Arrive Queenstown
"Haere Mai" Welcome to Queenstown - the beautiful alpine resort regarded as New Zealand’s premier holiday destination. On completion of formalities, pick up your rental car and travel onto your accommodation. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore Queenstown.
Queenstown - Milford Sound - Overnight Cruise
This morning depart Queenstown for your journey to Milford Sound. The road from Te Anau to Milford is one of New Zealand’s most scenic drives. The first part is relatively mild farmland, then you’ll ease into beech forest near the entrance to the Fiordland National Park. Look for the Avenue of the Disappearing Mountain and the Mirror Lakes. Then the rough hewn Homer Tunnel brings you into Milford Sound, an amazing 22km-long fiord dominated by Mitre Peak. Make sure you allow for plenty of time to stop at the numerous viewing points or short walking opportunities en route.
Board the Milford Mariner for a relaxing cruise. Cruise the entire length of the Sound to the Tasman Sea & view spectacular waterfalls, rainforests, mountains & wildlife. The Milford Mariner is designed along the lines of a traditional New Zealand trading scow to reflect Fiordland's heritage and you will be accommodated in private cabins with en-suite bathrooms in this purpose-built vessel. It boasts spacious deck areas for viewing the wilderness, scenery & wildlife of Milford and activities include kayaking and excursions in the tender vessels (stabi craft) to explore the coastline. For an additional cost, you can substitute an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound from Manapouri. (B/D)
Day 3
Return to Queenstown
After breakfast on board, there is further cruising this morning before returning to the Milford Wharf. Disembark and rejoin your rental car to retrace your steps back to Queenstown. (B)
Queenstown at leisure
Enjoy a full day to experience this magnificent resort town. Surrounded by majestic mountains, Queenstown boasts adventure & leisure activities in all forms, from extreme to relaxed exploration. Here you can take a thrilling jet boat ride on the Shotover Jet or Dart River Safari, pan for gold in arrowtown, board the TSS Earnslaw and take a nostalgic cruise of beautiful Lake Wakatipu, play golf or experience Queenstown's sheer canyons by 4WD.
Day 5
Queenstown – Arrowtown – Wanaka Set beneath the rugged Crown Range is Arrowtown, a fascinating collection of mining cottages with an atmosphere straight out of last century. Enjoy some time to stroll through this historic village, once a haven for the gold prospectors of the 1860’s. The shortest route to Wanaka is over the Crown Range Road. It’s a challenging drive, but the views are amazing. More conservative drivers can take the route that runs beside the Shotover River, Lake Dunstan and the Clutha River. The vineyards of the Gibbston area and bungy jumpers at the Kawarau River Bridge are interesting distractions along the way. The lakeside resort town of Wanaka can provide you with an appealing mix of fine living, family fun and adventure. It has a high concentration of cafes, restaurants and interesting shops. You’ll also find some unique attractions, like the 3D maze at Puzzling World. (B)
Wanaka – Queenstown
Spend the day at leisure in Wanaka today. There are many options available for sightseeing or adventure activities or you may just like to relax by the lake before the leisurely drive back to Queenstown. (B)
Depart Queenstown Sadly your holiday is at an end and you will return your rental car to Queenstown airport today for your onward flight. Here, we bid you a fond farewell and hope you leave with many happy memories of your stay in Aotearoa, New Zealand. (B)
Note: This self drive tour can be completed in reverse order, the tour cost remains the same.To view tour prices or to make an enquiry, please click on the Tabs at the top of this itinerary.Top
7 Day Southern Lakes Reviews
Tour reviews from past clients of Relaxing Journeys.
1 Reviews,
Average Rating 4.0
of 5.
Loved it. Everything was organised exertly. Even at the aiport where our TomTom wasn't available we got an upgrade in terms of vehicle instead. We loved the Fijordland Lodge and wished we had stayed there longer. It was fantastic in terms of quality of accomodation, food and luxury. Unfortunately that meant that the Watersedge in Wanaka was less than it might have been and was probably our least favourite accomodation. All activities were very special from the gondola and luge in Qweenstown to the Dart River jet boat and Funjak and the Quad Biking in Cardroma. Milford Sound was unfortunately visited on a wet and miserable day so not at its best. Travel distances and times we found were less than quoted - quite significantly - but perhaps we had good travel days - Christchurch accomodation was great too. So, only thing we would have changed would be longer in Fijordland Lodge and perhaps stay in the Lodges of New Zealand generally which from a bocklet we found at Fijordland seemed lovely. Thanks for your help and perseverance Jarrod.
Sue Francis (Australia) Tour Date 15/01/2011
2012/13 Season Sale! Save 10% off the prices shown on our website, for 01 May to 31 Aug 2012 departures. Save 5% on all other departures. Deposit this month to qualify!
*Terms & Conditions apply to any discounts and/or specials above. Your designated tour consultant will apply the appropriate discounts automatically to your quote and detail any currently applicable 'Exclusive Specials'.
Self Drive Tour Notes
Prices above are per person & valid till September 2013.
International flights to & from New Zealand are not included.
Single, Triple & Quad prices are available on request.
If you would prefer a mix of the accommodation listed we can arrange this.
For families we can also price our premium self drive tours using self catering apartments.
Our premium B&B's do not cater for children.
If a property listed on our itinerary is unavailable at the time of booking we will replace it with a equivalent accommodation, and let you know, to ensure it is to your satisfaction.
Please note this itinerary was last amended 5 April 2012.
