Whales, wine, mountains, and Maori ways		2012 DEPARTURES 3/17-3/24, 12/22-12/29 Click on a date to reserve your space
Trip Length	8 days/7 nights
Group Size	6-16
Arrive/Depart	Nelson, New Zealand
Price	From $4,295 to $4,595
	If you have questions about this journey or would like to receive a detailed trip brochure, call 800-445-2995 or click here.

Trip Motif Hiking Walking Iconic New Zealand : Journey Highlights

Travel on a loop around the north end of the South Island, from coast to beautiful coast, including the incredible fjords of the northern tip, and rugged Southern Alps of the interior. You tour the gorgeous Marlborough wine region, meet a Maori family, and go whale-watching for the giant sperm whale. A drive through dramatic mountain gorges delivers you to a high-country nature reserve and merino sheep station for two days of walking and exploring. Your finale is a breathtaking train ride out of the mountains to the Tasman Coast, for hikes in the coastal forest and around the Pancake Rocks.

• Whale watching: Chances of seeing a giant sperm whale are excellent, and you might also spot orcas, fur seals, dolphins, albatross, and other marine birds and mammals.
• Maori culture: Experience authentic, meaningful, and warm cultural exchange as you learn about the Maori way of life and connection to nature.
• High country sheep station: From your wilderness lodge on a high-country sheep station, see sheepdogs in action, appreciate a dark sky for Southern Hemisphere star-gazing, and discover a great diversity of unusual plants and birds.
• Wine country: Your exclusive tour in the Marlborough region includes both famous and smaller boutique wineries.

The well-planned loop route lets you explore diverse parts of New Zealand with minimum travel time, providing maximum time to enjoy this diverse, character-rich country! —Pam Bryan, OBP Co-founder