14 Day South Island Grand Adventure Tour (Small Group, Carbon Neutral)
- Duration: 14 Days (approx.)
- Product code: PYSD1R
Welcome to the South Island! From
Whales watching to Dolphin swims, Post card scenes at every turn, West coast waves
and majestic Mountains. The South Island is truly one of a kind, it will
inspire you and give you a whole new perspective on life. And what better way
to see the South Island and all its gems by going on a big 14-day road trip!
We at Cheeky Kea have you sorted, our 14-day
tour includes the finer details with breakfast and accommodation included,
great optional activities and commentary from our 100% knowledgeable and
passionate kiwi driver! You will be driven in comfort in our modern,
comfortable Carbon Neutral Mercedes sprinter or similar vehicle while this
journey comes to life in a new way for you.
Highlights
·Akaroa
·Mt Cook
·Able Tasman National Park
·
Franz Josef Glacier
·
Milford Sound
Itinerary:
Day 1: Christchurch to Akaroa
Christchurch – We start our 14-day roadie at 10am as we
set off to Akaroa. Hopefully you have had some time the day before to get to
know our gorgeous city and all it’s history. I would highly recommend joining
our Christchurch Surrounds guided tour to get familiar before the official tour
starts if you had time.
Akaroa – Through to Akaroa you will be filled with knowledge
and some “did you knows” from our wonderful guide as we make our way. Once we have arrived, this is a great
opportunity to have a walk around the township and check out the local gift
shops. Akaroa is home to some amazing homemade local fudge too! YUM. It has been a full-on day with a lot to see,
so we end our day with dinner, and a drink at a local pub on us, this is a
great opportunity to get to know who your little travel family is for the next
2 weeks.
We have some great excursion options too for
those that want to experience it all! From Dolphin swimming to a Natures
cruise.
Day 2: Akaroa to Mt Cook Via Lake Tekapo
Akaroa – Make sure you fuel up on breakfast before
we make our way to Mt Cook!
Fairlie
Bakehouse - Quick stop here for a bite to eat, grab a coffee
and try one of New Zealand’s best pies.
Geraldine – Before
we head to Lake Tekapo, we must stop in the little Country town of Geraldine, with
its artistic streak. Here we give you an opportunity to get amongst some of the
arts and crafts and try some famous New Zealand Jam! WHY NOT! Also, Geraldine
is known for its historic trail. But remember this is a quick stop because Lake
Tekapo awaits.
Lake Tekapo
-Along the
way we go through some impressive alpine passes with amazing views. The township faces the remarkable turquoise coloured lake
towards the mountains of the Southern Alps. Lake Tekapo gets its intense
milky-turquoise colour from the fine rock-flour (ground by glaciers).
Church of
the Good Shepherd -
Once arriving in Lake Tekapo, the Church of the Good Shephard awaits for you to
take those all-important Social Media worthy photos, your friends back home will
be wishing they were there with you.
Mt John - Mt John is a fantastic
viewing platform with a 360-degree panorama of the surrounding mountains, lakes
and Mackenzie Basin flats.
Lake Pukaki
- After all
those photos you have taken, we turn west and
begin to enter the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, with Lake Pukaki showing us
it’s beauty. We stop for a few minutes to be still and take in the scenery, you
will be able to understand why Lord of the Rings scenes were filmed nearby, and
our drivers will be happy to point those out to you.
Aoraki/Mt
Cook National Park –
Welcome to Mt Cook! this is the mountain that prepared
Sir Edmund Hillary for his conquest of Everest and is the tallest mountain in
New Zealand. You are free to enjoy some of the local activities they have on
offer. The popular Hooker Valley is around 1.5 hour each way to complete, and
this is a must do! Another recommendation is the Tasman Glacier, this lake walk
leads you to the terminal moraines where you will be greeted with amazing views
of the glacier, river and lake. A few other activities include Scenic flights,
Stargazing, Glacier Boat tours! We are more than happy to help you out on how
to fill your day.
Day 3: Mt Cook to Queenstown
Aoraki/Mt Cook – We leave this majestic mountain to
make our way to the
adventure capital of New Zealand – Queenstown. This part of the journey is
simply
a showstopper, like driving in a postcard - you will see stunning scenery
surrounded by mountains, forming the perfect backdrop! There will be plenty of
stops
along the way including Clay Cliffs, Cromwell and the Roaring Meg to name a
few!
Queenstown – We have arrived in the city who knows how
to take adventure to
the next level! It’s been a long drive so let’s have some Pizza by the Lake!
(Weather permitting) and then it’s time for bed because we have a day full of
activities coming up.
Day 4: Queenstown
Queenstown –We have a full day in Queenstown for you to
tick of some of
those bucket list activities! Being a hub of adventure, there is something for
everyone. Talk to us and we can make those bungy jumping, skydiving jet boating
dreams come true. Maybe even something a bit more mellow like Earnslaw,
Boutique window shopping or the Kiwi Enclosures. This is a free day for you! We
end the day with dinner included, discussing the adventure you had, before we
embark on our next leg of the journey tomorrow.
Day 5: Queenstown to Milford sound via Lake
Matheson
Queenstown – Today we go and see the magnificent Milford
Sounds, famously described by Rudyard Kipling as the 'eighth wonder of the
world’ this trip will leave you speechless and full of wonder. The journey down
there is one of the most scenic experiences you can have on four wheels, and
there
will be stops along the way to experience the majesty of it all, this trip is
breathtakingly beautiful in any weather.
Milford Sound – We arrive at this natural beauty; Milford
Sound is a fiord, known for its towering mighty peak, Plus, an abundance of
cliffs and waterfalls. Today will be a day
where you get to see the wild side of New Zealand at its best via a cruise.
Day 6: Wanaka
Wanaka – Leaving the beauty that is Te Anu we arrive
in Wanka. Another free day here means tons of time for Nature walks and
breath-taking views. If you are an experienced hiker, there is the Roys Peak
track that winds itself though alpine meadows and tussock grasslands, to the
summit of Wanaka, Mount Aspiring and its surrounding peaks. Or why not check
out the famous “Wanaka Tree, by taking a walk around the lake. Nearby is the Mt
Aspiring National Park, straddling the great Southern Alps. Filled to the brim
with wildlife habitats, glaciers, snowfields, valleys and beech forests with
birdsong, and waterfalls. There is so much to do!
Day 7: Wanaka to Franz Josef
Wanaka – We are halfway through our tour of the
South Island, and we will start today by heading to Makarora to visit the
beautiful blue pools. Nestled in beech and podocarp forest, these deep and clear
pools are natural wonders with pure glacial gathered from the mountains.
Franz Josef – We say goodbye to the blue pools and hello
to Franz Josef. This is another stunner of a journey in New Zealand. We will
make a stop at Lake Hawea one of the most popular lakeside lookout spots, for a
few photos before getting on the road again. There will be plenty of our
beautiful Kiwi scenery to look at on the way. Once arrived we visit and walk
the incredible and World Heritage Site - Franz Josef Glacier. This glacier
finds
its origins high up in the Southern Alps and descends into the native
rainforest of Westland’s National Park, the descent from 3000m to 500m above
sea level makes this glacier one of the steepest in the country, and results in
incredible glacial features.
Day 8: Franz Josef to Murchison
Franz Josef – Time for us to leave this beautiful ice
landscape and head
towards rural charm and the natural beauty of Murchison. Before we get there,
we
will make a couple of stops at Hokitika and visit the pancake rocks.
Hokitika – We stop in Hokitika to stretch the legs,
and grab something to eat. Make sure you visit the beach get a photo in front
of the famous “Hokitika Sign” made out of driftwood, before we head towards
Punakaiki on our second stop of the day. Hokitika also is a great location for
making you own green stone and to get amongst the cultural experiences!
Punakaiki – We arrive at what looks like rocks
resembling an impressive
stack of hotcakes, but this proves how amazing nature can be. This is made by
that all-important wind and rain. There is a well-maintained walkway
that will lead us through native forest, emerging onto costal flax and shrub. You’ll
see blowholes, and the amazing, rugged coastline.
Murchison – We make our way to Murchison for the evening
to relax and recharge.
This is a rural town away from the hustle and bustle of our main centres, no
fast food chain restaurants just quiet and relaxing rural charm.
Day 9: Murchison to Able Tasman
Murchison - We leave this charming and quant town and
make our way to Able Tasman, New Zealand’s smallest national park but perfectly
formed for adventure, proving that small can still be spectacular. The scenery
only gets better as we make our way north, and we
will stop along the way to grab some supplies before we arrive.
Able Tasman Park – Welcome to the gateway to crystal
clear waters, serene lagoons, dreamy beaches, and the wildlife residents that
live there, you won’t want to leave!
Day 10: Able Tasman
Able Tasman Park – Another free day! Here you can spend
today enjoying and taking the beauty in, unplug from the world and enjoy the
reality of peace and tranquillity of
this park. You might want to hike part of the Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of
New Zealand’s great walks, or spend the day kayaking!
Pick a beach and make yourself at home – the choice is yours.
Day 11: Able Tasman to Nelson
Able Tasman Park – We say goodbye to this dreamscape and
make our way
back to Nelson – one of the sunniest cities in New Zealand. This city buzzes
with creative energy!
Nelson – We arrive in sunny Nelson, where you can
visit the geographical
centre of New Zealand – how cool is that! The view from the lookout is simply
amazing, you will be able to see the city port, Tasman Bay and the surrounding
mountains! Nelson is also the perfect place to appreciate New Zealand art,
as the city has attracted creative people who work with all sorts of material
such as glass, metal, stone, paper, fabric and so much more!
Most importantly this is a wonderful time to
catch up on sleep, no one will judge – you deserve it.
Day 12: Nelson to Picton via Blenheim
Nelson – Today we make our way to the heart of the
Marlborough Sounds – Picton. As always on this drive you will see a classic
kiwi countryside, plus as we are entering the Marlborough wine region you will
see a few vineyards and we will go do a little wine tasting too if you wish!
When in Rome.
Picton – We arrive at this postcard picturesque port
town, which is home
to wonderful cafes, galleries, restaurants, and speciality shops. There is also
a floating maritime museum and an aquarium.
Day 13: Picton to Kaikoura
Picton – We depart this pretty port town and head down the
coast to the
seaside village of Kaikoura (the name Kaikoura literally means “eat crayfish”)
The drive down the coast is beautifully surrounded by the rugged Pacific Ocean
on one side
and the mountains on the other, you will be spoiled for choice!
Kaikoura – The environment here is truly one of a
kind! With the village
surrounded by mountains and the sea, it really is where the magnificent
mountains meet the sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean. Plus, in winter the
mountain caps will be covered in snow, only adding to the drama of it all. We
have the option of meeting the locals with Whale Watch, or even swimming with
the dolphins! If you just want to take it easy, have a walk around the seaside,
and take in the dramatic landscape. Make sure you visit some of the local
shops,
cafes and restaurants!
Day 14: Kaikoura to Christchurch
Kaikoura – Today is the last day of our wonderous Road
trip of the South
Island. To start of this bittersweet trek
back why not stop along the way for lunch and a wine tasting where we can
exchange photos and all our wonderful stories, what a special way to end a
fantastic tour!
Christchurch – We arrive back in the Garden City; we say
our goodbyes
and part ways with hearts full and memories made.
Inclusions:
·
Small Group
·
Carbon Neutral
·
Milford Sound Boat Cruise
·
Basic Breakfast included.
·
additional meals noted.
·
Accommodation
·
Bottled Water
·
Local kiwi snacks
·
Wine Tastings
·
Commentary
·
Wi-Fi
·
USB charging
·
100% Kiwi as experience
We at Cheeky Kea Tours believe that it’s in
the small things, the hidden surprises, and the secret stops that make your
adventure one to remember. With comfortable and specially designed vehicles,
and individually packaged refreshments will ensure you enjoy the
journey with us!
See More, Do More, Spend Less
