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1. In Search of the Southern Alps
A seven-day, 1,500-kilometre journey in search of landscapes shaped by New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Begin where snow-capped mountains rise from the Pacific, trace the wild West Coast, Canterbury High Country and glacier-carved Mackenzie Basin, and enter Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Aspiring National Parks. Follow the mountains and discover the story they have written across the South Island.
2. Walk into Two Worlds
Some landscapes need to be walked into. Explore the 3.5-hour Hooker Valley Track, 1-hour Tasman Glacier Lake Track and 4-hour Routeburn Shelter–Routeburn Flats Track. Experience two faces of the Southern Alps — ice, moraines and open alpine scale; forest, rivers and wilderness. Guided walks operate under our DOC concession.
3. Private, Small & Unhurried
Travel privately, up to 4 guests, with the freedom to stop, explore and spend more time where it matters — far from the rhythm of large-group touring.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Itinerary
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1Kaikoura
Day 1 — Christchurch → Kaikōura 1. Kaikōura Peninsula — enjoy dramatic coastal scenery where the mountains meet the Pacific Ocean. 2. Point Kean & Seal Colony — see New Zealand fur seals and explore the rugged coastline. 3. Kaikōura Lookout — take in wide views across the town, ocean and Seaward Kaikōura Range. 4. Kaikōura — enjoy the evening in this small coastal town beneath the mountains. Journey theme: Pacific coast → coastal mountains → wildlife. Overnight: Kaikōura
5 hours • Admission ticket free -
2Greymouth
Day 2 — Kaikōura → Lewis Pass → Greymouth 1. Lewis Pass Alpine Nature Walk — enjoy a short walk through native beech forest, surrounded by mountain valleys and the rugged landscapes of the Southern Alps. 2. Coal Creek Falls — take an easy forest walk through lush West Coast vegetation to a secluded waterfall. 3. Motukiekie Beach — experience a dramatic wild coastline of sea stacks, rocky shoreline and the Tasman Sea. Visit subject to suitable tide and coastal conditions. 4. Greymouth — arrive on the West Coast for the evening. Journey theme: Mountain pass → native beech forest → waterfall → wild West Coast. Overnight: Greymouth
8 hours • Admission ticket free -
3
Day 3 — Greymouth → Hokitika → Arthur’s Pass → Canterbury High Country → Ashburton 1. Hokitika Gorge — turquoise river, native rainforest and a short scenic walk. 2. Arthur’s Pass & Devils Punchbowl Waterfall — cross the Southern Alps through one of the South Island’s classic alpine corridors, with a short stop to view the waterfall. 3. Lake Pearson & Castle Hill / Kura Tāwhiti — enjoy alpine lake scenery and explore the dramatic limestone formations of Castle Hill. 4. Rakaia Gorge & Lake Camp — experience the wide valleys, braided rivers and open landscapes of Canterbury High Country. 5. Mt Sunday / Edoras — finish the day among the vast high-country landscapes made famous as Edoras in The Lord of the Rings. Journey theme: West Coast rainforest → Southern Alps crossing → Canterbury High Country. Overnight: Ashburton
8 hours • Admission ticket free -
4
Day 4 — Ashburton → Lake Tekapo → Lake Pukaki → Aoraki / Mt Cook → Twizel 1. Lake Tekapo — turquoise alpine lake, open Mackenzie Basin landscapes and the Church of the Good Shepherd. 2. Lake Pukaki — spectacular glacial-blue water with views toward Aoraki / Mt Cook. 3. Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park — enter the heart of New Zealand’s highest alpine landscape, surrounded by glaciers and snow-capped peaks. 4. Guided Walk #1 — Aoraki / Mt Cook — explore the glacial landscape on the Hooker Valley Track and/or Tasman Glacier View Track, depending on conditions and the day’s walking plan. 5. Twizel — finish the day in the Mackenzie Basin and relax after the guided walk. Journey theme: Mackenzie Basin → glacial lakes → Aoraki / Mt Cook. Overnight: Twizel
8 hours • Admission ticket free -
5Wānaka
Day 5 — Twizel → Lindis Pass → Wānaka → Lake Hāwea → Blue Pools → Wānaka 1. Lindis Pass — cross one of the South Island’s most distinctive high-country landscapes, surrounded by rolling tussock-covered mountains. 2. Lake Wānaka — arrive in the Southern Lakes region, where mountains meet one of New Zealand’s most beautiful alpine lakes. 3. Lake Hāwea — follow the scenic mountain road beside clear blue water and dramatic alpine scenery. 4. Blue Pools Track — enjoy an easy walk through native beech forest to clear, mountain-fed river pools. 5. Wānaka — return for a relaxed evening by the lake. Journey theme: High-country roads → alpine lakes → mountain rivers & native forest. Overnight: Wānaka
8 hours • Admission ticket free -
6Queenstown
Day 6 — Wānaka → Arrowtown → Queenstown 1. Crown Range Scenic Lookout — travel across the Crown Range with expansive views over the valleys and mountains of Central Otago. 2. Arrowtown — explore the historic gold-mining village, preserved streets and riverside setting. 3. Feehly Hill — enjoy elevated views across Arrowtown and the surrounding mountain landscape. 4. Queenstown — arrive early enough to enjoy the afternoon and evening at your own pace — lakefront, cafés, restaurants, shopping or simply time to relax. Journey theme: Alpine roads → historic Arrowtown → Queenstown lifestyle. Overnight: Queenstown
6 hours • Admission ticket free -
7Glenorchy
Day 7 — Queenstown → Glenorchy → Routeburn 1. Lake Wakatipu Scenic Road — follow one of the South Island’s great scenic drives, with mountains rising directly from the lake. 2. Bennett’s Bluff Lookout — panoramic views across Lake Wakatipu toward the surrounding mountains. 3. Glenorchy — experience the small alpine settlement at the head of Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by rivers, mountains and wilderness. 4. Guided Walk #2 — Routeburn Shelter → Routeburn Flats — walk through native beech forest, cross clear mountain rivers and suspension bridges, and emerge into the broad Routeburn Valley. 5. Return to Queenstown — complete the seven-day Southern Alps journey. Journey theme: Lake Wakatipu → Glenorchy wilderness → walking into the Routeburn. Journey ends in Queenstown
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Christchurch to Kaikōura | Mountains Meet the Pacific
Kaikōura → Lewis Pass → Greymouth/West Coast
Greymouth → Hokitika → Arthur’s Pass → Canterbury High Country → Ashburton
Ashburton → Lake Tekapo → Lake Pukaki → Aoraki / Mt Cook → Twizel
Twizel → Lindis Pass → Wānaka → Lake Hāwea → Blue Pools → Wānaka
Wānaka → Arrowtown → Queenstown
Queenstown → Glenorchy → Routeburn Flats
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 6 full days before the experience’s start time.
- For a 50% refund, you must cancel 2–6 full days before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 2 full days before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
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