If weather conditions were unfavourable on Day 2, you may get another chance to fly up to the glaciers this morning. If you are not flying, you may wish to take a stroll through the small but lively Franz Josef village before departing.
You then follow an ancient greenstone trail, viewing the sheer drop of Thunder Creek Falls and the grand sight of Mt Hooker, flanked on three sides by extensive glaciers. Travel over Haast Pass, marking a change from the rainforest marvel of the wild West Coast to the alpine scenery of the Southern Lakes.
Continue further into Central Otago. View Lake Wanaka, where the shoreline is charmingly lined by poplars and willows, followed by the vivid blue waters of Lake Hawea. It is a day of gorgeous lakes: after Hawea you travel over to Cromwell, situated next to the sparkling pristine waters of Lake Dunstan, and stop at a local orchard for a taste of some of the town’s delicious stone fruit.
Later, visit the faithfully restored gold mining settlement of Arrowtown. As you amble down the beautiful tree-lined avenues, past the 19th-century wooden buildings, it feels like stepping into a movie set.
Then it’s on to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand.
Start Time
Oct 28
Franz Josef, New Zealand