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Autumn In the Central South Island

We originally ran this tour in 2010, and we are reintroducing it in 2021.

We invite you to experience an area that has captured the imagination of many New Zealanders. 

Mt Cook region is an area to walk or just enjoy the grandeur of the region.Central Otago and the Maniototo radiate colour in the autumn. See the sweet briar, coloured tussock and matagouri.  At Wedderburn a former coach and wagon stop and now on the ‘Rail Trail’.  A farm visit shows recent development in the area. 

Finally a stay in the lake town of Wanaka where we  explore the area before arriving in Queenstown.

 

 

  • Itinerary Map

Your travel itinerary

Thursday 29 April

Auckland – Christchurch

Dinner iconDinner

Today fly to Christchurch and an orientation tour around the rebuilt city is included  enroute to the hotel. Enjoy a welcome Dinner at the hotel tonight.

 

Friday 30 April

Christchurch – Mt Cook

Breakfast iconBreakfast Dinner iconDinner

This morning our drive across the Canterbury Plains taking us through Rakaia and Ashburton before enjoying a stop in the Geraldine area. At Fairlie the gateway to the Mackenzie country is the famous James Mackenzie and his dog statue. On the drive to Aoraki /Mount Cook  we pass the lonely much photographed lakeside church of the Good Shepherd then with the Ben Ohau range on one side and Lake Pukaki on the other to arrive at the Hermitage for a two night stay. 

 

Saturday 01 May

Aoraki / Mt Cook

Breakfast iconBreakfast Dinner iconDinner

A day at leisure to choose your own activities, perhaps a scenic helicopter flight, or walk the easy Governors bush track. The Mt Cook village also offers cafes for coffee or lunch and a few shops. Dinner at the hotel is timed before a Stargazing experience.

 

Sunday 02 May

Aoraki/Mt Cook – Wedderburn

Breakfast iconBreakfast Lunch iconLunch

Todays journey is one to savour with great variety. Travel to Omarama for a coffee break before following the Waitaki River to Duntroon. We then leave the main highway and follow the road over the famed Dansey’s Pass for lunch at the Dansey’s Pass hotel. The afternoon brings us into the Maniototo as we travel to Wedderburn making its mark in the modern day when painter Grahame Sydney painted ‘July on the Maniototo’ featuring the Wedderburn railway goods shed. Dinner tonight is at the ‘local’ Wedderburn pub.

 

Monday 03 May

Wedderburn

Breakfast iconBreakfast Lunch iconLunch

This morning we visit and have tour of the Duncan family’s 5000 hectare Maniototo farm, followed by morning tea with members of the family. Our coach then takes us to quaint St Bathans where we see the restored 1909 Kauri Post Office and lunch is in the adobe Vulcan Hotel. The afternoon has an autumn treat at Jane Falconer’s Clachanburn Garden.

 

Tuesday 04 May

Wedderburn – Wanaka

Breakfast iconBreakfast Dinner iconDinner

Our tour continues through the small towns revitalised by the Rail Trail, Lauder, Omakau, Ophir, (with a record for the coldest day in recorded NZ history) Chatto Creek, Alexandra in all its autumn glory and Clyde and its hydro dam. Then on to  Cromwell before travelling north following Lake Dunstan to Wanaka for a two night stay.         

 

Wednesday 05 May

Wanaka

Breakfast iconBreakfast Dinner iconDinner

This morning drive alongside the Lake and Pisa Range up to Treble Cone for wonderful views. The afternoon is your own to wander and explore this lakeside town

Tonight is our farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

*subject to road and weather conditions

 

Optional Extension

Wanaka – Queenstown – Auckland

Breakfast iconBreakfast

 We start with a drive to the historic Cardrona Hotel for morning tea. The hotel is a scene straight from a Speight’s Southern Man advertisement.  Over the spectacular Crown Range to Arrowtown with time to walk around this quiet town and have lunch before arriving at the airport for a mid afternoon flight to Auckland.

OR

Choose to extend your stay in Queenstown.

Inclusions

• Return economy flights Auckland – Christchurch // Queenstown – Auckland   (please ask for other options)

• Travel by comfortable touring coach

• Seven nights hotel accommodation 

• Breakfast daily

• Two lunches

• Five dinners

• Star Grazing – Mt Cook

• Farm visit Wedderburn

• Entry to Clachanburn Garden

• Morning tea at Cardrona Hotel

• Pukekohe Travel Escort  subject to 20 travelling 

 

Cost

Cost Per Person *
Auckland - Auckland		Twin ShareSingle 
   $2,480  $2,990
     

*This is a cash or cheque price. Credit cards will incur a 2% fee
*Itinerary and costs subject to change, airline and fuel charges and currency fluctuations prior to final payment

Exclusions

• Cancellation insurance

• Items of a personal nature

• Items not specified 

 

Booking Conditions

• A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person will secure a place on the tour.  

• FULL PAYMENT is due no later than 19 March 2021  

• Bookings made after 19 March 2021 will require full payment.

 

Cancellations

• Deposit – non refundable

• After 19 March 2021 – no refund

• All cancellation charges are on a per-person basis.  

• No refund can be made once tour is underway.

Travel Insurance

We strongly advise all participants to take out suitable travel insurance to cover cancellation costs.  Please ask us for a quote.

 

Included Activities

Indoor Stargazing Where science meets entertainment for an unrivalled 360 degree cinematic experience in New Zealand’s first full dome, digital Planetarium. Leave Earth, fly to the edge of our galaxy and far beyond to the reaches of our known universe. You will be given an introduction and orientation in the Planetarium, a guided tour through our solar system and beyond.

Sir Edmond Hillary Alpine Centre Your Explorer pass will enable you to visit the centre which features a 3D movie theatre, planetarium and museum – valid for the duration of your stay.

Mt Cook Day Walks (Optional) For the more energetic, full and half-day guided walks are available, taking in some of the breath-taking views of the mountains and valleys.

Health and Fitness

• To ensure the tour is enjoyable for the whole group, a good standard of fitness is required and clients should be independently mobile with the ability to comfortably walk 500 metres. 

 


Note: Pukekohe Travel reserves the right to correct errors and omissions on our website without recourse.
* Itinerary subject to change

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