South Island Four Day Great Southern Circle Tour

Picturesque mountains, deep fiords and icy glaciers - this is New Zealand's South Island. A four day independent coach tour of the highlights of the scenic South Island. Travel by coach from Christchurch to Queenstown and then up the rugged West Coast to Greymouth, before returning to Christchurch. View the glacier at Franz Josef, experience the majesty of Milford Sound and travel over the mighty Southern Alps.

Schedule Details Departs:

Daily

Unavailable Dates:

• December 25 (Christmas Day)
• December 31 (New Years Eve)

Departure Point: Tour departs from the Copthorne Central Hotel, 776 Colombo Street, Christchurch, or from selected Christchurch hotels Departure Time: 7:15am, hotel pick ups start prior to this time Return details: Tour concludes at original point of departure on Day 4 at 6:35pm Hotel Pickup:

Hotel pick up is available from all centrally located Christchurch hotels (below). Please advise your full hotel name and address at time of booking. If you are not staying at one of the hotels listed - the tour operator will advise the most convenient pick up location upon reconfirming your booking 24 hours prior to travel. Contact details provided on confirmation voucher.

Camelot Cathedral Hotel, Carlton Mill Lodge, Chateau Blanc, Chateau on the Park, Commodore Hotel, Copthorne Central, Copthorne Durham, Cotswold Hotel, Crowne Plaza, Fino Casementi, Garden Hotel, Heritage Hotel, Holiday Inn on Avon, Holiday Inn City Centre, Hotel Grand Chancellor, Kingsgate, Millennium Hotel, Pacific Park Hotel, Pavillions Hotel, Russley Hotel, Rydges Hotel, Stonehurst, Sudima Grand Chancellor, The Elms Hotel, The George Hotel, The Manor House, The Orari, The Poplars, The Towers, The Windsor Hotel and YHA Central.

Itinerary: Day 1: Christchurch / Mt Cook / Queenstown
Travel through the rich pastoral farm land of the Canterbury Plains and the ever-changing spectacular scenery of the foothills of the Southern Alps. Continue traveling across Burkes Pass before descending to the stunning glacial fed Lake Tekapo and visiting the Church of the Good Shepherd which stands on the foreshore. From here you travel up the western side of Lake Pukaki to arrive at Mt Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain. Stop at Mt Cook for lunch (additional at own expense) where you will be mesmerized by the surroundings of this truly unique region. Cross the Lindis Pass, leaving the MacKenzie Country and travel along the Kawerau Gorge before arriving in Queenstown.

Overnight Accommodation: Aspen on Queenstown (or similar).

Day 2: Milford Sound Day Excursion
Travel along the edge of Lake Wakatipu beneath the rugged Remarkables to Te Anau, the 'Gateway to Fiordland National Park'. On entering the Fiordland National Park you pass through the Eglinton Valley. See ancient beech forest, stunning waterfalls and the famous Mirror Lakes where you will pause for a photo stop. Continue through the upper Hollyford Valley, past the stunning Christie Falls and enter the 1.2 km Homer Tunnel, drilled through the solid rock of a mountain. On exiting the Homer Tunnel prepare for the breathtaking impact of the Cleddau Valley and the descent into Milford Sound. On arrival, take an unforgettable cruise on the majestic Milford Sound where you will see the wonders of Mitre Peak and rock walls scarred by glaciers which rise to 1200m vertically from the sea. Then reboard the coach for the return journey to Queenstown. Optional lunches onboard the cruise are available.

Overnight Accommodation: Aspen on Queenstown (or similar).

Day 3: Queenstown / Franz Josef Glacier
Travel along the shores of Lake Wanaka and Hawea to the Haast Pass, the most stunning highway in New Zealand and gateway to World Heritage Westland National Park. Initially the pass travels through the treeless grasslands of Central Otago, then at the highest point, the majestic peaks of the Southern Alps and the rivers and rainforests of Westland dominate the landscape. Continue to travel up the West Coast past spectacular mountain ranges, native forests and lakes to the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. The Franz Josef Glacier is 11 kilometers in length and more than 7,000 years old. Its terminal face creaks and arches over the cave from which the river emerges, pale with powdered rock and can advance or retreat at over a meter per day. This living 'river of ice' is a must see for any visitor to New Zealand.

Overnight Accommodation: Franz Josef Hotel (or similar).

Day 4: Franz Josef / Greymouth / Arthur's Pass / Christchurch
Today you continue to travel along the rugged West Coast to Shantytown, a faithful reconstruction of a Westland Gold Rush town. From Shantytown, travel to Greymouth, the center for thousands of diggers during the historic gold strikes of the 1860's. From Greymouth, journey over the Southern Alps, through Arthur's Pass and onto Christchurch by the famous TranzAlpine Express. This journey is renowned as one of the top ten train journeys in the world.

Additional Information