Great Southern Steam Train Tour • SOUTH ISLAND RAIL TOUR • DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH (RETURN) 24 APRIL - 3 MAY 2021 10-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 5: Journey with us into the deep south of New Zealand 10-DAY TOUR Departing Christchurch (return) and experience the postcard perfect vistas and from 24 April – 3 May 2021 dramatic alpine scenery that this part of the world is renowned for. You will start your journey departing Christchurch on the iconic TranzAlpine via Arthur’s Pass. Then we begin the traverse inland on 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 scenic coastal journey (via Dunedin and Oamaru) steam- hauled, in the comfort of vintage carriages. South Island 10-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 3 May 2021 2 CONTENTS 10-DAY TOUR DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH (RETURN) DAY 1 DAY 2 Christchurch – Franz Josef – Franz Josef Queenstown page 6 page 6 DAY 3 DAY 4 Queenstown Queenstown – Te Anau page 7 page 7 DAY 5 DAY 6 Te Anau – Te Anau – Milford Sound Invarcargill page 8 page 8 DAY 7 DAY 8 Invarcargill – Dunedin Dunedin page 9 page 9 DAY 9 DAY 10 Dunedin – Oamaru – Oamaru Christchurch page 10 page 10 South Island 10-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 3 May 2021 3 10-DAY TOUR DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH (RETURN) 24 APRIL - 3 MAY 2021 TranzAlpine Luxury Coach Steam Train South Island 10-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 3 May 2021 4 10-DAY TOUR has a ruggedly beautiful landscape of vast rainforests, gushing waterfalls and snow-capped mountains. DEPARTING After a tea break in Makarora on the border of CHRISTCHURCH Mount Aspiring World Heritage Park, we pass by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Dunstan, Lake (RETURN) Wanaka, and Lake Hawea, arriving in Queenstown. The adventure playground of Queenstown awaits - cap off a special day as we take in The Remarkables 24 APRIL - 3 MAY 2021 Mountain Range and the view of Lake Wakatipu from the hotel. Queenstown highlights include the historic and picturesque goldmining town, Your journey begins with a Meet and Greet in Arrowtown, on the banks of the Arrow River and Christchurch, where the iconic TranzAlpine awaits. taking in the Lakes District Museum. We join a Often regarded to be one of the world’s great train lake cruise on board the historic TSS Earnslaw, the journeys for the scenery through which it passes. 1912 Edwardian steamboat, which takes us across The journey is 223 kilometres one-way, taking Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm almost five hours. You will see epic vistas, travel the for dinner. edges of the ice-fed Waimakariri River, traverse the majestic Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps, and Departing Queenstown and onto the Fiordland see miles of native beech forest. National Park district, where we spend a couple of awe-inspiring days experiencing the wonders of Te The tour is escorted by a fleet of luxury coaches Anau and Milford Sound. that provide seamless transfers from the train to your accommodation each evening. Wake up the Traversing the Southern Scenic Route to Invercargill, following day in Franz Josef, where guests are we continue to Dunedin. Exploring Moeraki encouraged to wind down and enjoy some well- Boulders, OCHO Chocolate Factory tour and deserved pampering at the Franz Josef Glacier Hot enjoying high tea at Larnach Castle. In Oamaru, we Pools. seek out unique places of interest such as the Blue Penguin Colony and Whitestone Cheese Factory. Departing the West Coast, we will travel through the Haast Pass, journeying through native beech Tour ends in Christchurch - the journey of a lifetime. forest and over the Southern Alps. This remote area South Island 10-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 3 May 2021 5 10-DAY TOUR DEPARTING CHRISTCHURCH (RETURN) 24 APRIL – 3 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 Mon 3 Steam Train to Christchurch Steam Train 10 May Tour ends. South Island 10-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 3 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 10-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 3 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. The Te Anau caves are a culturally and ecologically important system of limestone caves on the western shore of Lake Te Anau. We spend a couple of awe- inspiring days experiencing the wonders of Te Anau and Milford Sound. Passengers stay at Distinction Hotel Luxmore. South Island 10-Day Steam Train Tour • 24 April 2021 - 3 May 2021 8 DAY 5 Wednesday 28th April 2021 DAY 6 Thursday 29th April 2021 Te Anau - Milford Sound - Te Te Anau – Invercargill Anau As we depart Fiordland National Park district, Traveling along the Milford Road (between Te Anau continuing to traverse the Southern Scenic Route, and Milford) is one of the finest alpine drives in our journey by coach calls in to visit the Takahe the world. The scenery is exceptional, ranging from Bird Sanctuary. Takahe are the stars of the show broad grassy flats, dense rainforest and towering and meeting these prehistoric-looking characters is mountains through to glacial lakes and alpine herb a ‘must do’ for Fiordland visitors. The sanctuary is fields. A day tour to Milford Sound offers some of a large part of the success of the Takahe Recovery the most spectacular natural scenery to be viewed Programme. anywhere in the world. Board the coach and travel Then a lunch stop at Tuatapere Café, followed by through stunning scenery along the Milford Road a visit to the Te Hikoi Museum in Riverton, the and into Fiordland, where your cruise boat awaits South’s ultimate heritage attraction, just 25 minutes you.