Discover Christchurch on a guided panoramic tour that traces the city’s renewal and creativity. Glide past the Avon River and Botanic Gardens, admire the striking Transitional “Cardboard” Cathedral, and see vibrant street art and reimagined public spaces that speak to a community reborn after the earthquakes of 2010–11.

Gain a feel for the compact centre and its English heritage, from leafy Hagley Park to elegant heritage facades and contemporary architecture. This overview helps you orientate quickly, revealing a city that balances remembrance with forward-looking ingenuity.

Visit turquoise Lake Tekapo, where glacier-fed waters meet alpine horizons. Pause at the stone Church of the Good Shepherd for views of the Southern Alps skyline and a serene setting that invites you to pause for photos and reflection on Mackenzie Country’s vast, high-country landscape.

Learn how the 1935 church honours early shepherds and settlers, its simple form framing the lake and peaks beyond. Set within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, Tekapo’s clarity by day hints at remarkable stargazing by night.

Meet your hosts Angie and Stan Taylor at their lakeside home for a warm Mackenzie Country welcome. Over afternoon tea, sample homemade pavlova as Angie—known locally as the Pavlova Queen—shares her take on the lively trans-Tasman dessert debate, all with calming Lake Tekapo views.

Hear Stan’s stories of life on the land and the rhythms of farming in this high-country region. This hosted experience opens a window into everyday South Island hospitality, where recipes and recollections are passed down with pride.

Explore the Highlands Motorsport Park Museum, where rare and exclusive vehicles chart the evolution of speed and design. Engage with interactive displays, admire championship machinery, and appreciate the craftsmanship that powers motorsport—all set amid Central Otago’s rugged landscapes.

From sleek race cars to historic memorabilia, the collection celebrates engineering ingenuity and New Zealand’s racing heritage. It’s a striking contrast to the region’s former goldfields and today’s vineyards, revealing another vein of passion that runs through Cromwell.

Stroll historic Buckingham Street in Arrowtown, a perfectly preserved gold-rush village. Trace Arrowtown’s 1860s gold-rush heritage along the riverbank and explore the Chinese Settlement, where humble huts and restored miners’ cottages tell stories of resilience and cultural exchange.

Schist-stone buildings, boutique shopfronts, and seasonal colours create an evocative backdrop for learning about fortune-seekers who came from across the globe. The compact setting makes it easy to appreciate how rivers, gold, and grit shaped life here.

Embark on an overnight cruise on Milford Sound aboard the Milford Mariner. Sail beneath Mitre Peak, drift past waterfalls that thunder from sheer granite walls, and join a specialist nature guide to spot fur seals, dolphins, and seasonal penguins from spacious decks.

Anchored within the heart of Fiordland National Park, choose to kayak or explore by tender boat as light changes the mood of cliffs and rainforest. Evenings bring quiet conversation, a hearty dinner, and—on clear nights—an astonishing canopy of stars.

Pause for photos and reflection at the Mirror Lakes boardwalk, where calm tarns perfectly echo the glassy reflections of the Earl Mountains. Framed by Fiordland rainforest, this gentle stop delivers big scenery in a compact, accessible setting.

Interpretive signs reveal the ecology of these fragile wetlands and the birdlife that thrives here. With a still breeze, the famous mirrored signage appears reversed in the water—a playful reminder of nature’s optical illusions along the Milford Road.

Visit a safe lookout for the Franz Josef Glacier panoramic viewpoint and witness Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere—a tumbling river of ice that descends from the Southern Alps into temperate rainforest. From here, you can trace the glacier-carved valley and hear the rush of meltwater below.

Learn how this fast-moving maritime glacier is shaped by snowfall, temperature, and time, and why the Maori name recalls a tale of love and loss. The contrast between lush forest and glacial ice is striking in any weather.

Gather for a convivial farewell dinner in Christchurch to toast the South Island and share stories with your Travel Director and travelling companions. Celebrate landscapes traversed, friendships formed, and the variety that defines this Southern journey.

Expect fresh, seasonal fare influenced by Canterbury’s farms and coastline, with New Zealand wines to match. It’s a relaxed finale in a city whose dining scene champions local producers and a creative culinary spirit.

Embrace Queenstown’s thrill-seeking side and race through Shotover River canyons on a high-speed jet boat, skimming past rock walls with gravity-defying precision and executing 360-degree spins. It’s an adrenaline-charged ride in a breathtaking natural amphitheatre.

Hear how Kiwi innovation made jet boating possible on shallow rivers and why this canyon is a legend among adventure lovers. This optional experience is at additional cost and can be booked on tour, subject to availability and river conditions.

Step inside a conservation sanctuary to encounter kiwi up close in purpose-built nocturnal habitats. Join expert keeper talks, learn about a conservation-led wildlife sanctuary, and see native species like tuatara in a tranquil valley moments from central Queenstown.

Understand the challenges facing Aotearoa’s taonga (treasured) fauna and the breeding, release, and predator-control efforts underway. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; your visit supports local conservation projects.

Cruise Lake Wakatipu on a historic steamship, the 1912 TSS Earnslaw, crossing alpine waters to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Watch engineers stoke the coal-fired engines and soak up alpine panoramas from open decks as mountains rise on every side.

Time on shore can include a farm experience or barbecue lunch, depending on your chosen option. This optional experience is at additional cost and can be booked on tour, with multiple sailing times available most days.

Lift off on a scenic helicopter flight over Glacier Country to sweep above seracs and neve fields, then land on a glacier for a few surreal minutes amid ice and snow. Marvel at sweeping views of the Southern Alps and the dramatic meeting of ice and rainforest, weather permitting.

Pilots share insights into the glaciers’ geology and movement, with ample time for photos on the snow. This optional experience is at additional cost and can be booked on tour; operations are weather and weight dependent.

Dine at Lake Ohau Lodge with a convivial family-style dinner that showcases high-country produce. Settle by the open fire as sunset softens the lake and mountain silhouettes, and enjoy the relaxed camaraderie of your small group.

Framed by Mackenzie Country’s alpine vistas, the lodge’s simple warmth and mountain-lodge character create an unhurried evening. On clear nights, remarkably dark skies reveal constellations that have guided travellers across the Southern Alps for generations.