Top South Island Rail Tours

Board a train through New Zealand's Southern Alps on a gorgeous rail journey from Greymouth to Christchurch via Arthur’s Pass. Travel past rugged peaks, wide braided rivers, and vast forests of native beech. Personal headsets with GPS-triggered audio commentary tell the story of the places you'll pass, with a combination of comfortable seating and open-air viewing decks.

Travel by TranzAlpine railway to Arthur's Pass National Park, riding across the Canterbury Plains, then winding through Waimakariri Gorge and into the heart of the Southern Alps on this day trip from Christchurch.  An informative guide takes you on a minivan tour of Arthur's Pass, including short rain forest walks past rivers to mountain vistas at Castle Hill. Enjoy a hotel lunch and light refreshments before the return trip via Waimak Gorge. This small-group tour is limited to ten participants, ensuring a more personalized experience.

Explore the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps on this Arthur’s Pass day tour from Christchurch. Travel through the pastureland of the Canterbury Plains to Springfield with your guide. Hop aboard your TranzAlpine train and journey through the Waimakariri Gorge. Explore the alpine village of Arthur’s Pass in the Otira Gorge and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Visit a sheep farm, and admire native birdlife in the foothills of the Southern Alps.

The best way to see Kaikoura's World Famous Sperm Whales and Marine Life - Make your trip to New Zealand one to remember with a Whale Watching Flight. Depart from Kaikoura Airport on a trip to view the mighty Sperm whales in their natural environment - from the air you'll have the best view getting to fully appreciate the size of these majestic animals. Air Kaikoura's friendly team have been operating Whale Watching Flights for 30+ years, so you can trust you're getting the most quality experience out there. While on your Whale Watching flight get to appreciate the beauty Kaikoura has to offer from the air - enjoy picturesque views of the dramatic mountains that meet the vibrant turquoise seas. Get to enjoy all of Kaikoura's famous marine life from a 40 minute flight, some things you can potentially see: Sperm Whales, Dusky Dolphins, Humpback Whales, Blue Whales and Orca.

Mt Cook Bus Tour & Ultimate Alpine Experience, this small group, fully guided bus tour to Mt Cook combines all of the key highlights of Mt Cook with scenic flights in a helicopter and a ski plane including a Tasman Glacier landing plus free time to do other optional activities of your choice. Led by our famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge, and run in modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety. While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, we at Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and the little details that set our tours well apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles, complementary refreshments and many other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember.

Arthurs Pass located deep in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. You will be traveling on the Great Alpine Highway through the ever-changing remarkable landscapes. This tour highlights an example of great engineering, spectacular waterfalls, and famous filming locations. The day will begin with a collection from your chosen accommodation before we hit the road towards Arthur’s pass, our knowledgeable and friendly guide will point out those stunning views along the way. While on this tour with us you will see a variety of green fields to rugged mountain ranges, lush forest and ice-fed lakes and rivers! There are plenty of stops along the route, so we won’t be spending all day in the van although it is pretty comfy. Of course, we will also stop at those must-see Instagram worthy spots too! Before taking the world-famous TranzAlpine back towards the city.

Experience some of the South Island’s most majestic mountain landscapes on this small-group day tour across the Southern Alps. Ride the scenic TranzAlpine train from Christchurch, admiring the views from the large windows and viewing carriage. Stop at Arthurs Pass National Park to stretch your legs on a short hike among the meadows and mountains. Relax over a home-made picnic. Return to Christchurch the same day by car.

Gorgeous fiords, magnificent glaciers and other scenic landscapes of the South Island comprise this 6-day semi-independent tour by narrated coach and railway. Travel round-trip from Christchurch and climb aboard the Taieri Gorge Railway and TranzAlpine passenger trains — two of New Zealand's  top-rated scenic rail routes. Catch a complimentary shuttle to the Fox Glacier or Franz Josef Glacier lookout point, cruise on Milford Sound, and ride the Queenstown Skyline Gondola above Lake Wakatipu. Overnight stays allow for plenty of free time to explore at your own pace.

Arthurs Pass located deep in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. You will be traveling on the Great Alpine Highway through the ever-changing remarkable landscapes. This tour highlights an example of great engineering, spectacular waterfalls, and famous filming locations. The day will begin with a collection from your chosen accommodation before we hit the road towards Arthur’s pass, our knowledgeable and friendly guide will point out those stunning views along the way. While on this tour with us you will see a variety of green fields to rugged mountain ranges, lush forest and ice-fed lakes and rivers! There are plenty of stops along the route, Including a fantastic jet boat experience. On the return to Christchurch you will hop aboard world-famous TranzAlpine back towards the city. Of course, we will also stop at those must-see Instagram worthy spots too along the way

Southern New Zealand is home to some of the most iconic landscapes in the world. Starting in Queenstown, journey to the largest Glacier in the country before riding the famous TranzAlpine train north to Christchurch. On day three explore the beautiful Aoraki Mt Cook National Park before ending your tour in Queenstown. Leave the admin to us and tick off the star-studded southern line up in one package.

See the South Island by coach and railway on a semi-independent 5-day tour, traveling round-trip from Christchurch. Hear informative commentary on your sightseeing coach, gaze at the scenic Southern Alps while aboard the TranzAlpine train, and visit the World Heritage–listed Fiordland on a Milford Sound cruise with lunch. Overnight stays in Fox Glacier and Queenstown allow for plenty of free time to explore New Zealand’s magnificent glaciers and national parks.

Starting and ending in the “Garden City” of Christchurch, we show you the ultimate highlights of New Zealand’s stunning South Island over 7 action-packed days. From turquoise lakes to towering mountains and glaciers, the South Island’s scenery will blow your mind, and the nation’s adventure capital, Queenstown, has all the adrenalin activities on offer that you could possibly wish for. Activities can be pre-booked or purchased on the road - just let your tour guide know. We can't always guarantee availability when booking on the road, so we suggest pre- booking any activities you especially want to do. As the tour starts early in the morning, you can opt to book accommodation in Christchurch with us the night before the tour – only having to walk downstairs on day 1 makes for a stress-free morning. Accommodation is included on the last night of your tour, but we can also book a few extra nights for you if you would like to extend your stay.

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