Autumn In The South

Home (April 15th)

Meet at the Whanganui Racecourse for a 7:45am departure and travel to Palmerston North Airport to catch our 10:10am flight to Christchurch.

Departing from another destination

For those departing from another destination you will be given your personalised itinerary for you to join the group today. All tickets and details will be provided in your personal information pack, sent prior to travel.

Banks Peninsula (April 16th)

Today you are in for a unique off-road adventure as we join forces with our friends at Hassle Free tours and make the most of their purpose built 4x4 vehicles and set out to explore the back roads of Banks Peninsula.  We start the day by heading around to the port town of Lyttleton and catch the ferry over to Diamond Harbour. From here, we are collected by the 4x4 vehicles and set out for an adventure of the peninsula. We will see some amazing views today and meet some of the great families that have called this place home since the first settlers. 

Christchuch (April 17th)

This morning, we head south and stop at a renowned garden which has international acclaim. Trott’s Garden has been home to Alan and Catherine Trott and their family for thirty-seven years. It is now in the safe hands of the new owners to ensure this beautiful garden remains accessible to people from all over the world who admire this local New Zealand paradise. We are treated to a guided tour and morning tea in this beautiful setting before carrying on our day.

We make our way out to Longbeach Estate and soak up the wonderful kiwi hospitality and absolutely stunning gardens. We enjoy lunch and a guided tour of this truly remarkable property which will simply take your breath away with its abundance of trees and natural beauty.

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Tekapo (April 18th)

A relaxed start to the day as we charge our batteries and get set to see make our way through to Wanaka. On the way we’ll stop at Lake Pukaki and a few other points of interest and break for morning tea at High Country Salmon. ‍

Wanaka (April 19th)

Another relaxed start to the day and breakfast you’ll have the chance to wander the Wanaka township or relax down by the lake then we start our journey over the incredible Crown Rage Road. Soak up the incredible scenery before arriving at the famous Cardona Hotel for a delicious group lunch. We continue over the Crown Range and make our way into Arrowtown where the Autumn colours are at their peak and strolling around the town amongst the trees is a truly wonderful experience in itself.

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Queenstown (April 20th)

After breakfast we meet our friends at Nomad Safari’s and are treated to one of the best day trips Queenstown has to offer.

The Skippers Canyon 4WD tour departs from Queenstown heading out towards Coronet Peak. As you head up the peak towards the entrance to this spectacular canyon there are stunning panoramic views of the Wakatipu Basin.

After entering Skippers Canyon we will travel to Lighthouse Rock, which gives a dramatic lookout over the entire canyon. Follow in the footsteps of many adventurers and discoverers as this historical winding road brings you to the historic Skippers Bridge, which provides a stunning photo opportunity.

Carefully travelling over the bridge, the road continues into the historical township of Skippers. Long since abandoned, much of the original building still remains, waiting for you to explore it.

Indulge in morning or afternoon tea at the Skippers School building. Immerse yourself in the history of this stunning place as the restored school house divulges a wealth of information through photos and artefacts from the early days of this settlement. The cemetery nearby depicts a more gloomy and dangerous life for these gold prospectors.

Returning along the road we will stop at Deep Creek where you can immerse yourself in the heritage of the local area by turning your hand to a spot of gold panning. Our trained guides will teach you techniques to successfully pan for gold on one of the richest gold-bearing rivers in the world. Some may also recognise spots along the Skippers Road as being featured in The Lord of The Rings. 

We’ll get back into Queenstown where you’ll have time to wander the town, do a spot of shopping of simply relax and put your feet up before another superb meal.

Accommodation: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside

Queenstown (April 21st)

After breakfast ending a great 2 night stay in Queenstown its time to pack our bags and hit the road. A real treat in-store for us this morning as we weave our way around to Kingston and board the mighty Kingston Flyer which has only recently returned to service. 

On September the 18th 2022, the Kingston Flyer held their Grand Opening Ceremony and celebrated the return of commercially run public train rides from Kingston to Fairlight.

After this trip down memory lane we board the bus and head for the wine region of Gibbston Valley where we stop for lunch and we sample of the local wines.

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Alexandra (April 22nd)

We’ll relax again this morning and get underway cruising through some stunning countryside making our way to Moeraki where you have a chance to stroll the beach and view the boulders or simply relax in the cafe. We’ll make our way out to the coast and check out the Moeraki Esplanade and the Whalers lookout before heading to the local tavern for a gorgeous lunch. 

Oamaru (April 23rd)

No hurry at all this morning to rise and shine so have a sleep in and we’ll get breakfast at our leisure. We can’t leave Oamaru without a visit to the Old Town. Sixteen commercial buildings in Harbour and Tyne Streets, in what is locally known as the Historic Precinct. Each of the buildings, built during the Victorian period, has it's own story, character and charm. We grab a bite to eat for lunch and then start making our way back to Christchurch in good time to catch our 6pm flight back to Palmerston North.