8 Day National Parks and Queenstown Tour
from  NZ$1273.00 per person twin share

An eight day tour from Picton that includes all of the West Coast and the Fiordland region. Visit six national parks, the West Coast Glaciers, the alpine Haast Pass, Wanaka, Queenstown – NZ’s premier resort, Milford Sound and Mt Cook – NZ’s highest mountain.

Features – a tour and cruise of the Abel Tasman National Park. and the Milford Sound day tour and cruise.
Trip Duration:     Eight Days
Departing From:  Picton
Finishing at:         Christchurch
Car Rental Type: Toyota Echo, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry or 4WD Subaru Legacy.

Included in Cost:   Complimentary transfer to car rental depot and drop off at Christchurch Airport, accommodation, tour and cruise of Abel Tasman National Park, Milford Sound day excursion and cruise and hire of rental car for eight days (unlimited kms).

Day  1  Picton/Nelson – 120 kms
Collect your vehicle in Picton in picturesque Marlborough Sounds and travel to Nelson. Your journey today passes through the Marlborough vineyards and the Nelson State Forests.

Accommodation: Heritage Rutherford Hotel, Kings Gate Motel or similar

Day   2  Abel Tasman  National Park
Today we have organised a tour for you so that you can sit back and relax. Your full day tour to the Abel Tasman National Park commences with a morning pick up from your accommodation. Drive through horticultural areas to Motueka and on to beautiful Kaiteriteri beach to board your launch. You have various walking options in the National Park during the day before returning to Nelson at approximately 5.00pm.

Accommodation: Heritage Rutherford Hotel, Kings Gate Motel or similar

Day  3  Nelson/Greymouth – 300 kms

Travel south, following the rugged coastline through the Paparoa National Park to Punakaiki. View the Punakaiki pancake rocks and the blowholes before continuing your journey to Greymouth, the largest town on the West Coast.

Accommodation:  Kingsgate Hotel, Bella Vista Motel or similar

Day  4  Greymouth/Franz Josef – 200 kms
A visit to some of the local jewellery shops is a must – see beautiful greenstone (jade) and paua fashion jewellery.  We recommend a stopover at Shantytown (a historic gold mining town.

From Greymouth you follow the coastline south with the snow-capped Southern Alps towering above you all the way to the glaciers. Enjoy the rugged coastline and West Coast rainforest passing by many beautiful lakes and fast- flowing rivers on the way to Franz Josef Glacier.  We recommend a drive to the Franz Josef Glacier Carpark - a short walk will allow you views up to the glacier.

Accommodation: Franz Josef Glacier Hotel (this hotel includes breakfast), Bella Vista Motels or similar

Day  5  Franz Josef/Wanaka – 280 kms
Dense rainforests and the abode of the rare and graceful Kotuku (White Heron) contrast with rugged coastal vistas as you travel deeper into South Westland. At Fox Glacier we recommend a detour to Lake Matheson for spectacular lake reflections of the surrounding mountains. The Haast River guides us inland over the Gates of Haast to the holiday resort of Wanaka.

Accommodation: Edgewater Resort Hotel, Bella Vista Motel or similar

Day 6  Wanaka/Queenstown – 70 kms
Time is available to explore this delightful lakeside resort or even to try your luck at fishing. Your journey today is over the Crown Range, a windy roadway linking Wanaka with Queenstown. The Cardrona highway is NZ’s highest road reaching a peak of 1121 metres and provides spectacular views of the Queenstown basin.

Accommodation: Scenic Circle Aurum Hotel, Bella Vista Motel or similar

Day 7    Milford Sound with Newmans Coach Lines – 620 kms
Today we do the driving whilst you relax and enjoy one of New Zealand’s alpine marvels. Travel with Newmans Coach Lines to one of the world’s greatest natural wonders – the Fiordland National Park – a world heritage area. Fiordland is a vaste, remote wilderness of snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes and valleys, fiords, islands, waterfalls and dense forests. Travel to Te Anau and on to the forested Eglinton Valley, through the Homer Tunnel and out into breath-taking Milford Sound. Enjoy a one and a half hour cruise of Milford Sound viewing the spectacular waterfalls and famous Mitre Peak. An optional scenic flight may be taken for the return journey to Queenstown (arranged through your driver on the day of travel).

Accommodation: Scenic Circle Aurum Hotel, Bella Vista Motel or similar

Day 8   Queenstown/Mount Cook/Christchurch – 620 kms
Travel north through the Lindis Pass and the MacKenzie Country to Mount Cook. We recommend a scenic flight over Mt Cook and the glaciers. From Mount Cook travel to Tekapo for a brief stop at the Church of the Good Shepherd (one of the most photographed churches in the world) before continuing to Christchurch via the Canterbury Plains.