Southern Spirit - Small Group

Welcome to New Zealand. Kick things off in Christchurch, buzzing with community spirit that runs deep. Spend time at leisure getting to know the city your way before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers this evening for a briefing and welcome drinks.

See the highlights of Christchurch this morning, including the innovative Cardboard Cathedral and the Botanic Gardens, loved for their landscaped beauty and tranquil riverside setting. Then watch the scenery shift as you travel across the Canterbury Plains to Geraldine. Stop in at historic Barkers Store to sample local cheeses and regional produce before continuing along the East Coast into the Waitaki Valley with its winding rivers, rolling farmland and mountain backdrops near Lake Benmore. Arrive in Omarama this evening, a quintessential country town and your home for the night.

Clyde is sure to keep your camera busy with its big personality. Wander its historic precinct where gold mining era buildings have been transformed into cafes and shops. Later, you’ll roll into Invercargill, a city with a real passion for wheels and speed legends. Visit Bill Richardson Transport World for a guided tour, exploring more than 300 vehicles and the stories behind them, from rare finds to classic favourites.

Travel through the rolling farmland and lush pastures of Southland to Templeton Flax Mill. On a guided visit with Nathan Templeton, mill curator and grandson of the founder, you’ll hear how flax helped shape the local economy on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, with proceeds supporting the mill’s future as a living museum. Continue to Riverton, a charming seaside town, before heading into Fiordland National Park and on to Te Anau, set on the shores of the South Island’s largest lake. Breathe it in, this is serenity at its best.

From the moment you step outside, nature takes the lead. Journey through Fiordland National Park where beech forests, open flats and mirror-like lakes set the scene. Crystal-clear rivers will carve through the landscape as you make your way to Piopiotahi/Milford Sound. Then take to the water on a sightseeing cruise into the pristine fiord, soaking up towering cliffs, tumbling waterfalls and the chance to spot wildlife along the way.

Get a taste of country life and classic southern hospitality at Real Country as you meet a local farmer and step into day-to-day farm living. Watch horse communication in action and see working sheep dogs muster with skill and speed on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Later, you’ll have the chance to wander the heritage streets of Arrowtown, a gold rush village lined with trees and character-filled boutiques before arriving in Queenstown for a two-night stay in New Zealand’s adventure capital.

Today is yours to soak up Queenstown and its surroundings. Grab lunch at leisure at cult favourite Fergburger, known for its gourmet burgers and buzzing atmosphere. You might choose to dial up the thrill with an optional experience, like a high-octane jet boat ride tearing along the Shotover River. Prefer something smoother? Head out to nearby vineyards for a tasting or take it easy with an afternoon cruise on Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue dinner.

This morning, pick up a sweet taste of the region at the Jones Family fruit stall, then settle in for one of the South Island’s most scenic drives. You’ll cross the alpine sweep of Lindis Pass between Otago and the Mackenzie Basin, with big sky views and rugged peaks, with the majestic Aoraki/Mount Cook among them. Stop in Tekapo on the shores of turquoise Lake Tekapo, where the stone Church of the Good Shepherd sits in a picture-perfect setting. Later, continue across the Canterbury Plains back to Christchurch.

All aboard the TranzAlpine train for one of New Zealand’s greatest rail journeys. Travel towards Arthur’s Pass, through tunnels and over soaring viaducts as snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, beech forests and deep gorges roll past your window. Stop in Greymouth, known for its mining history, before continuing to Punakaiki to see the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes.

Today is made for sitting back and taking it all in. Follow the Heritage Highway towards Nelson as your journey winds through the dramatic Buller Gorge, a deep canyon that’s home to New Zealand’s longest swing bridge. Continue alongside the wild beauty of Kahurangi National Park, where rivers, high plateaus, alpine herb fields and coastal forests set the scene for a relaxed arrival into Nelson.

Sleep in or get moving, today is completely at leisure. If you feel like getting out on the water, you can choose an optional experience to Abel Tasman National Park for a cruise and walk. This corner of the island is pure calm, with golden beaches, sculpted granite cliffs and one of the country’s most loved coastal tracks, so make the most of it.

All aboard for a voyage that’s a must on any Kiwi adventure. Today, you’ll cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound, glide up the Tory Channel and cross Cook Strait from the South Island to the North, weaving past a maze of arms and inlets before arriving in Wellington, the country’s cool little capital.

Wellington is known for its uber-cool cafes, get to know the city on a highlights tour. After the tour, bid farewell to your NZ crew. You may wish to depart directly, or if you have time, linger in town, discovering Māori culture at Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand (entrance fee applies).