WINTER WONDERLAND
11 - 22 July 2025
Our Winter Wonderland tour captures the beauty of the Southern Alps, Queenstown, Milford Sound, the rugged West Coast and magnificent glaciers and lakes.
$7195 per person twin share
Single Room Supplement Add $2100
Initial Deposit On Booking $1000
Second Deposit Due: 6 February 2025 $1500
Final Balance Due: 2 April 2025
Days
12 Days
Highlights
Winter Wonderland TranzAlpine Train, Southern Alps, Queenstown, Milford Sound, West Coast
Group Size
35 Travellers
Meals
All Breakfasts
1 High Tea
7 Lunches
8 Dinners
Mobility
Easy Tour
MAP GUIDE:
1. CHRISTCHURCH (2 nights)
2. HOKITIKA (2 nights)
3. FRANZ JOSEF (2 nights)
4. HAAST (1 night)
5. QUEENSTOWN (4 nights)
SPECIAL FEATURES
• Join us on a 12-day/11 nights Winter Wonderland tour: Christchurch (2 nights), Hokitika (2 nights), Franz Josef (2 nights), Haast (1 night) and Queenstown (4 nights).
• We journey through the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine train, marvelling at snow-capped mountains, lakes and incredible gorges, travel down the rugged West Coast, from coastline to glaciers, with tours to the Punakaiki Rocks (Pancake Rocks), then travel down one of the most beautiful and deserted parts of New Zealand from Haast to Wanaka and Queenstown, and the majestic Milford Sound.
• Special flavours including welcome dinner: What A Wonderful World, final night gala event: Showstoppers, a variety show with local characters and gold mining stories and I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, a mid-winter Christmas dinner.
• Numerous activities including Milford Sound day trip and cruise, visits and tours to the Antarctic Centre, Treetop Walk, Nile River Rain Forest Train, Fox Glacier Terminal walk, visit the Salmon Farm and Haast River Safaris cruise, Cromwell Goldfields tour and Queenstown and Arrowtown tours.
TRIP ITINERARY
Experience the Exceptional:
FRIDAY 11 JULY 2025 (D) CHRISTCHURCH
Novotel Hotel (2 nights)
The Novotel Cathedral Square with its central city location and welcoming bright spacious rooms is perfect for our stay.
Highlights Include:
• We arrive from our various destinations around New Zealand and are met at the airport early afternoon.
• Visit the Antarctic Life Centre, our first glance at a Winter Wonderland with its displays of Antarctica, the snow and ice experience which includes an Antarctic Storm, learning about life in modern day Antarctica and Scott Base, meet with Little Blue Penguins and get closeup to a husky.
• Our welcome dinner gives our wonderful escorts Alex, Alex and Paul the chance to regale us with their delightful talents with a concert, What a Wonderful World.
SATURDAY 12 JULY 2025 (B, High Tea)
Highlights Include:
• Tour of Kate Sheppard House with morning tea. This house pays tribute to our famous suffragette who ensured that New Zealand will be forever the first country to give women the vote!
• Free afternoon and evening to meet friends or enjoy some shopping from our centrally located hotel.
SUNDAY 13 JULY 2025 (B, D) HOKITIKA
Beachfront Hotel Hokitika (2 nights)
Located right on the beach, the stunning Beachfront Hotel is in central Hokitika and perfectly located for easy access to the West Coast’s spectacular scenic attractions. With its unique beachfront and central Hokitika location, beachcombing, shopping, artisan shops, and galleries
are right on the hotel’s doorstep.
Highlights Include:
• Ride on the TranzAlpine train to Greymouth. (Our suitcases will travel on the coach and meet us in Greymouth).
• Sit back and marvel as we enjoy what is rightly described as one of the great train journeys of the world, our TranzAlpine route across the mountainous spine of our South Island is truly spectacular. We travel coast to coast from Christchurch to Greymouth and experience the striking beauty of the Southern Alps, the ice-fed Waimakariri River through to unique native beech forests.
• After arrival it’s off to Shantytown as we step back in time and discover legendary stories of pioneer West Coasters through a fascinating mix of exhibits and interactive activities in a recreated 1900’s gold-rush village. There are over 30 shops and buildings to explore before we ride the steam train through native rainforest, experiencing the sights and sounds of a working sawmill, and watch the sluice gun blast gold bearing rock and soil from the earth.
• Dinner is included tonight at the hotel.
MONDAY 14 JULY 2025 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• Our first stop today is at The Pancake Rocks that Punakaiki is famous for. These limestone formations began forming 30 million years ago, when lime-rich fragments of dead marine creatures were deposited on
the seabed, then overlaid by weaker layers of soft mud and clay which look like piles of thick pancakes.
• Embark on the Charleston Nile River Rainforest Train, a short interpretative train journey through primeval rain forest whilst seated in small open sided carriages. The journey takes us into the magnificent Nile River Canyon and passes through the “The Lost World” film site.
• A hearty dinner this evening, and a chance to enjoy some West Coast hospitality with the great sounds of the Kokatahi band. The band was set up by locals in 1910, mostly farmers with some gold miners, to entertain on Sunday afternoon which was their only day off.
TUESDAY 15 JULY 2025 (B, L, D) HOKITIKA - FRANZ JOSEF
Scenic Hotel (2 nights)
Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier sits at the edge of the Westland World Heritage Park and is just moments from one of New Zealand’s most spectacular natural attractions, the Franz Josef Glacier. Its premium location makes it the perfect place to base ourselves while exploring the magnificent Westland region.
Highlights Include:
• Visit to the National Kiwi Centre, our chance to get up close and personal with Kiwi, Tuatara and Giant Eels.
• Drive the coastal scenic road to the magnificent Tree Top Walk where we stroll through the beautiful West Coast rainforest treetops. This exhilarating treetop adventure among temperate rainforest giants lets us
experience life with birds high in the ancient Rimu and Kamahi tree canopy.
• On the completion of our walk we return to the onsite Tree Tops café for a well-deserved lunch whilst taking in the wonderful surrounding views.
• We take to the road again with our compass set for Franz Josef Glacier which is part of the World Heritage Westland Tai Poutini National Park.
• On arrival at Franz Josef we stop for a first glimpse of the glaciers from the lower reaches and a chance to take some wonderful photos.
• When we have finished admiring this amazing “feast for the eyes” we will make our way to the Scenic Hotel.
• After checking in, dinner is included tonight at the hotel.
WEDNESDAY 16 JULY 2025 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• All rugged up ready to take a better look at the stunning Fox Glacier as we take a leisurely scenic drive around the area.
• Although we cannot walk on the glacier, we will stop for photos and view the final resting place of the ice that has travelled 12 kilometres from the base of the Southern Alps, all the way to the river valley floor.
• After this amazing drive we make our way to lunch at Lake Matheson, one of New Zealand’s most scenic icons. ‘Picture Perfect’ reflections of New Zealand’s highest peaks Mt Cook and Mt Tasman can be captured in the dark waters of this ancient lake formed by the retreat of the Fox Glacier.
• Lunch today is included at Lake Matheson Café at the base of the Lake. The café boasts the best views of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman and food to match!
• We meet for dinner for a mid-winter wonderland Christmas dinner and concert entitled I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, not forgetting delightful carol singing from our talented tour leaders. Feel free to join in. The more the merrier!
THURSDAY 17 JULY 2025 (B, L, D) GLACIERS – HAAST
Heartland Hotel Haast (1 night)
Dwarfed by the mountains, rivers, beaches and lush rainforest of the South Westland World Heritage area, the Heartland Hotel provides us with the perfect resting spot.
Highlights Include:
• Enjoy a leisurely drive down the coastline of one of the most deserted and gorgeous regions of New Zealand between the glaciers and Haast.
• Our first stop is a visit to the South Westland Salmon Farm with time to explore the farm, followed by a delicious salmon lunch.
• Drive to Haast River where we will enjoy a 2 hour private cruise, a leisurely, scenic and informative trip through the Haast UNESCO World Heritage Area. A short bush walk leads us to our cruise where waterfalls
are flowing and light reflects multiple shades of green in the native bush backdrop.
• Dinner is included tonight at our hotel on arrival.
FRIDAY 18 JULY 2025 (B, L, D) HAAST – QUEENSTOWN
Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (4 nights)
Nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Novotel Queenstown Lakeside is just a 1-minute walk from many shops, restaurants, nightlife, and activities, the perfect location to relax and enjoy the beauty of the region.
Highlights Include:
• Drive from Haast to Wanaka and then Queenstown, enjoying some amazing scenery.
• Stop in Wanaka for a chance to visit Puzzling World which has been messing with people’s heads for over forty-five years. Bizarre buildings, rooms of illusions and their famous maze will baffle your brain and challenge your perceptions of reality, your world will never be the same again.
• Then time for shopping and we enjoy a scrumptious lunch before driving onto Queenstown.
• Dinner is included tonight at the hotel on arrival.
SATURDAY 19 JULY 2025 (B) QUEENSTOWN
Highlights Include:
• Visit to Arrowtown with free time to explore, shop, have lunch (own cost), or relax over a drink. Charming and quirky, historic Arrowtown is a delightful gold rush village nestled below the beautiful peaks that surround the sparkling Arrow River.
• A free afternoon and evening to enjoy Queenstown at your leisure.
SUNDAY 20 JULY 2025 (B, L)
Highlights Include:
• Full day trip to Milford Sound, with a beautiful scenic drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound, so sit back, relax and enjoy the stunning mountainous scenery.
• Milford Sound Cruise with a sumptuous lunch included. Milford Sound, situated on the west coast of the South Island is a world-renowned natural wonder with towering peaks, cascading waterfalls and amazing
wildlife. We wonder at this site of natural beauty.
• Free evening for your own dinner and rest after a big day.
MONDAY 21 JULY 2025 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• Full day tour to Cromwell including the Cromwell Heritage Precinct located on the shores of Lake Dunstan. When the Clyde Dam was completed in 1990, Cromwell’s main street disappeared under Lake
Dunstan but some of the historic buildings dating back to the gold rush era of the 1860’s were saved or lovingly rebuilt on higher ground, creating the Cromwell Heritage Precinct.
• Enjoy lunch in Cromwell, then we visit Goldfields Mining Centre where we will have a tour before returning to our hotel in Queenstown.
• A gala final night dinner where we will enjoy a delicious private dinner, with music provided by our team, entitled Showstoppers, celebrating all the hits of music theatre!
TUESDAY 22 JULY 2025 (B)
Today we make our way home taking with us new friends, exceptional photos, and some wonderful memories of our beautiful country.
This Trip Includes:
• 12 days/11 nights’ 4-star accommodation with breakfast included: Christchurch (2 nights), Hokitika (2nights), Franz Josef (2 nights), Haast (1 night) and Queenstown (4 nights).
• TranzAlpine Railway between Christchurch and Greymouth with glorious vistas, viaducts, gorges, lakes and snow-capped mountains.
• All tours as listed on the itinerary including tours to Punakaiki Rocks, Westport, Hokitika, Fox and FranzJosef Glaciers, Lake Matheson, Haast, Wanaka, Cromwell, Milford Sound and Queenstown.
• Special flavours including welcome dinner and concert What A Wonderful World, final night gala event in Queenstown entitled Showstoppers, a variety show with local characters and gold mining stories, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas with a mid-winter Christmas dinner beside the glaciers and lunch at Lake Matheson with its incredible reflections of Mt Cook.
• Numerous activities including Milford Sound day trip and cruise, visits and tours to the Antarctic Centre, Kate Sheppard House, Treetop Walk, Nile River Rain Forest Train, Fox Glacier Terminal walk, visit the Salmon Farm and Haast River Safaris cruise, Cromwell Goldfields tour and Queenstown and Arrowtown tours.
• Meals as listed in itinerary, all breakfasts, 7 lunches 8 dinners, and 1 high tea, tips, porterage included.
• Hosted by Alex Milligan, Alex Foster-Winder and Paul Carnegie-Jones.
PLEASE NOTE: As our travellers are coming from all over NZ, airfares are not included. If you require us to book your flights at an additional cost, please contact us.
Important Information
• All itinerary details are subject to change, but changes will be replaced with a comparable or better option.
• Initial & Second deposits are fully refundable up until final balance due date, minus an administration fee of up to $500 plus any non-recoverable costs.
• All monies are non-refundable at final balance due date. This becomes an insurance claim.
• Bank transfer payments incur no surcharge. Credit card payments incur surcharge of 1.5%.
• Travellers need to be independently mobile and fit to travel.
• Bookings will only be accepted with initial deposit & booking form.
• All travellers must obtain comprehensive travel insurance for international travel and insurance for domestic travel is recommended.
• Please refer to our terms and conditions on booking form.
Mobility - Easy Tour
This tour will suit people with a stick, but not a walker or in a wheelchair. You will be required to walk to get from place to place and stand in museums and gardens, but it is designed to be an easy tour with lots of time to rest, travel on a coach and walk easy leisurely distances. You will need to be able to get on and off a bus with ease.