South Island sampler

south island sampler
The South Island Sampler tour is a shorter version of our South Island Experience tour. Designed to fit into a one-week vacation, this trip is perfect for those planning a New Zealand stopover as part of a larger travel itinerary, or for those otherwise looking for a compact, full-featured South Island tour.

Day 1: Welcome to New Zealand! Step off the plane in Christchurch, the South Island’s garden city, and into the care of your Black Sheep guide. Freshen up at your hotel, then head out and explore: stroll the Botanical Gardens, visit the interesting displays at the Canterbury Museum, take a punt on the Avon, or enjoy a coffee amongst the innovative artwork of the city’s post-earthquake rebirth. At dinner, we meet our fellow travellers and discuss our upcoming trip. (D)

Day 2: Marine Encounters This morning, we head north to Kaikoura, New Zealand’s marine-life Mecca. A choice of activities are on offer to experience Kaikoura’s special wildlife. The adventurous can don wetsuits and snorkel gear for an up-close encounter with Kaikoura’s playful fur seals or dolphins . Choosing a whale-watching trip by sea or air allows you to view Kaikoura’s tremendous sperm whales from above or on the ocean’s surface. Alternatively, a fascinating boat trip to the feeding grounds of Kaikoura’s sea birds offers a unique opportunity to view albtross, shearwaters, and other pelagic wildlife on the wing and in the waters around us. In the afternoon, you can take a self-guided hike amongst intriguing limestone formations, nesting seabirds, snoozing fur seals and grazing sheep on the Kaikoura Peninsula  – . Kaikoura means ‘to eat crayfish (lobster)’ and dinner is a chance to do just that in one of the restaurants featuring this local delicacy on its menu. (B/D)

Day 3: Kaikoura to Nelson From Kaikoura, we travel northwest through the Marlborough wine region, the origin of some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays. Enjoy wine-tasting and a vineyard lunch before continuing on to Nelson, a vibrant arts community, for our two night stay. (B/L)

Day 4: The Abel Tasman National Park The Abel Tasman is arguably one of the most beautiful parks in the country, with its temperate forest, aquamarine waters, and golden sand beaches. There are three ways to enjoy the park. One is on a very special sea kayaking and hiking experience along its coast, ducking in and out of secluded bays and walking in native forest . Alternatively, take a guided hike in the park, or a scenic cruise, returning to Nelson to relax after your adventure. (B/L)

Day 5: The West Coast This morning, we resume our journey, stopping for a hike in the spectacular Nelson Lakes region before emerging onto the wild and woolly West Coast. Here, we explore the limestone cave systems that honeycomb this region. View delicate, unspoiled formations on a Scenic Caving trip , or take a Cave Rafting adventure, featuring glow-worm constellations, an underground river, a whole lot of rubber, and plenty of laughs . Following our adventures, we travel along spectacular coastline to our lodge at the edge of the Paparoa National Park. (B/L/D)

Day 6: Punakaiki to the Glaciers This morning, it’s a spectacular drive down to New Zealand’s glacier region. We stop in the picturesque village of Franz Josef for a scenic helicopter flight over the glaciers, landing on the neve. A hike along the glacial riverbed provides a view of the glacier face. From Franz, we travel to its sister village of Fox and settle into our comfortable alpine lodging. Nearby is a sublime walking and cycling trail where you can stroll or hire a bike and ride beneath a thick canopy of old-growth rainforest before dinner. (B/D)

Day 7: The Glaciers to Queenstown This morning, we walk around a nearby kettle lake created by retreating glaciers long ago. From here, we drive through the scenic Mt Aspiring National Park. Dense rainforests give way to stark mountains as we enter the Otago region, New Zealand’s outback and home to high country sheep stations. We pause in the lakeside  town of Wanaka before crossing the spectacular Crown Range to reach the adventure capital of Queenstown for our final two nights. (B/L)

Day 8: Queenstown Because there are so many things to do in Queenstown to cater to your diverse interests, the day is free for you to pick and choose whatever optional activities you desire, be they horse trekking, sky diving, or bungy jumping, or more leisurely pursuits such as walking and wine trails. We re-gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate the friendships we’ve made and the memories shared. (B/D)

Day 9: Homeward Bound Depending on your flight schedule, relax, make final purchases, or even reconsider that bungy jump before your airport transter. Alternatively, consider adding a trip to Fiordland or a multi-day hike on one of New Zealand’s famous Great Walks, like the Routeburn or Milford Track. Your Black Sheep Travel Shepherd can assist. Depart New Zealand celebrating new experiences and friendships that epitomise the joy of travel. (B) n