The Tranz Alpine Train Day Tour

Enjoy a scenic Tranz Alpine day tour through Arthurs Pass National Park – a highlight of your South Island itinerary. I will be your personal guide and will pick you up for your day excursion from your accommodation in Christchurch and drive you across the Canterbury Plains to meet the Tranz Alpine train in the foothills of the Southern Alps.

From here you will get on the Tranz Alpine train which will take you alongside the Waimakariri River as it takes you up through the scenic Arthurs Pass National Park and see the amazing and unique New Zealand alpine scenery as you climb into the South Island  high country.

From Arthurs Pass station, one of New Zealands highest railway stations,  I will drive you to the lookout over the stunning Otira Gorge, where the native parrot, the Kea, often resides and is eager to entertain. We can view New Zealand native Mountain Beech forest, waterfalls and classic South Island Alpine scenery as well as call into the Arthurs Pass National Park Visitors centre.From here, we will find a scenic location overlooking the national park and enjoy a 2 course homemade picnic lunch from my organic garden.

After lunch we will drive back towards Christchurch passing through scenery that gives a different perspective compared to your Tranz Alpine train journey – from alpine scenery,high country sheep stations, lakes, limestone formations and river valleys.

Options include:

• An additional and an exhilarating jet boat adventure or farm visit.
• If you prefer you can get the Tranz Alpine train from Christchurch (at no additional cost) and I will meet you at the Arthur’s Pass station to begin our tour.