If you’ve not heard us before, “it’s not about the destination, but the Journey”
For us, we believe that every one of our scenic tours is not just about getting from A to B, but about the way in which the journey is approached. A journey is to be enjoyed and savoured so that the destination is not in itself the end goal.
We would also point out that we have other scenic tours that go to some of these destinations, but they are in a manner of speaking, “passing through on their journey”
Having said that, a journey has to have a destination, right? An end goal, so to speak. Here then are some of our favourite destinations shared with you:
Premium Destinations
New Zealand's Pre-Eminent Alpine Playground
Aoraki Mt Cook
At 3,724m, Aoraki / Mt Cook is New Zealand’s highest mountain and is always popular with visitors of all types, including tourists, and mountaineers.
Dual named in recognition of the Ngai Tahu Maori ancestral mythology as Aoraki, and for it’s European name sake, the English explorer Sir James Cook, Aoraki / Mt Cook sits astride the Southern Alps deep in the heart of the South Island, a little over four hours drive from the South Island’s largest city, Christchurch.
The Eighth Wonder of the World Awaits
Milford Sound
“All roads lead to Milford Sound” is the often used quote when referring to New Zealand’s tourism jewel. One of approximately 90 places around New Zealand that have become dual named with both te reo Maori and European names, Milford Sound’s te reo Maori name is Piopiotahi, being named after the Piopio, a native thrush-like bird now extinct.
According to legend, a single Piopio bird flew to Milford Sound in mourning following the death of Maui. In honour of this event the fiord was named Piopiotahi. Tahi meaning “one” in te reo. The fiord’s European name came from a seal hunter named John Grono, who named the fiord after Milford Haven, his birth place in Wales
Where the Mountains Meet the Sea
Kaikoura
Located approximately 180km north of Christchurch, on the Pacific Coast of the South Island, the Kaikoura Coastal area is unusual for Canterbury in that there is no large coastal plain. Instead, the mountains seemingly rise directly from the sea.
Part of that which makes Kaikoura famous, is its marine life, and indeed it is that marine life that sparked the Whale hunting in the area, and contributes to the town’s very existence.
Other Top Destinations
Arthurs Pass
Arthur's Pass lies in the heart of the South Island and is one of three main highway passes across the Southern Alps linking the Eastern side of the island with the West Coast. The pass was first discovered by Europeans in 1864, when Arthur Dobson and his brother found and crossed it with a little help
Available Tours
Nelson - Marlborough
Surrounded by the sea on one side, and the mountains on the other three sides, Nelson is also blessed by three national parks nearby. Marlborough on the other hand is blessed with fertile soils and a temperate climate making it a wine mecca for travellers, but also boasts the famous Marlborough Sounds
Available Tours
Akaroa
Akaroa Harbour is one of two eroded volcanic caldera remnants from the extinct Banks Peninsula volcano, now open to the sea, with the name Akaroa meaning Long-Harbour in Maori. Settled by French Settlers around 1840, the land had by then already been claimed by the British
Available Tours
West Coast
The West Coast is one of the few areas in New Zealand that still has large areas of lowland forest along with 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
Available Tours