NEW ZEALAND HOSTED GRAND RAIL TOUR INCLUDING BEST OF THE WEST COAST. 10 days.
17 day tour includes Tekapo, Mt Cook, Queenstown, Milford Sound cruise, Te Anau, Doubtful Sound overnight cruise
Departs 2024: November 04. 2025: February 17, March 17
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. 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. 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. WELLINGTON - PICTON. (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. 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. 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. 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. CHRISTCHURCH - HOKITIKA
7 day tour ends with checkout in Christchurch 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. 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. 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. CHRISTCHURCH - LAKE TEKAPO OR MOUNT COOK. (B)
10 day tour ends at checkout this morning. 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 11. Thursday. TEKAPO OR MOUNT COOK TO QUEENSTOWN. (B)
Drive through the Mckenzie Country and over the Lindis Pass to the fruit growing region of Cromwell then on to Queenstown.
Day 12. Friday. QUEENSTOWN - Free day (BD)
Free day for your own activities
This evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak sheep station for a barbecue dinner.
Day 13. Saturday 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 14. Sunday. DOUBTFUL SOUND - QUEENSTOWN. Includes Kingston Flyer. (B)
Disembark after breakfast and return to Manapouri. Drive to Kingston to join the historic "Kingston Flyer' steam train for a 3 hour round trip journey and return to Queenstown.
Day 15. Monday. You will be transferred to the airport for departure or why not extend your stay and cruise Milford Sound, or visit Stewart Island, Catlins, and Dunedin.
17 DAYS INCLUDING MILFORD SOUND. Transfer from your Doubtful Sound cruise and Manapouri to Te Anau for sunday night and join the regular coach tour tuesday to Milford Sound for a cruise and return to Queenstown departing Wednesday.
Extra cost per person: 2 per room $550. Single room $730.
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