Description

Your Deal

‘Book with Flexibility

Book with confidence with our flexible holiday options, knowing that if things change, you’ll have room to move without the fear of fees! See the inclusions below for more details on flexible bookings.

Inclusions

8 night self drive itinerary departing Christchurch.

9 day economy car hire, picking up Christchurch & dropping off Queenstown.

Lake Tekapo 2 nights accommodation at the 4-star Peppers Bluewater Resort in a Standard Room.

Wanaka 1 night accommodation at the 4-star Bella Vista Motel Lake Wanaka in a Superior Room.

Te Anau 2 nights accommodation at the 4-star Distinction Luxmore Hotel in a Standard Room.

Queenstown 3 nights accommodation at the 4-star BreakFree The Point in a Studio Lake View Room.

Queenstown Lake Wakatipu Cruise on TSS Earnslaw.

Milford Sound Nature Cruise, departing from Milford Sound.

FLEXIBLE FREE changes & cancellations up to 8 days prior to travel.

BONUS SAVE $80.

Why not add in a Tekapo Springs Soak, Steam & Sauna in Lake Tekapo from $30.

Why not add a Shotover Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown from $125.

Your Accommodation/Itinerary

Discover alpine mountains and stunning lakes on this 9 Day road trip taking you through the heart of the South Island. Fly into Christchurch and make your way to Lake Tekapo where your journey will begin, then onto charming Wanaka, then to Te Anau, the gateway to the Fiordland National Park where you will enjoy a scenic cruise on Milford Sound. You will spend three nights in Queenstown, where you will take a leisurely cruise on Lake Wakatipu on the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw.

This road trip includes 2 nights in Lake Tekapo, 1 night in Wanaka, 2 nights in Te Anau and 3 nights in Queenstown, plus a Milford Sound Cruise and Lake Wakatipu Cruise on TSS Earnslaw in Queenstown.

Day 1 – 2 Christchurch to Lake Tekapo (258km)

Arrive into Christchurch and collect your car and make your way to Lake Tekapo. If time permits stop into the farming town of Ashburton to see the vintage railway, aviation and car museums or the beautiful Trotts Garden, selected as a garden of International Significance by The Royal Institute of Horticulture. A little further south is the town of Geraldine, where you can shop for arts & crafts, or visit famous Barkers, a store offering delicious jams, chutneys and syrups.

Picturesque by day and dazzling by night, Lake Tekapo is part of a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, making it the perfect spot for stargazing. The town is located on the shores of the turquoise waters of the beautiful Lake Tekapo and faces north across the dramatic mountains of the Southern Alps. Visit the beautiful Church of the Good Shepherd, situated on the shores of the lake, built in 1935 and a popular spot for photos looking out to the Southern Alps over the lake. If you are lucky, you will see the natural Southern Lights, best seen between April and September, with a symphony of colour coming to life.

You will find an array of activities, whether you are visiting in summer or winter. Take a dip in the hot pools, or relax and rejuvenate with a spa treatment all year round. In summer slide down the world’s largest inflatable slide, or in winter, slide across the ice skating rink and try your hand at snow tubing.

Stay 2 nights in Lake Tekapo

Day 3 Lake Tekapo to Lake Wanaka (199km)

Make your way north to the boutique town of Wanaka, a slowed-down pace of its neighbour Queenstown. Wanaka sits on the shores of a crystal-clear lake, and at the foot of the Southern Alps. Easily accessible ski fields in the winter, and mountain-bike and hiking trails in the summer, means Wanaka is always buzzing with adventure seekers. The town is also the gateway to the stunning Mt Aspiring National Park, a collection of high mountain peaks, verdant forests, and plunging waterfalls.

Immerse yourself in Wanaka’s iconic, unique, and award-winning Puzzling World that will keep people of all ages keen to engage in a fun, challenging and sensory experience. Take a cruise on the lake to Mou Waho Island and enjoy a nature walk, or try a Wildwire climbing adventure up twin waterfalls, or in winter hit the slopes at nearby Cardrona or Treble Cone ski areas. Cardrona also offers some of the best conditions for stargazing, and in summer, mountain bike riding. In winter, enjoy an evening relaxing beside a roaring open fire at one of the many restaurants or bars around town, while watching as the sun sets over the lake.

Stay 1 night in Wanaka

Day 4 – 5 Lake Wanaka to Te Anau (227km)

Today travel south making your way to Te Anau. Take a slight detour to the charming town of Arrowtown, where you can learn about the area’s prospecting history. The town centre is brimming with art galleries to explore, and many examples of Maori culture to discover.

Te Anau is the gateway to the stunning Fiordland National Park with the iconic and breathtaking Milford and Doubtful sounds, easily accessible. Te Anau is home to the majestic Lake Manapouri and the Te Anau Glowworm Caves, where you travel across the beautiful Lake Te Anau and head underground to view glittering glowworms in the cave systems.

On your second day in Te Anau, travel along the spectacular alpine route of the Milford Road, considered one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Get up close to steep cliffs rising out of the deep waters and cascading waterfalls at Milford Sound on a boat cruise, where you will nudge into waterfalls and spot wildlife including seals, dolphins and penguins.

Stay 2 nights in Te Anau

Day 6 – 9 Te Anau to Queenstown (171km)

As you make your way into Queenstown, enjoy the scenery from mountain ranges to lakeside vistas as the road winds its way around Lake Wakatipu.

Queenstown is New Zealand’s most prosperous resort town with an array of summer and winter activities to do from heart-racing jaw-dropping action, to soft-adventure, pure relaxation and exploring hidden gems surrounding the town. A great introduction into Queenstown is to head up to Skyline Queenstown where you can enjoy the most spectacular views over the town, lake and mountains. Travel by gondola up 450m above the town to the Skyline complex, try your hand at the gravity-fuelled luge, or enjoy a meal at their onsite restaurant. Take a leisurely scenic cruise along Lake Wakatipu by a vintage steamship, TSS Earnslaw, and why not add a stop at Walter Peak High Country Farm for lunch. A must-do experience is to head to Fergburger, Queenstown’s iconic institution serving delicious burgers

The adrenaline junkies will have a plethora of action-packed activities to choose from. Take a breathtaking ride through dramatic and narrow canyons with the award-winning Shotover Jet, or jump out of an aircraft into thin air, or bungy jump or catapult from a bridge. Or, if shopping till you drop sounds better than dropping from a ledge, try the many boutiques, like pre-loved fashion boutique, The Walk In Wardrobe, plus a weekly arts & crafts market. Finish your day soaking at the Onsen Hot Pools, open day or night.

Stay 3 nights in Queenstown