|
|
Day 1
Christchurch to Kaikoura
After a leisurely breakfast at your accommodation meet Donald your guide, to discuss the days drive up the coast to Kaikoura.
You will be exploring back roads, enjoying a picnic lunch and have plenty of opportunities for photos on the way. |
|
| |
Day 2
Kaikoura
You choose what to do from:
-
Maori Tour – Learn about modern day Maori, their culture and links to the environment. This is a ‘hands on’ tour not to be missed.
-
Whale watching on the water or from the air. see the giant sperm whale, dolphins and seals.
-
Visit Kaikoura wineries, enjoy stunning ocean and mountain views, sample award winning wines and tour their underground cellars.
-
Explore lofty Mt Fyffe, either on foot or by 4WD.
-
A tour of Kaikoura and the peninsula visiting Fyffe House and the seal colony.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Day 3
Kaikoura to Hanmer Springs
Today we follow the scenic Inland Road to the largest log lodge in the southern hemisphere, where we enjoy coffee and home baked muffins.
A short detour on private land brings us to a spectacular limestone rock formation – there is time to take plenty of photos and have a leisurely picnic lunch.
Crossing a hill country sheep and beef property we reach our destination – the alpine spa town of Hanmer Springs.
|
|
| |
Day 4
Hanmer Springs to Blenheim
If you had visited Hanmer Springs in the 1860’s you would have followed today’s route to Blenheim on either foot or horseback. You would probably have broken your journey at the Acheron Accommodation house. We will be driving the same route in air conditioned luxury.
After stopping to explore the accommodation house and the remains of its large fruit orchard, we drive on through Molesworth Farm Park New Zealand’s largest farm – over 180,000 hectares. You will enjoy a picnic lunch and plenty of stops for photos. |
 |
|
|
| |
|
Day 5
Blenheim
A day for wine and food lovers.
We visit Blenheims finest wineries and sample some of the great variety of gourmet foods available in the region.
Lunch will be at one of the wineries. |
|
| |
Day 6
Blenheim to Murchison
The lively Wairau River leads us west to the rugged mountains and glacial lakes of Nelson Lakes National Park where we visit Tophouse - scene of murder and hostage taking in 1894.
Leaving the violence behind
our next stop is Lake Rotoiti with its fringe of red, silver and black beeches, interspersed with southern rata - a mass of eye catching red flowers in spring and early summer. Plenty of time to wander along the lake shore and take photos.
Leaving Lake Rotoiti we explore the peaceful Howard River valley following an old stock route through an area used by long ago gold seekers. |
 |
|
Meandering downwards through native beech forest, we catch glimpses of the blue waters of Lake Rotoroa, emerging on to the lake shore beside Lake Rotoroa Lodge.
The sandflies at Rotoroa are huge and hungry so we only stop briefly before heading for our overnight stop at Murchison. |
|
| |
|
Day 7
Murchison to Westport
We follow trails through West Coast beech forest to the old coal mining township of Denniston. (Made famous in the book Denniston Rose).
There are numerous photo opportunities as we wind our way through rocky creek beds, past burning coal seams, to windswept ridges, arriving at Denniston with its spectacular views out to the Tasman Sea.
The day ends with a visit to the fascinating Coaltown museum – learn about coal, gold and lumber – all things that played a large part in the development of the ‘Coast’. |
|
| |
Day 8
Westport to Greymouth
First stop of the day is Charleston for a ride on the Nile River Rainforest Train – a fascinating little narrow gauge railway with a home built engine and carriages- the track meanders along the bush clad banks of the Nile River.
If you a feeling energetic an interesting addition to the trip is a visit to the glow-worm caves which are a 15 minute walk from the rail terminus.
After a picnic lunch we follow the rugged coastline to Punakaiki and spend some time exploring the amazing Pancake rocks and blowholes. |
 |
|
| |
|
Day 9
Greymouth to Hanmer Springs
Today we do one of the most spectacular drives on the West Coast. This drive combines tunnels, a smattering of history and the beauty of lush rain forest, with mysterious gorges, towering beech trees and dripping undergrowth of a West Coast creek. None of this drive is normally accessible to the average tourist.
You will enjoy a picnic lunch looking down on Reefton- founded on gold in the late 1860’s. In 1880 Reefton was the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to reticulate its own electricity.
After enjoying the alpine scenery of the Lewis Pass end the day with a relaxing dip in the alpine spa at Hanmer Springs. |
|
Day 10
Hanmer Springs to Christchurch
We leave Hanmer Springs and follow the Waiau River to the fertile Amuri plain. Using peaceful by-ways we head towards the Waipara Valley - one of the most rapidly expanding wine growing areas in New Zealand.
You will enjoy a vineyard lunch and an afternoon of wine tasting before the tour ends at your accommodation in Christchurch.
|
 |
|
Accommodation each night is in quality New Zealand homes offering bed and breakfast, en-suite facilities and home cooked evening meal.
Should this accommodation not be available a motel of a similar standard will be substituted with a restaurant meal.
Picnic lunch is cold meat, fish, rolls, cake, fruit juice, tea or coffee.
For client safety reasons Roving Adventures reserves the right to make changes to the advertised routes according to weather conditions.
Exclusive tour 2 people twin share cost: NZ$9620.00*
*Price includes 9 nights accommodation, all meals, transport, wine tasting and activities. Excludes accommodation in Christchurch, alcohol purchases, and personal purchases.
|
