Heartland High Country Tour-Autumn Colours
Heartland High Country Tour-Autumn Colours
DEPOSIT - $300.00 NZD
Single - $4,585.00
Twin Share - $3985.00
If these dates don't work for you but you're still interested in this tour please contact us below.
Please note this is a cash or cheque price. Credit cards will incur a 2% fee.
*Itinerary and costs subject to change, airline and fuel charges and currency fluctuations prior to final payment.
This 8-day tour takes you to some of the most iconic of New Zealand's high-country stations, many that have featured on Country Calender. The South Island's high country is rich with stories of resilience and innovation a combination of historical insights and breathtaking natural beauty will make for an unforgettable experience. There are many stories to hear of the early days, the harsh climate the rabbit plaques, the life they led then to the way they farm now. You will get to see pristine glacial blue lakes and rivers, tour remote country roads to visit these stations and have the chance to enjoy short walks each day if you wish to. The Autumn colours of the High Country should be a highlight.
Wayne will find the nice picnic lunch spots each day, there’s some home cooked meals at the stations, and there will always be a few surprises in the itinerary.
Group Size
Group Size
Personalized small group tour of 5 to 9 people
Location & Duration
Location & Duration
Starts Christchurch. Finishes Christchurch. 8 Days - 7 nights.
Highlights Will Include
Highlights Will Include
• Mount White Station
• Lake Coleridge, Rakaia Gorge
• Ashburton Lakes,
• Erewhon station Clydesdale wagon tour
• Blue Mountain Station
• Mount Cook Station
• Orari Gorge Station
• Shearing demo by blade and machine featuring a NZ champion shearer`
Inclusions
Inclusions
• 8 days transport, 10 or 12 seat vehicles
• Your own experienced driver / guide for 8 days
• 7 night’s accommodation
• 6 dinners ,7 lunches ,7 breakfasts
• Accommodation is in newly upgraded shearers quarters, lodges station huts and motels.
• Everyone has there own bedroom and in most cases own ensuite bathroom and toilets.There may be 2 singles who need to share the bathroom facilities only at MT Cook Station .See option below for BNB.
• There is an additional option of 5- star BNB at Mt Cook stations new homestead with the retired owners, please ask for additional pricing if interested.2 rooms are available.
Exclusions
Exclusions
- Flights - if you would rather, we are happy to book flights and any extra accommodation at the start or finish of the tour. We do not have large enough groups to be able to get travel discounts and some people may be better off using credits or air points. Please let me know if you would like us to book though and I can just add to the tour cost for you (we make no mark-ups on costs for this service).
- Items of a personal nature
Booking Conditions
Booking Conditions
A non-refundable deposit of $300 per person is required to secure your place on the tour. Payment can be made to this account number.
Full payment is due one month prior to tour start.
Bookings made after 30 Oct 2024 – full payment at time of booking.
Cancellations
Cancellations
- Deposit – nonrefundable
- If this tour is cancelled due to Covid 19 government travel restrictions, a refund is available, or we will endeavour to reschedule. Alps 2 Ocean Ltd reserves the right in addition to any supplier-imposed amendment and cancellation fees, to charge a service and administrative fee of $100 per person.
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Tour Travel Itinerary
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Day 1
Mount White StationChristchurch – Mt White Station
LUNCH DINNER
Departure from Christchurch is from 1030 am, we cross the plains heading inland on the scenic route to journey into the Waimakariri Valley with its glacial blue water and wide braided riverbed fed from the Southern Alps. We cross the Mt White bridge and drive a remote road to reach our destination for the first 2 nights at Mt White station. The facilities and tracks are very new and have been recently built to cater ideally for small groups of 7 to 14.
Home cooked dinner at the station
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Day 2
Explore Mt White Station
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
After breakfast it’s time to explore this huge station with its network of tracks and trails, some old and some new huts for us to visit and enjoy a picnic lunch. Its a unique chance to discover this landscape of subalpine tussock and beech.There is time to walk along a track if you want or stay in the vehicle and explore deeper into the backcountry before returning late afternoon to enjoy time at the lodge.
Dinner again cooked by station hosts in the lodge.
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Day 3
Mt White Honey Tour-Lake Coleridge-Mt Somers
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
After breakfast we can enjoy a station honey tour where the beekeepers will show us how their beekeeping operation works. We will then depart the station, and travel via a backcountry road to Lake Coleridge, stop in at the Staveley café for a coffee and a walk option in Mt Somers park. We stay at Stronechrubie Motels in Mt Somers for 2 nights.Dinner in the restaurant.
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Day 4
Mt Somers to
Erewhon Station-Lake HeronBREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Today is a drive into the Ashburton lakes, a vast glacial landscape of waving tussocks, gorgeous lakes, historic huts, and Lord of the Ring views. Mt Potts and Erewhon Station are two historic sheep stations based at the foot of an alpine playground. We have a Clydesdale wagon ride arranged followed by lunch in the station woolshed.
A choice of walks if you feel like one, Mt Sunday can provide an awesome panorama or perhaps to Lake Emma with its historic hut.Dinner is a free choice at Panthers Rock in Mayfield
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Day 5
Mount Cook StationMt Somers -Tekapo -Mt Cook Station
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Our journey continues through Geraldine where we meet Phil, a NZ champion blade shearer and he gives us a great talk and demo of both blade and machine shearing.We drive into the Mackenzie country past an array of merino sheep stations to Mt Cook station on the northern shore of the Tasman River. Accommodation is a mix of recently upgraded shearers quarters/lodge and station huts by the homestead. There is a limited BnB option in the new station homestead (couples only). Enjoy a walk before dinner if you want.
Dinner is a home cooked meal in the main lodge.
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Day 6
Mount Cook Station
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Time for us to explore this iconic station, and learn about its history, past and current owners,with the chance to
see and experience a remote working station with Aoraki Mt Cook as its
backdrop.You will see their challenge to control wilding pines that were allowed to flourish untouched for many years and experience a farm tour with the retired owner David Gould.
There is a walk option out to a viewpoint that looks up the Tasman Valley and
across to the Hermitage.Dinner at the Lodge
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Day 7
Mt Cook Station- Blue Mountain Station - Geraldine
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
After a leisurely breakfast we will travel back towards Geraldine with a side visit to Blue Mountain Station (another recent country calender episode) and weather permitting a 4wd ride and walk on station tracks.
Motel Accommodation in Geraldine
Dinner at House of Hop
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Day 8
Orari GorgeGeraldine- Orari Gorge – Christchurch
BREAKFAST LUNCH
After breakfast there is free time to explore Geraldine, walk the riverside sculpture trail or maybevisit the Military Museum before a picnic lunch at the historic Orari Gorge station.
We then travel to Christchurch arriving at approx. 3pm for flights or to be taken to your accommodation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level of fitness do I need?
No matter what your fitness level, you can choose the activity level you feel appropriate for you, provide alternative options for the varied fitness levels, with a small group it is easy to personalize this.
What if I want to change some of the travel plans?
Sometimes our travellers like to visit relatives while on the journey. The tour travel times each day are arranged to give time for you to meet others, or if we are stopping for a walk nearby, Wayne can arrange that you spend your time differently. If you are thinking you would like to visit someplace that is not listed in the itinerary, we can sometimes build this in. It is worth
having a chat to Wayne to see what is possible
What about cancellations or interruptions due to level changes?
We do ask for a small non-refundable deposit to begin the booking process; however, all other expenses are fully refundable if we did need to cancel. In most instances we would look to reschedule and will be in touch with you if this arises. If in the event the level changes were imminent while we were travelling, we would look to get you quickly and safely back to a destination you could travel home from e.g., Queenstown or Christchurch.