15 days - from $4610

New Zealand's South Island is blessed with an array of dramatic landscapes that have yielded some of the world's most innovative adventure experiences; from walking on glaciers & cruising along fjords to tramping on one of the world's most southerly islands, this active trip offers the opportunity to enjoy the best that this stunning destination has to offer.

Fox Glacier & Milford Sound
From Christchurch we cross to the west coast with the help of the Tranz Alpine train to walk on Fox Glacier, a spectacular river of moving ice. Then in Queenstown, New Zealand's adventure capital, the list of options is endless ranging from jet-boating & 4Wding to white-water rafting & bungy jumping. We then drive via the spectacular Cleddau Valley to reach dramatic Milford Sound, where we take an overnight cruise through this world-famous glacial valley.

Stewart Island
From Milford Sound we head to Invercargill, then cross the ?Roaring Forties? by catamaran to Stewart Island, an isolated landmass boasting large areas of virgin bush and offering the chance of seeing kiwis in the wild. There is plenty of time here to trek here & experience one of the true ?ends of the earth?.

Mount Cook National Park
Finally we explore Mount Cook NP, where a variety of different treks await, along with the possibility of taking a scenic helicopter flight for breathtaking views of Mount Cook's (3754m) snowy peak.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Fly to Christchurch. Day 2 Punakaiki Crossing the island today we take the Tranz Alpine train takes to Arthur's Pass before descending to Punakaiki on the west coast. Days 3/4 Fox Glacier Via the gold-mining district and Franz Josef glacier we reach Fox glacier where we take a guided walk on the spectacular iceflow before continuing to Haast. Days 5/6 Queenstown After the chance to jetboat to Roaring Billy waterfall, a stunning drive takes us to New Zealand's adventure capital where there's time for activities from wine-tasting to bungy-jumping! Days 7/8 Milford Sound Via the spectacular Cleddau Valley we reach Milford Sound and an overnight cruise through this world-famous glacial valley. Days 9/10 Stewart Island From Invercargill we cross the ?Roaring Forties? by catamaran to Stewart Island where there's time to trek and experience one of the true ?ends of the earth?, perhaps even catching sight of a wild Kiwi. Days 11/13 Mt. Cook NP Returning north via Dunedin we explore this iconic park, where a variety of different treks await, along with the possibility of a scenic helicopter flight for views of Mount Cook's (3754m) snowy peak. Day 14 Christchurch Via Lake Tekapo and the Cantebury plains we finally return to the "Garden city". Day 15 Tour ends in Christchurch.

Accommodation: 11nts hotel/ motel, 2nts lodge, 1nt boat; 14 breakfasts & 1 dinner included.
Transport: Bus/Cruise Boat/ Catamaran.
Comment: A thorough and active exploration of the South Island. All walks are optional and require reasonable fitness over uneven terrain, especially on Fox Glacier.
Group: Approx. 12 to 16.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus driver.
Trip Reference: ZS