Itinerary
- Day 1
Queenstown
You'll touch down in Queenstown and head straight to pick up your rental car. After getting settled at your hotel, you can relax and get ready for the days ahead. It's a good chance to walk around the immediate area and grab dinner somewhere nearby.
Landmarks/POIs Lake Wakatipu The Remarkables - Day 2
Queenstown
Queenstown's got plenty to do depending on what you're after. You could drive through Gibbston Valley tasting Pinot wines, or take the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship across to Walter Peak for dinner and a farm tour. There's also Arrowtown to wander through, lakeside walks, gondola rides for views, or if you want thrills, the Shotover Jet and bungy jumping are right here too.
Optional Activities
- Gibbston Valley wine trail tasting
- TSS Earnslaw steamship cruise to Walter Peak with dinner and farm tour
- Lunch at Rata (Michelin star restaurant)
- Visit historic Arrowtown
- Four-wheel drive trip to Macetown
- Lakeside stroll
- Gondola ride for views
- Lord of the Rings tours
- Shotover Jet
- Bungy jumping
- Canyon Swing
- Zipline
- Luge
- Heli-ski
Landmarks/POIs Lake Wakatipu The Remarkables Gibbston Valley Walter Peak Station Arrowtown Macetown - Day 3
Queenstown to Milford Sound
Your drive to Milford Sound takes about 5 hours from Queenstown, with Te Anau as a stop along the way. You'll board the Milford Mariner for an overnight stay, starting with a 3-course dinner. Afterward, a specialist nature guide takes you out by kayak or small boat to explore the fiord and look for seals, penguins, and dolphins. Morning brings a cooked breakfast before you head back out to see more of the fiord.
- Meals
- Dinner (3-course buffet dinner including appetisers, soups, salads, hot dishes and selection of desserts and cheeses (vegetarian options available)), Breakfast (Full buffet breakfast with cooked and continental options)
Included Activities
- Drive Queenstown to Milford Sound
- Overnight cruise aboard Milford Mariner
- Fiord exploration by kayak or small boat
- Nature guide accompaniment
Optional Activities
- Milford Guided Walk - $50 per person
Landmarks/POIs Te Anau Milford Sound Fiordland - Day 4
Milford Sound to Queenstown
After leaving the Milford Mariner, you'll drive back toward Te Anau, stopping at waterfalls and lookouts like The Divide and Hollyford Valley. You'll walk across a footbridge at The Chasm, then continue past Mirror Lakes and through farming towns including Kingston and Mossburn. The drive back to Queenstown follows Lake Wakatipu and takes about two hours, getting you there late in the afternoon.
Included Activities
- Drive Milford Sound to Queenstown via Te Anau
- View waterfalls and scenic lookouts
- Walk over footbridge at The Chasm
Landmarks/POIs Te Anau Lake Te Anau The Divide Hollyford Valley Lookout The Chasm Mirror Lakes Kingston Kingston Flyer Mossburn Lake Wakatipu The Remarkables - Day 5
Queenstown to Franz Josef
This leg crosses the Crown Range, New Zealand's highest sealed road, heading toward Wanaka and Mt Aspiring National Park. You'll skirt Lake Wanaka and Hawea before reaching Makarora, then take a one-hour walk through beech forest to Blue Pools. From there it's through Haast and onto the West Coast, a remote 600 km stretch of rainforest. You'll pass Fox Glacier and reach Franz Josef for the night.
Included Activities
- Drive Queenstown to Franz Josef
Optional Activities
- Walk to Blue Pools through native beech forest (1 hour return)
Landmarks/POIs Crown Range Wanaka Mt Aspiring National Park Lake Wanaka Lake Hawea Makarora Blue Pools Haast West Coast Fox Glacier Franz Josef - Day 6
Franz Josef
Franz Josef is a small, lively town surrounded by rainforest-clad mountains with a 12 km glacier as its centerpiece. You can walk along the valley floor to a viewpoint below the glacier face, or arrange a helicopter tour to actually land on the ice itself. Either way, it's a chance to see this geological feature up close.
Optional Activities
- Walk to glacier viewpoint below terminal face
- Twin Glacier Scenic Helicopter Flight with The Helicopter Line
Landmarks/POIs Franz Josef Glacier - Day 7
Franz Josef to Christchurch
Heading north, you'll pass through Hokitika, a historic gold mining town known for Greenstone with roots going back to the 1860s. Browse the craft shops, then continue to Greymouth, the largest West Coast town. After dropping your rental car at the train station, you'll board the TranzAlpine Scenic Train heading east across the South Island through Arthur's Pass National Park, through beech forest and river valleys, and down to the Canterbury Plains. Arriving in Christchurch, grab a taxi to your accommodation.
Included Activities
- Drive Franz Josef to Greymouth
- TranzAlpine Scenic Train from Greymouth to Christchurch
Optional Activities
- Browse Hokitika greenstone craft shops
- Visit Hokitika coastline
Landmarks/POIs Hokitika Greymouth Arthur's Pass National Park Southern Alps Canterbury Plains Christchurch - Day 8
Christchurch
You'll spend the day on Christchurch's heritage Tram City Tour Loop with a day-long ticket that lets you hop on and off at any of the 17 stops. The wonderfully restored trams have friendly drivers sharing stories about landmarks and history. Main sights include New Regent Street, The Art Gallery, Canterbury Museum, and the Arts Centre. If interested, you can add punting on the Avon River or the Botanic Gardens Caterpillar Tour.
Included Activities
- Christchurch Hop On Hop Off Tram Tour with day-long ticket
Optional Activities
- Punting on the Avon River
- Christchurch Botanic Gardens Caterpillar Tour
Landmarks/POIs New Regent Street The Art Gallery Cathedral Junction Avon River Canterbury Museum Arts Centre Christchurch Botanic Gardens - Day 9
Christchurch
Check out of your hotel this morning and take a taxi to Christchurch Airport for your departure flight.
Landmarks/POIs Christchurch Airport
