Great Southern Steam Train Tour
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Great Southern Steam Train Tour • SOUTH ISLAND RAIL TOUR • DEPARTING WELLINGTON TO INVERCARGILL 22 APRIL - 29 APRIL 2021 | 8-DAY TOUR OPTION Experience the adventure, the nostalgia, the romance of Steam Train travel. Pounamu Tourism Group invites you to take a step back in time to a bygone era for an epic steam train journey exploring the majestic South Island of Aotearoa. GREAT SOUTHERN TOUR OPTIONS STEAM TRAIN TOUR TOUR OPTION 1: Journey with us into the deep south of New 13-DAY TOUR Departing Wellington Zealand and experience the postcard perfect vistas from 22 April – 4 May 2021 ** and dramatic scenery that this part of the world is renowned for. TOUR OPTION 2: You will spend the week travelling the entire 8-DAY TOUR Departing Wellington to length of the South Island (visiting Marlborough, Invercargill from 22 April – 29 April 2021 ** Christchurch, Oamaru, Dunedin and Invercargill), in the comfort of vintage carriages hauled by the ** option to begin tour in Blenheim on 23 April 2021 historic WW1 memorial steam locomotive Ab608 Passchendaele, (named in honour of our fallen soldiers at The Battle of Passchendaele in 1917). South Island 8-Day Steam Train Tour • 22 April 2021 - 29 April 2021 2 CONTENTS 8-DAY TOUR DEPARTING WELLINGTON TO INVERCARGILL DAY 1 DAY 2 Wellington – Blenheim – Blenheim Kaikoura page 6 page 6 DAY 3 Kaikoura – DAY 4 Christchurch Christchurch ANZAC DAY page 7 page 7 DAY 5 DAY 6 Christchurch – Oamaru – Oamaru Dunedin page 8 page 8 DAY 7 DAY 8 Dunedin – Invercargill Invercargill page 9 page 9 South Island 8-Day Steam Train Tour • 22 April 2021 - 29 April 2021 3 8-DAY TOUR WELLINGTON – INVERCARGILL 22 APRIL - 29 APRIL 2021 Steam Train South Island 8-Day Steam Train Tour • 22 April 2021 - 29 April 2021 4 8-DAY TOUR FROM The tour is escorted by a fleet of luxury coaches that provide seamless transfers from the train to your WELLINGTON TO accommodation each evening. INVERCARGILL Arriving in Christchurch in time to prepare for the annual ANZAC Day dawn parade where after paying our respects, we interlude to explore the 22 APRIL - 29 APRIL 2021 beautiful French historical township of Akaroa and then the option of a harbour cruise by steam tugboat or a city & tram tour. Your journey begins with a Meet and Greet in the harbour city of Wellington, followed by one of On the route from Christchurch to Oamaru, explore the most scenic picturesque ferry crossings in the unique places of interest such as the Blue Penguin world across the Cook Strait, then weaving our way Colony, Whitestone Cheese Factory and Moeraki through Queen Charlotte Sound to the port town Boulders, and then on to Dunedin. of Picton. After enjoying a chocolate factory tour, we set off First overnight stop is in the famous Marlborough steam-hauled towards the southern-most point of wine region boasting over 100 vineyards, then the main trunk line. We initially hug the coast, the onwards to spectacular Kaikoura, home of resident steam train winds its way inland past the edge of whales where the great mountains of the Southern the Blue Mountains to the town of Gore, and then Alps rise from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. southwards to Invercargill. Tour ends in Invercargill. South Island 8-Day Steam Train Tour • 22 April 2021 - 29 April 2021 5 8-DAY TOUR WELLINGTON-INVERCARGILL 22 APRIL – 29 APRIL 2021 DAY DATE ITINERARY HOTEL MODE WELLINGTON - PICTON - BLENHEIM Thu 22 Meet and Greet at Wellington Ferry Terminal Scenic Hotel Ferry 1 April Afternoon Interislander Ferry to Picton Marlborough / Coach The Wine Station BLENHEIM - KEKERENGU - KAIKOURA The White Fri 23 Yealands Estate vineyard tour Morph Hotel Steam Train 2 April Lunch at Kekerengu “The Store” and equivalent Winterhome Formal Garden Tour KAIKOURA - CHRISTCHURCH Distinction Sat 24 Seal Colony Walk Hotel Steam Train 3 April Whale Watching, Dolphins, Scenic flights (optional) Christchurch CHRISTCHURCH Distinction Coach Sun 25 ANZAC DAY DAWN PARADE Hotel / Steam 4 April Akaroa Township Tour Christchurch Tugboat Steam Tug Boat OR City & Tram Tour CHRISTCHURCH - OAMARU Mon 26 Brydone Hotel Blue Penguin viewing in Oamaru Steam Train 5 April or North Star Whitestone Cheese Tour OAMARU - DUNEDIN Tue 27 Scenic Hotel Moeraki Boulders on way to Dunedin Steam Train 6 April Southern Cross High Tea & Garden Tour at Larnach Castle DUNEDIN - INVERCARGILL Wed 28 OCHO Chocolate Factory Tour Ascot Park Steam Train 7 April Bill Richardsons Transport World Hotel / Coach Scenic Flight to Stewart Island (optional) Thu 29 INVERCARGILL Coach 8 April Transfer from hotel to airport South Island 8-Day Steam Train Tour • 22 April 2021 - 29 April 2021 6 DAY 1 Thursday 22nd April 2021 Wellington – Picton - Blenheim (Marlborough) Meet and greet takes place in the harbour city of Wellington at the Ferry Terminal, followed by one of the most picturesque ferry crossings in the world as we cruise across the Cook Strait then weave our way through Queen Charlotte Sound to the port town of Picton. Travelling by coach to Blenheim, our first overnight stop is in the famous Marlborough wine region boasting over 100 vineyards. The welcome rd Friday 23 April 2021 reception is appropriately held at The Wine Station DAY 2 where guests can taste from a selection of 80 of the region’s finest wines and craft beers, barista coffee (Tour options are available to commence tour from Blenheim) and gourmet platters of local produce. Blenheim – Kekerengu – Kaikoura Passengers will stay at Scenic Hotel Marlborough, a modern and stylish property Today we introduce you to the star of the tour, the located in the heart of Marlborough’s wine historic WW1 memorial steam locomotive Ab608 country town of Blenheim. Passchendaele, (named in honour of our fallen soldiers at The Battle of Passchendaele in 1917). The Marlborough Flyer steam train (as she is more recently known) will gently roll into Blenheim Station as the Marlborough Brass Band adds to the sense of occasion. Then it is “all aboard” and onward South via the Dashwood Pass and Awatere Valley. We stop at Seddon and disembark for a wine tour at the award winning, Yealands Estate. Boarding again we steam ahead for Kekerengu where we disembark for lunch overlooking the Pacific Ocean at “The Store” where we also enjoy a garden tour at the beautifully manicured Winterhome formal garden. After taking on water for the steam train we pull away for the spectacular coastal journey to Kaikoura. Passengers will stay at The White Morph Hotel (or equivalent), taking in spectacular views of the Kaikoura Esplanade. South Island 8-Day Steam Train Tour • 22 April 2021 - 29 April 2021 7 DAY 3 Saturday 24th April 2021 Exploring Kaikoura “Where the mountains meet the sea” Kaikoura, home of resident whales, where the guardians of the seas – the mountains of the Southern Alps – rise majestically from the deep trenches of the Pacific Ocean. Several different species of whale can be seen off the coast of Kaikoura at different times of the year, and DAY 4 Sunday 25th April 2021 most of the time, the huge resident Sperm Whales can be sighted. The ocean trench just off the coast (ANZAC DAY) means sperm whales are often seen close to shore. There will be a leisurely morning Seal Colony Walk Kaikoura – Christchurch followed by optional excursions for whale, dolphin and seal watching (by boat or plane). After paying our respects at the ANZAC dawn parade, we will interlude from commemorations to The tour departs Kaikoura on the 24th April in order explore the beautiful French historical township of to arrive in Christchurch in time to prepare for the Akaroa, arriving by coach. annual ANZAC Day dawn parade (which takes place the following day). Options include exploring the harbour on the historical steam tugboat (Tug Lyttelton Est. 1907) or a historical tram tour of “the garden city”. Passengers will stay at the luxurious and newly renovated Distinction Hotel in Cathedral Square, located in the heart of Passengers will stay at the luxurious and Christchurch. newly renovated Distinction Hotel in Cathedral Square, located in the heart of Christchurch. South Island 8-Day Steam Train Tour • 22 April 2021 - 29 April 2021 8 DAY 5 Monday 26th April 2021 Christchurch – Oamaru The morning departure from Christchurch is by steam train as we set out towards one of New Zealand’s many towns of character, Oamaru. DAY 6 Tuesday 27th April 2021 Gourmet cheese is then on the menu as we explore the Whitestone Cheese Factory, home of some of Oamaru – Dunedin the world’s finest cheeses and you’ll be treated on a guided tour which includes a cheese and wine The journey continues south towards Dunedin, pairing. calling in to The Moeraki Boulders, a group of large spherical “stones” on Koekohe Beach near The Blue Penguin Colony in Oamaru is similarly Moeraki on the Otago coast. These boulders are not to be outdone, has specially designed nesting actually concretions that have been exposed through boxes for your convenience as well as stadium shoreline erosion from coastal cliffs. The boulders are grandstand seating for your viewing pleasure, to see one of the most fascinating and popular attractions the penguins arrive home in the evening. on the South Island. Once in Dunedin we will coach to historic Passengers will stay at Brydone Hotel – “fine Larnach Castle. Situated on the picturesque Otago accommodation and libations since 1881”- Peninsula, Larnach Castle is one of New Zealand’s or the North Star. premier visitor attractions. Lovingly restored by the Barker Family, the Castle and surrounding grounds are at the heart of the Dunedin visitor experience. Passengers arrive in time for refreshing high tea in the Ballroom Café followed by a guided garden tour.