thursday12 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Tuesday10 Jun, 2025To Saturday14 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Wednesday11 Jun, 2025To Sunday15 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Thursday12 Jun, 2025To Monday16 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Friday13 Jun, 2025To Tuesday17 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Saturday14 Jun, 2025To Wednesday18 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
- From Sunday15 Jun, 2025To Thursday19 Jun, 2025EnglishFilling FastMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,955
Best price guarantee Learn More
What our customers ask about this tour
The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.- D
Dennis
Asked on September 26th, 2024Is it possible to customize the tour based on personal preferences?
Thrifty ToursOperator•Written September 2024Most tours offer customizable options allowing changes like adding extra nights, choosing different activities, or altering travel routes to better suit personal preferences.
- J
Jamie
Asked on August 20th, 2024What are the meal options during the tour?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written August 2024
Meal options can vary but typically include accommodations at hotels with kitchenettes or local dining experiences. Specific dietary needs should be communicated in advance.
- M
Mária
Asked on August 6th, 2024What are the transportation options available from Franz Josef to Queenstown?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written August 2024
Transportation options from Franz Josef to Queenstown include shuttles, though they are very limited. Private shuttles are also an option but may be significantly more expensive.
- D
Danielle
Asked on July 14th, 2024Are there any options for economic packages available for group tours?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written July 2024
Economic package options are available, including modifications to the itinerary to accommodate budget constraints. Customization can include the change of hotels or altering the tour duration.
- H
Héctor
Asked on June 24th, 2024How are changes in itinerary handled if certain activities or accommodations are unavailable?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written June 2024
If specific activities or stays are not available, modifications to the itinerary may include replacing them with comparable alternatives or adjusting the tour dates.
- L
Linda
Asked on June 17th, 2024What is the typical group size for tours?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written June 2024
Group sizes can vary depending on the tour, with private or small group options potentially available to enhance the travel experience.
- A
Alberto
Asked on May 26th, 2024What options are available if a scheduled train is not running on certain days during my tour?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written May 2024
If the planned train service is unavailable on particular days, alternative arrangements such as adding an extra day at one location or arranging a private shuttle may be available.
- V
Vicky
Asked on May 17th, 2024What should I do if the pricing for the solo traveler seems unclear?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written May 2024
If pricing as a solo traveler is confusing, it's important to consult with the tour operator for a detailed breakdown of costs to ensure understanding and accuracy.
Мартин
Asked on April 28th, 2024Are there special considerations for transportation in remote locations?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written April 2024
In remote locations, standard transportation options may be limited, and alternatives like private transfers could be the only viable option, albeit at a higher cost.
- C
Cornelia
Asked on January 12th, 2024What transportation is available for tours involving multiple destinations?
- Thrifty ToursOperator•Written January 2024
For tours covering multiple locations, a range of transportation options like coaches, private transfers, and local flights may be utilized to ensure efficient travel between destinations.
Good to Know
Tour ID: 140930
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