MacKenzie Country & Maniototo

Home (Wednesday 14th October)

Depart the Racecourse and take a late morning flight on to Christchurch before heading to Rangiatea Station in the Canterbury foothills where owners, Sara and Blair Gallagher, will show us around their beautiful property. 

Departing from another destination

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

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Ashburton (Thursday 15th October)

After a delicious breakfast we head into the MacKenzie Basin, but not without a stop first at one of NZ’s finest artisan food producers, Barkers of Geraldine. 

We’ll enjoy morning tea at this superb maker of preserves before we carry on for lunch at Fairlie and then over Burke’s Pass as the first vistas of the MacKenzie country come into view. 

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Lake Tekapo (Friday 16th October)

Rise and shine for breakfast then board the bus. No visit to the MacKenzie Basin is complete without experiencing the views across the district from atop Mt John. It’s recognised as one of the finest places in the world for observing the night sky. Nonetheless the daytime 360 degree views across the lakes, tussock land and mountains will take your breath away. 

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Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park (Saturday 17th October)

This morning after breakfast, get set for a very special day! 

For today we will join Mt Cook Ski Planes for an amazing scenic flight across the Southern Alps culminating with a landing on the Tasman Glacier. This is an experience of our most acclaimed alpine region like no other. 

Flights will be staggered through the day, so the rest of your time is FREE to explore the extensive Hermitage complex. Perhaps check out the Sir Edmund Hillary Museum or the Planetarium, walk the Hooker Track or simply enjoy the alpine views from one of the many vantage points inside the hotel itself.

Meet from an afternoon tipple then dinner onsite at the hotel.

Accommodation: Hermitage Hotel

Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park (Sunday 18th October)

Breakfast is onsite at the hotel again then we say farewell to The Hermitage and make our way back into the MacKenzie Basin to continue southward. 

We’ll visit the famous ‘Clay Cliffs’ of Omarama and walk through these ‘other worldly’ pinnacles and ridges that tower over us. 

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Ranfurly (Monday 19th October)

Have breakfast before we explore the Maniototo, firstly heading out through Weddeburn and Otuehura through the Ida Valley stopping at historic Hayes Engineering, a beautifully restored complex of buildings where, for decades, the Hayes family literally made anything that any of the locals needed. 

From here it’s on through settlements like Omakau and Lauder to the old gold mining town of St Bathans where we’ll have lunch in the supposedly haunted Vulcan Hotel. 

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Ranfurly (Tuesday 20th October)

Enjoy breakfast then let’s hit the road! 

Our last day begins with a scenic drive through the southern Maniototo and Taieri districts. Places with such evocative names as Kyeburn & Hyde, following the Rock & Pillar Range, through Middlemarch and on towards Mosgiel and our destination – Dunedin Airport. From here we fly home through to Palmerston North via Christchurch.

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The coach will be waiting to bring you back home.

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