10-Day Southern Pioneer: Christchurch, Glaciers & Queenstown in Comfort

Tour Overview

Data source: Haka Plus Tours — “Southern Pioneer” itinerary, published price NZD $4,837 per person. This is the premium version of Haka’s South Island tour, featuring upgraded accommodation and enhanced inclusions.

Day 1: Christchurch / Ōtautahi — Arrival & Garden City

• Arrive at Christchurch International Airport (CHC). Private transfer to your 4-star city centre accommodation. Your Southern Pioneer experience begins with the comfort and quality that defines this elevated tour
• Afternoon: Your guide leads an orientation walk through the city of resilience. Start at Cathedral Square — the partially restored Christ Church Cathedral (currently scaffolded for restoration, a metaphorical and literal rebuild) and the Cardboard Cathedral by Shigeru Ban stand as twin symbols of the city’s rebirth. Walk the laneways of Riverside Market — a vibrant indoor market of local food producers, bakeries, cheese makers, brewers, and artisans that perfectly captures Christchurch’s revitalized spirit
• Hire a punt on the Avon River / Ōtākaro (included). A traditionally dressed punter in Edwardian attire guides you under willow trees, past the Botanic Gardens, beneath stone bridges — the quintessential Christchurch experience, dating back to the city’s founding as an Anglican settlement in 1850
• Welcoming dinner at Curator’s House (or similar) in the Botanic Gardens — a beautiful Spanish Mission-style house (1920) with a kitchen garden and seasonal menu celebrating Canterbury produce: Akaroa salmon, Canterbury lamb, local cheeses, and Central Otago wines

Overnight in Christchurch.

Day 2: Christchurch → TranzAlpine Train → Hokitika — One of the World’s Great Train Journeys

• Morning: Board the TranzAlpine Train (included, premium seats). The 4.5-hour, 223km journey from Christchurch to Greymouth is consistently rated one of the world’s top ten train journeys. The journey:
  • Crosses the Canterbury Plains — a vast geometric patchwork of farmland, hedge rows, and irrigation pivots that produce most of New Zealand’s grain
  • Climbs into the Waimakariri Gorge — the braided river below you shifts between turquoise channels; the train traverses steel viaducts and tunnels carved into the gorge walls
  • Enters Arthur’s Pass National Park — mountain beech forest, alpine meadows, and the 924m high point at Arthur’s Pass village (named after Arthur Dudley Dobson, who discovered the pass in 1864)
  • The Ōtira Tunnel (8.5km, 20 minutes in darkness) burrows through the Southern Alps — emerging on the West Coast side into a completely different world: subtropical rainforest, mist, waterfalls, and the smell of damp earth. The transition is one of the most dramatic geographic shifts from any train journey on Earth
• Arrive Greymouth. Your minibus meets you at the station. Drive south along the Great Coast Road to Punakaiki: the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Walk the 20-minute loop trail through the fantastically layered limestone formations — 30 million years old, formed by immense pressure creating horizontal layers that genuinely look like stacked pancakes. At high tide, the Tasman Sea surges through surge chambers and blowholes, shooting spray into the air with a deep, resonant boom
• Arrive Hokitika. At dusk, walk Hokitika Beach to see the famous driftwood “Hokitika” sign and the ever-changing driftwood sculptures created by local artists — silhouetted against the West Coast sunset, it’s one of the most evocative beach scenes in New Zealand
• Dinner: West Coast whitebait (a seasonal delicacy — tiny transparent native fish, fried in egg patties, a Kiwi institution) at a local restaurant

Overnight in Hokitika.

Day 3: Hokitika → Franz Josef — Pounamu, Rainforest & Glacier Arrival

• Morning: Hokitika Gorge — walk through ancient rimu and kahikatea forest to the swing bridge crossing the vivid turquoise Hokitika River. The water colour — an electric blue from glacial rock flour suspended in the clearest water — is dazzling
• Visit a pounamu (greenstone/jade) gallery and workshop. Watch master carvers transform raw pounamu boulders into taonga (treasures) — pendants, earrings, and sculptures. Pounamu is found only in the South Island and holds profound cultural significance for Ngāi Tahu, the local iwi (tribe). You’ll have the opportunity to carve your own pounamu pendant under expert guidance (included) — a deeply personal souvenir you’ll wear and treasure for years. The carvers explain the protocols: traditionally, pounamu is gifted, not bought for oneself; if you’re buying as a gift, it’s customary for the recipient to wear it against their skin, where it absorbs their mana (spiritual essence)
• Drive south to Franz Josef / Waiau. Stop at Ross, the historic gold-mining settlement where the “Honourable Roddy” (NZ’s largest gold nugget, 2.81kg) was found. Visit the old cemetery and preserved water race
• Arrive Franz Josef. Check into your premium accommodation at the base of the glacier valley. Evening walk: Douglas Walk / Peters Pool — a short rainforest trail leading to a dark reflective pool, perfectly mirroring the glacier and mountains on a calm evening

Overnight at Franz Josef.

Day 4: Franz Josef — Heli-Hike & West Coast Wilderness

• Morning: The centrepiece of the Southern Pioneer experience — a Franz Josef Glacier Heli-Hike (included, NZD $485 value). This is one of New Zealand’s most extraordinary experiences:
  • Scenic helicopter flight: Lift off from Franz Josef township, soaring over the Waiho River valley. The helicopter climbs above the glacier’s terminal face and up the icefall — a frozen cascade of seracs, crevasses, and ice pinnacles. The flight provides a perspective of the glacier’s scale — 12km long, fed by a 20-square-kilometre névé (snowfield) at 2,700m — that’s impossible to grasp from the ground
  • Ice landing: Touch down on a safe, stable section of the glacier (around 800–1,200m elevation). Your certified guide fits you with crampons and an ice axe and leads a 2-hour exploration. You’ll walk on ice that fell as snow 300–500 years ago — its journey from the névé to the terminal face takes that long. Explore ice caves (walls of compressed blue ice, the colour impossibly deep), squeeze through narrow crevasses, step over seracs, and learn about the glacier’s dynamics: its advance of 700m (1983–2008) and the subsequent retreat — a front-row seat to climate science
  • The return flight provides views of the Tasman Sea, the rainforest, and the Southern Alps stretching to the horizon — mountains meeting ocean meeting ice, a collision of ecosystems
• Afternoon at leisure: Walk the glacier valley trail, visit the West Coast Wildlife Centre (home to the rowi — the rarest kiwi species, with only ~600 remaining in the wild), or soak at the Glacier Hot Pools (included) — three heated pools (36°C, 38°C, 40°C) surrounded by rainforest
• Dinner at your accommodation’s restaurant, featuring West Coast produce: venison, blue cod, whitebait, and local wines

Overnight at Franz Josef.

Day 5: Franz Josef → Wanaka — Haast Pass & Wilderness Drive

• A more leisurely morning. After yesterday’s heli-hike achievement, enjoy a relaxed breakfast. Soak at the Glacier Hot Pools one more time, or walk the rainforest trails one last time
• Late morning: Drive south down the West Coast. Stop at Fox Glacier / Te Moeka o Tuawe viewpoint for a view of the larger (13km) but less accessible glacier
• Visit Lake Matheson near Fox Glacier: the “Mirror Lake” of New Zealand. On a calm day, Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman are perfectly reflected in the dark, tannin-stained waters, surrounded by ancient kahikatea and rimu forest. The 1.5-hour walk around the lake passes several viewing platforms — the best reflections are typically in the early morning, but the walk is beautiful at any time of day
• Continue south through Haast — the most remote town on the West Coast, a gateway to the wilderness of South Westland
• Cross Haast Pass / Tioripātea (563m). The pass transects the Southern Alps at their lowest point — the route used for centuries by Māori gathering pounamu. Stop at:
  • Thunder Creek Falls — a 28m waterfall cascading through ancient rainforest, just 5 minutes from the road
  • Fantail Falls — a fan-shaped waterfall over schist bedrock, with native fantails (pīwakawaka) flitting in the spray — these small, friendly birds will come within touching distance
  • Blue Pools — cross a swing bridge over the Makarora River to pools of the clearest blue water imaginable, fed by glacier meltwater. Watch large brown and rainbow trout hold in the current below
• Descend into the Makarora Valley and then the shores of Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea — twin glacial lakes in a valley carved by ancient ice. The views of the mountains across the lakes as you drive are some of the best road scenery in New Zealand
• Arrive Wānaka. Check into your premium accommodation. Evening: Dinner at a lakeside restaurant. Watch the alpenglow colour the mountains pink and orange as the sun sets behind the Southern Alps

Overnight in Wanaka.

Day 6: Wanaka → Queenstown — Rippon, Crown Range & Adventure Capital

• Morning: Walk the Wānaka lakefront to #ThatWanakaTree — the lone crack willow growing in the lake, roots submerged, mountains reflected behind it. It’s the most photographed tree in New Zealand and, especially at sunrise, lives up to the hype
• Wine tasting at Rippon Vineyard (included). Rippon sits on one of the most spectacular vineyard sites on Earth — vines sloping down to the lake shore, with Ruby Island, the lake, and Mount Aspiring / Tititea (3,033m, “the Matterhorn of the South”) in the background. The tasting room overlooks this panorama. The Mills family has farmed this land for four generations, and their biodynamic wines — especially the Riesling and Pinot Noir — are exceptional. Learn about their philosophy of regenerative viticulture and their role as custodians of one of the most photographed pieces of land in New Zealand
• Drive the Crown Range Road (1,121m) to Queenstown. Stop at the summit for the classic view of the Cardrona Valley and the Remarkables. Visit the Cardrona Hotel (est. 1863), one of New Zealand’s most charming historic pubs, for a drink in the beer garden — the whitewashed stone, colourful gardens, and mountain backdrop create the quintessential Central Otago scene
• Arrive Queenstown / Tāhuna. Check into your premium accommodation overlooking the lake. Evening: Skyline Gondola (included) to Bob’s Peak. Enjoy a drink at the bar while taking in the view of Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, Cecil Peak, and Walter Peak. Buffet dinner at the Stratosfare Restaurant (included) — arguably the best restaurant view in New Zealand

Overnight in Queenstown.

Day 7: Queenstown — Milford Sound Day Trip in Premium Comfort

• Early morning: Depart Queenstown for Milford Sound / Piopiotahi. Choose between the luxury glass-roof coach (included, panoramic views, reclining seats, onboard commentary) or a small-plane flight (own expense upgrade — flightseeing over Fiordland with aerial views of Mitre Peak and the fjord)
• The drive through Te Anau (the “walking capital of the world”) and into Fiordland National Park is spectacular. Stops include Mirror Lakes, the Eglinton Valley (a vast U-shaped glacial valley lined with golden tussock — scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring were filmed here), and The Chasm
• Board the Milford Sound Premium Cruise (included, 2 hours). This isn’t the standard cruise — it’s a smaller vessel with fewer passengers, a naturalist guide, and a more personal experience. Sail the full length of the fjord to the Tasman Sea:
  • Mitre Peak rising 1,692m from the sea — one of the world’s highest mountains rising directly from the ocean
  • Waterfalls — Lady Bowen Falls (162m, permanent), Stirling Falls (155m, where the captain noses the bow under the cascade)
  • Wildlife: New Zealand fur seals on Seal Rock, the rare Fiordland crested penguin / tawaki (July–November), and if you’re lucky, bottlenose dolphins
  • Lunch on board (included) — a substantial buffet with local specialities as you cruise past some of the most dramatic scenery on Earth
• The return drive through Fiordland in the late afternoon light offers a completely different perspective on this ancient landscape

Overnight in Queenstown.

Day 8: Queenstown — Free Day in the Adventure Capital

• Free day to curate your own Queenstown experience. Your guide can arrange any activity. Premium recommendations:
  • TSS Earnslaw Cruise & Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Lunch (NZ$175): The 1912 coal-fired steamship (oldest passenger steamship still operating in the Southern Hemisphere) glides across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Farm tour with sheep shearing and working dogs, lakeside barbecue with Central Otago wines
  • Gibbston Valley Wine Tour (NZ$199): Visit 4-5 of Central Otago’s world-renowned wineries — Gibbston Valley, Chard Farm, Peregrine, Mt Difficulty, Amisfield. Wine cave tour, barrel tasting, vertical tastings, and a vineyard lunch
  • Shotover Jet (NZ$159): The original jet boat experience — speed through the Shotover River canyons with 360° spins in just centimetres of water
  • Helicopter Alpine Landing (NZ$310): Land on a glacier or mountain peak for champagne and panoramic views
  • Ben Lomond Track (free, 6-8 hours, challenging): The best views of the Wakatipu Basin from 1,748m. Start from the top of the Skyline Gondola
  • Queenstown Hill Time Walk (free, 3 hours): The “Basket of Dreams” sculpture and stunning lake views
• Evening: Farewell dinner at Rata (Josh Emett’s restaurant, included). Emett worked under Gordon Ramsay for many years, and his Queenstown restaurant is consistently rated among New Zealand’s best, celebrating the finest South Island produce — Bluff oysters, Canterbury lamb, Central Otago cherries, West Coast whitebait — in an intimate setting

Overnight in Queenstown.

Day 9: Queenstown → Arrowtown → Aoraki/Mt Cook — Gold Rush to Glaciers

• Morning: Visit Arrowtown. This beautifully preserved 1862 gold-rush village is one of the most charming places in New Zealand. Walk Buckingham Street’s restored cottages, visit the excellent Lakes District Museum, and walk through the restored Chinese Settlement — a poignant site where Chinese gold miners lived in stone huts built into the hillside in the 1870s–1880s. The exhibit on Ah Lum’s store and the miners’ lives is moving and important — these men contributed enormously to the prosperity of Otago, yet faced discrimination and hardship
• Try gold panning in the Arrow River (included, pans provided). Your guide teaches you the technique. Finding even a tiny gold flake connects you to the tens of thousands of miners who scoured these rivers during the 1860s gold rush
• Lunch at Arcadia Cafe or a local Arrowtown restaurant
• Drive through the Kawarau Gorge, past Cromwell (the fruit basket of Central Otago — stop at a roadside orchard for fresh cherries, apricots, or stone fruit in season), and into the Mackenzie Basin. Stop at Lake Pukaki — the approach to Aoraki/Mt Cook along the lake’s western shore, with the mountain dominating the horizon and reflected in the turquoise water, is New Zealand’s most dramatic alpine drive
• Arrive at Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. Check into The Hermitage Hotel (or similar premium lodge) — the iconic hotel at the foot of New Zealand’s highest peak, with views of Aoraki from the bar, restaurant, and rooms
• Evening walk: Kea Point Track (2 hours return). Watch the last light on Aoraki, Mount Sefton, and the Mueller Glacier. The alpenglow transforming the mountain from white to gold to pink to grey is a nightly ritual in the national park and one of the most beautiful things you’ll ever witness

Overnight at Aoraki/Mt Cook Village (The Hermitage Hotel).

Day 10: Aoraki/Mt Cook → Lake Tekapo → Christchurch — Homeward

• Dawn: If you have the energy, the Hooker Valley Track at sunrise is the ultimate Mt Cook experience (3 hours return). Start before sunrise and watch the first light hit New Zealand’s highest peak, reflected in Hooker Lake among floating icebergs. The alpine air, the silence, and the spectacle of light transforming the mountains make this one of the best walks in the world
• Breakfast at The Hermitage — the Panorama Room restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows framing Aoraki. It’s a breakfast view you’ll never forget
• Depart Mt Cook. Stop at Lake Tekapo — visit the Church of the Good Shepherd one final time, the tiny stone church on the lake’s edge beneath the Southern Alps
• Cross the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. Farewell lunch with the group — a final chance to share photos and memories of glaciers, fjords, gold-rush towns, and alpine peaks
• Transfer to Christchurch International Airport (CHC). After 10 days of the Southern Pioneer — from the TranzAlpine over the Alps, through glacial rainforest to an ice landing, from the best wine in the world’s southernmost wine region to Milford Sound — you’ve experienced the South Island at its absolute best

Tour concludes. Kia ora — thank you. Mā te wā — see you next time.

What’s Included

• 9 nights premium 3-4 star accommodation (including The Hermitage at Aoraki/Mt Cook), 9 breakfasts, 4 dinners (including welcome dinner, Skyline Stratosfare buffet, Rata farewell dinner), TranzAlpine train (premium seats), Franz Josef Heli-Hike with snow landing, Milford Sound premium small-group nature cruise with lunch, punting on the Avon River, pounamu carving workshop, Rippon Vineyard tasting, Skyline Gondola Queenstown, Arrowtown gold panning, all national park and conservation fees, premium minibus transport, professional guide