12 Day South Island ADRENALIN JUNKIE Tour

This tour is an adrenalin junkie's utopia that will show you why New Zealand is the "adventure capital of the world"!

If you have less than 2 weeks in our beautiful country then we highly recommend focusing on one island, and this South Island tour is designed exactly with this in mind! We give you more time in our favourite locations such as Queenstown (with more adventure activites per square metre than any other similarly-sized town across the world), Franz Josef (world famous for its unique glacial environment) and our funky capital city Wellington.

Abel Tasman may be our smallest national park, but we reckon it must be one of the most beautiful, with golden sands and lush rainforest. Along the west coast we stay at a wicked retreat surrounded by native bush and only 5 minutes from the beach! And then there are the picture-perfect alpine villages of Wanaka and Tekapo, both situated alongside deep blue lakes fringed by snow-capped mountains.

As is the way with New Zealand, there is always plenty an opportunity for an adrenalin rush - choose from skydiving, bungy jumping, white-water rafting, hot air ballooning, scenic flights, glacier treks, quad biking, extreme jet boating, skiing/snowboarding in winter, surfing... an endless list of fun just waiting to happen!

We promise heaps more highlights and adventures along the journey... one awesome New Zealand tour that will not disappoint!

	Accommodation – quad or 6 share Services of passionate (and adrenalin seeking!) Tour Manager Transport Unique guided tour in each location we visit! Breakfast Venture deep into Abel Tasman National Park! Stay alongside the beautiful lakes of Wanaka and Tekapo View Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers Visit Lake Tekapo, an alpine village in the Mackenzie Country Swim in turquoise lakes, canyon pools and clear mountain rivers Ferry journey between South and North Islands  Gondola ride to the top of Queenstown Explore natural rainforests, hidden canyons and waterfalls 2 nights in Queenstown – adventure capital of the world! Visit 'Weta Cave' film studios in Wellington Heaps of extra unique adventures along the way that other tour companies miss out on!		Upgrade your accommodation to double / twin with en-suite for N$829 Add single activity options - see our Discounted Activitied section Add an “Extreme Activity Pack” - the pack designed for this tour is N$1,199 Select a Bay of Islands trip, before or after your Haka Tour from N$210 Extend your trip by 2 days - begin in Wellington instead of Christchurch Day trip to Milford Sound from Queenstown - N$160 Explore the beautiful Northland region on our 6 day adventure tour - N$899 Add a snow tour during the winter season! Options from 3 to 7 days Extra nights' accommodation before or after your Haka Tour from N$29
			Tour Starts: Christchurch @ 8am Tour Ends: Wellington @ 3pm

 

2010: $1,799 NZD per person | 2011: $1,899 NZD* per person (no hidden costs, local tour payments or single supplements!)
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*Place a deposit on a 2011 tour before August 31, 2010 and secure the 2010 price! 

Starts - Christchurch	Ends - Wellington
11 June	22 June
14 July	25 July
16 August	27 August
18 September	29 September
21 October	1 November
20 November	1 December
27 December	7 January 2011
28 January 2011	8 February
2 March	13 March
4 April	15 April
7 May	18 May

Click 'Book Online' to check availability and pricing, and secure your seat with a 5% deposit!

Struggling to find dates that match? Check out all our tours in chronological order here and see if something else suits you better. There may be opportunities to combine shorter tours to match your dates - just drop us an email and we'll do our best to accommodate you!

Day 1 - Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

Kia Ora and welcome to New Zealand! As the internationally famed 'Garden City', Christchurch's well-established expansive parks and public gardens are guaranteed to impress. Wide tree-lined avenues, beautifully maintained gardens, ambling inner-city rivers and restored heritage buildings make this a picture-perfect city with a definite English feel. At the centre of the inner city, the neo-Gothic Cathedral is a well-depicted Canterbury icon.

Out of the city lies the suburbs of Sumner and Taylor’s Mistake, Christchurch’s surfing capitals. Both have a small town feel ideal for a break from the relative hustle and bustle of Christchurch.

Your day begins with an orientation tour of Christchurch’s surrounding area, including Sumner, Lyttleton, Castle Rock and up and around the Port Hills, before heading back into the city and along the cultural precinct where the Art Gallery, Museum, Botanic Gardens and Arts Centre are to be found.

After lunch we leave New Zealand’s ‘Garden City’ and head south. The jewel of the Mackenzie Country, Lake Tekapo is an alpine village in the heart of the South Island high country. A ski resort in winter and aquatic playground in summer, it sits at the edge of its 20 kilometre glacial lake namesake, completely surrounded by the impressive Southern Alps.

The landscape is outstanding, sculpted by successive Ice Age glaciers, the remnants of which continue to discharge fine ‘rock flour’ giving the lake its intense turquoise hue. The sky is huge and of extraordinary clarity, making this one of the world’s best locations to probe the heavens from its observatories atop Mt John.

This striking landform of solid rock, overlooking the town, has stood firm against the onslaught of glacial action over thousands of years and now shelters a camping ground, ice-skating rink and a launching bay for boaties to enjoy family fun, fishing and waterskiing. It also provides us with 360° views of the uplands, lakes and mountains from its summit. Weather permitting we take a trip up to the top to admire the view.

Our accommodation is situated right along the edge of the lake.

 

Day 2 - Lake Tekapo to Queenstown

We have time to enjoy Lake Tekapo before leaving for Queenstown in the mid-morning. Consider experiencing the region on a one hour scenic flight, one of our highest reviewed activities!

Your guide will take a break at one of the many salmon farms along the drive to allow you to feed the salmon and taste some sashimi. After heading past Lake Pukaki and Mt Cook (the highest in New Zealand at 3,764 metres) and through the village of Omarama there is a chance to experience some wine tasting just outside of Queenstown. In particular the Otago region is known for its excellent Pinot Noir.

Queenstown, named in honour of Queen Victoria, is well-established as the "jewel in NZ's tourism crown", with more adventure options per square metre than any other similarly-sized town across the globe by far. It is also one of the most beautiful settings on earth, nestled beside Lake Wakatipu in the Southern Lakes district.

Your guide will begin by giving you an orientation tour around the town centre, before checking into our accommodation. We are situated a five minute walk from the centre of town – allowing great accessibility but also a quiet night’s sleep.

In the evening we take the Queenstown gondola (included in tour price) to view our spectacular surroundings. There is also an awesome luge track and restaurant. Something that shouldn’t be missed, however, is a visit to the infamous Fergburger café where you can try one of the numerous different delicious burgers. The nightlife in the town is also second to none and there is always something going on no matter what day it is.

Day 3 – Queenstown

You have a whole day to spend in Queenstown and you are spoilt for choice! Skydiving, paragliding, rafting, the Shotover Canyon Swing, Nevis and Kawarua Bridge bungys, quad biking, and boat trips are all on the cards!

For a more relaxed day, your guide may take you to Glenorcy where there are multiple half and full day walks. Another awesome and world famous experience that we fully recommend is a day trip to Milford Sound – absolutely gorgeous.

 

Day 4 – Queenstown to Wanaka

We spend as much time as possible in Queenstown today before we leave for our next destination Wanaka, which is only an hour’s drive away.

When we do leave the Adventure Capital, we drive over the Crown Range along the highest inland road in the country. Get your cameras out at the ready for spectacular views! Our first stop for the day is for coffee in the oldest pub in New Zealand, the Cardrona Hotel. Our second is Cardrona Adventure Park, where everyone is invited to drive monster trucks and eight-wheeled argos!

At the end of our journey we are greeted by the shores of picturesque lakes Wanaka and Hawea. Over 1,300 feet deep and an incredible blue, both lakes are fringed by breathtaking mountain ranges. Wanaka is situated on the lake of the same name, facing north and blessed with an incomparable alpine panorama.

During summer, wake-boarding, water-skiing, stunning lake cruises and swimming are always high on the agenda but in the winter Wanaka is a complete snow sports destination. Four alpine resorts (Cardrona, Treble Cone, Snow Park and Snow Farm) cater for everyone’s ski and snowboarding needs, from well-groomed beginner slopes to thrilling off piste chutes & powder bowls; adrenaline-pumping pipes to tranquil cross country skiing trails. For those of you that want to up the ante’ during the winter and spring months, we have a discounted heli-skiing option in either Wanaka or Queenstown which we guarantee will take your Haka experience to a whole new level!

 

Day 5 - Wanaka to Franz Josef

Wake up with uninterrupted views of the stunning Lake Wanaka and the Southern Alps. Anyone is welcome to begin their day with a mind-blowing skydive with views of both Fox Glacier and Mt Cook in the distance!

There are heaps to see and do along our drive today so we set off as early as possible, passing along the shores of Lake Hawea, and back around to Lake Wanaka for the second time. Your guide will stop to allow you to take photos as the scenery here is beautiful.

The road that we travel across is that of the Haast Pass, the lowest crossing of the Southern Alps at 536 metres. The east to west transition of climate is strongly marked by the changes of landscape – from the alpine surrounding of Wanaka to the luxuriant rainforest of the West Coast. The prevailing moisture-laden westerly winds that impinge on the sharp mountain barrier of the Southern Alps result in heavy rainfall for which the whole West Coast is well known. Hence there are many stunning waterfalls on this journey and your tour manager will take you to one of our favourites, the Roaring Billy Falls.

The town of Haast signifies our arrival at the coast and we take our first look at the ocean from the Ships Creek viewing point. Between September and December it is whitebait season and so we will try to find a place to buy some. Whitebait (small fish) are considered a rare delicacy in New Zealand and is best cooked in a fritter with eggs – great for breakfast!

The climate and subsequent rainforest is to account for why this region is so desolate and unpopulated. Between the mountains and the almost unbroken stretch of surf beaches are low hills and broad terraces among which are beautiful forest-fringed lakes, and a surprising number of places of historical interest. Knights Point is another beautiful look out, offering the chance to view the beautiful forest along this coastline.

There is another skydiving opportunity as we reach Fox Glacier in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park. We reach Franz Josef by the early evening and check in to our accommodation – a cosy motel with a native bush backdrop.

Day 6 - Franz Josef

You cannot visit Franz Josef without paying your respects to the glacier. Both the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are world-renowned on account of their relative accessibility and the low level to which they descend, although they no longer extend far enough down their valleys to reach the forest. The most popular way of visiting the glacier is with a half day guided trek, but there are also full day or heli-hike options available.

The Franz Josef glacier is unique in that whereas most glaciers are retreating, Franz still flows almost to sea level. Surrounding the glacier is a stunning landscape of temperate rainforest of ancient podocarp trees and other evergreen species. The combination of ice and temperate rainforest is a unique feature of New Zealand's glacier country and is an ecosystem found nowhere else on the planet.

If you can afford it, we highly recommend reaching the bluest ice via helicopter with a heli-hike. Trekking on the glacier is nowhere as strenuous as it sounds, but if it doesn’t sound like your thing, then your guide will take you as close to the bottom of the glacier as possible. There is some awesome quad biking for the afternoon (booked on the day), horse trekking, or otherwise relax in the hostel’s spa pool, TV lounge or have a drink in one of the cafés or bars. Alternatively, there is some great surfing to be had at nearby Okarito.

 

Day 7 - Franz Josef to Punakaiki

We head to the beautiful west coast on one of the most spectacular drives in the world. A rugged, primeval landscape of luxuriant rainforest juxtaposed against breathtaking beach and ocean waves.

Along the way from Franz Josef we pass through Ross, a town that arose from gold mining. The gold rush days of the second half of the 19th century were largely responsible for opening up the West Coast for settlement. Before this there was a small number of Maori who searched for greenstone, or Jade. We take a break at Hokitika to visit a Jade factory. This place experienced a massive gold rush in the late 1860s and today remnants can be seen everywhere: in original buildings and in the landscape, altered by excavations and vast mounds of tailings.

We also make a quick stop at the Bushman’s centre where you can taste a Possum pie or sink a drink in the Puke Pub (us kiwis are classy folks!).

Punakaiki is only 40 minutes from Greymouth, another town forged in the rush for gold. Here you have the option of visiting the Monteiths Brewery. From humble beginnings in 1868, Monteiths has become New Zealand’s most popular brewery.

We like to boast that we are the only tour company to stay at the unique Te Nikau Retreat. A firm favourite on tour, the resort is set 3km north of Pancake Rocks; a set of spacious lodges and cabins in peaceful rainforest beside the coast. In the evening we watch the sunset over the ocean and make use of the resort's superb facilities.

 

Day 8 - Punakaiki

Surfing, horse trekking, kayaking, four wheel driving, walking or simply taking in the view are all great activities in this region! In particular, Punakaiki is world famous for its 'Pancake Rocks', which are huge columns of limestone resembling stacks of pancakes. With a heavy swell running at high tide, seawater is forced upwards through blowholes with an impressive roar.

Alternatively you can spend the day making your very own knife in Barrytown! In this experience you get to forge your own blade from red hot steel, and complete your knife with native timber handle, brass bolsters and pins. And don’t worry about taking it home – hundreds of people have travelled with their knives (allowed in the hold luggage on flights).

Day 9 – Punakaiki to Abel Tasman National Park

Upon leaving Punakaiki we continue north along the State Highway 6. There is a stunning beach beside the Fox River where we can explore some awesome caves. Just ten kilometres west of Westport is Cape Foulwind where there is a fur seal colony accessible by a walking track.

Westport is home to a company that specialises in various adventure activities, including quad biking, extreme jet boating and river rafting along the Buller River. The river is one of the longest in the country and we travel alongside it for much of the day.

Our accommodation tonight is just on the outskirts of Abel Tasman National Park near the town of Motueka. The golden beaches, tranquil lagoons, clear water, native bush, seals and bird life make this an amazing year round destination. When we arrive there should be time for walk to split apple rock – a rock that looks exactly as the name suggests!

 

Day 10 - Abel Tasman to Nelson

Today is all about exploring Abel Tamsan National Park – New Zealand’s smallest, but by no means least beautiful, national parks. One way to experience the park is with a half day kayak to the Split Apple. No previous experience is required as qualified guides will teach you all the basic skills to make sure this is a safe, yet awesome activity!

Alternatively, there are numerous half and full day walks, including transport via water taxi. These explore both the inland forest and many stunning secluded beaches, all of which we guarantee will take your breath away!

It is just an hour’s drive to Nelson, the sunshine capital of New Zealand (with over 2,000 hours of sun every year). It is also home to the geographical ‘Centre of Zealand’ on Botanical Hill where we will take a walk before nightfall to witness the superb panoramic views of coast and countryside.

 

Day 11 - Nelson to Wellington

To visit the Nelson region is to discover azure skies and wide open spaces, beaches and lakes, spectacular national parks and unique landforms, vineyards and gourmet cafés, artists and galleries and boutique shopping experiences. This region expertly combines the finest elements of the New Zealand experience and delivers them across stunning geography, sun-ripened at the perfect latitude under New Zealand’s highest sunshine hours. Even the locals like to holiday here!

On our journey back towards Picton, where we will cross to Wellington once again on the Inter-Islander ferry this evening, we break up the drive by stopping at Havelock, the centre of the New Zealand green-lipped mussel industry. The Mussel Pot Café is a popular stop for seafood fans!

There is more time to explore the small town of Picton, and your guide may take you for a cultural walk to learn more about the area. By the time we reach Wellington it will be around 10pm and so the rest of the evening is up to you!

Day 12 - Wellington

Perched on the edge of a spectacular harbour, encircled by green, towering hills, Wellington is a stunning and compact city. Vibrant, exciting and cultured, the nation’s capital combines the stimulation and sophistication of a big city with the quirkiness of a charming village. Extending just two kilometres in diameter, Wellington is a truly 'walking city’.

As always your tour guide will introduce you to the city with an orientation tour – including a drive around the bays, a visit to Weta Studios, up to the lookout point at Mount Victoria and then through central Wellington, up the cable car, through the Botanic Gardens and to the Parliament Buildings.

The city is known as the 'windy city' due to the high winds flowing across Cook Strait. Needless to say, the wakeboarding and windsurfing thrives here. Ask your tour advisor about our one day starter packs which can provide you with all the equipment, coaching and necessary skills to have a good grasp of any one of the sports after the end of day one. Furthermore, scores of walking and mountain-biking tracks around the city give a 360-degree perspective on this sparkling waterway and a view of the original colonial villas that fringe the city’s edge. For those wanting a more rugged perspective, there are four-wheel drive or horseback tours at the head of the Harbour, overlooking Cook Strait.

Wellington has a feast of cultural attractions and its crowning glory is Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand. Situated on Wellington’s magnificent waterfront, this internationally acclaimed museum combines leading edge technology with traditional exhibits to tell the stories of New Zealand’s land and people. The museum is free for all.

With some of the best nightlife in the country, it makes sense to take advantage of Wellington’s great bars and restaurants, mainly centred around Courtney Place and Cuba Street – both within short walking distances of the hostel.

The tour finishes at 3pm and so we say our final goodbyes before leaving on our separate ways.

After your tour!

So what now? We offer additional nights’ accommodation in Wellington from $29 NZD per night.

Alternatively, you can complete your New Zealand travels by jumping on one of our 6 and 7 day North Island tours. Our 6 day Bay of Islands tour is new to 2009 and anyone who has booked a 12 day tour gets 5% off! This tour has been designed and is run by our Head Tour Manager Steve, who knows the “Winterless North” like the back of his hand.

Whether you choose to stay on, return home or continue travelling overseas, we promise to have given you a New Zealand experience not just to remember, but to value as one of the best trips of your life!