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Day 1: Wednesday, 24 November - Travelling to Nelson
An early start from all destinations today as we are transferred to Wellington and meet at the ferry terminal for a morning sailing across Cook Strait to Picton. Upon reaching Picton we make our way along the picturesque Queen Charlotte Drive route to Nelson, our destination tonight.
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Itinerary in PDF Format
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Day 2: Thursday, 25 November - Nelson to Greymouth
Departing Nelson this morning, we make our way down through Kawatiri and the lush countryside surrounding Murchison to Reefton. Here we enjoy an interactive guided tour of this historic West Coast town, learning about the lives of the people who came to Reefton in search of gold, and exploring the fabulous concentration of heritage buildings that this town boasts. We will enjoy lunch with the “Bearded Miners” - two of Reefton’s best known characters, and visit Blacks Point Museum and gold stamper battery, before continuing our journey to Greymouth.
Day 3: Friday, 26 November - Greymouth to Hokitika
This morning we visit the Jade Boulder Gallery and Museum where we will be taken on an historical and cultural journey to learn the story of this revered stone. Then, leaving Greymouth behind, we follow the Grey River upstream to Dobson, where we visit the historic Dobson Mine, the site of NZ’s worst mining disaster in 1896. We then take the Heritage Highway to pretty Lake Brunner, our lunch stop today (included). We then move on to Hokitika where you will be free to browse the numerous jade and glass blowing galleries that this town is famous for. This afternoon we take an excursion to Lake Kaniere, renowned for its reflective qualities, and where we stop to take an easy walk through beautiful lowland forest near the shores of the lake. We stay tonight in Hokitika.
Day 4: Saturday, 27 November - Hokitika to Harihari
This morning we take a paddle boat cruise on the tranquil Mahinapua Creek which takes us through magnificent rainforest into picturesque Lake Mahinapua. Continuing south into the heart of South Westland now, we stop at the tiny historic gold mining town of Ross which will be our lunch stop today (included). After lunch we visit a miners cottage, and try our hand at gold panning before continuing on to our destination tonight Harihari.
Day 5: Sunday, 28 November - Harihari to Okarito and return
We enjoy a very special boat cruise this morning at Whataroa, where we join White Heron Sanctuary Tours. Journeying through pristine rainforest in the Waitangi Roto Nature Reserve we visit NZ’s only kotuku (white heron) sanctuary. Revered by the Maori as a symbol of beauty the white heron is rare in NZ and breeds only in this secret location. This is the best time of year to visit the birds as they will be in full residence and are usually nesting. This afternoon we detour down to Okarito to explore this tiny but immensely scenic settlement before making our way back to our accommodation in Harihari.
Day 6: Monday, 29 November - Harihari to Westport
We make our way north again today, unavoidably retracing our steps for part of the journey. We stop for morning tea at Shantytown and have time to enjoy all that they offer, including a ride on a steam train, a chance to do more gold panning, and also to enjoy their newest feature a unique bush saw mill experience. Our lunch today (own choice and cost) is in Greymouth before we head up the coast to visit the famed Punakaiki Blowholes, and explore the visitor centre and craft and gift stores located nearby. Our final destination today is Westport.
Day 7: Tuesday, 30 November - Westport
Today we have the unique opportunity (although only if weather permitting) to join Outwest Tours’ Stockton Mine tour through Solid Energy’s Stockton Opencast Mine site (the largest coal producing mine in NZ) on the Stockton Plateau. We enjoy an off-road adventure along the way and a picnic lunch. We arrive back into Westport mid afternoon to rest or perhaps enjoy our hotel’s well patronised ‘local’ for a beverage of your choice (own cost).
Day 8: Wednesday, 1 December - Travelling Home
Today we are up with the sparrows to make the journey back to Picton to join our early afternoon Interislander sailing returning us to Wellington. Here we farewell fellow travellers and are transferred to our respective home towns.
Tour Schedule
Price Per Person:
Full tour:……………………………………………………………… .................$2070.00
Single Accommodation Supplement………………………………….. $450.00
Cost of Tour Includes:
Accommodation
2 course or buffet dinners
Continental Breakfasts
All coach travel
Heritage tour of Reefton (including Blacks Point Museum tour and lunch)
Lunch - Station House Café, Lake Brunner
Mahinapua Paddle Boat Cruise
Lunch - Roddy Nugget’s Café, Ross
Museum tour and gold panning at Ross
White Heron Sanctuary Tour
Shantytown - morning tea, entry, steam train ride & gold panning
Stockton Coal mine tour
Deposit required to confirm your booking: ........$270.00
Balance payable by: ........................................22 October 2010
Payable to:
TRANZIT COACHLINES WAIRARAPA LTD
PO BOX 116
MASTERTON
Click here to download Booking Form in PDF format
Phone 0800 TRANTOUR (0800 872 6868)
ali@tranzit.co.nz
Please read “Terms and Conditions ” by clicking here
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