Price pp from:

$8,725
Dolphin jumping out of the ocean with island and lighthouse in the background
Nature

South Island Grand Tour

Christchurch

Christchurch

12 days, 11 nights

Self-Guided Coach Tours

From: $8,725 pp

Trip overview

Start your adventure in Christchurch, the Garden City, with a tour of its revitalized streets before heading inland to the alpine majesty of Aoraki/Mt Cook. Then it's on to Dunedin for a wildlife cruise on the Otago Peninsula, where you'll see penguins, seals and albatross in their natural habitat. Travel to Queenstown via the historic Taieri Gorge train, giving you time to explore the adventure capital at your own pace before a delicious BBQ dinner and cruise on the vintage TSS Earnslaw steamship. Your journey continues up the West Coast, passing stunning Wanaka and the rugged coastline to the glaciers of Franz Josef, before a final unforgettable ride on the world-renowned TranzAlpine train back to Christchurch.

Trip highlights & inclusions

12 days / 11 nights
11 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners

Christchurch

Christchurch

Hotel 4 star
  • Christchurch Triple Pass - Tram, Punting and Gondola
  • Hidden Gems City Sights
  • Christchurch to Aoraki-Mt Cook via Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour - Lunch Included

Make an enquiry about this trip or build a custom quote

Price pp from

$8,725

Why Discover New Zealand

  • Wānaka-based specialists planning your trip from inside New Zealand.
  • One travel specialist to plan and book every detail from start to finish.
  • 24/7 in-country support while you’re travelling, so help is close if plans change.

Trip itinerary

Welcome to Christchurch City

Welcome to Ōtautahi / Christchurch, the South Island’s garden city, where historic heritage meets contemporary urban design. Whether you’re exploring the Avon River, wandering through expansive botanical gardens, or discovering contemporary art galleries, Christchurch offers plenty to uncover. As the gateway to the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps, the city is also the perfect base for refined farm-to-table dining, scenic adventures, and alpine escapes

People sitting on concrete steps by a river with modern buildings and a blue tram in the background. Credit: New Zealand Fine Touring

Accommodation

Exterior of a modern hotel building with glass windows reflecting sunset sky and a car parked outside. Credit: Sudima Christchurch City
Sudima Christchurch City

Cheeky Kiwi operating on certain days

Please be advised that certain aspects of this tour may operate on specific days of the week.
We recommend contacting one of our travel specialists to identify a departure date that suits your schedule.

Trip highlights

Historic blue tram with glowing interior lights traveling on a city street at night. Credit: Christchurch Tramway

Christchurch Triple Pass - Tram, Punting and Gondola

River flowing under a bridge with lush green trees and grass on a sunny day. Credit: Amiki Tours

Hidden Gems City Sights

Road through grassland valley with snow-capped mountains under a blue sky with clouds. Credit: Cheeky Kiwi - Aoraki Mt Cook

Christchurch to Aoraki-Mt Cook via Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour - Lunch Included

Indoor dining room with purple chairs and large windows showing alpine mountains and greenery outside. Credit: The Hermitage Hotel

The Alpine Restaurant Buffet Dinner

Group of tourists in yellow boat touring near a blue glacier with rocky mountain background. Credit: The Hermitage Hotel

Glacier Explorers

Waiter pouring white wine to a woman at a restaurant table with mountains in the background Credit: The Hermitage Hotel

3-course dinner at The Panorama Room in The Hermitage Hotel

Historic Dunedin Railway Station with clock tower and neatly trimmed hedge garden under clear blue sky. Credit: Iconic Tours NZ

Mt Cook to Dunedin with Iconic

Several seals resting on the shore near water with hills in the background. Credit: Monarch Wildlife

Wildlife Peninsula Encounter Tour and Wildlife Cruise with Monarch

Passenger train crossing a narrow railway bridge over a gorge with river and rocky mountain landscape under blue sky. Credit: Cheeky Kiwi Travel

Dunedin to Queenstown including Taieri Gorge Train

Aerial view of Milford Sound with mountains, water, cruise boats, and airplane wing under clear sky. Credit: Cheeky Kiwi Travel

Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour, Cruise, Return Flight & Picnic Lunch from Queenstown

Steamboat cruising on blue lake water with snowy mountains in the background on a clear day. Credit: Real Journeys

TSS Earnslaw Cruise and Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Dinner

Hiker with backpack standing on rock looking at tall waterfall surrounded by dense forest. Credit: Cheeky Kiwi Travel

Queenstown to Franz Josef via Wānaka Small Group Tour - Lunch Included

Person walking on wooden swing bridge over bright blue river with green trees and sunny sky Credit: Hokitika Scenic Tours

Franz Josef to Greymouth Train Station with Hokitika Scenic Tours

Aerial view of a KiwiRail train on a bridge over river with mountains and clouds at sunset. Credit: Kiwi Rail

TranzAlpine Scenic Train: Greymouth to Christchurch

Additional inclusions

Private Transfer Christchurch International Airport to Christchurch Accommodation

Dunedin Accommodation to Coach Stop Transfer

Shared Transfer from the Christchurch Train Station to Christchurch CBD Accommodation

Private Transfer from Christchurch Accommodation to Airport

24/7 support from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart

Talk to a local travel specialist. Enquire