Alpine Explorer

5 Days/ 4 Nights from $1,209 (Tour Code : T25)

A condensed 5 day tour of the south featuring the top mountain tourist sites and the wild West Coast glaciers...

Day 1: Christchurch - Mt Cook - Queenstown
Cross the Canterbury Plains, over Burkes Pass to Lake Tekapo, site of the Church of the Good Shepherd. The Mackenzie Country lies before you as you travel towards Mt Cook village in the heart of the Southern Alps. You have a brief stop here for optional flight seeing or lunch (not included). Follow the Southern Alps south to the tussock covered hills of the Lindis Pass then through the rugged Kawarau Gorge to Queenstown, where you will stay three nights.

Day 2: Queenstown - Milford Sound - Queenstown
An early start takes you alongside the lake to Kingston, then across Northern Southland to Lake Te Anau. Travel through the Fiordland National Park, passing the Mirror Lakes, the Chasm, the Homer Tunnel and the Cleddau Chasm. A cruise on Milford Sound beneath lofty Mitre Peak, waterfalls and out to the mouth of the Tasman Sea is included. Then you climb out of Milford Sound to return to Queenstown by evening.

Day 3: At Queenstown
Today is completely at your leisure in this alpine playground - we have included the Skyline gondola in your tour. There are dozens of optional activities as well, from thrilling jet boat rides to leisurely lake cruises, 4WD safaris, bungy jumping.

Day 4: Queenstown - Glaciers
Travel to Cromwell and on through the southern lakes district to the Haast Pass. Dense rainforest contrasts with rugged coastal vistas as you travel north towards the glaciers. A shuttle will take you to the viewing platform to see one of these massive rivers of ice. Overnight at Fox or Franz Josef Glacier.

Day 5: Glaciers - Christchurch
Travel north past Hokitika, where you can see jade carvers at work, to Greymouth. Here you board the renowned Tranz Alpine train and travel through the lengthy Otira Tunnel, over Arthurs Pass and across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch.

For the extended version of this tour refer 'Glacierland'

Tour Inclusions:

*All tours are flexible. Extra nights and pre and post tour accommodation available.