Itinerary

Days 1, 2, & 3 — U.S./Christchurch, New Zealand

Depart for Christchurch, crossing the international date line, and arrive on Day 3. After checking into our hotel, take a guided walk in the scenic Port Hills just outside the city. Enjoy time to explore Christchurch on your own before gathering for a festive welcome dinner.
Crowne Plaza (D)

Day 4 — Christchurch/Arthur’s Pass

Depart Christchurch this morning and pay a visit to a private, working sheep farm. Learn about the different breeds of sheep raised on the farm and watch a shearing demonstration. After lunch, continue to Arthur’s Pass, a tiny town nestled in the heart of the Southern Alps. Settle into our mountain lodge, located on a nature reserve.
Wilderness Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 5 — Arthur’s Pass

Take in the stunning scenery and enjoy a variety of activities offered by the lodge today. Explore the network of trails on your own, head out on a hike with a naturalist, or go bird-watching. Tonight you may choose to go on a guided walk to view an incredible celestial display, including the Southern Cross.
Wilderness Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 6 — Punakaiki/Charleston

Today, visit the unusual pancake rock formations of Punakaiki. Then set out on an underground tubing adventure in Metro Cave in Charleston. Don a wet suit for your descent to a subterranean stream. Millions of glowworms greet you with an otherworldly luminescence as you paddle through the caverns and out into the rapids of the Nile River.
Punakaiki Resort (B,L,D)

Day 7 — Punakaiki/Fox Glacier

Travel south, stopping in Hokitika and Whataroa to view ancient and modern Maori carvings. Then explore Westland/Tai Poutini National Park, home of Fox Glacier, and part of southwest New Zealand’s UNESCO World Heritage region. Join a guide on an invigorating hike to the glacier, or take an optional helicopter ride and land high among the ice formations. Or you may go on an easy walk through the temperate rain forest to the glacial moraine.
Te Weheka Inn (B,L)

Day 8 — Fox Glacier/Wanaka

Trace the remote west coast, stopping along the way for short hikes and stunning views. Arrive in Wanaka this afternoon and enjoy some time at leisure to explore this picturesque town.
Edgewater Resort (B)

Day 9 — Wanaka

Take a guided walk around Lake Wanaka and its environs in the morning before enjoying the afternoon on your own to relax or stroll through town. Weather permitting, you may choose to take an optional flight-seeing excursion over Milford Sound. Alternatively, you may wish to spend the entire day on an optional guided hike into Mount Aspiring National Park, along the well-known Rob Roy Glacier Track.
Edgewater Resort (B)

Day 10 — Wanaka/Arrowtown/Te Anau

This morning, pass through the Southern Lakes District on the way to Arrowtown, a former gold mining town. Stop to taste New Zealand’s fine vintages at a local winery before continuing on to Te Anau. Upon arrival, attend a screening of Ata Whenua, a film that showcases the beauty of nearby Fiordland National Park.
Distinction Hotel (B)

Day 11 — Milford Sound/Queenstown

Depart early this morning for Milford Sound, and be among the first of the day to take to the waters. Enjoy a relaxing cruise, taking in spectacular scenery and spotting wildlife on the shore. After lunch on board, journey through the picturesque countryside, taking in views of dramatic mountains and rivers that twist through lush valleys, and arrive in Queenstown late in the afternoon.
Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (B,L)

Day 12 — Queenstown

Today, take the Triple Challenge: a jet boat ride on the Shotover River, a whitewater rafting trip, and a helicopter flight. Alternatively, you may choose to go kayaking or horseback riding, or ride a jet boat on the Dart River and learn about Maori traditions on an interpretive walk. Tonight, gather for a festive farewell dinner.
Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (B,D)

Day 13 — Queenstown/U.S.

After a morning at leisure, transfer to the airport for your return flight, arriving home the same day.
(B)

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