Epic 1 South Island, April 2025
Enjoy an action-packed experience of the South Island and meet new friends on this fantastic, fun-filled 11 day tour - including our exclusive Milford Sound Overnight Cruise.
All inclusive tour price
Expert tour manager
5 star Transport
Your Trip Includes:
What you'll get:
- Ten nights multi-share accommodation in Holiday Parks and Lodges
- 20 meals (ten breakfasts, two lunches and eight dinners) + tour snacks
- An experienced NZET tour manager + driver team
- Two additional tour assistants
- Special NZET group games + spot prizes
- Group photo
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with seat belts, TV and tablet/phone connections
Highlights:
- Exclusive Milford Sound overnight boat
- Thrilling jet boat ride in Queenstown
- Gondola and Luge Rides
- Puzzling World
- Sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park
- Tekapo Thermal Hot Pools
- Group Photo
- Guided walk to Fox Glacier Base or walk around beautiful Lake Matheson
- Seal colony visit
- Punakaiki Rocks
- Secret NZET hot spots
- 5 star bus - travel in modern coaches
- Airport transfers - we pick you up and drop you off at the airport
- Awesome accommodation in holiday parks and youth hostels
- Healthy and tasty meals - 10 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 8 dinners
- Kiwi Tour Manager - lots of fun and specially trained
- Special NZET activities
DAY 1 Christchurch
Kia ora and welcome to ‘Te Wai Pounamu; New Zealand’s South Island! Our tour kicks off with a fun evening as we meet our fellow travelling crew and friendly Tour Manager and Tour Assistants.
Tonight, we have our first home cooked meal; a delicious duo of dinner and dessert. We then discuss the exciting days ahead and cover all details for the optional activities that are available to you during the tour!
Includes: First group dinner | Discuss the exciting days ahead | Meet your crew
DAY 2 Christchurch - Tekapo
Christchurch is our largest city in the South Island and following the 2010-11 earthquakes, this city has re-emerged as a vibrant, ever changing city.
This morning we take a city tour to see the devastation that hit Christchurch and what enormous efforts are going ahead to rebuild this amazing city.
We have time to visit the city, see the Cardboard Cathedral and the Chair Memorial before departing and heading through the Mackenzie Country to beautiful Lake Tekapo.
We stop off to see the famous ‘Church of the Good Shepherd’ followed by the Collie Dog Memorial before arriving at our our accommodation on the shores of the lake.
This afternoon we take a soak in the Tekapo Thermal Hot Pools, 750m above sea level with the best view of any hot pools in New Zealand.
Includes: Breakfast | Christchurch City tour | Church of the Good Shepherd | Dinner | Tekapo Springs Hot Pools
DAY 3 Tekapo - Milford Sound
Today we experience the ultimate Milford Sound experience and spend the night on the boat where we wake up in one of the most beautiful places on earth. This is one of our exclusive and very special tour highlights.
We start with a drive into the mystical wilderness of Fiordland National Park and pass through the famous ‘Homer Tunnel’. From here we trade our coach for the Milford Mariner and cruise out to the open sea.
We have plenty of time to view the spectacular waterfalls, rainforest, mountains and wildlife plus we get to do some further exploring in kayaks, a tender-craft or by swimming in this amazing place.
As night falls, we enjoy a delicious buffet dinner then relax while doing some star gazing out on the ship's deck.
Includes: Breakfast | Homer Tunnel| Milford Sound Overnight Boat | Kayaking in the Fiords | Dinner
DAY 4 Doubtful Sound - Queenstown
Kia ora Queenstown - the 'Adventure Capital' of New Zealand and home to the latest and greatest adventure activities from bungy jumping and jet boating to whitewater rafting, river surfing and canyon swinging.
Our first stop is the famous AJ Hackett base, the birthplace of bungy and one of the most famous attractions in Queenstown. We watch the secrets of bungy and then for those of you who dare... you have time for an optional 43m bungy off Kawarau Bridge! It's then time to capture our awesome crew with a group photo before our short drive into the heart of Queenstown.
Tonight, enjoy some free time in this awesome alpine town and a meal of your choice.
Includes: Breakfast | Secrets of Bungy | Group Photo
DAY 5 Queenstown
Today is a free day and time to make the most of the adventure activities on offer! With special NZET prices, try a Canyon Swing, Nevis Bungy, River Rafting, Gondola & Luge or any one of the other thrilling activities with special NZET prices.
Do you feel like dangling on a high wire cable 134 metres over the valley floor? Then try the Nevis.
If jumping or being released from 109 metres into a canyon with over 70 different jumpstyles, try the Canyon Swing.
This afternoon you will see the best views in Queenstown on the Skyline Gondola which carries you 450 metres above Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu to the top of Bob's Peak followed by three thrilling luge rides down.
(Remember, as long as we have your natural parent's permission for the activities on offer, we will organise all of these activities for you while on tour).
Includes: Breakfast | Dinner | Free day for optional activities | Gondola and Luge
DAY 6 Queenstown - Wanaka
Our morning starts off with a spectacular jet boat ride on the world famous Shotover Jet. Travel over 10cm of water and hold on during the 360 degree spins. This is truely an unforgettable experience.
From here we head to Wanaka, a place of breathtaking lakes and mountains.
We visit Puzzling World, the world’s first modern-style maze and a deceptive, frustrating, confusing and definitely out of the ordinary experience!
This afternoon is yours to explore. Maybe hire some mountain bikes and ride around the lake or strap yourself to a stranger and leap 15,000ft out of a plane with a tandem skydive!
Includes: Breakfast | Shotover Jet Boat Ride | Puzzling World
DAY 7 Wanaka - Franz Josef
Get out your cameras as this morning we travel through three National Parks and some of the most awesome scenery.
Our walk to the base of Fox Glacier lets us have an up close and personal look at the frozen glacier river that was formed thousands of years ago. Fox Glacier falls 2,600m on its 13 km journey from the Southern Alps and attracts over 1000 people each day during the tourist season.
From here we travel to Franz Josef where we stay tonight. You may wish to take a Scenic Helicopter flight (at a very special NZET price) and experience the awe-inspiring scenery of Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers as you climb to 6000ft.
Tonight, we enjoy a pizza dinner before heading out to find the lights of glowworms amongst the rocks and trees.
Includes: Breakfast | Fox Glacier Walk | Glowworm walk | Dinner
DAY 8 Franz Josef - Motueka
Today we journey north and our first stop takes us to a Greenstone Factory in Hokitika. We watch experts carve beautiful Pounamu and learn about the history and tradition of this special jade stone.
We continue travelling along and up the spectacular West Coast to the famous Punakaiki 'Pancake Rocks'. We have time to explore the rocks and blowholes before jumping back onboard to travel through the impressive Buller Gorge.
We arrive in Motueka, situated beside the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park and our home for our next two nights.
Includes: Breakfast | Greenstone Factory | Lunch | Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks) | Abel Tasman National Park | Dinner
DAY 9 Motueka
We rise bright and early to take advantage of this paradise! We enjoy the ultimate sea kayaking experience and explore the beautiful golden beaches, peaceful coves and lagoons, offshore islands, wildlife and the native forest.
Stopping at our secluded beach, we have our picnic lunch and enjoy some free time to relax and go swimming before our hike back to the mainland.
Includes: Breakfast | Sea Kayaking | Hiking | Picnic Lunch | Dinner
DAY 10 Motueka - Kaikoura
This morning we cross the top of the South Island and down the spectacular East Coast to the picturesque coastal town of Kaikoura. This place is renowned for its abundance of marine life and this afternoon you have an opportunity to experience the unforgettable sight of whales or go swimming with dolphins.
If you don’t feel like getting wet, there is also an optional boat trip to view these incredible marine mammals instead.
Tonight is our final night of the tour and a very special evening. We capture the epic memories that we have created on our tour with a mix of games, presentations and farewell prizes. Bring your tissues because tonight is full of laughs but also tears as you realise we have to say good bye tomorrow.
Includes: Breakfast | Optional Whale Watching or Swimming with Dolphins | Final Night Dinner
DAY 11 Kaikoura - Christchurch - Home
Our last morning takes us to a secret NZET spot where we get to see a seal colony before we make the drive back to Christchurch.
We are dropped off at Christchurch Airport at with an amazing bunch of new friends and ‘ferntastic’ memories.
Includes: Breakfast | Seal Colony | Farewell with great memories and new friends
We are happy to book your flights to and from tour and will always try to find the best priced flights available.
The cost of these flights are NOT included in the tour price and there is also a $20 administration fee for this service.
*Please note, at our discretion, the itinerary is subject to change in the case of unforeseen circumstances.