Arthurs Pass & TranzAlpine Train

In the heart of the Southern Alps, Arthur’s Pass National Park has an incredible diversity of flora and landscape. They range from eastern beech clad hills and tussock valleys to the luxuriant rain forest in the west. The highest mountains have glaciers and surrounding them are tussock basins, flowering herbs and alpine grasses.

Board the Tranz Alpine train, a world famous train journey. The train journey takes you across the wide expanses of the Canterbury Plains into high country surrounded by rugged mountain ranges. After leaving the Canterbury Plains, the landscape dramatically changes into sub-alpine as we head towards the spectacular Southern Alps. View the Waimakariri River and its unique braided riverbed system before entering the picturesque high mountains of the Southern Alps and Arthur's Pass, where you will be met by your guide. 

Enter Arthur’s Pass National Park where short walks can be made to experience forests, rivers and mountain vistas. Follow the old stage coach route and travel down the spectacular Otira Gorge, testament to the road builders of the 1860's and the route taken by the Māori in their quest for greenstone.

Travel through an area of limestone cliffs and gorges, craggy outcrops and a vista of mountains to both the east and west. This area was the setting for the filming of C.J Lewis’ story – “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. View the incredible Castle Hill rocks, unique weatherworn, rain smoothed outcrops of limestone.

The return journey will be by luxury vehicle, leaving the high country via Porters Pass and crosses the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch where your guide will drop you off at your accommodation and bid you farewell.