South Island Fly-drive

Days 1 to 4. Christchurch/Kaikoura

Depart London for Christchurch, flying via Los Angeles and Auckland. On arrival on Day 3, collect your hire car and drive to the Charlotte Jane Hotel for a 2-night stay. Christchurch is known as the 'most English City outside England' or the 'garden city'. The city was planned around the Canterbury Cathedral, whose 65-metre spire dominates almost any view of the city. From the unique Summit Road there is a magnificent view of the Canterbury Plains, bounded on the west by the Southern Alps and on the east by the Lyttleton Harbour and the Banks Peninsula. On Day 4, drive to Kaikoura (approximately 183 kilometres) for a few hours of whale-watching.

Days 5 & 6. Arthurs Pass [B, D]

Today you make your way to Arthur's Pass, for a 2- night stay at the Wilderness Lodge (approximately 140 kilometres). In the heart of the Southern Alps, Arthur's Pass National Park has an incredible landscape and diversity of flora. Eastern beech-clad hills and tussock valleys give way to luxuriant rainforest in the west. The highest mountains have glaciers and surrounding them are tussock basins, flowering herbs and alpine grasses. Spend your time exploring the twenty kilometres of easy walking tracks radiating from the lodge. Maps allow guests to explore these tracks on their own, or a guide may be hired for a half or full day. There are also some shorter guided tours included during your stay such as the mustering and shearing of Merino Sheep and canoeing.

Days 7 & 8. Hokitika & Fox Glacier [B]

Continue to Hokitika (approximately 140 kilometres) for an overnight stay at the Villa Polenza. You may wish to explore the Paparoa National Park and Punakaiki, which is best known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. On

Day 8 drive on to Fox Glacier and Westland National Park

(approximately 175 kilometres) for a 1-night stay at the Te Weheka Inn. This magnificent park is home to the famous Fox, and Franz Josef Glaciers, recognised as the only glaciers in the world that descend from crisp, clear snowfields into lush, temperate rainforest.

Days 9 & 10. Lake Moeraki [B, D]

Lake Moeraki is your destination today (approximately 100 kilometres), where you spend two nights at the Wilderness Lodge in the heart of the 2.7 million hectare world heritage area, Te Wahi Pounamu. Spectacular beaches, untouched lowland rainforests, pristine lakes and rivers all make the setting absolutely unique. Activities on offer here include rainforest and coastal walks as well as canoeing on Lake Moeraki and the Moeraki River. A team of guides will introduce you to Crested Penguins, New Zealand Fur Seals, giant Tame Eels and New Zealand's unique birdlife and ancient forests.

Days 11 to 13. Queenstown & Fiordland [B, D]

Continue to Queenstown (approximately 270 kilometres) for a 1-night stay at Matakauri Lodge at Lake Wakatipu, before heading for Te Anau (approximately 166 kilometres) and Fiordland Lodge, with its unspoiled, rugged and beautiful setting of mountain lakes, forest and fiords. Te Anau is the gateway to Fiordland National Park, where you may wish to visit Milford Sound.

Day 14. Overnight Cruise [B, L, D]

Make your way to Manapouri this morning, for a short journey across beautiful Lake Manapouri and a coach trip over Wilmot Pass. At Deep Cove you board the Fiordland Navigator for your overnight cruise of Doubtful Sound during which Fur Seals, Bottle-nosed Dolphins and penguins may all be seen.

Days 15 & 16. Dunedin [B]

Today you return to Manapouri where you collect your hire car and drive on to Dunedin (approximately 300 kilometres), for a 2-night stay at the magnificent Corstorphine House. Explore Dunedin at your leisure. Visit Otago, a rugged scenic finger of land bordered by the Otago Harbour and Pacific Ocean which boasts wildlife of international significance, including the Yellow-eyed Penguin (the rarest in the world) and a breeding colony of Royal Albatross.

Days 17 & 18. Homeward [B (Day 17 only)]

Return your hire car to the airport and catch your return flight to the UK, flying via Christchurch, Auckland and Los Angeles. Or you may wish to extend your trip by exploring North Island.