West Coast 2023

WEST COAST AND CENTRAL OTAGO IN AUTUMN

West Coast and Central Otago in Autumn with mountains, wild coastlines, rock formations, bush walks, glaciers, lake cruises, autumn colours of Central Otago

10 - 26 APRIL 2023

WEST COAST AND CENTRAL OTAGO IN AUTUMN

10 - 26 APRIL 2023

Experience the Exceptional...

•A 17 day tour of the West Coast and Central Otago in Autumn discovering the most beautiful scenery in New Zealand, the rugged beauty and quirkiness of the West Coast and the autumn colours of Central Otago!

•Scenery all the way: mountains, wild coastlines, rock formations, bush walks, glaciers, lake cruises and the autumn colours of Central Otago.

•Time to take in the Annual Autumn Festival in Arrowtown.

•Nelson (2 nights), Punakaiki Rocks (2 nights), Greymouth (2 nights), Hokitika (3 nights), Franz Josef (2 nights), Haast (1 night), Queenstown (4 nights).

•Numerous activities including tours of Treetops, cruise the Waterways around Hokitika, train ride through the bush at Charleston, visit Punakaiki Rocks, TranzAlpine train journey, Shantytown, Franz Josef wildlife centre, foodies tour in Nelson, walking tour in Nelson, seal colony, goldmine tour and arts tour and talk, cruise of Haast River, cruise to Walter Peak!

•Fantastic music events including: Memories are Made of This our welcome dinner and concert presented by our great singers Russell, Isaac, and Paul on piano, we present If You’re Irish, Come Into the Parlour! in a historic parlour, a beautiful historic church for our evening concert Music for Inspiration, Welcome to the Wacky West, with music from a wacky local West Coast band, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, complete with Christmas roast dinner, dinner and music as part of the famous Autumn Festival in Arrowtown, visit rustic Walter Peak Farm for our fantastic event: Warbling by the Woolshed

with songs from the 50s and 60s and a chance to do some dancing!, and Showstoppers

of music theatre hits for our final night event.

•Escorted and music provided by Russell Dixon, Isaac Pawson, Paul Carnegie-Jones (10-22 April) and Grant Winterburn (22-26 April).

Russell Dixon

OUR ARTISTS FOR THIS TRIP

Paul Carnegie-Jones

Isaac Pawson

Grant Winterburn

MONDAY 10 APRIL 2023 (D)

-Rutherford Hotel, Nelson (2 nights)

Highlights Include:

• Time to settle in today and enjoy our handy position to town by doing some shopping and wandering on arrival.

• Late afternoon tour of Nelson Founders Park, a historic park filled with old buildings and wonderful atmosphere.

• Following our walk around Founders Park, we enjoy dinner this evening at the Granary with our welcome concert entitled Memories are Made of This presented by our great singers Russell, Isaac, and Paul on piano. What a way to start our great two weeks of music, adventure and scenery

TUESDAY 11 APRIL 2023 (B,L,D)

Highlights Include:

• Walking tour of Nelson with a local guide.

• Tour of the Pic’s Peanut Butter Factory.

• Brewery Tour and tasting.

• Wine tasting and lunch at a vineyard.

• Casual dinner at our hotel this evening.

WEDNESDAY 12 APRIL 2023 (B,MT,D)

-The Ocean View Retreat, Punakaiki (2 nights)

Highlights Include:

• Travel through the dense bush and magnificent scenery from Nelson to the West Coast.

• Stop at Murchison for morning tea.

• Visit Westport to sample hearty food (own cost) and the local hospitality of the West Coasters.

• Ocean view rooms located right on a wild beach.

• Dinner at hotel on arrival this evening.

THURSDAY 13 APRIL 2023 (B,L,D)

Highlights Include:

• Drive along the coast to Charleston, once a vibrant town with over 20 hotels at the height of the gold mining in the mid 19th century.

• Visit the seal colony at Tauranga Bay.

• Train journey through the forest with bush walk.

• Visit an ancient goldmine with talk and tour.

• Dinner at the hotel this evening.

Founders Park, Nelson

Tauranga Bay Seal Colony

FRIDAY 14 APRIL 2023 (B,D)

-Copthorne Hotel, Greymouth (2 nights)

Highlights Include:

• Visit the famous Punakaiki Pancake Rocks beside the rugged West Coast.

• Fabulous scenic drive through Paparoa National Park with lush West Coast native rainforest, mountain tops and expansive rugged beaches.

• A hearty meal at Speights Ale House with the odd tipple, maybe a hearty stout to end the day and warm the cockles of your heart!

SATURDAY 15 APRIL 2023 (B,D)

Highlights Include:

• Free time this morning.

• We journey on the TranzAlpine Rail, one of the world’s most famous train journeys, travelling between Greymouth and Arthur’s Pass. We traverse the mighty Southern Alps, where spectacular views of the chiselled alpine landscape will take our breath away at every turn. We will be picked up by our coach at Arthur’s Pass to transfer to Shantytown for dinner and concert.

• An evening visit to Shanty Town to enjoy a fun event in their historic parlour with dinner entitled If You’re Irish, Come Into the Parlour!

SUNDAY 16 APRIL 2023 (B,L,D)

-Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika (3 nights)

Highlights Include:

• Shanty town visit today which includes ride on the train, visit to historic buildings, walk through the bush, a chance to pan for gold.

• Lunch is included at one of their historic salons.

• Drive to Hokitika Gorge to see this amazing wonder.

• Drive through to Hokitika to check into our hotel with ocean view rooms.

• Casual dinner this evening at hotel.

MONDAY 17 APRIL 2023 (B,L)

Highlights Include:

• Drive down the coast to Tree tops to enjoy their amazing tree top walk located high above the ground.

• Cruise through the waterways of Hokitika on our private charter.

• Time off for own dinner this evening.

• Short walk to the beautiful historic church for our evening concert Music for Inspiration, filled with ballads, sacred songs and beautiful haunting melodies.

Punakaki Pancake Rocks

Hokitika Gorge

TUESDAY 18 APRIL 2023 (B,D)

Highlights Include:

• Time off in Hokitika to wander the town and enjoy some shopping.

• Tour and talk from a jade carver and glass blower in this very arty town this morning.

• A chance to enjoy some West Coast hospitality with our wacky local band providing a fun evening of entertainment this evening: Welcome to the Wacky West

. The band plays everything from a comb to banjo and everything in between. It promises to be a great fun evening for all.

WEDNESDAY 19 APRIL 2023 (B,L,D)

-Scenic Hotel, Franz Josef (2 nights)

Highlights Include:

• A coastal drive down from Hokitika to Franz Josef, taking in views of the mountains and lakes along the way.

• Accommodation with balconies overlooking the mountains.

• Lunch at a local restaurant on arrival.

• Visit The West Coast Wildlife Centre. It is the official home to the breeding and incubation programme of live Rowi Kiwi and a public partnership with the Department of Conservation.

• A wonderland Christmas roast dinner and concert entitled I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas promises to be a great fun evening for all.

THURSDAY 20 APRIL 2023 (B,L,D)

Highlights Include:

• Free time early this morning if you wish to take a helicopter ride - own cost - and this would be weather dependent.

• A scenic drive around the area.

• Visit to Franz Josef, a 12 km glacier, part of the World Heritage Westland Tai Poutini National Park with a chance to walk to the glacier.

• Lake Matheson for lunch with views over the reflective pond of Lake Matheson with its reflections of Mt Cook and a walk through to see the lake.

• Casual dinner at our hotel this evening.

FRIDAY 21 APRIL 2023 (B,L,D)

-Haast Heartland Hotel (1 night)

Highlights Include:

• A drive down the coastline of one of the most deserted and gorgeous regions of New Zealand between the glaciers and Haast.

• Drive to South Westland Salmon Farm, look around the farm and enjoy a salmon lunch.

• A private 2 hour cruise down the Haast River.

• Casual dinner at our hotel this evening.

Franz Josef Glacier

West Coast

SATURDAY 22 APRIL

2023 (B,L,D)

-Millbrook Resort (4 nights)

5 star Millbrook Resort, Queenstown is set on 650 acres of rolling hills in an inspiring area of natural beauty with the mountains as our backdrop.

Highlights Include:

• A tour of Wanaka on route to Queenstown today with more glorious scenery along the way.

• A chance to wander the shops in Wanaka, a beautiful town set on Lake Wanaka and surrounded by mountains.

• Drive through to Cromwell with lunch at a rustic restaurant.

• Dinner and music as part of the famous Autumn Festival in Arrowtown, dependent on timetable. If there is not something suitable we will enjoy our own dinner and music.

SUNDAY 23 APRIL 2023 (B,D)

Highlights Include:

• A wander in Arrowtown this morning to soak up the Autumn Festival atmosphere with time for lunch. The hills surrounding the historic gold mining village of Arrowtown turn bright with the red and gold hues of turning cottonwoods, and all around town the deciduous trees succumb to the cold in spectacular fashion in parks and along the banks of the Arrow River. Down by the Arrow River there are numerous positions to take in the contrasts of the trees and the turquoise glacial river.

• In the afternoon we cruise to Walter Peak Farm for our fantastic event: Warbling by the Woolshed This is an event filled with music from the 50s and 60s and a chance to do a bit of dancing. Cruise aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw across to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Once at the lakeside watch the farm demonstration or explore the beautiful gardens. Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant is awaiting us with the delicious aromas of a BBQ dinner.

Lake Wanaka

Arrowtown

TSS Earnslaw

MONDAY 24 APRIL 2023 (B,L)

Highlights Include:

• Driving tour of Queenstown and surrounds.

• A chance to have a wander in Queenstown, a walk by the lake or in the Botanic Gardens before lunch by the lake.

• Free afternoon to enjoy our hotel.

TUESDAY 25 APRIL 2023 (B,L,D)

Highlights Include:

• Magnificent drive through the Crown Ranges to Cardrona on smaller shuttle buses.

• Lunch at the 1860s clapboard Cardrona Hotel, built during the gold-rush era, it sits in the hamlet’s centre.

• Gala final night dinner at our hotel with music provided by our escorts entitled Showstoppers, celebrating all the hits of music theatre!

WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL 2023 (B)

Highlights Include:

• Time for home today, after the most amazing time experiencing the rugged West Coast and the Autumn colours of Central Otago!

Walter Peak High Country Farm

Cardrona Hotel

MODERATE TOUR

This tour will suit people with a stick, but not a walker. You will be required to walk to get from place to place and stand in museums, but it is designed to be an easy tour with lots of times to rest, travel on a coach and walk easy leisurely distances.

$7880 per person twin share

Single Room supplement add $2750

Initial Deposit on booking

$900

Second Deposit due 16 November 2022 $2000

Final Balance due: 17 January 2023

First and second deposits are refundable minus office costs of up to $500. After the final balance due date, we are unable to give refunds. This becomes an insurance claim. All itinerary details are subject to change but any changes will be replaced with a comparable or better option.

THIS TRIP INCLUDES:

•A 17 day tour of the West Coast and Central Otago in Autumn discovering the most beautiful scenery in New Zealand, the rugged beauty and quirkiness of the West Coast and the autumn colours of Central Otago!

•Scenery all the way: mountains, wild coastlines, rock formations, bush walks, glaciers, lake cruises and the autumn colours of Central Otago.

•Time to take in the Annual Autumn Festival in Arrowtown.

•Driving tours: Nelson - Westport - Paparoa National ParkWestport - Punakaiki Rocks - Tauranga Bay - Greymouth -Arthurs Pass - Hokitika - Hokitika Gorge - Franz and Fox Glaciers - Haast - Wanaka - Cromwell - Queenstown.

•Nelson (2 nights), Punakaiki Rocks (2 nights), Greymouth (2 nights), Hokitika (3 nights), Franz Josef (2 nights), Haast (1 night), Queenstown (4 nights).

•Numerous activities including tours of Treetops, cruise the Waterways around Hokitika, train ride through the bush at Charleston, visit Punakaiki Rocks, TranzAlpine train journey, Shantytown, Franz Josef wildlife centre, foodies tour in Nelson, walking tour in Nelson, seal colony, goldmine tour and arts tour and talk, cruise of Haast River, cruise to Walter Peak!

•Fantastic music events including: Memories are Made of This our welcome dinner and concert presented by our great singers Russell, Isaac, and Paul on piano, we present If You’re Irish, Come Into the Parlour! in a historic parlour, a beautiful historic church for our evening concert Music for Inspiration, Welcome to the Wacky West, with music from a wacky local West Coast band, I’m

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email:

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PO Box 132 150 Sylvia Park, Auckland 1644, New Zealand

of a White Christmas, complete with Christmas roast dinner, dinner and music as part of the famous Autumn Festival in Arrowtown, visit rustic Walter Peak Farm for our fantastic event: Warbling by the Woolshed

Dreaming

with songs from the 50s and 60s and a chance to do some dancing!, and Showstoppers

of music theatre hits for our final night event.

•All tours, activities and transfers as listed in this itinerary.

•Meals include: All breakfasts, 1 morning tea, 10 lunches and 14 dinners as noted in itinerary.

•Escorted and music provided by Russell Dixon, Isaac Pawson, Paul Carnegie-Jones (10-22 April) and Grant Winterburn (22-26 April).

•PLEASE NOTE: As our travellers are coming from all over NZ, airfares are not included.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

•All trips are subject to change but any changes will be of equal or greater value.

•Deposits refundable until final payment date minus any costs incurred, or an administration fee of up to $500.

• Travellers need to be independently mobile and fit to travel.

• Travellers are required to obtain comprehensive travel insurance for all international trips.

• Please refer to terms & conditions on our booking form.