Day 1:
Departing Christchurch early morning, we head north on SH 1 before deviating onto SH 7 at Waipara, just north of the township of Amberley.
Venturing as far north as the famous Marui Falls, we eventually stop for lunch and the first of many photography opportunities. After lunch we slowly make our way back to Hanmer Springs, while enjoying the scenery and making numerous stops for photography opportunities, including stops up on the Rahu Saddle (a slight deviation involved!), Lewis Pass itself, and numerous other locations along the way.
Eventually arriving in Hanmer Springs late afternoon, we check into our accommodation and head for the famous Hanmer Springs Thermal Hot Pools. For those that want to, there is the opportunity to visit the famous Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools before dinner.
Day 2:
After a leisurely breakfast, we head back to the pools for another soak before winding our way slowly back towards Christchurch before stopping for lunch at one of the many Waipara Valley vineyards. After lunch, we indulge in a bit of wine tasting, and as we resume our journey towards Christchurch we visit a picturesque beach and the Waimakariri River Regional Park along the way before eventually arriving back at our starting point in the city
