12 Day South Island Adventure Honeymoon ‘Premium’ Tour

A 12-day South Island self-drive honeymoon weaving together Christchurch’s refined charm, the alpine majesty of the Mount Cook region, Queenstown’s indulgent adventures, the untamed beauty of the West Coast, and a spectacular journey aboard the iconic Tranz Alpine.

12 Days

Self Drive Tour

Rental Car Included

Boutique, 5 Star Accommodation, Bed and Breakfast

Overview & Itinerary

This 12-day South Island Adventure Honeymoon showcases the very best of New Zealand’s South Island, beginning and ending in Christchurch with a blend of culture, cuisine, and scenic highlights. From there, journey through the breathtaking Canterbury and Mackenzie regions to Aoraki/Mount Cook for unforgettable alpine experiences, including a scenic flight over glaciers and a magical stargazing experience. Continue to Queenstown for adventure and indulgence, featuring jet boating, hot pool relaxation, and optional wine and fiord excursions, before travelling the dramatic West Coast via Haast Pass to a remote rainforest lodge. A heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier provides a thrilling highlight, followed by a scenic return to Christchurch aboard the iconic Tranz Alpine train. Throughout, enjoy a curated accommodation, unique experiences, and spectacular landscapes, creating a memorable and romantic honeymoon journey.

Day 01

Arrive Christchurch

Welcome to New Zealand! Upon landing in Christchurch, relax as your private transfer takes you in comfort to your accommodation.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Christchurch to continue exploring the city at your own pace. Stroll along the River Avon, visit the Botanic Gardens, or simply relax and take in the city’s blend of historic charm and modern design. Or based on when you arrive in Christchurch, you can jump into one of the suggested optional experiences, and your consultant can customise the itinerary around what excites you most.

CHRISTCHURCH/OTAUTAHI – Located on a level plain, Christchurch is defined by its historic past and vibrant future. The willow and oak-lined River Avon meanders through its heart, where you can enjoy a punt ride or explore the sprawling Botanic Gardens. Much of the city’s unique charm comes from its blend of old and new; elegant stone buildings sit alongside striking contemporary architecture. Following a series of earthquakes, the city has been thoughtfully and creatively rebuilt, resulting in innovative new spaces like the Transitional Cathedral and Margaret Mahy Playground. This spirit of renewal makes Christchurch an exciting hub for arts, culture, and dining, while its proximity to both the stunning Canterbury Plains and the volcanic Port Hills offers easy access to outdoor adventures.

Your accommodation for the night The George

Suggested activities

Day 02

Christchurch

Today you’ll explore the heart of Christchurch with Amiki Cultural Food Tours – City Meander guided walking tour. You will explore Christchurch’s laneways, gardens, and historic landmarks while tasting a variety of local foods and drinks. Your passionate guide will share Māori and multicultural stories, providing insight into the city’s history and its modern-day identity, making for an intimate and memorable cultural experience.

You’ll also experience Punting In The Park. An iconic Christchurch attraction not to be missed, relax on board an informative punt ride and see the city from a different perspective. Board a classic punt at the historic Antigua Boatshed Landing and an Edwardian punter will guide you quietly past trailing willows, woodlands, and the leafy banks of the Botanic Gardens. Punting is an all-weather activity: guests are supplied with blankets, umbrellas, and even hot water bottles in winter.

Your accommodation for the night The George

Suggested activities

Kai Safari – 3 Hour Progressive Dinner – Amiki Cultural Food Tours

Day 03

Drive Christchurch to Twizel (approx. 286kms)

Today, collect your Budget Rent A Car Compact SUV from the Christchurch City Branch. You’ll take a scenic journey that links the Mackenzie Basin with the city of Christchurch. This trip takes you out of the Mackenzie Basin and onto the Canterbury Plains. You’ll be treated to great views of the surrounding mountains and the open countryside before the route flattens out and you arrive in Christchurch.

Enroute to Twizel, you’ll join Air Safaris for a Grand Traverse of Mt Cook and Glaciers. The Mackenzie Basin – also traditionally known as the Mackenzie Country, is a roughly elliptical shaped basin that is surrounded by mountain ranges. It is located near the geographical centre of the South Island of New Zealand and is regarded as a typical representative of New Zealand’s “High Country”. The basin covers about 100 km north-south direction and about 40 km from east to west. The majority of the Mackenzie Basin is located in the Canterbury region and also to a small extent in the south on the Waitaki River in Otago. The main townships in the Mackenzie Basin are Lake Tekapo, population under 500, Twizel, with a population of 1,100 and Omarama with less than 400 residents. The surrounding area boasts glacial lakes and snow-capped mountain peaks, which are particularly popular with tourists and skiers. The Mackenzie Basin is often used as a location for film productions, including Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings.

Your accommodation for the night Matuka Lodge (Includes breakfast)

Day 04

Twizel - MacKenzie Country

Spend a free day in the Mackenzie Basin, a region of striking alpine landscapes, wide open skies, turquoise lakes, and snow-capped peaks that define every journey through this part of the South Island.

From Twizel, there are a few memorable ways to shape your day depending on your pace. Optional tours include a more active, high-country experience at Braemar Station with Tekapo Adventures, exploring rugged terrain with sweeping views of the Southern Alps. If relaxation is the priority, travel to Lake Tekapo and unwind with the Ultimate Glacier Pamper Package at the lakefront hot pools and spa, combining panoramic alpine views with a restorative soak. Alternatively, stay closer to base and enjoy the comfort and stillness of luxury accommodation at Matuka Lodge, where the surrounding landscape becomes part of the experience, framed by glass, light, and quiet space.

This evening, take a Alpha Crux Private Stargazing Tour. This private tour takes you to a remote location away from any light pollution, providing a pristine view of the night sky. Your expert guide will use a powerful telescope to show you stars, planets, and galaxies. The tour is tailored to your interests, allowing you to ask questions and learn about the universe in a personal and relaxed setting.

Your accommodation for the night Matuka Lodge (Includes breakfast)

Suggested activities

Day 05

Drive Twizel to Queenstown (approx. 199kms)

Today, you’ll be departing from Twizel, you travel through the open Mackenzie Basin toward Ōmarama, with big skies and wide, quiet landscapes all around. The road climbs over Lindis Pass, where rolling tussock hills stretch as far as you can see. From there, you descend into the Upper Clutha Valley, passing Cromwell’s orchards and vineyards, before arriving in Queenstown, set beside the deep blue waters of Lake Wakatipu and framed by the surrounding mountains.

QUEENSTOWN/TAHUNA – is the South Island’s most popular resort, set alongside the shores of Lake Wakatipu, under the gaze of the Remarkables Ranges. See the contrast of smooth glacier rounded hills, and jagged mountain summits that reach high above the ancient ice floor. The town is renowned for its jet boating, bungy-jumping, skiing and awe-inspiring scenery. Local story has it, that the gold prospectors of the 19th century pronounced the town as “fit for any Queen”, and so she was called Queenstown.

Your accommodation for the night Kinross Winery and Cottages, Vineyard Suite (Including wine experience/tasting & breakfast box)

Suggested activities

Day 06

Queenstown

Today, you’ll join Dart River Wilderness Jet for an exhilarating adventure that combines speed with breathtaking scenery. You’ll travel at high speeds on a powerful jet boat, navigating through the braided river system of the Dart River. Your guide will provide entertaining commentary and share insights into the area’s history, geology, and connection to “The Lord of the Rings” films.

Your accommodation for the night Kinross Winery and Cottages, Vineyard Suite (Including wine experience/tasting & breakfast box)

Suggested activities

Gondola & Buffet Dinner – Skyline Rotorua

Day 07

Free day in Queenstown

Enjoy a free day in Queenstown and soak up the adventure capital of New Zealand at your own pace. Stroll along the sparkling lakefront, browse quirky shops and cafes, or simply relax and take in the stunning mountain scenery. With a myriad of activities to choose from, chat with your consultant about optional tours to add a little extra thrill to your day.

After a day exploring Queenstown, unwind this evening at Onsen Hot Pools, the original alpine hot pool experience. This private hot pool experience is a perfect way to relax and rejuvenate in a luxurious setting. You’ll have a private indoor or outdoor hot pool, where you can soak in the hot water and enjoy the panoramic views of the Shotover River canyon. The experience is intimate and tranquil, with each tub holding up to four people, and you can even add on a massage.

Your accommodation for the night Kinross Winery and Cottages, Vineyard Suite (Including wine experience/tasting & breakfast box)

Suggested activities

Day 08

Drive Queenstown to Lake Moeraki (approx. 240kms)

This trip is a real treat for anyone who loves scenic journeys. You’ll follow the route around Lake Wānaka and Lake Hawea before you travel over the spectacular Haast Pass. The scenery is ever-changing, from the arid high country of Central Otago to the lush, mossy rainforest of the West Coast. Lake Moeraki is a remote and beautiful spot in the middle of a national park, so it’s a perfect escape into nature.

WESTLAND/WAIAU – There are more than 60 glaciers in the Westland/Tai Poutini National Park. Two of them – the Fox and the Franz Josef – are the only glaciers in the world to flow down to temperate rainforest. The glaciers stem from snowfields high in the Southern Alps, but Māori legend explains their existence more poetically. It is said that a beautiful girl named Hinehukatere loved the mountains in this park and encouraged her lover, Tawe, to climb them with her. He slipped and fell to his death and Hinehukatere’s tears formed the glaciers. The area is known as “Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere” – the tears of the avalanche girl.

Your accommodation for the night Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki (Includes breakfast and dinner)

Day 09

Lake Moeraki

Spend the day at the Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki featuring rainforests, lakes, rivers and wild seacoast. Few places on earth can match the stunning natural setting of Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki, surrounded by lakes, rivers, rainforest and seacoast in the heart of Te Wahipounamu, the southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area. This is a paradise for nature lovers, active travelers and wilderness seekers. Let naturalist guides bring the West Coast to life for you. Explore rainforest trails, hike spectacular seacoast & enjoy tranquil lake kayaking. Learn New Zealand’s fascinating natural history and see penguins, seals & other wildlife.

Your accommodation for the night Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki (Includes breakfast and dinner)

Day 10

Drive Lake Moeraki to Greymouth (approx. 280kms)

You’ll follow the rugged coastline north, where dense rainforest meets crashing Tasman Sea waves, with plenty of opportunities to stop and take it all in. The journey passes through small settlements and untouched stretches of wilderness, giving you a real feel for this untamed part of the country.

En route, you’ll stop for a Heli-Hike with Franz Josef Glacier Guides, an unforgettable experience combining a scenic helicopter flight with a guided walk on the glacier itself. This tour is consistently rated as a highlight of any New Zealand trip. After a thrilling helicopter flight over the glacier, you’ll land high on the ice fall. Equipped with boots and crampons provided by the company, your expert guide will lead you on a two-and-a-half-hour hike through an ever-changing landscape of ice caves, crevasses, and towering ice formations.

As you approach Greymouth, the landscape opens up slightly, offering a gentle transition from secluded nature to a classic West Coast town rich in history and character.

GREYMOUTH/MAWHERA – is the chief commercial centre for the West Coast. The town is a river port where a stone breakwater directs the rough action of the tide and river to the river bar. The town was founded on gold, and continued on coal. Now, however, the main trade is timber, offset by sheep/dairying and cattle raising. The town takes its name from its river, the Grey. Greymouth also has an unusual wind phenomenon – a katabatic wind which is a movement of cold air down a steep slope (the Southern Alps). This wind which starts as a mild breeze at the top of the range, emerges at the town’s centre as “The Barber”, a wind that feels like the cold steel of a barber’s razor blade, and just as cutting.

Your accommodation for the night Breakers Boutique Accommodation – Koru Room (including breakfast)

Day 11

Drive to Greymouth and TranzAlpine Train to Christchurch (approx. 245kms)

Start your morning with a scenic coastal drive north from Breakers Greymouth to the iconic Punakaiki Pancake Rocks. This short journey hugs the rugged Tasman Sea, with dramatic cliffs and sweeping ocean views along the way. Take time to wander the loop track and watch the blowholes in action, especially if the tide is high. Afterwards, return south to Greymouth, where you’ll head to the train station feeling refreshed after a memorable taste of the West Coast’s natural wonders.

Travel on the world famous TranzAlpine Train from Greymouth to Christchurch, enjoying the incredible scenery along the way. The journey will take you coast-to-coast through the ‘Great Divide’ and the indomitable spine of mountains that partitions New Zealand’s South Island. From your carriage you’ll see the lush green valleys of the West Coast, the spectacular Southern Alps, beautiful gorges and river valleys and the fields of the Canterbury Plains. Your train journey is 223.8 kilometres long with 16 tunnels and 5 viaducts, the highest being the Staircase standing at 73 metres. An open-air viewing carriage allows you to get even closer to the stunning scenery and provides many opportunities to photograph your favourite spots. With the Scenic Plus experience, savour regionally inspired cuisine paired with wine and beer from the comfort of your luxurious seat as you soak in the spectacular scenery – a hosted dining experience like no other.

On arrival in at Christchurch Train Station you’ll be met and transferred to your accommodation by private transfer.

Your accommodation for the night The George

Day 12

Depart Christchurch

Depending on your flight time, take a final moment to enjoy Christchurch at a relaxed pace. Your consultant can help you make the most of these last precious hours.

You’ll be collected from your accommodation by private car and transferred to Christchurch Airport and leave New Zealand ready to share your extraordinary memories and plan your next trip down to see us.

Why we think you’ll love this tour:

You’ll love this tour as a honeymoon because it perfectly blends romance and adventure with stargazing under pristine alpine skies, private hot pool soaks, boutique vineyard stays, and unforgettable scenic journeys, creating intimate once-in-a-lifetime moments set against some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking landscapes.