Tui Queenstown
8 day South Island Adventure Tour

Sunday Arrive, hike Routeburn Track
Your trip starts in Queenstown, a small lakeside town set among the mountains of the South Island. You’ll need to be in Queenstown by around 11:30am. We’ll meet you there and head down to Te Anau for lunch, before continuing on to The Divide, where we’ll hike part of the Routeburn Track. This hike gives us unsurpassed views of the Hollyford Valley, from mountains to sea, as well as Lake Marian and Mt. Christina. It’s then a short drive through the Homer Tunnel, emerging at the top of a spectacular alpine road winding its way down 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 Lodge is definitely not a 5-star hotel, but it’s a great little place, and a wonderful location to hang out at the end of such an adventurous day!
ACCOMMODATION: Milford Lodge, Milford Sound (L,D)

Monday Sea kayak Milford Sound, explore Fiordland National Park
It’s an early start today. 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, getting up close and personal with the sound while causing minimum disruption to the seals and dolphins, that 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. After your morning’s paddle, we’ll have lunch before continuing on to Lake Manapouri. Along the way we’ll spend more time exploring the Fiordland wilderness, checking out some of its more interesting residents like the kea (nestor notabilis) New Zealand’s notoriously cheeky alpine parrot and the Kotukutuku (fuchsia excorticate) the world’s largest fuchsia.
ACCOMMODATION: Lake Manapouri Inn, Manapouri (B,L,D)

Tuesday Queenstown and a local hike
Today we’ll travel from Manapouri back to Queenstown in the morning and then the rest of the day is up to you! You can either head out around the shore of Lake Wakatipu with your guides to hike one of the local tracks that take in great views of The Remarkables mountain range and other peaks towering above the lake, or if you prefer, we can drop you off in town on the way and you can check out the town and participate in one of the many awesome activities on offer in the area.
ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown apartments, Queenstown (B,L)

Wednesday Hike Ben Lomond or free day in Queenstown
Today you have two options – a full day hike or a free day to yourself – it’s up to you! For those keen for a challenging alpine hike, we’ll head up Ben Lomond Track after breakfast. Ben Lomond, one of Queenstown’s prominent peaks, was named by the early Scottish settlers in the area who were reminded of the highlands of their home country. We hike up through forested slopes which then give way to alpine tussock-land leading us to the summit of Ben Lomond. From this vantage point you’ll find yourself immersed in amazing views over Queenstown Bay and Lake Wakatipu which are themselves dwarfed by the surrounding mountains such as Mt. Aspiring. As an alternative, you can have a free day with no activities scheduled, although we’ll certainly help with suggestions if you like. Queenstown, where ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND is based, is a great place to spend a couple of days. You’ll find all the comforts of civilisation: massage therapists, restaurants, sidewalk cafés, window-shopping and adrenaline pumping activities! You’ll also find some incredible optional activities here such as biking, hang gliding, hiking, white-water rafting, jet boating, skydiving, horse trekking, fishing and wine tours – it’s all here! Your guides can help you during the trip to book any of these optional activities. Queenstown is not a big place – the population is about 8000 – but there’s plenty to do! Or, you can do nothing and just soak up the atmosphere.
ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown apartments, Queenstown

Thursday Start Mt. Aspiring National Park options
Today we have breakfast at a divine little café in Queenstown, before making the short drive across the mountains at Cardrona Saddle to the lovely little village of Wanaka. Here you’ll be fitted with a 21-speed front-suspension Specialized mountain bike for a scenic bike ride along the Te Araroa track to Hawea. This gently undulating section of the track follows the crystal clear Clutha and Hawea Rivers through the rugged Central Otago landscape for 10 miles (17km) to the charming mountain town of Hawea where we’ll stop for lunch before carrying on to Makarora (pop. 30), a small farming village bordering Mt. Aspiring National Park. From here we’ll head off on our various adventures.

Friday (continued) Finish Mt. Aspiring National Park options
After regrouping in Makarora, we’ll have a picnic lunch before a beautiful drive over Haast Pass to the South Island’s West Coast, before arriving in Franz Josef by late afternoon.
ACCOMMODATION: Franz Josef lodgings, Franz Josef (B,L,D)

Saturday Hike at Franz Josef Glacier
Just down the road from Franz Josef township there are two formidable glaciers descending from the mountains to the sea. In terms of scenery, this place is just off the chart, and we’ll spend most of the day hiking at Franz Josef Glacier. We’ll hike up through the rainforest to either Alex Knob or Roberts Point, both of which give great views of the terminal face, lower reaches and lateral moraines of the Franz Josef Glacier. We only do these hikes 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 Franz Josef Glacier and up to the historic Tatare Tunnels.

Heli-hike option (add US$350 + tax)
A less strenuous, but outrageously scenic option today is to heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier itself. After being fitted with crampons, ice axes and so on, you’ll board a modern turbine helicopter and fly towards the highest peaks of the Southern Alps, landing on the glacier at 4,000 feet (1300m) above sea level. Led by specialist glacier guides, you’ll hike through the grand ice formations of the glacier, checking out its crevasses, seracs and tunnels – no previous experience required! The constant movement of the glacier means every day is different, so your guides will cut steps in the ice and make sure you make the most of the conditions. At the end of your hike on the ice, you’ll take another helicopter ride out of the mountains and back to civilisation.
The heli-hike is extremely popular, so we offer advance reservations with the helicopter operators and guiding company. At the time of booking, or up until one month before your trip, you can reserve a space on the heli-hike, and we’ll make sure a spot is held for you. Or you can leave your decision until you’re actually on your trip, and we’ll get you a spot if it’s available.

Sunday Hike in Arthur’s Pass, depart for home
We’ll get in one last hike before heading to Christchurch. We take the short drive into the Southern Alps and up to Arthur’s Pass where we’ll hike up to Devils Punchbowl. Then, after lunch, we’ll head to Christchurch to arrive in time for your flights to Auckland and back home. This will have been a very exhilarating week, and you’ll be relaxed and refreshed! See the itinerary for our Kauri trip if you want to take a few more days to see the North Island as well. (B,L)