DAY 02: CHRISTCHURCH / FAIRLIE
After briefing your adventure starts with a scenic bicycle ride in the Christchurch's Port hills. We reach the summit of the hills before cycling along the edge of the extinct volcano which offers panoramic views of Banks Peninsula and the city. We then visit Orana Park where we go on a short native bird life tour. You will meet some of our elusive native birds such as the nocturnal Kiwi, the Tieke (Saddle Back) and the Whio (Blue Duck). In the late afternoon, we drive across the fertile Canterbury plains to Fairlie, where we meet our farm stay hosts. (B, L, D)
Accommodation: Fairlie Farm stay

DAY 03: FAIRLIE / LAKE TEKAPO / MOUNT COOK / QUEENSTOWN
After a short farm tour and healthy breakfast, we say goodbye to our hosts, and head toward Mt Cook. Crossing Burke Pass, we enter the expansive and arid Mackenzie Basin. We stop at Lake Tekapo to see the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Bronze dog, before continuing down State Highway 8 to the pastel blue, Lake Pukaki. We turn west to follow the shores of the lake to Mt. Cook National Park. We take a walk up the Hooker Valley, watched over by our tallest mountain, Aoraki / Mt Cook. Along the way we cross two swing bridges, beneath which the thundering Hooker River flows. It shouldn't be too hard to understand why this place is a magnet for mountaineers. Upon our return we board our coach for the three and a half hour drive to Queenstown. We will pass through the Kawarau Gorge, a place where large quantities of gold were extracted by dredge and sluice guns in the late 1800's. The stone remains of miner's huts remind us of early inhabitants. (B, L)
Accommodation: Garden Court

DAY 04: QUEENSTOWN
This is your free day. Some optional activities include a round trip to Milford Sound by coach and/or plane with a launch cruise on the sound, a trip to Skippers Canyon by 4 wheel drive vehicle (an old gold mining area), a cruise on a historic steam boat across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak sheep station, a ride on the gondola, a visit to Arrowtown and Gibbstown winery, a walk around the public parks and gardens, fly by wire, bungy jumping, guided wine tour, relaxing by the lake, or shopping. Please make sure to select your choice of optional activities at the time of booking to ensure availability. (B)
Accommodation: Garden Court

DAY 05: QUEENSTOWN / WANAKA / FOX GLACIER
Today, we depart Queenstown early, taking the high road across the Crown Range to the lakeside resort town of Wanaka. We then drive along Lakes Hawea and Wanaka, following the very scenic State Highway 6 across Haast Pass to the township of Haast. Here we leave the main highway and head towards Jackson Bay to join the awesome Waiatoto jet-boat experience. We are driven by our skilled, professional driver up the Waiatoto River, which takes us deep into Mt Aspiring National Park. Marvel at the impossibly shallow water that your boat skims over at speed, all made possible by its unique drive system invented in the 1950's by New Zealand farmer, Bill Hamilton. A walk option provides the chance to enjoy the solitude of your surroundings before returning to our craft for the return journey to the coast. We then get back to the main highway, heading north along the coast to Fox Glacier Township, in the Westland National Park (a World Heritage area). An evening option is to take a leisurely stroll around Lake Matheson, a photographer's paradise or to take an optional helicopter ride that lifts you out of the valley to a breathtaking world of our highest, ice covered mountains. Enjoy a snow landing on the upper Fox Glacier never (B, L)
Accommodation: Te Weheka Inn

DAY 06: FOX GLACIER / PUNAKAIKI
Following a briefing from our experienced glacier guide, we depart for a 4 -hour walk onto the Fox Glacier. Under their watchful eye, we attach instep crampons to our boots, grasp our walking pole firmly, and head onto the white ice: this is one of only three places in the world where you can experience walking on 200 m thick ice next to dripping rainforest! After lunch, we continue on a road bounded by the rugged coast, where land meets the Tasman Sea on one side and on the other, by dense, temperate rainforest which covers the distant wall of mountains: the Southern Alps. The coast is steeped in history: from the indigenous Maori collecting pounamu or greenstone, to the heady gold rush days of the late 1800's and the long years of coal mining and timber milling. We continue through extensive areas of luxuriant forest to Hokitika and finally to Punakaiki. Before dinner we will take a walk around the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes. (B, L)
Accommodation: Punakaiki Rocks Hotel Villas

DAY 07: PUNAKAIKI / NELSON
Our adventure today is cave rafting. We travel north along the spectacular coast to Charleston, a once busy gold mining town in the late 1800's, although little evidence now remains from these heady times. Here we join our cave rafting tour, which takes us up the Nile River in a small train. We put our wetsuits on, grab our inner tubes and head underground. We exit the caves by floating downstream on tubes – a novel and exciting way to explore this amazing underworld experience. After lunch, we continue north until we meet the Buller River, which we follow inland via its bush clad gorges. We stop in the upper gorge to experience New Zealand's longest Swing Bridge, before continuing to Murchison and then to Nelson, a city that has become one of our leading art and craft centers. (B, L)
Accommodation: DeLorenzo's Studio Apartments

DAY 08: NELSON / PICTON / MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS
The drive from Nelson to Picton is a beautiful one with mixture of pastoral landscapes intermingled with native and exotic forests. There is time for a stop at a few scenic lookouts along the way, for an ice-cream and a walk in the totara forest at Pelorus Bridge scenic reserve before we meet our kayak guides. We then experience a half-day tour of the beautiful Marlborough Sounds via the comfort and uniqueness of a stable, double sea kayak. We journey across Queen Charlotte Sound by water taxi to reach the Lochmara Lodge. (B, L)
Accommodation: Lochmara Lodge

DAY 09: PICTON / MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS
The Queen Charlotte Walkway is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to the busy Abel Tasman National Park. It follows the hilly spine that separates the Pelorus sound (to the west) from the Queen Charlotte Sound. It begins at the historic Ship Cove, (Captain Cook stayed here several times) and continues 40 mi to Anakiwa at the southern end of the sound, a glorious walk. Unfortunately you won't have time to walk the whole track; however there is plenty of time to do a section of around 10 mi from Ship Cove. There are huge views of the sounds. Shorter walking options are available, but make sure you let your guide know. (B, L)
Accommodation: Lochmara Lodge

DAY 10: MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS / PICTON / KAIKOURA
In the mid morning we head back to Picton. A short drive to a nearby winery ensures there is ample opportunity to sample some of Marlborough's finest wines as we enjoy a lunch amongst the vines. Unfortunately for your guides, they just get to watch your enthusiastic imbibing, but at least this ensures they can soberly navigate you down the coast to the seaside fishing town of Kaikoura. Late afternoon we go for a relaxing hike around the Kaikoura Peninsula with its abundant marine & birdlife. (B, L)
Accommodation: Blue Seas Motels

DAY 11: KAIKOURA / CHRISTCHURCH
Kaikoura is renowned as a marine wildlife center. This dolphins and seals, or whale watching. (These are all optional extras and are not included in the trip cost). We then take a very scenic (3 hrs drive) to Christchurch via the Inland Kaikoura road & the wineries of Waipara. Then, we will enjoy a farewell dinner and reflect on our journey. (B, L, D)
Accommodation: Camelot Motor lodge

DAY 12: CHRISTCHURCH
Your trip ends today after breakfast. We are available to provide a group transfer to the airport (B)