New Zealand's Southern Drift (Small Group)

Christchurch is a city that has reinvented itself with courage and resilience. This South Island city has some of New Zealand's most innovative architecture, not to mention forward-thinking restaurants and bars. Tonight, it's time to meet your Travel Director and travelling companions for a tour briefing and drinks.

Discover Christchurch's city sights before heading into the Mackenzie Basin, where alpine scenery and brilliant blue lakes define the landscape. Stop at Lake Tekapo to see the Church of the Good Shepherd, one of the South Island's most photographed landmarks. Then enjoy a special Be My Guest experience at the lakeside home of Angie and Stan Taylor. Over afternoon tea, Angie shares her legendary pavlova and her take on the famous trans-Tasman debate, while Stan reflects on a lifetime of farming in this remarkable region.

Later, continue to Lake Ōhau Lodge, where wilderness surrounds you and a family-style dinner is served beside lake views and a cosy open fire.

Travel through Lindis Pass towards Cromwell, with wide open country and changing light guiding the way. Stop at the Jones Family fruit stall for fresh local produce before visiting Highlands Museum, where motoring history and innovation come together in a way that appeals to enthusiasts and first-timers alike. Continue to Arrowtown, a heritage village shaped by the gold rush, then arrive in Queenstown. Lunch is at your leisure, with the chance to visit cult favourite Fergburger, known for its generous gourmet burgers and lively atmosphere.

Queenstown is yours to enjoy today. For those drawn to adrenaline, this is the place to lean in, perhaps with a thrilling jet boat ride at your own expense. If your pace is a little slower, you might choose to visit a wildlife centre and get closer to some of New Zealand's unique birdlife, also at your own expense. However you spend it, Queenstown's lakeside setting and mountain backdrop make every moment feel special.

Travel south along the Devil's Staircase, where the road curves beside Lake Wakatipu through landscapes that are dramatic even by New Zealand standards. Pass through Te Anau and into Fiordland National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site of immense natural beauty. Along the way, see Mirror Lakes and travel through the hand-hewn Homer Tunnel before arriving in Milford Sound.

Tonight, stay on board the Milford Mariner for an overnight cruise that reveals the fiord in a different light. With fewer crowds and more time on the water, you'll take in waterfalls, rainforest, towering peaks and native wildlife with guidance from a specialist nature expert. There's also the chance to explore by kayak or tender. On board, relax in the observation lounge, take in the views from the spacious decks and enjoy a three-course buffet dinner followed by a cooked breakfast in one of the world's most extraordinary settings.

Farewell Milford Sound and travel on to Wānaka, a town that blends natural beauty with an easygoing atmosphere. Set on the shores of Lake Wānaka beneath the Southern Alps, it's a place where the scenery does a lot of the talking. Your hotel is centrally located, making it easy to explore the village and stroll down to the lakefront, with cafes and restaurants close by.

Leave Wānaka behind and travel past Lake Hāwea and the alpine settlement of Makarora, where river valleys and rainforest shape the landscape. Crossing Haast Pass, you'll enter a region where mountains, forest and glaciers create one of the South Island's most memorable journeys. Arrive in Fox Glacier Township, where you may wish to take an optional scenic flight over Fox and Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere. Weather permitting, there may even be the chance to land on the glacier, at your own expense.

This morning, there's another chance to take to the skies on an optional scenic flight over Fox and Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere, weather permitting and at your own expense. Then begin your journey north along the West Coast, passing rainforest, wild beaches and the creative town of Hokitika, known for its greenstone and laid-back feel. From there, turn inland and travel through the Southern Alps.

As you climb towards Arthur's Pass, the scenery transforms from lush forest to rocky gorges, alpine peaks and open tussock country. Keep watch for kea along the way, the world's only alpine parrot and one of New Zealand's most playful native birds. Arrive back in Christchurch this evening and join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a farewell dinner to mark the end of your journey.

Your New Zealand adventure comes to a close today. From Māori culture and vineyard visits to alpine lakes, coastal wildlife and the majesty of Milford Sound, this has been a journey rich in contrasts and connections. Say farewell to Christchurch and take home memories of a country that leaves a deep impression long after you've returned home.