History
Known to Ngai Tahu as Te Tai Poutini, the West Coast has a rich history that extends back to the earliest Maori occupation when Pounamu (NZ Greenstone) was discovered and quickly became prized for its hardness and incredible green colour and appearance.
Europeans started arriving en-mass from 1864 with the advent of the West Coast gold rush, centred on the town of Hokitika, which for a time was the most populous settlement in New Zealand. Following on from the gold, and pounamu, was coal, discovered in 1840 and mined continuously right up to the current day, although tourism was slowly overtaking the mining activities up until the Pandemic of the early 2020’s.
Geography
Reaching from Kahurangi Point in the North, for over 600km to Awarua Point in the South, the West Coast is long and narrow, sandwiched between the Southern Alps, and the often tempestuous Tasman Sea. The region is one of the most isolated, and sparsely populated, yet spectacular parts of New Zealand’s South Island
The West Coast is one of the few areas in New Zealand that still has large areas of lowland forest. There is also significant tracts of temperate rainforest throughout the coast, thanks to the very high annual rainfall. An extraordinarily rugged coastline is just one of the features that are a standout for visitors, along with some of the West Coast lakes, such as Lake Matheson, one of the most photographed locations in the country
The Tours
The West Coast is spectacular for its scenic views, and we just love sharing it with our guests, therefore we offer two, nay three! scenic tours through this incredible landscape; with three days, and six days options, and a significant part of our South Island Big Loop Scenic Tour as well.
Each tour departs from and returns to Christchurch city, and provides all the necessities and goodies to make your tour a success.
Welcome to the Spectacular West Coast
West Coast Sampler
Travelling from Christchurch via Arthurs Pass we begin our tour at Otira before heading South to explore the area around Hokitika and the Hokitika Gorge before heading towards Greymouth and beyond to explore the famous Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. Back in Greymouth we track towards Christchurch via the Buller Gorge, Reefton and the Rahu Saddle before stopping in Hanmer Springs for a dip in the hot-pools.
Explore the West Coast Like Never Before
Wild West Coast
Spend nearly a week on the West Coast slowly working your way from North to South while enjoying all the ‘Coast has to offer. From caves in Karamea, the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, and the Hokitika Gorge, to the West Coast Glaciers, and azure lakes further south, before returning to Christchurch via the Haast Pass and the Otago town of Wanaka
Discover as Much of the South Island as Possible - in a Week!
South Island Big Loop
Our longest tour where we attempt to cram as many of the South Island’s sights in as possible without overdoing it. We work our way up the Kaikoura Coast before cutting across towards Nelson and Westport before tracking down the West Coast to Haast and Wanaka to Milford Sound and Te Anau. From there we basically follow the coast as closely as possible all the way back to Christchurch.