NEW ZEALAND HOSTED GRAND RAIL TOUR INCLUDING BEST OF THE WEST COAST. 12 days. April 29 - May 13, 2024.

ITINERARY 

Includes shared shuttle home pickup  from Orewa to Pukekohe, plus Bay of Plenty, and Waikato to Auckland Strand, Papakura, Hamilton, or Otorohanga railway station.

Day 1. Monday.  April 29. AUCKLAND - WELLINGTON  

Transfer to your nearest railway station.  

7.45am. Depart Auckland Strand Railway Station aboard the "Northern Explorer". Depart Papakura 8.40am, Hamilton 10.15am, and Otorohanga 10.54am.  

Sit back and relax and enjoy the scenes of suburban Auckland and rural Waikato dairy farmland and travel south through the central North Island including the famed Raurimu Spiral, a major engineering feat, and through the Tongariro National Park with magnificent views of the central North Island volcanoes in fine weather. Arrive Wellington 6.25pm. Transfer to your hotel  in the central city.

Day 2.  Tuesday.  April 30.  WELLINGTON. (B)

Explore the capital city on our included tour. Visit Oriental Bay  and enjoy part of the beautiful Marine Drive.  Enjoy a guided tour of  Weta Workshop and visit Seatoun and  Mt Victoria for a panoramic view over the city, guided tour of Government House (subject to approval at the time),  the Botanical Gardens (optional cable car ride - extra expense), Zealandia Eco reserve and a guided tour of Parliament Buildings. (Tour ends at Parliament Building. If you do not wish to enjoy the tour of Parliament our vehicle can drop you off at your hotel or Te Papa). Free time 

Day 3. Wednesday.  May 01. WELLINGTON (B)

Transfer to the Interislander terminal and depart at 8.45am  for the 3 hour 30 minute cruise across Cook Strait and through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton arriving 12.30pm. This afternoon visit the "Edwin Fox" ship restoration project and enjoy a mail boat cruise of the Marlborough Sounds. Depart Picton at 1.30pm and return about 5.30pm. Cruise the Sounds delivering the mail to the local residents and learn the history from the skipper. Enjoy about 15 minutes at Ship Cove where Captain Cook spent much time. Overnight Picton Yacht Club, or Scenic Marlborough hotels. 

Day 4. Thursday. May 02.    BLENHEIM - KAIKOURA   (BD)

Visit the Marlborough Museum, Aviation Heritage Museum, and a winery for some wine tasting. Join  the "Coastal Pacific" train at Blenheim departing at 2.05pm for the scenic ride down the Kaikoura Coast to Kaikoura  arriving 4.25pm. Transfer to our accommodation. Seafood dinner tonight.

Day 5.  Friday. May 03.   KAIKOURA - CHRISTCHURCH.  (B)

Free morning to explore and enjoy Kaikoura and visit the seal colony. Optional whale watch cruise or flight or Dolphin cruise. Depart Kaikoura 4.25pm aboard the "Coastal Pacific"  to continue our journey south to Christchurch arriving at 7.30pm.

Day 6. Saturday.  May 04. CHRISTCHURCH. (BD)

We have left today free for your own activities. Your hotel is in the centre of the city. Optional tours are available of the city, Port Hills, Hanmer Springs, Akaroa, etc. We recommend a visit to the Orana Wildlife Park and Antarctic Centre. Optional visit to Ferrymead's collection of trams and trains.

Enjoy the tramcar dinner tonight

Day 7. Sunday. May 05          CHRISTCHURCH - HOKITIKA

7 day tour ends with checkout this morning. Transfer to the airport provided.

Transfer to the rail station.

8.15am.  Depart Christchurch railway station aboard the  "Tranz Alpine" express for one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world across the Canterbury Plains climbing through the foothills of the Southern Alps criss crossing the Waimakariri River on the way to Arthurs Pass for a brief break. Travel through the Otira tunnel and descend into the rainforest of the West Coast. Pass Lake Brunner and the Grey River and arrive Greymouth 1.05pm.   

You will be met by your local guide  and visit Shantytown. Ride the train, pan for gold, and recapture something of the atmosphere of the gold rush era. On to Hokitika and catch up on Hokitika in its prime during the gold rush

Accommodation and breakfast at the Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika.

Day 8.  Monday. May 06.       HOKITIKA - REEFTON - DENNISTON - WESTPORT - PUNAKAIKI     (B)

Drive north to Reefton. Visit the Reefton Distillery Co with a little tasting and the Bearded Mining Company for a visit to a recreated miners hut and cup of billy tea. Drive to the Denniston lookout and on to Denniston to see the famous incline and discover the history of the area,. See the Banbury Drystone Arch and the historic mine workshop. Visit the Westport coal museum and Cape Foulwind seal colony before arriving at the Scenic Punakaiki Hotel.

Day 9.  Tuesday.  May 07              PUNAKAIKI -  GREYMOUTH  - CHRISTCHURCH  (B)

We visit the historic gold mining town of Charleston for a ride on the Nile River railway through the rainforest. Explore the Punakaiki Rocks and Paparoa National Park. 

Return to Greymouth for a short tour and time to explore. Rejoin  the "Tranz Alpine" train departing 2.05pm to recross the Southern Alps to Christchurch where arrival is scheduled for 7pm. You will be transferred back to your accommodation.

Day 10. Wednesday. May 08.   CHRISTCHURCH - LAKE TEKAPO  OR MOUNT COOK.      (B)

10 day tour ends at checkout. we will transfer you to the airport.

We drive across the Canterbury Plains to Lake Tekapo with time to see the sheep dog monument and church of the Good Shepherd before continuing along the shores of Lake Pukaki to the Hermitage in the heart of the Mt Cook National Park.  Free time for helicopter or ski plane flights,  alpine walks. Accommodation at the Hermitage hotel with breakfast.

Prefer to stay at Tekapo for the Dark Sky experience (sorry we cannot guarantee clear skies)? No problem. Cost remains the same with accommodation and breakfast at Bluewater Resort. 

Day 13. Thursday. May 09.    TEKAPO OR MOUNT COOK TO QUEENSTOWN.   (BD)

Drive through the Mckenzie Country and over the Lindis Pass to the fruit growing region of Cromwell then on to Queenstown. free time before cruising across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak sheep station for a barbecue dinner.

Day 14.  Friday May 10.         QUEENSTOWN - DOUBTFUL SOUND    (BD)

Transfer to Manapouri and cruise across the bush clad Lake Manapouri to the West Arm. Drive across Wilmot Pass, and join our cruise ship  "Fiordland Navigator, or "Milford Wanderer".  Sail mid afternoon. Doubtful Sound is much more extensive than Milford Sound. . Anchor overnight in a quiet bay. Optional evening exploring by kayak or ships tender to get up close and personal with the Fiords. 

Day 15. Saturday. May 11.      DOUBTFUL SOUND.       (BLD)

A leisurely day exploring the fiords and travel to the entrance with the Tasman Sea. See the seals,and often dolphins and other wildlife are to be seen. All meals included on board.

Day 16. Sunday. May 12.    DOUBTFUL SOUND - QUEENSTOWN. Includes Kingston Flyer. (B)  

Disembark after breakfast and drive to Kingston to join the historic "Kingston Flyer' steam train for a 3 hour round trip journey and return to Queenstown.

Day 17. Monday. You will be transferred to the airport for departure or why not extend your stay and cruise Milford and/or Doubtful Sounds.

Tour cost per person - full 17 day/16 night tour

2 per room     $5,650.         Single room  $7,900

Tour cost includes all services of Grand Rail Tour plus travel from Christchurch to Queenstown, transfers, 3 extra nights accommodation and breakfast, and "Kingston Flyer" 

 

 

  

 

 

NEW ZEALAND HOSTED GRAND RAIL TOUR INCLUDING BEST OF THE WEST COAST. 12 days/11 nights

2024:    April 29 - May 13, 2024.

Includes “Northern Explorer”, Interislander, Marlborough Sounds cruise, Aviation Heritage Park,  “Coastal Pacific”,  Kaikoura - whale watch or Dolphin cruise option, “Tranz Alpine”, Shantytown train. Nile River Railway,  

 

Tour cost per person 12  day tour finishing in Christchurch day 12,

 2 per room $4,990.  Single room   $6,400

Tour cost per person 7 day tour finishing Christchurch Sunday day 7

2 per room $3,200. Single room $3,990

 

Tour cost includes 

**  Shared shuttle from anywhere between Orewa and Pukekohe and in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, including Tauranga, to your nearest rail station.  (departure only)

**  All travel by Northern Explorer, Interislander, Coastal Pacific, Tranz Alpine, Nile River

** 3 nights in Wellington with tour of the city.

** 1 night in Picton or Blenheim with admissions to "Edwin Fox", Marlborough Sounds cruise to Ship Cove, Omaka  Aviation Heritage Museum, and wine tasting.

** 1 night in Kaikoura with optional whale watch cruise or flight

**  2 nights in Christchurch

** 2 nights in Hokitika, 1 night at Punakaiki

**   Locally hosted tour on the West Coast by driver escorted mini or midi bus including Shantytown, Eco cruise, Treetops walk, Reefton, Denniston, Punakaiki, 

** 1 night in Christchurch

** Departure transfer to Christchurch airport

 

 Fares home are not included.

 

ICE AND FIRE - MT COOK AND KINGSTON FLYER!    4 day extension.

Day 12. Friday.     Drive to Lake Tekapo with free time and continue to Mt Cook. Accommodation at the Hermitage.

Day 13. Saturday.   Time for scenic flights or Tasman Glacier lake cruise. Drive south through the Mckenzie Country to Queenstown. 

Day 14. Sunday.    Free day for your own explorations. "Earnslaw" cruise to Walter Peak and barbecue dinner included this evening.

Day 15. Monday.  Drive along the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Kingston and Join the "Kingston Flyer" restored steam train for a 1.5 hour ride to Five Rivers and back. The tour ends today and we can drop you off at Queenstown airport by 2pm or at any accommodation in town.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 PART TOUR OPTIONS. 

THIS TOUR MAY BE JOINED AT WELLINGTON INTERISLANDER TERMINAL DAY 4, Tour cost days 4-12.  2 per room $3,990. Single room $5,200

OR IN CHRISTCHURCH DAY DAY 8 Tour cost days 8-12. 2 per room $2,250. Single $2,790

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Train operations.

"Northern Explorer" operates southbound every monday, thursday, saturday and northbound from Wellington every tuesday, friday, and sunday year round EXCEPT 14-17 July, 20-23 October, 24 December - 08 January, 26-29 January, 02-05 February, 25-28 April when the line is closed for maintenance.

"Coastal Pacific" operates thursday to sunday 21 September - 31 January and daily 01 February - 28 April EXCEPT 29-31 March when the line is closed for maintenance.

"Tranz Alpine" operates friday to monday  to 28 September, daily 29 September - 06 May, and friday to monday 07 May - 01 July EXCEPT 13-14 April and 24-27 May when line is closed for maintenance.

 

 

 

 

Request Now

Copyright © 2024 New Zealand Tours

Website crafted by bocapa