Southern Alps to Doubtful Sound
Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel
Territory: Oceania
Region: New Zealand
Trip Price: $3,850
Duration: 8 days/7 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Auckland / Queenstown
National Parklands:
All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.
No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities
Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration
High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun
The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process
We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.
The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.
The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!
Arrive in Auckland from U.S., fly to Christchurch, arriving late morning. Pick up your rental car and drive to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Walk the podocarp Peel Forest, with its giant trees, on the way.
Meet up with your local guide at the airport for a helicopter flight to the top of the mighty Tasman Glacier. A guided interpretive walk on the glacier introduces you to fluted ice, runnels, moulins, and winding streamlets.
Savor the breathtaking scenery on a 3 or 4-hour bike ride along the banks of Lake Ohau, with views of the Ben Ohau mountain range on the Alps2Ocean Trail. Drive to Lake Wanaka. A local bike shop will get you all set up and transfer you to the beginning point of the ride.
Take your time and enjoy the super scenic drive south to Fiordlands National Park and Milford Sound. Pack a picnic lunch and stop along the way to absorb your surroundings.
Meet your guides and cruise across the stunning Lake Manapouri, then travel by coach over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound. Your 3-hour kayak paddle here puts you right in the serenity and unique beauty of this remote Sound. Watch for dolphins, penguins, and other marine wildlife.
Hit the trail to explore part of the Routeburn Track, ascending with a guide through lush temperate rainforest into a unique alpine field with panoramic views of mountains, alpine lakes, and valleys. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a classic New Zealand tramping hut.
Drive to Queenstown and top off the trip with an adrenaline-pumping jet boat ride. The afternoon is yours to relax and explore this lovely city as you prepare to depart tomorrow.
Catch a morning flight out to begin your journey home.
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