New Zealand Touring Vacations Mt Cook Queenstown Coach & Self Drive Tours

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New Zealand Touring Vacation

Mount Cook and Queenstown
(4 days/3 nights)

The South Island is where natural wonders never cease! Around every corner a new highlight, a new experience. Spectacular mountain peaks, starring New Zealand's highest Mount Cook. At 12,283 feet and surrounded by dazzling glaciers, it was first scaled in 1894 and ever since has been the ultimate mountaineering challenge of the South Pacific. A fixed wing scenic flight from Tekapo around the soaring peaks of the Mount Cook National Park is a far more comfortable option!

The resort village of Queenstown, nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, is New Zealand's jewel. Famous for its spectacular setting, it is also renowned for its adventuresome outdoor activities. Scenic flights over crystal clear lakes and jagged peaks, thrilling river jetboating, helicopter/jetboat combinations, the gondola cableway to Bob's Peak ... these are on the "must do" list!

The Fiordland National Park is New Zealand's largest and most remote National Park - some areas have never even been explored! The highlight is Milford Sound, dominated by the 5560-foot pinnacle of Mitre Peak rising sheer from the sea.

Transport Options
This itinerary is perfect for travel by self drive rental car or seat-in-coach on scheduled motorcoach services.

Vacation Highlights

3 nights in Queenstown, with accommodation as selected
Milford Sound Day excursion with Newmans Coach Lines (seat in coach option only)
4 days unlimited kilometre self drive rental car hire (self drive option) or Newmans coach transport (seat in coach option)
Option to extend your stay.

Touring Itinerary

Day 1: Christchurch/Queenstown via Mount Cook (622km)
Self drive: after picking up your rental car, depart at leisure for your drive south (driving time approx 8-9 hours).
Seat in Coach: depart Christchurch 8.20am on Newmans Coach Lines, arriving Queenstown 6.40pm. Traverse the Canterbury Plains, the largest area of flat land in New Zealand; a patchwork of cropping and sheep farms and some of New Zealand's finest pastureland. The higher region of the plains is sheep station country, tamed by hardy settlers more than a century ago. Cross the Southern Alps at Burkes Pass and reach the Mackenzie Country where high country tussock grassland sprawls across high plateau, with the jagged peaks of the Southern Alps as the backdrop. The extraordinary blue water of Lake Tekapo with the Church of the Good Shepherd cradled on its shores must be one of New Zealand's finest and most spectacular icons. The statue of the collie dog pays tribute to the hardships of both the shepherds and their dogs in past times.

Continue on to Mount Cook Village, surrounded by the Mount Cook National Park. Home to 22 peaks over 10,000 feet, the king of them all is still Mount Cook, in spite of losing a chunk from its summit in the summer of 1991! We suggest lunch at The Hermitage (own cost). The remainder of the journey includes highlights of the manmade hydro lakes, cross the Lindis Pass, through the rugged Kawarau Gorge to Queenstown.

Day 2: Queenstown Sightseeing
You will be spoilt for choice today by the wide range of activities and attractions offered in Queenstown. If you want views, hiking, cruising, 4WD excursions or indulging in wine and food, it's all here!

Optional Must Do - Scenic Flights with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters:
The spectacular lakes and mountains are all within easy reach by helicopter and Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters know all the best places. From 20 - 50 minutes, the choice of flights offers The Remarkables, Skippers Canyon, Queenstown Basin, Shotover Gorge, snow and glacier landings. Charter flights are available for scenic flights, trophy hunting and wilderness fishing. Local transfers included and gourmet picnic lunches can be arranged. (purchased locally).

Day 3:
Self drive: a free day to explore Queenstown. We suggest a day trip to Milford Sound with a cruise on the sound. You have the option of driving or taking a flight (own expense).
Seat in Coach: Milford Sound Day Excursion with Newmans Coach Lines
Departs Queenstown 7.50am, returns approx 7.30pm.
Skirt the shores of Lake Wakatipu, through the rural towns of Kingston and Mossburn to Lake Te Anau, the largest lake in the South Island. The Fiordland National Park World Heritage Area, encompassing nearly 1.2 million hectares, is one of the largest national parks in the world. See nature on a very grand scale from glaciated hanging cliffs to forested valley floors, and, of course, New Zealand's most visited fiord, Milford Sound. Take a catamaran cruise for 1½ hours on Milford Sound, with lunch on board (lunch cost additional). Return to Queenstown late afternoon.

Day 4: Queenstown or Optional Return to Christchurch
Your tour arrangements conclude this morning upon check out from your hotel.
Optional Extension: Return to Christchurch.
Self drive: depart/arrive at leisure. You have the choice of retracing your steps via Mount Cook or drving via Dunedin and the East Coast. Driving time for both routes is approximately 5 - 6 hours.
Seat in Coach: Return to Christchurch via Tekapo with your InterCity coach departing Queenstown at 7.30am (arriving Christchurch 3.15pm) or alternatively via Dunedin, departing Queenstown 7.45am and arriving Christchurch 6.30pm. Your tour arrangements conclude on arrival in Christchurch.

Your Accommodation Options
Choose from:

Self Drive Option
The self drive itineraries are based on use of a self-drive rental car.

Other Options -Travel by Motorhome
This itinerary can be comfortably travelled by motorhome, stopping when you like, where you like.

Christchurch Sightseeing
Before or after your South Island vacation, stay a while to enjoy the delights of Christchurch. Please refer to NZV-SO4 Christchurch Stopover for accommodation and sightseeing.

For more information about the operators and services included in these suggested itineraries, please refer to the accommodation, transport and sightseeing pages in this site.

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