New Zealand Touring Vacations Queenstown West Coast Coach & Self Drive Tours

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New Zealand Touring Vacation

Queenstown and the West Coast
(6 days/5 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.

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.

Virtually a land unto itself is the "wild" West Coast and its glacier villages of Fox and Franz Josef. Dominated by soaring mountains, the massive glaciers descend straight into rain forests by the shores of the Tasman Sea. The spirit of adventure is alive on the West Coast; as well as scenic flights, a guided walk on the Fox Glacier is a safe way to experience the beauty of the ice caves, pinnacles and crevasses.

The TranzAlpine rail journey is world famous. Travelling from Greymouth to Christchurch, the route winds through beech forests and snow-covered mountains, over bridges and through tunnels, including the 5 mile (8 kilometre) Otira Tunnel.

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

Vacation Highlights

5 nights accommodation as selected
Milford Sound Day excursion with Newmans Coach Lines (seat in coach option only)
Half day Fox Glacier Walk with Alpine Guides
6 days unlimited kilometre self drive rental car hire (self drive option) or Newmans and InterCity coach transport (seat in coach option)
TranzAlpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch (seat in coach option only)
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/Fox Glacier (370km)
Self drive: depart/arrive at leisure (driving time approx 6 - 7 hours).
Seat in Coach: Your InterCity coach departs Queenstown at 8.15am and arrives Fox Glacier at 3.10pm. First stop is Wanaka, on the shores of Lake Wanaka and on the doorstep of the Mount Aspiring National Park. The peaks of the Harris Mountains attract skiers in the winter months. Skirt Lake Hawea and cross Haast Pass to the iridescently-blue Tasman Sea which can be seen in its splendour at Knights Point. The village of Fox Glacier is just a few minutes from the compressed ice of the head of Fox Glacier.

Day 5: Fox Glacier Guided Walk with Alpine Guides
Departs Fox at 9.15am, returns 12.45 - 1.00pm.
The local experts in guided walks are Alpine Guides. Suitable for average level of fitness the half day Fox Glacier Walk is the most popular trip. It offers a close-up experience of the spectacular features on the surface of this huge river of ice. Some agility is required and some uphill climbing is involved.

Optional Must Do: Upgrade to Fox Glacier Helihike
Combine the thrill of a helicopter flight with the close up experience of walking on a glacier. See caves and formations on a remote part of the glacier. Ask for details, subject to weather conditions.

Day 6: Fox Glacier/Christchurch (430km)
Self drive: depart Fox Glacier at leisure for your drive back to Christchurch (driving time approx 6-7 hours).
Seat in Coach: Your InterCity Coach departs Fox at 8.45am arrives Greymouth at 1.25pm where you transfer to the TranzAlpine Train, departs Greymouth at 2.25pm arrives Christchurch at 6.35pm. The road to Hokitika is flanked by lush rainforest and passes pretty lakes and streams. Once a wild gold rush town boasting 100 hotels and a population of over 15,000, Hokitika is now renowned for its greenstone and it's here that local carvers create the finest greenstone jewellery and sculptures.

Seat in Coach passengers leave the coach at Greymouth and board the TranzAlpine train bound for Christchurch. Spectacular beech forest hugs the tracks as the train enters the Arthurs Pass National Park. After a stop at Arthurs Pass, the journey continues across high viaducts, across bridges down the alpine valleys to the broad expanse of the vast Canterbury Plains.

If you have selected the self drive option, you continue on your drive through to Christchurch. 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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