Christchurch 24 April - 6 May 2021 13-Day Tour Option
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Great Southern Steam Train Tour • SOUTH ISLAND RAIL TOUR • DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH 24 APRIL - 6 MAY 2021 13-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 3: Journey with us into the deep south of New Zealand 13-DAY TOUR Departing Christchurch and experience the postcard perfect vistas and from 24 April – 6 May 2021 dramatic alpine scenery that this part of the world is renowned for. You will start your journey departing TOUR OPTION 4: Christchurch on the iconic TranzAlpine via 7-DAY TOUR Departing Invercargill to Arthur’s Pass. Then we begin the traverse inland on Wellington from 30 April – 6 May 2021 luxury coaches to experience the wonders of Franz Josef, Milford Sound, Queenstown and Te Anau. In Invercargill, you will meet the star of the show, the historic WW1 memorial steam locomotive Ab608 Passchendaele, (named in honour of our fallen soldiers at The Battle of Passchendaele in 1917) and travel the entire length of the South Island (visiting Dunedin, Oamaru, Christchurch and Marlborough) steam-hauled, in the comfort of vintage carriages. South Island 13-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 6 May 2021 2 CONTENTS DAY 1 Christchurch – 13-DAY TOUR Franz Josef DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH page 6 DAY 2 DAY 3 Franz Josef – Queenstown Queenstown page 6 page 7 DAY 4 DAY 5 Queenstown – Te Anau – Te Anau Milford Sound page 7 page 8 DAY 6 DAY 7 Te Anau – Invarcargill – Invarcargill Dunedin page 8 page 9 DAY 8 DAY 9 Dunedin – Dunedin Oamaru page 9 page 10 DAY 10 DAY 11 Oamaru – Christchurch – Christchurch Kaikoura page 10 page 11 DAY 12 DAY 13 Kaikoura – Blenheim – Blenheim Wellington page 11 page 12 South Island 13-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 6 May 2021 3 13-DAY TOUR DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH 24 APRIL - 6 MAY 2021 TranzAlpine Luxury Coach Steam Train South Island 13-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 6 May 2021 4 13-DAY TOUR Mountain Range and the view of Lake Wakatipu DEPARTING from the hotel. Queenstown highlights include the historic and CHRISTCHURCH picturesque goldmining town, Arrowtown, on the banks of the Arrow River and taking in the Lakes District Museum. We join a lake cruise on board 24 APRIL - 6 MAY 2021 the historic TSS Earnslaw, the 1912 Edwardian steamboat, which takes us across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm for dinner. Your journey begins with a Meet and Greet in Departing Queenstown and onto the Fiordland Christchurch, where the iconic TranzAlpine awaits. National Park district, where we spend a couple of Often regarded to be one of the world’s great train awe-inspiring days experiencing the wonders of Te journeys for the scenery through which it passes. Anau and Milford Sound. The journey is 223 kilometres one-way, taking almost five hours. You will see epic vistas, travel the Traversing the Southern Scenic Route to edges of the ice-fed Waimakariri River, traverse the Invercargill, we continue to Dunedin. Exploring majestic Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps, and Moeraki Boulders, OCHO Chocolate Factory see miles of native beech forest. tour and enjoying high tea at Larnach Castle. In Oamaru, we seek out unique places of interest The tour is escorted by a fleet of luxury coaches such as the Blue Penguin Colony and Whitestone that provide seamless transfers from the train to Cheese Factory. your accommodation each evening. Wake up the following day in Franz Josef, where guests are Arriving in Christchurch, we interlude to explore encouraged to wind down and enjoy some well- the beautiful French historical township of Akaroa deserved pampering at the Franz Josef Glacier Hot and the harbour by steam tugboat or a historical Pools. tram tour of “the garden city”. Departing the West Coast, we will travel through Onwards to spectacular Kaikoura, home of resident the Haast Pass, journeying through native beech whales, where the great mountains of the Southern forest and over the Southern Alps. This remote area Alps rise from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. has a ruggedly beautiful landscape of vast rainforests, Our last night is spent in the famous Marlborough gushing waterfalls and snow-capped mountains. wine region boasting over 100 vineyards. After a tea break in Makarora on the border of The final day and the port town of Picton awaits Mount Aspiring World Heritage Park, we pass with one of the most scenic picturesque ferry by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Dunstan, Lake crossings in the world across the Cook Strait, Wanaka, and Lake Hawea, arriving in Queenstown. then weaving our way through Queen Charlotte The adventure playground of Queenstown awaits - Sound to the harbour city of Wellington - the cap off a special day as we take in The Remarkables journey of a lifetime. South Island 13-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 6 May 2021 5 13-DAY TOUR DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH 24 APRIL – 6 MAY 2021 DAY DATE ITINERARY HOTEL MODE CHRISTCHURCH - ARTHUR’S PASS - FRANZ JOSEF Sat 24 Scenic Hotel Meet and Greet at Christchurch Railway Station TranzAlpine 1 April Franz Josef TranzAlpine FRANZ JOSEF - QUEENSTOWN Sun 25 Hotpools Copthorne Coach 2 April Helicopter (optional) Hotel Lakefront Afternoon Tea at Makarora QUEENSTOWN Mon 26 Copthorne Coach Day at your leisure 3 April Hotel Lakefront / Cruise TSS Earnslaw & Walter Peak Homestead Dinner QUEENSTOWN - TE ANAU Tue 27 Distinction Steam Train Arrowtown - Lakes District Museum 4 April Hotel Luxmore / Coach Te Anau Glowworm Caves & Cruise (optional) TE ANAU - MILFORD SOUND - TE ANAU Wed 28 Coach along Eglinton Valley to Milford Sound via Homer Tunnel Distinction Coach 5 April Milford Sound Cruise (optional) Hotel Luxmore / Cruise Coach back to Te Anau TE ANAU - INVERCARGILL Thu 29 Takahe Sanctuary Ascot Park Coach 6 April Afternoon tea at Tuatapere Hotel Riverton Museum INVERCARGILL - DUNEDIN Fri 30 Scenic Hotel Steam Train Bill Richardsons Transport World 7 April Southern Cross / Coach Scenic Flight to Stewart Island (optional) DUNEDIN Sat 1 Scenic Hotel OCHO Chocolate Factory Tour Steam Train 8 May Southern Cross High Tea & Garden Tour at Larnach Castle DUNEDIN - OAMARU Sun 2 Moeraki Boulders on way to Oamaru Brydone Hotel Steam Train 9 May Blue Penguin viewing in Oamaru or North Star Whitestone Cheese Tour OAMARU - CHRISTCHURCH Distinction Steam Train Mon 3 Akaroa Harbour nature cruise OR Steam Tug Boat Hotel / Coach 10 May OR City & Tram Tour Christchurch / Steam Ship CHRISTCHURCH - KAIKOURA The White Tue 4 Seal Colony Walk Morph Hotel Steam Train 11 May Whale Watching, Dolphins, Scenic flights (optional) and equivalent KAIKOURA - KEKERENGU - BLENHEIM Wed 5 Lunch at Kekerengu “The Store” Scenic Hotel Steam Train 12 May Yealands Estate vineyard tour Marlborough The Wine Station BLENHEIM - PICTON - WELLINGTON Thu 6 Coach to Picton Coach 13 May Afternoon Interislander Ferry to Wellington / Ferry Tour ends South Island 13-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 6 May 2021 6 DAY 1 Saturday 24th April 2021 Christchurch - Arthur’s Pass - Franz Josef Your journey begins with a Meet and Greet at Christchurch Railway Station, where the iconic TranzAlpine awaits. Often regarded to be one of the world’s great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes. The journey is 223 kilometres one- way, taking almost five hours. You will see epic vistas, travel the edges of the ice-fed Waimakariri River, traverse the majestic Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps, and see miles of native beech forest. DAY 2 Sunday 25th April 2021 Luxury coaches await in Greymouth to transport you to your hotel in the ruggedly beautiful Franz Josef. Franz Josef – Queenstown Wake up to enjoy some pampering at the Franz Josef Glacier Hot Pools and options are available for Passengers stay at the Scenic Hotel Franz helicopter tours of the glacier. Leaving Franz Josef, Josef. we travel along the West Coast through the Haast Pass, journeying through native beech forest and over the Southern Alps. This remote area has a ruggedly beautiful landscape of vast rainforests, gushing waterfalls and snow-capped mountains. After a tea break in Makarora on the border of Mount Aspiring World Heritage Park, we pass by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Dunstan, Lake Wanaka, and Lake Hawea. The adventure playground of Queenstown then awaits! Cap off a special day as we take in The Remarkables Mountain Range and the view of Lake Wakatipu from the hotel. Passengers stay at Copthorne Hotel Lakefront which is located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, within walking distance of Queenstown’s central shopping and entertainment area. The hotel offers panoramic views of Lake Wakatipu and surrounding mountain peaks. South Island 13-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 6 May 2021 7 DAY 3 Monday 26th April 2021 Queenstown Spend a leisurely day exploring Queenstown. Later in the afternoon, we join a lake cruise on board the historic TSS Earnslaw, the 1912 Edwardian steamboat, which takes us across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm for dinner. Passengers stay at Copthorne Hotel DAY 4 Tuesday, 27th April 2021 Lakefront which is located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, within walking distance of Queenstown’s central shopping and Queenstown - Te Anau entertainment area. Departing Queenstown, we call in to visit the historic and picturesque goldmining town, Arrowtown, on the banks of the Arrow River and taking in the Lakes District Museum. Continuing our journey through the Fiordland National Park district, we stop off to see the Te Anau glowworms caves.