Panorama Trains of New Zealand

Group tour for minimum 20 guests by request

Day by day itinerary | Inclusions | Routing

Travel through New Zealand (Aotearoa) by coach and panorama train

Not only Switzerland, also New Zealand offers great panorama trains. This group tour offers the best of panorama trains, New Zealand has to offer. The Northern Explorer connects Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand’s capital. The route passes near the highest mountain of the North Island, Mount Ruapehu, a 2797 metres high volcano. On the south island, the Coastal Pacific offers great views of the beach and brings us to Christchurch, the town which was destroyed by 2 earthquakes a decade ago. Then we discover the main sights of the south island, such as the Moeraki Boulders, Milford Sound, the Haast River, Franz Josef Glacier and the Punakaiki cliffs. The Tranzalpine Express train is the highlight at the end of the tour.

Day 1 – Arrival in Auckland

Morning arrival in Auckland, the metropolis of the North Island, situated between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The afternoon is free for initial explorations.

Overnight in Auckland

Day 2 – Day at leisure in Auckland

Explore the city and get used to jet-lag! We will provide the options.

Overnight in Auckland

Day 3 – NORTHERN EXPLORER Auckland – Wellington

First take the bus to Auckland Railway Station, then board the NORTHERN EXPLORER! Today, the comfortable express train with its large panoramic windows takes us to the southern tip of the North Island: on a direct route and past the breathe taking volcanic landscape of the Tongariro National Park, a UNESCO cultural and natural heritage site and the oldest nature reserve in the country. The approx. 8.5 hour journey provides unusual perspectives that can only be seen from the railway line. Very few New Zealand tourists travel like this. Today’s stage ends in Wellington: welcome to the country’s elegant capital. Transfer from the railway station to the hotel.

Overnight in Wellington

Day 4 – Day at leisure in Wellington

The city has a lot to offer. In the morning we visit Te Papa, New Zealand’s lavishly decorated national museum. The afternoon is then free to explore Wellington on your own. Stroll along the beautiful harbour promenade and discover the well-preserved Victorian architecture. The bright red cable car (optional) takes us up to the well-kept botanical gardens.

The Wellington Cable Car

Overnight in Wellington

Day 5 – COASTAL PACIFIC Wellington – Christchurch

In the morning, a short transfer to the ferry harbour and the approximately three-and-a-half-hour crossing to the South Island begins. We relax on board and keep an eye out for the pods of dolphins that like to accompany the ferry. As we enter the Marlborough Sounds, we take in the secluded fjord landscape before setting foot ashore again in the pretty coastal town of Picton, where we immediately take a comfortable seat on the COASTAL PACIFIC. The modern long-distance train follows the cliff-lined east coast, with views of the undulating expanse of the Pacific. It is not unusual for us to see seals. They like to warm themselves on the sunlit rocks in the water. The train journey to Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island, takes around 5.5 hours.

Overnight in Christchurch

Day 6 – Lake Tekapo – Twizel

In the morning we leave Christchurch by bus in a southerly direction. After reaching the city limits, the landscape is characterised by fields, meadows and pastures. We drive through Ashburton and Geraldine, both quiet agricultural centres. At Lake Tekapo, on the other hand, things can get really exciting when good weather allows a scenic flight (optional) over the snow-covered mountain massifs of the Southern Alps. But the view from the ground is not bad either: of the pretty chapel in front of a magnificent Alpine panorama and a deep lake. With a bit of luck, Aoraki Mount Cook won’t be shrouded in low cloud today. This means we can marvel at New Zealand’s highest mountain at 3,724 metres in all its white glory as we continue our journey. We spend the night in Twizel, in the centre of the sparsely populated highlands of Mackenzie Country (approx. 290km).

Mount Cook in the morning seen from Twizel

Overnight in Twizel

Day 7 – Twizel – Dunedin

The bus travels through the wide valley of the Waitaki River back to the east coast to head further south. Oamaru, once an important harbour town, is on the way, as is a pile of huge stone balls, the origin of which is still a mystery. We walk to the beach to take a look at the monstrous Moeraki Boulders! In the afternoon, we reach the university town of Dunedin, which is populated by many young people. You can still recognise that it was founded by Scots. You can also see that the second largest city in the South Island once profited from rich gold discoveries in the hinterland. Many magnificent Victorian buildings bear witness to this, as we see on the city tour. We then drive out to the cliffs at Taiaroa Head, where the world’s only known mainland colony of royal albatrosses is located. This is the best place to observe these majestic birds in flight when the wind is blowing. On arrival, we will visit the Royal Albatross Centre, where we will learn more about the world’s largest birds on a private guided tour. Overnight stay in Dunedin (approx. 260km).

Overnight in Dunedin

Day 8 – Dunedin – Te Anau

Today’s route turns westwards. First to Gore, the tranquil centre of the surrounding fertile farmland, and on through the ochre-coloured tussock valleys of the Takitimu Mountains to Te Anau. The lake of the same name is one of the deepest in New Zealand and lies on the border of the huge Fiordland National Park, which is a World Heritage Site due to its uniqueness. Overnight stay in Te Anau. Beforehand, we should take a relaxing walk along the cosy lakeshore, combined with a visit to the small bird park. Our tour guide will be happy to show us the way (approx. 320km).

Overnight in Te Anau

Day 9 – Milford Sound – Queenstown

The famous Milford Sound is on the programme today. A real highlight, especially in fine weather. Unspoilt nature flanks the bus journey along the Milford Road to the Homer Tunnel, behind which narrow hairpin bends lead steeply downwards, offering breathtaking views of Milford Sound on a clear day. We can also admire its beauty at close quarters on a boat trip to the opening of the fjord on the Tasman Sea. The journey continues first back to Te Anau, then through the sparsely populated south of the South Island to Queenstown, New Zealand’s most popular holiday resort, where our hotel is located for the next two nights (approx. 410km).

Milford Sound with Mitre Peak, the Matterhorn of New Zealand

Overnight in Queenstown

Day 10 – Queenstown

In Queenstown we holiday in the front row: at the foot of imposing mountain ranges and directly on the deep blue Lake Wakatipu. There’s no chance of boredom here, we promise! We use the programme-free day for a romantic lake cruise on the historic steamship ‘TSS Earnslaw’ (optional) or take the cable car (optional) to Bob’s Peak, picture-book panorama included. Of course, we can also hike the surrounding mountainsides or enjoy the marvellous lake view along the shore. But Queenstown is above all known as New Zealand’s adventure playground: spectacular activities for the ultimate adrenalin rush are on offer here.

Overnight in Queenstown

Day 11 – Queenstown – Franz Josef Glacier

We will like Arrowtown. The beautifully restored gold mining settlement from pioneer days is only 20 kilometres away and is on the programme immediately after departure. The route then follows the lonely shores of Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka to the Haast Pass, the water and weather divide to the wild west. The Westland National Park, one of New Zealand’s most typical and diverse nature reserves, welcomes us with icy glaciers. A refuge for rare bird species. Maybe we’ll get to see a kea, the endemic mountain parrot, here. We spend the night in the mountain village of Franz Josef, not far from the glacier of the same name and close to the small airfield from which helicopters take off for magnificent scenic flights (optional) over glaciers and high mountain peaks – weather permitting (approx. 360km).

Overnight in Franz Josef Glacier Town

Day 12 – Hokitika – Punakaiki

The ride to the glacier tongue is short, the natural spectacle magnificent: grey meltwater runs out of jagged ice masses through lush green rainforest – and soon afterwards into the sea. The journey continues northwards along the evergreen west coast, via once-booming gold mining towns such as Harihari and Ross. Hokitika is particularly ‘green’. The small town is the centre of greenstone processing. New Zealand jade was already of particular value to the Maori. We watch in a workshop as the stones are cut into precious artefacts. Perhaps we will find a personal souvenir of our journey here. Afterwards we continue to Punakaiki where today ends for us (approx. 190km).

Overnight in Greymouth

Day 13 – TRANZALPINE EXPRESS – Christchurch

The detour to Paparoa National Park is a must. The famous Pancake Rocks have been carved out of the limestone coast near Punakaiki by the roaring surf of the Tasman Sea. The rocks look like huge stacks of pancakes. We see them up close, if possible without getting soaked by the sometimes splashing water fountains. We return to Greymouth and change to the TRANZALPINE, something of a mountaineer among New Zealand’s railway lines. A marvellous route over dizzyingly high viaducts: Views of the rugged high mountain landscape almost take your breath away. After Arthur’s Pass, the tracks descend into the vast Canterbury Plain. We reach Christchurch in the evening after a 4.5 hour train journey, followed by a transfer to the hotel (approx. 100km + train journey).

The Tranzalpine train crossing one of many bridges

Overnight in Christchurch

Day 14 – Christchurch

A short city tour in the morning shows how Christchurch has recovered from the severe earthquakes a few years ago and is well on the way to becoming the most modern city in the country. A respectable feat of strength! We then visit the Ferrymead Heritage Park, which explains some of Christchurch’s history and the significance of New Zealand’s first railway line for the city. A short train journey on one of the lovingly maintained historic trains rounds off the visit. A final highlight of our exciting journey through New Zealand will be our farewell dinner in a historic tram in the evening. Let us indulge in culinary delights and enjoy a ride through the city centre of Christchurch.

Overnight in Christchurch

Day 15 – Return or continuation

Return trip home or continuation to other destinations, depending your further plans.