After the months of planning and preparation the wait is finally over! You will need to check in at the International Airport 2 hours prior to your flight. KIA ORA! On arrival you will be met at the airport by your guide and transferred to our centrally located accommodation. Your guide will run through a full trip briefing and team introduction before we embark on a hike to the top of Bob's Peak for some jaw dropping views over the township. We return to our accommodation to prepare our first group meal of the trip together. Walk: approx 1.5-2 hours

Meals:  D

After breakfast, we are fitted up for our bikes and have a full safety briefing with our guides before driving to Kingston at the Southern edge of Lake Wakatipu. This morning we will cycle on part of the new “Around the Mountain” trail from Kingston to Four Rivers, a stunning trail with spectacular scenery. This afternoon we switch our bikes for boots as we hike on the Kepler Track from Rainbow Reach to the control gates at Te Anau. The walk is approximately 11km and takes us through beautiful Beech forests, past lakes and rivers. We check into our accommodation at Te Anau and this afternoon make our way to Fiordland Cinema to see the award winning film “Ata Whenua” about Fiordland. Ata Whenua – Shadowland brings you the Fiordland World Heritage Status wilderness you would otherwise never see. Mysterious, evocative, exhilarating and utterly spectacular, filmed mostly from a helicopter across extremes of season, climate and terrain, it will take you on an unforgettable journey through one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on earth. Overnight in Te Anau.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will travel to iconic Milford Sound. We will join a stunning walk along the Key Summit Track, a section of the Routeburn Track. The walk give us amazing views over the mountains and alpine lakes that make up the Fiordland National Park. We enter through beech forest and pass through sub-alpine shrublands and alpine tarns with views opening up over the Humboldt and Darran Mountains. This afternoon we join a cruise which gets us into the heart of Milford Sound. The cruise usually takes between 1.5-2 hours and will give us the opportunity to view incredible sheer cliffs, waterfalls, glaciers and rain forest. Very often pods of dolphins follow our boat through the fiord. After our cruise we will travel to a scenic section of the sound and enjoy a swim in the shadows of the 8th wonder of the world! Return to Te Anau late afternoon.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we are in for a treat as we enjoy the thrill of jet boating down the majestic Waiau River, also known as the Anduin River; the great river of Middle Earth featured in the opening scene from The Lord of the Rings! We will get the inside-story on The Lord of the Rings filming locations, and the crazy logistics involved in filming. We continue our exhilarating ride stopping in stunning spots to soak up the amazing surrounds, and learn about the unique environment and fascinating history. Our ride finishes at the breath-taking Lake Manapouri. Surrounded by mountains that have been carved by snow and ice over centuries this is a majestic sight! We then drive to Wanaka (3 hours) over the Crown Range. We head directly to the lake where we will have a traditional Maori meet and greet. The WanaHaka Powhiri or 'Wanaka Welcome' is performed at That Wanaka tree or the tree in the water. It involves a Wero/Challenge, Hongi/Greeting and Haka/dance with a brief history of Maori into the Wanaka region and more importantly to provide you with a true, authentic experience of the Maori culture of New Zealand. Contemporary Maori culture has been shaped by the traditions of its rich cultural heritage, with an outward view of the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in a global society. After our cultural program we will embark on the Mount Iron loop walk. Mount Iron is an impressive, glacier carved, rocky knoll that rises nearly 250 m above the surrounding countryside. As a result, from the summit there are excellent 360-degree views of the The Pisa range, the Upper Clutha Basin, Lake Wanaka and the Southern Alps/Ka Tiritiri o te Moana. The round 5km trip is steep and a good short challenge that will take us around 2 hours. Overnight Wanaka.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we have a full day to explore this adventure paradise. The days activities will be weather dependant and can include a number of the following activities. Half day kayak on Lake Wanaka with the stunning mountains in the background this activity gives you the opportunity to explore more of the remote areas of Lake Wanaka. Trek to the top of Rocky mountain for stunning mountain views via Damond Lake (3 hours return) Cycle the Clutha River Trail, a 25km section of the famous Clutha Gold Trail. All activities are fully supported with experienced guides and all gear included. Overnight in Wanaka

Meals:  B,L,D

We then drive to Mt Cook. The backdrop of a snow covered Aoraki/Mt Cook (NZ’s highest peak) against turquoise waters is a sight you’ll never forget. After lunch, we head to the World Heritage area, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park and enjoy one of a number of walks determined by the weather and snow conditions. Our aim will be to walk to see the Tasman Glacier and to traverse alongside the lateral moraine. Here we learn about the striking glacial geomorphology in the region and witness the very land forms carved by recent glaciation. After our time exploring here we will visit the Edmund Hilary Centre to learn about the history of the region and experience the 3D Mount Cook Magic and the 360 degree digital dome planetarium Overnight Mt Cook Village.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today is an absolutely epic day and the most challenging of our journey. Today we tackle the challenging advance trek to Mueller Hut. At 1800 metres on the Sealy Range, Mueller Hut provides a 360-degree panorama encompassing glaciers, ice cliffs, vertical rock faces and New Zealand’s highest peaks. We encounter diverse flora and fauna as we scale close to 1000 mtrs from wildflowers on the valley floor right up to rocky outcrops and snow peaks. This is surely one of the most spectacular day hikes in New Zealand!

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning after preparing and eating breakfast we will start our drive to Christchurch. We stop at Lake Tekapo enroute and join part of the Alps to Ocean cycle trail along the Tekapo Canals. Depending on weather we have the opportunity to cycle up to 30km. We will stop for lunch and arrive in Christchurch early evening to the airport for our flight to Melbourne

Meals:  B,L,D