Day 1 - Arrive and snorkeling with seals in Kaikoura

Most people leave the Northern hemisphere on a Saturday evening and arrive in Auckland early on Monday morning. You'll lose a day to the dateline - but you get it back on the way home! You'll immediately take the short flight to Christchurch in the South Island where we'll meet you. You'll need to arrive in Christchurch by 10 am or so, then we'll meet you and drive up the coast to the seaside town of Kaikoura, where we will spend the afternoon and evening. We'll take you out to the Kaikoura Peninsula for a snorkeling trip at the seal colony. You'll be supplied with a wetsuit, a mask and a snorkel, and you can swim within a couple of feet of the native New Zealand Fur Seals as they cavort in the water. This makes for a cruisy introduction to New Zealand and gives you the chance to spend most of the day relaxing and recovering from your flight. Depending on where you're coming from, you'll probably find jetlag is no big deal. For instance, it's a 12-hour direct overnight flight from the West Coast of the USA to Auckland and there's only a 3 hour time difference between New Zealand and US Pacific time. If you're coming from further afield, you'll appreciate the gentle start to your New Zealand adventure.

ACCOMMODATION: A lovely local Bed & Breakfast, Kaikoura. (L,D)

Day 2 - 3-day hiking in Nelson Lakes, mountain biking on Queen Charlotte Track, OR sea kayaking in the Marlborough Sounds.

We'll drive north for a couple of hours to Blenheim, in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. We'll visit Forrest Estate Winery, where you can sample some of their fantastic wines while we picnic on the vineyard lawn. At the time of booking, you have the choice of a 3-day/2-night backpacking trip in Nelson Lakes National Park, a 3-day/2-night sea kayaking trip in the Marlborough Sounds, or a 3-day/2-night biking trip on the Queen Charlotte Track. The backpacking trip entails staying in mountain huts, while the cyclists and sea kayakers stay in more conventional lodgings, often with amenities like a hot tubs, private bathrooms and even a bar! Add US$299 + tax for the sea kayaking or biking options. After lunch, we head off for our various activities:


HIKING OPTION

Day 2 (Continued) - Nelson Lakes National Park

If you prefer hiking, we've got just the thing! Our hike starts at the charming village of St. Arnaud, on the edge of Nelson Lakes National Park. To keep our hiking group sizes down in this beautiful but fragile environment, we keep our exact route and group composition flexible. We'll spend a relaxing afternoon hiking alongside Lake Rotoiti. We'll stay at Lakehead Hut overnight, a small mountain cabin in a gorgeous setting at the head of Lake Rotoiti, with a river running by and mountains everywhere you look. Nelson Lakes National Park straddles the northern part of the Southern Alps, an area composed of beech forests, big lakes and even bigger mountains. It's a special place and in our opinion vastly superior to its more famous neighbour, Abel Tasman National Park. This is serious wilderness country - no roads, no shops, no TVs - just incredible views and marvelous solitude. You don't have to carry a heavy pack - our guides are pretty tough and they'll carry the lion's share of the load. Most of our clients carry a sleeping bag, clothes for 3 days, and a little food - no need for any more than that, although we provide tents and so on if you prefer to camp. (B,L,D)

Day 3 - Nelson Lakes National Park

Today is an unforgettable day - the scenery gets even better with each step! We walk alongside the Travers River, through native beech forest, before heading up the Hukere Stream to spend the rest of the day hiking up to the ridgeline of the mountains. This is a steep hike, with an elevation gain of 3000 feet, but it's absolutely worth it. There is a gorgeous alpine lake at the top and the remote but comfortable Angelus Hut is ideally situated right on the edge of the lake. We have plenty of experience in getting people to the top, whatever your physical fitness level and age. If you're still keen for more, from Angelus Hut we'll scramble up a nearby peak to enjoy stunning views in every direction. If you prefer to hang out at the hut with a cuppa tea, that's fine too! Many of our clients who have chosen the hiking option tell us that the Angelus Circuit - still unspoilt and non-commercial - was the highlight of their New Zealand experience, and many Kiwis prefer this trip to the better-known Milford and Routeburn Tracks. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - Nelson Lakes National Park

This morning we'll wake up on top of the world. After breakfast, it's a four-hour walk out, first along the stark ridgeline with dramatic views down to Tasman Bay and the mountains of Kahurangi National Park beyond, then down through native beech forest. It's a challenging walk out, but it's worth every drop of sweat! We'll hook up with the kayakers and cyclists before carrying on to the coast.


SEA KAYAKING OPTION - ADD $299 NZD + TAX

Day 2 (Continued) - Marlborough Sounds

After lunch at the winery you'll head for Anakiwa on the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound. The waters here are calm and isolated, surrounded by lush forests and rocky coastline. Here you'll be matched with a modern sea kayak and all the necessary safety equipment for paddling. You don't need any experience to do this option, but if you are an experienced sea kayaker, you won't be bored. After a thorough safety briefing, you'll head out with your guide. It'll be late afternoon by now, so it's a fairly gentle first day's paddle. (B,L,D)

Day 3 - Marlborough Sounds

Today we'll have a full day's paddling in the more remote reaches of Queen Charlotte Sound. You can paddle at your own pace and we'll make sure that you get as much or as little "sea time" as you like! Along the way we'll check out the secluded beaches and native forest that characterize the area, and we'll see all sorts of native birds. With a bit of luck, we'll be paddling alongside the local dolphins and even penguins! It's worth noting that you don't just paddle on this option - you have plenty of time to stop for short beach and forest walks as well. After the day's activities, you'll be able to have a hot shower, and enjoy a great dinner and a comfortable night's sleep.

Day 4 - Marlborough Sounds

We spend the morning paddling to our takeout point at Anakiwa. Another chance to spot local wildlife before having lunch. After taking our kayaks out of the water, we'll transfer to St. Arnaud, where we hook up with the rest of the group before carrying on to the coast.


BIKING OPTION - ADD $299 NZD + TAX

Day 2 (Continued) - Queen Charlotte Track

Another option over this period of time is to do some biking. After lunch at the winery you'll head for Anakiwa on the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound, where you'll be fitted with a modern mountain bike for a fairly gentle ride to start. We have a lot of flexibility with this option, so this afternoon's ride will give your guide the opportunity to tailor the next two days to your level of experience. We offer a range of fantastic trails to suit your experience and interests - from gentle pedaling along a wide, flat forest trail to more challenging single-track. It's your call. In the evening we'll enjoy an awesome dinner in a local lodge before the big day tomorrow.

Day 3 - Queen Charlotte Track

Another option over this period of time is to do some biking. After lunch at the winery you'll head for Anakiwa on the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound, where you'll be fitted with a modern mountain bike for a fairly gentle ride to start. We have a lot of flexibility with this option, so this afternoon's ride will give your guide the opportunity to tailor the next two days to your level of experience. We offer a range of fantastic trails to suit your experience and interests - from gentle pedaling along a wide, flat forest trail to more challenging single-track. It's your call. In the evening we'll enjoy an awesome dinner in a local lodge before the big day tomorrow.

Day 4 - Queen Charlotte Track

We'll spend the morning biking back towards Anakiwa before rejoining the hikers and the kayakers in the afternoon and carrying on to the coast.


TOUR CONTINUED...

Day 4 (Continued) - Finish 3-day backpacking, biking, or sea kayaking

After regrouping we'll head to the wonderful West Coast area - 500 miles of coastline with a population of only 40,000 people on the whole coast! For dinner this evening, we'll stop at the tiny seaside settlement of Charleston to pick up the quintessential Kiwi dinner - fish and chips! If it's a fine evening, we'll enjoy our fish and chips on the beach before heading south down the stunning coastline towards the coastal village of Punakaiki.

ACCOMMODATION: West Coast lodgings. Comfortable and quiet. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Hiking in Punakaiki & beach in Okarito Lagoon

We'll spend most of the day in Punakaiki to hike amongst the limestone canyons and lush rainforest of the Inland Pack Track. The gold miners who first opened up the area over a century ago originally established this trail. We'll also check out the Pancake Rocks and the blowholes. This is one of our favorite places in the world, and you'll see why. Finally we'll leave in the afternoon to drive down the scenic coastal road and stop at Hokitika to check out the local art galleries and pounamu carving workshops ("pounamu" is Maori for jade). Then we'll carry on to Okarito Lagoon, a gem on the West Coast that is all but untouched due to it being 10 miles down a one-way road from an obscure highway turnoff. There are no shops, no restaurants and no traffic here - and a population of only 31 people!

ACCOMMODATION: Okarito Beach House, Okarito. Off-the-beaten-path, isolated and comfortable. (B,L,D).

Day 6 - Kayaking in Okarito Lagoon, hiking & beach

You've got a lot of options at Okarito. You can spend a cruisy day in this sleepy but beautiful beach town to recharge your batteries, or do some awesome hiking and kayaking. The Okarito Lagoon is unique in that it hosts the only white heron colony in New Zealand. You can sea kayak on the lagoon with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains for a few hours, then spend the rest of the day exploring the deserted beach or hiking in the rainforest. This evening - after a traditional Kiwi roast dinner (with vegetarian options of course) - we can head out to listen for New Zealand's most famous bird, the rare and elusive kiwi. You'll almost never see a kiwi, as they are nocturnal and very shy, but they have a very distinctive call, so it's great fun to go out and listen for them. And the sunsets around here are definitely not to be missed.

ACCOMMODATION: Okarito Beach House, Okarito. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - Hiking near Franz Josef Glacier

Just south of Okarito there are two formidable glaciers descending from the mountains to the sea. In terms of scenery, this place is just off the chart! Today we'll take an awesome hike through the rainforest up to Roberts Point, overlooking the terminal face of the Franz Josef Glacier. We only do this hike in good weather, as the rocks get very slippery in the rain. If it's raining, we'll do a shorter walk to the terminal face of the Fox Glacier, hike around Lake Matheson, and visit the Blue Pools near the Haast Pass. From Franz Josef it's about three hours down the coast to Makarora (pop. 30), which is a camp settlement directly next to Mt. Aspiring National Park. We'll stay at a beautifully landscaped homestead on the edge of the camp, in the shadow of the mountains. A unique option this afternoon, instead of the Roberts Point hike, is to take a helicopter ride up towards the highest peaks of the Southern Alps. If you choose this option, you'll be landing 4,000 feet up on the glacier itself to start a 3-hour hike on the ice, with crampons, ice axes etc. The helicopter will return to fly you back down to meet up with the rest of the group. (Heli-hike option approximately US$200).

ACCOMMODATION: The Homestead, Makarora. Very comfortable and spacious. (B,L,D). Click here to see an image of where you'll be staying.

Day 8 - Mount Aspiring National Park to Queenstown

We'll head down the road to Lake Wanaka for a short hike over-looking the lake and the surrounding mountains. A short drive across the mountains at Cardrona Saddle and we drop into Queenstown in time for lunch. Queenstown is a great place to spend a couple of days. It's the adventure capital of New Zealand - you'll find all the comforts of civilization: massage therapists, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, window shopping, and adrenaline pumping activities! You'll find some incredible optional activities here, such as hang gliding, bungy jumping, jet boating, skydiving, horse trekking, fishing, and wine tours - it's all here! There are also incredible hikes and bike rides as well. Queenstown is not a big place - the population is about 5000 - but there's plenty to do! Or you can do nothing, if you prefer to just soak up the atmosphere. Many of our clients enjoy lounging about just reading a book after the hiking and paddling on the West Coast.

ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown condominiums. (B,L)

Day 9 - Free day in Queenstown

It's all up to you today - enjoy!

ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown condominiums. (B)

Day 10 - Cycling Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys & hiking Routeburn Track

Today we begin a couple of days of the most unforgettable cycling you may ever do! This morning we head down through Te Anau towards Milford Sound. You'll be fitted with a 21-speed front suspension bike for a spectacular ride through the legendary Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys to The Divide. We maintain plenty of flexibility – keen cyclists can start early and cover 50 miles or more throughout the day. Moderately keen cyclists can be picked up anytime along the way, for a shorter ride. If cycling is not your thing, you can skip it and just enjoy the scenery - like all our activities, the cycling is completely optional. After recovering our cyclists, we'll hike part of the famous Routeburn Track up to Key Summit for unbelievable views of the surrounding peaks. The Routeburn is one of the best-known hiking tracks in New Zealand and we do the best part of the track, which overlooks the Hollyford Valley, Lake Marion, and Mt. Christina. After hiking back to the trailhead, cyclists can take to the bikes again for the short downhill ride to Gunn's Camp , in the Hollyford Valley. Gunn's Camp is an isolated and rustic establishment, originally set up in the 1930s for the workers who built the Homer Tunnel and the Milford Road. They didn't live in luxury, but they lived in a beautiful, tranquil place, with about a dozen cabins scattered about a central building. Gunn's Camp is right next to the Hollyford River and is surrounded by the towering peaks of Fiordland National Park. It's definitely not a 5-star hotel, but it's a great little place, and a wonderful place to hang out at the end of such an adventurous day!

Note from Andrew Fairfax, Active New Zealand 's owner:
Gunn's Camp is a famous kiwi icon, but the facilities are pretty rugged compared to all the other awesome places we stay on our trips. Many of our clients love it, but some have told us they feel it needs a lick of paint, better bathroom facilities, and so on. We have asked the owner to upgrade the facilities in time for the 05/06 NZ summer season. We're pretty serious about hot showers and a comfortable bed :) If the 05/06 revamp is not done to our satisfaction, we'll be staying somewhere else.

ACCOMMODATION: Gunn's Camp, Hollyford Valley. Rustic but idyllic. (B,L,D)

Day 11 - Sea kayaking in Milford Sound

It's an early start today. First we'll have a short drive through the Homer Tunnel, which comes out at the top of a spectacular alpine road that winds its way downhill to Milford Sound. The lush rainforest carpeting the lower slopes of the mountains gives way to the massively steep glacier-carved slopes and waterfalls of the Darren Range.

Milford Sound, rated the 8th Natural Wonder of the World by Rudyard Kipling, is breathtaking. Sheer rock walls plunge thousands of feet to the sea, surrounded by snow-capped mountains! Most people see Milford Sound from the deck of a cruise ship, but we've got a better way - gliding along in a sea kayak, causing minimum disruption to the seals and dolphins, which are very friendly and often eager to visit. This is an awesome trip, run by specialist kayak outfitters, and it's equally suitable for beginners or experts. When you get back from your morning's paddle, we'll head to Lake Manapouri, where we'll stay at the Lake Manapouri Inn, beautifully located on the lake's edge. You'll love the great views out over Lake Manapouri and the surrounding mountains of Fiordland National Park. We'll arrive by mid-afternoon so you can relax and enjoy the surroundings or take the bikes out to explore the countryside.

ACCOMMODATION: Lake Manapouri Inn, Lake Manapouri. (B,L,D)

Day 12 - Exploring high country sheep farm

Today we have a mid-morning start, to head back up the road to Queenstown, where we stop for a couple of hours. This gives you the chance to get some lunch, do any last minute shopping or send postcards to friends and family, or whatever you might need to do before heading back into the wilderness for the remainder of your trip. We'll drive up to Lake Pukaki, near Mt. Cook, where we stay on a 60,000-acre working, high-country sheep farm, called Braemar Station. ("Station" is the New Zealand word for a big ranch.) While we're here, we stay in the shearers' quarters. Again, it's not a 5-star hotel, but many of our previous clients have told us this was one of their favorite places on the whole trip! The view out the kitchen window in the morning will knock your socks off - one huge mountain, rearing towards the sky on the other side of a gorgeous cobalt-blue lake. And with no lights for miles around, the stars on a clear night are like nothing you've ever seen - just the place for your last couple of nights in New Zealand!

ACCOMMODATION: Shearers' Quarters, Braemar Station. A little rustic but the views are breathtaking! (B,D)

Day 13 - Hiking near Mt. Cook

This morning it's an hour or so to Mt. Cook village, at the head of Lake Pukaki. Mt. Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand, and we have a stunning and little-known day hike (weather permitting) to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. It's a tough slog up, but you'll remember the view of the Mueller Glacier and the surrounding peaks of the Main Divide forever! There are other hiking options if you'd like to take it a little easier. The weather conditions are very important in this area, as it is a true alpine climate notorious for sudden weather shifts. If we aren't able to do the Mueller hike, we'll take an impressive hike up the Hooker Valley to a glacial lake at the base of Hooker Glacier, complete with icebergs! Then we head back to the shearers' quarters for the last night of the Rimu . We'll enjoy a traditional Kiwi BBQ and a cold drink as we sit outside and watch the sun set over Mt. Cook.

ACCOMMODATION: Shearers' quarters, Braemar Station. (B,L)

Day 14 - Depart for home

This is the last day of your two-week trip around the South Island. See the itinerary for the Kauri trip if you want to take a few more days to see the North Island as well, or check out our AUSSIE WALKABOUTS itineraries if you've got lots of time and want to visit Australia, fondly known as New Zealand's "West Island". We'll leave after breakfast for the three-hour drive to Christchurch, and arrive in the afternoon in time for the flights back to Auckland. Any flight after 4pm is ideal but we can make 3pm flights if we have a little notice. International flights from Auckland usually leave early evening, so if you're heading back to North America, you'll get home some time on Sunday, even though you left on Sunday evening! Flights back to Europe, of course, take a little longer. You'll be refreshed and invigorated from the good food, exercise, rest, and great times you'll have had with us in New Zealand! (B,L)