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WILDERNESS LODGE AP

A stylish, high country lodge set amidst the peaks of Arthur’s Pass National Park. This working sheep farm immerses you in high country life, while naturalist guides provide an exciting programme of nature discovery.

Step off the plane in Christchurch and into the care of your Black Sheep guide. There’s no better introduction to New Zealand than a drive into the glorious Southern Alps. Cross the Canterbury Plains, alpine rivers and snow-capped peaks to your luxury lodge, sited on its own 4,000-acre high-country sheep station and nature reserve.

Your lodge lies between the Arthur’s Pass National Park and the Craigieburn Forest Park. Guided activities and a network of nature walks immerse you in high-country ecology and wildlife. After your four-course dinner, browse the lodge’s well-stocked library, enjoy the mountain views and star gaze under the southern sky.

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TE WAONUI FOREST RETREAT

A serene, environmentally sensitive resort surrounded by native rainforest near Franz Josef Glacier. The ambience, attentive service and exquisite dining set in the forest canopy create a unique, peaceful retreat.

Continue over Arthur’s Pass, crossing the dramatic Otira viaduct on your way to the West Coast and the Glacier Country. An afternoon glacier heli-hike takes you over blue-ice crevasses to a remote and exceptionally beautiful part of the glacier. Outfitted with crampons, explore ice arches, caves, pools and pinnacles on foot, following steps cut by your guide.

Start the day with a gentle kayak on a kettle lake left by retreating glaciers long ago. Paddle into a small estuary that winds through the Okarito forest, viewing a wide range of birds that visit the lake. Upon your return, consider a hike or hire a bike for a self-guided ride through old-growth rainforest.

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MINARET STATION

An exclusive luxury lodge on a 50,000 acre high country station. Accessible only by helicopter, Minaret treats those fortunate enough to experience this mountain landscape to a level of comfort never before available in the New Zealand wilderness.

Start the day with a peaceful forest walk around Lake Matheson for views of the snow-capped ranges reflected in its mirrored surface. From here, it's a stunning drive through the Mt Aspiring National Park to the Otago region, home to New Zealand’s vast high country sheep stations. Your Black Sheep guide farewells you in Wanaka for your helicopter journey to Minaret station.

Minaret Station is located at the head of a stunningly picturesque glacial valley in the heart of the Southern Alps, flanked by both Mt Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park. It offers excellent hikes and the lodge’s guides are on hand to lead informative treks or leisurely excursions around the lodge area.

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BLANKET BAY LODGE

One of New Zealand’s finest lodges, resting on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. The majestic setting, gourmet food, exceptional service and access to a huge range of activities makes it easy to see why it was voted one of the world’s best luxury lodges.

Depart Minaret Station and fly to Queenstown to rendezvous with your Black Sheep guide. Your luxury lodge for the next two nights is located in Glenorchy at the head of beautiful Lake Wakatipu. Hikes in this area offer breathtaking scenery, with two National Parks and a World Heritage Area are at your doorstep.

The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand’s greatest Great Walks. On your tour, you’ll take two guided day hikes on two very diverse sections of the track (also see Day 10). Today, hike the wide forest track along the ice-blue Route Burn (river) to Routeburn Flats and lunch in an alpine meadow. Return to Blanket Bay this afternoon.

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FIORLDLAND JEWEL

A luxury, 5-star catamaran based in Fiordland National Park. Kayaks and a tender allow further exploring. Private cabins with ensuites, attentive staff and fine dining provide a luxury, boutique cruising experience.

Depart Blanket Bay for an overnight excursion to Milford Sound. The drive to Milford is one of the world’s most scenic road trips and you’ll be thankful someone else is doing the driving so you can take in the vast beauty around you. You arrive at Milford and board your vessel after the touring masses have departed, leaving you with the special experience of a cruise and overnight stay in the quiet solitude of this stunning wilderness area.

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FIORDLAND LODGE

An exclusive luxury lodge with commanding views over Lake Te Anau. Soaring log trusses in the lounge replicate the grandeur of the Fiordland National Park landscape as they frame a large open fireplace made from local river stone. A perfect base for exploring this World Heritage Area.

This morning, cruise back to shore, rare witness to a Fiordland dawn. Return along the Milford Road, stopping for a guided walk to Key Summit on the Fiordland end of the Routeburn Track. The walk ascends through lush, temperate rainforest, emerging onto an alpine plateau, with panoramic views of snowy peaks, alpine lakes, and deep, bush-clad valleys. After lunch, steps are retraced and you continue to your lodge in Te Anau.

Depart on a guided heli-hike adventure on another of the Great Walks, the Kepler Track. Helicopter from Te Anau over hidden lakes, beech forest and alpine meadows to Luxmore Hut. Explore alpine tussock fields and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding Fiordland mountains before hiking down a well-formed track to Lake Te Anau, the pick up point for your boat cruise back to Te Anau. Relax back at the lodge before your farewell dinner.

Return to Queenstown this morning, where your guide farewells you at the airport for your flight home or to your next destination. Spend your flight home scrolling through the hundreds of photos you’ve taken and plotting your return.