5 DAY TOUR
THE GREAT SOUTHERN CIRCLE
This Five Day Budget Tour, has it all, highlights include Mount Cook National Park, Queenstown, Fiordland National Park and includes Milford Sounds Cruise, West Coast Glaciers, with option of TranzAlpine Train Journey
TOUR CODE BUDSI5
TOUR COST NZ $995 PER PERSON SHARE TWIN
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT NZ $1395
DAILY DEPARTURES
Day 1
Christchurch -Mount Cook -Queenstown
This morning you will travel by coach from Christchurch to Queenstown. On the way you will visit Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd, before continuing onto Aoraki / Mount Cook Village to view New Zealand's tallest mountain.
Accommodation in Queenstown
Day 2
Queenstown
Milford Sound Nature Cruise Day Excursion
(Included in tour cost).
Travel from Queenstown via Lake Te Anau to the beautiful Milford Sound, located in the World Heritage Fiordland National Park. Explore dramatic, moody Milford Sound in a leisurely and relaxed way with our nature guides. Our vessels, the Milford Mariner and Milford Wanderer are designed along the lines of traditional trading scows. They have been purpose built to operate in the fiords and offer a laid back, extended cruise option. Throughout your cruise, our nature guide provides an engaging commentary about the magnificent scenery and wildlife (English only). Keep a look out for dolphins, seals and penguins. Here we cruise the sounds and get close up views of the magnificent scenery that this World Heritage Area has to offer. Be inspired as mountain peaks soar overhead and waterfalls tumble hundreds of metres into the sea below. Return by coach to Queenstown
Day 3
Queenstown Day at leisure.
Your hotel concierge can assist you with information and reservations for the huge number of things to see and do.
Accommodation in Queenstown
Day 4
Queenstown - Franz Josef Glacier
We follow the Kawerau Gorge Road to Cromwell, continuing onto the popular Lake Wanaka, the starting point of the mighty Clutha River. From here we travel past Lake Hawea before following the upper reaches of Lake Wanaka to Makaroa and traversing the rugged Haast Pass into the Westland National Park. Arriving at Haast, you are surrounded by a landscape of rainforest, wetlands, sand dunes and surf-pounded shingle beaches. This wilderness forms part of the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, so designated because South Westland and Fiordland have some of the most dramatic forest and mountain scenery and natural resources in the world.On arrival there is time for a scenic flight (weather permitting, own expense).
Optional 90 min Glacier Eco Tour to the lookout point to view Franz Josef Glacier; Your guide will collect you from your accommodation and take you on a short tour to the glacier lookout, along the way they will explain about the local flora and fauna in the area, Cost nz$50 per person or nz$100 for single traveller. Tour operates October – April. Or there is a shuttle bus which operate on a regular timetable to the glacier lookout point.
Accommodation in Franz Josef for one night
Day 5
Franz Josef Glacier - Greymouth - Christchurch
Today your tour continues along the rugged West Coast to Greymouth, the centre for thousands of miners during the historic gold strikes of the 1860s. At Greymouth, you have the option to board the world-famous TranzAlpine Train (one of the top six train journeys in the world, see below) and travel by train to Christchurch or choose to continue on by coach, over the Southern Alps, travelling via Arthur's Pass and onto Christchurch where your tour concludes.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
• 4 nights accommodation 3 star plus
• Aoraki/Mt Cook
• Milford Sound Day Excursion including Nature Cruise
• West Coast - Franz Josef Glacier
• Optional Tranz Alpine Train Journey
DAY 5 TRANZ ALPINE TRAIN OPTIONAL
COST OF THIS OPTIONAL IS nz$100, PLEASE ADVISE US AT THE TIME OF BOOKING
The Tranz Alpine scenic train journey travels between Greymouth and Christchurch, from one coast of New Zealand to the other. Your train then climbs through lush beech rain forest from the West Coast town of Greymouth into the Southern Alps through the Otria Tunnel to Arthur’s Pass before descending through the spectacular gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River, followed by the fields of the Canterbury Plains and farmland,
All carriages include both one way seating and tabled group seating allowing you to experience the amazing views while enjoying the company of other passengers on-board. An open air viewing carriage allows you to get even closer to the stunning scenery and provides many opportunities to photograph your favourite spots. There’s a lot to look forward to!
Our train journey sets off from Greymouth - The trip is 223.8 kilometres long and takes approx four and a half hours. There are 16 tunnels, and 5 viaducts, the highest being the Staircase standing at 73 metres.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING LINK, AS IT WILL EXPLAIN ALL ABOUT BUDGET TOURS http://www.tourandtravel.co.nz/tour.aspx?tourid=1171
All our Budget Tours are flexible and most can be done in reverse, extra nights can be added in, at any point. We can also offer you very competitive rates for both pre and post tour accommodation if required.
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