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Ultimate Scenic South Island Road Trip, self-drive

From $0.00 Per Person, Twin Share

At a Glance

Discover New Zealand’s most epic natural scenery with this luxury 12-day, self-drive road trip showcasing the South Island’s must-see sights.

Departing from Christchurch, board the Tranzalpine to Greymouth and experience one of the world’s best inland rail journeys before picking up your hire car. From a helicopter, take in jaw-dropping aerial views of Franz Josef Glacier. Cruise Lake Wanaka and discover rare birds and a secret lake. Get your heart pounding in Queenstown, the adventure capital of the Southern Hemisphere, with hundreds of outdoor activities to choose from including jetboating, bungy jumping, mountain biking and more. Walk and cruise the Milford Sound and be transported to a fantastical world of crystalline fiords and snow-capped mountains. Drive the Scenic Southern Route – one of the world’s most scenic drives – and explore ...

Trip Highlights

  • Heli hike Franz Josef Glacier and take in epic aerial views
  • Drive the South Island and discover the island’s must-see sights on an epic journey
  • Marvel at hundreds of shimmering glowworms in the Te Anau Glowworm Caves
  • Hike the mystical Milford Track and spend the night on the Milford Sound on a luxury, overnight cruise
  • Cruise Lake Wanaka and discover rare birds and a secret lake
  • Drive the Scenic Southern Route, one of the world’s most scenic drives
  • Experience New Zealand’s finest inland rail journey, the spectacular Tranzalpine
  • Traverse Hooker Valley and Aoraki Mount Cook and marvel at some of the darkest, starriest skies on earth.

What's Included

  • Guided Te Anau Glow Worm Caves experience 
  • Guided Milford Track, Giant Gate day hike 
  • Guided Hooker Valley day hike 
  • Tranzalpine rail journey from Christchurch to Greymouth 
  • Guided Franz Josef Glacier heli-hike including Glacier Hot Pools 
  • Lake Wanaka Cruise & Island Nature Walk 
  • 11 x nights’ accommodation in double/twin share rooms including 1 x Milford Sound overnight cruise aboard the Milford Mariner (optional upgrade to 5-star Fiordland Discovery’s Fiordland Jewel) 
  • Big Sky Star Gazing/Pukaki Observatory and Wine Cellar Dark Sky Experience 
  • Selected meals 
  • Car hire

Itinerary

DAY 1 Experience the Tranzalpine – one of the world’s best inland rail journeys and begin your road trip
Scenic Franz Josef Glacier
Dinner
DAY 2 Heli-hike the mighty Franz Josef Glacier; self-drive to Wanaka, a cute alpine town named for its famous lake
Breakfast
Edgewater Hotel (Upgrade to 5 star Lime Tree Lodge available), Wanaka
DAY 3 Self-drive to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the Southern Hemisphere
Doubletree by Hilton (Upgrade to 5 star Hidden Lodge or Azur Lodge avaialble), Queenstown
Breakfast
DAY 4 Explore Queenstown at your leisure
Doubletree by Hilton (Upgrade to 5 star Hidden Lodge or Azur Lodge avaialble), Queenstown
Breakfast
DAY 5 Southern Scenic Route: Self-drive to Te Anau, the gateway to Milford Sound and Fiordland
Distinction Te Anau (Upgrade to 5 star luxury Fiordland Lodge available)
Breakfast
DAY 6 Milford Mariner overnight cruise
Milford Overnight Cruise
Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 7 Southern Scenic Route: Self-drive Te Anau to Invercargill, New Zealand’s southern-most city, via Tutapere
The Lodges at Transport World, Invercargill
Breakfast
DAY 8 Southern Scenic Route: Self-drive Invercargill to Dunedin, New Zealand’s Edinburgh
Fables Dunedin (Upgrade to 5 star Larnarch Lodge available)
Breakfast
DAY 9 Self-drive Dunedin to Aoraki Mount Cook National Park/Lake Tekapu via Oamaru
Hermitage (Upgrade to 5 star Mount Cook Lakeside Retreat avaialble), Aoraki Mount Cook
Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 10 Explore Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hermitage (Upgrade to 5 star Mount Cook Lakeside Retreat avaialble), Aoraki Mount Cook
DAY 11 Self-drive Aoraki Mount Cook/Lake Tekapo to Christchurch to complete your South Island loop
The Classic Villa (Upgrade to 5-star The George available), Christchurch
Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 12 Depart Christchurch
None
Breakfast

Accommodation

FULL PAYMENT INSTALLMENTS
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More Info

How To Get There

The itinerary starts and finishes in Christchurch, which is serviced by Christchurch International Airport (CHC). The Tranzalpine rail journey departs from Christchurch Railway Station, Troup Drive, Addington, Christchurch, which is conveniently located on the southwestern edge of the CBD.

Weather & Climate

Known as the “Land of the Long White Cloud”, New Zealand’s climate is complex with cool temperate climates in the far south and severe alpine conditions in the mountainous areas. The average annual temperature in the South Island is 10 degrees Celsius, with the warmest months being January or February and the coldest month being July.

Other Information

Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.

Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.

A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 60 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 60 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.

Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.

General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 60 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 60 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance

Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.

Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.

Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.

Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.

Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.

Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.

Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.

Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.

For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.

Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.

Product Code : ENZCHCSSI12