South Island Eastern and Central Route — 7 Days / 6 Nights Mercedes Tour
Travel from Christchurch through Oamaru and Dunedin to Queenstown, Arrowtown, Wanaka, Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo. Enjoy an Otago Peninsula wildlife tour, Larnach Castle, a two-course Speight’s Brewery lunch, and the Queenstown Skyline Gondola with a seafood buffet dinner, with hotel and holiday-home accommodation.
Highlights
- Oamaru’s Victorian quarter and Otago Peninsula wildlife
- Dunedin city sights and Larnach Castle
- Two-course lunch at Speight’s Brewery
- Queenstown Skyline Gondola and seafood buffet dinner
- Arrowtown, Lake Wanaka, Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo
Daily Itinerary
Arrive in Christchurch, a South Pacific city with a classical English atmosphere. Your guide will introduce this beautiful “Garden City”. Stroll through the historic Arts Centre, admire the elegant Avon River scenery and pass the Bridge of Remembrance, a symbol of resilience and commemoration, experiencing the city’s cultural heritage and peaceful atmosphere. Hotel: Hotel Elms Christchurch or a similar 4-star hotel Lunch: At your own expense; Dinner: At your own expense
After breakfast, travel to the charming historic east-coast town of Oamaru. Described as New Zealand’s second-largest fishing port, it is known for seafood and its well-preserved Victorian quarter. Enter the old “White Stone Town” and feel transported to the 19th century: limestone buildings, vintage shops and cafés create a distinctly English atmosphere. In the afternoon, arrive in Dunedin, the cultural city known as the “Edinburgh of the South”, then drive to the scenic Otago Peninsula for a ★wildlife ecological tour. Follow the peninsula’s coast past beautiful bays and pastures. At the nature reserve, you will have the opportunity to observe the breeding habitats of little blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins and fur seals at close range, as well as the many seabirds living here. This close encounter with nature offers both surprises and an educational experience that animal lovers should not miss. Hotel: Scenic Hotel Southern Cross or a similar 4-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style hotel breakfast; Lunch: Māori stone-grill meal; Dinner: Chinese individual hotpot, a warming meal with a variety of ingredients
After breakfast, explore Dunedin. Visit the University of Otago, New Zealand’s oldest university, and experience its academic atmosphere. See Dunedin Railway Station, whose fairytale gingerbread-house appearance, fine granite and mosaic floor tiles are striking. Visit an elegant old church to admire Gothic architecture, then climb Baldwin Street, the world’s steepest street, for a gravity-defying experience. Continue to ★Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle. Walk through its sumptuous Victorian architecture, hear the family stories from a century ago and enjoy the gardens and historic atmosphere. A special two-course Western lunch is arranged at the century-old Speight’s craft brewery, with its warm vintage setting offering a distinctive taste of Dunedin. In the early evening, arrive in Queenstown, the “world’s honeymoon capital”. Ride the 360-degree Skyline Gondola to the ★Queenstown mountaintop restaurant, described as one of the world’s ten most romantic restaurants. Against the sparkling lights and Lake Wakatipu at night, enjoy panoramic views and a generous seafood buffet dinner, a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Afterwards, check into your Queenstown hotel and rest. Hotel: Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront Queenstown or a similar 4-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style hotel breakfast; Lunch: Two-course brewery meal — an exclusive culinary memory; Dinner: Western-style buffet with gondola ride
Enjoy a full day at leisure in picturesque Queenstown. Set between mountains and lakes and renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful holiday destinations, it is a haven for relaxation as well as adventure. Plan your own day according to your interests: • Thrill-seekers can choose world-class skydiving, bungy jumping, paragliding or jet boating. • For a gentler pace, take a helicopter flight over snow-covered mountains and glaciers, or taste authentic New Zealand wines at a winery. • Simply stroll through town, watch street performers and enjoy coffee, sunshine and the lakeside breeze. • A Milford Sound cruise is especially recommended: enter the magnificent fiord, see waterfalls, seals and dolphins up close, and experience the appeal of the “eighth wonder of the world” for an even more memorable New Zealand journey. Hotel: Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront Queenstown or a similar 4-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style hotel breakfast; Lunch: At your own expense; Dinner: At your own expense
After breakfast, visit historic Arrowtown, approximately 21 kilometres from Queenstown. Many well-preserved historic sites remain, some still in everyday use. Walk beside the Arrow River and reflect on the hardships of the thousands of Chinese miners who once lived here; their simple settlement still survives. Buckingham Street, the main street, shows the care taken to preserve the town’s historic prosperity, with old buildings housing a range of shops and restaurants. Continue to Lake Wanaka, New Zealand’s fourth-largest lake, passing the iconic “Lone Tree” standing alone in the water, one of the country’s most recognisable photography spots. In the afternoon, you can stroll along the lake or hire a bicycle to ride around it, admire the crystal-clear water and experience the relaxed local lifestyle. Hotel: Oakridge Resort Lake Wanaka or a similar hotel Breakfast: Western-style hotel breakfast; Lunch: At your own expense; Dinner: Chinese meal at a lakeside restaurant
After breakfast, depart for Mount Cook National Park. En route, pass a renowned five-star salmon farm in the Southern Hemisphere, where you may taste fresh salmon at your own expense. Mount Cook National Park occupies one of the Southern Alps’ most magnificent areas, with rich natural scenery and remarkable landforms. There is ample time to explore this pristine wilderness. Weather permitting, you may optionally take a helicopter flight at your own expense to the Tasman Glacier, described as the largest glacier in the South Pacific, landing on the glacier to experience its striking silver-white world. In the afternoon, reach beautiful Lake Tekapo. The itinerary explains Tekapo’s Māori name as “a sleeping mat at night”, also calling it “a place to sleep beneath the stars”. Stroll by the lake and visit the famous Church of the Good Shepherd. At night, enjoy exceptional starry skies in the internationally renowned stargazing reserve. Stay overnight in distinctive holiday-home accommodation. Accommodation: Character holiday home (a whole house for each party is not guaranteed; each party is guaranteed a separate bedroom) Breakfast: Western-style hotel breakfast; Lunch: At your own expense; Dinner: Salmon buffet
After breakfast, take souvenir photographs beside picturesque Lake Tekapo and enjoy its dreamlike emerald-blue water. Then drive back to Christchurch for airport drop-off, bringing this memorable South Island journey to a close. Breakfast: Western-style hotel breakfast; Lunch: At your own expense
Price Table
| Item | Price NZD |
|---|---|
| Adult | NZ$2699 |
| Child aged 12–4 sharing with one adult (per-child price) | NZ$2429 |
| Child aged 12–4 sharing with two adults (per-child price) | NZ$2159 |
| Child aged 4–2 | NZ$1889 |
| Under 2 without a bed (infant receives a seat only, no other services) | NZ$920 |
| Single-room supplement | NZ$920 |
Departure Dates
2026-10-03 2026-10-24 2026-11-07 2026-11-21 2026-12-05 2026-12-19 (Christmas surcharge NZD 260) 2027-01-02 (New Year surcharge NZD 280) 2027-01-16 2027-01-30 (Lunar New Year surcharge NZD 320) 2027-02-13 2027-02-27 2027-03-13 2027-03-27
Included
- 1. Accommodation: 5 nights in 4-star hotels with breakfast and 1 night in distinctive holiday-home accommodation with breakfast.
- 2. Meals listed in the itinerary (Chinese group-meal standard for groups larger than 6: 6 guests — 6 dishes and 1 soup; 7 guests — 7 dishes and 1 soup; groups of 8 or more — 8 dishes and 1 soup).
- 3. Transport: A 17–20-seat Mercedes vehicle throughout, with a Chinese-speaking driver-guide. The driver-guide works ten hours per day; overtime costs NZD 150, payable to the guide in cash.
- 4. Initial admission/service charges for 4 attractions: a two-course Speight’s Brewery lunch, Otago Peninsula wildlife tour, Larnach Castle, and Queenstown Skyline Gondola with a Western-style buffet dinner.
- 5. Note: Adults and children must pay additional holiday surcharges during Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year. Ask your sales consultant for details.
Not Included
- 1. Guide gratuities (suggested NZD 6 per person per day).
- 2. Lunches and dinners marked as at your own expense, airfares, visa fees and optional activities.
- 3. Extra costs arising from circumstances beyond human control, such as weather or hotel-room issues.
- 4. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Notes
2026.10–2027.03 (Saturday departures), boutique Mercedes small-group tour for up to 16 guests. 4-star tour: NZD $2,699 per person. Prices are per person in a twin-share standard room; selling prices are in NZD. Friendly reminder: Bookings made within 10 days before departure may incur additional hotel surcharges. Thank you for your understanding; contact your sales consultant with any questions. Important reminders: 1. Hotel star ratings may change depending on reservation availability. Sold-out hotels, major events and public holidays may also result in room surcharges or other special circumstances. The final confirmed quotation applies. 2. If three guests request one room, we will arrange a triple room suitable for 3 adults. Possible configurations include, but are not limited to, 3 single beds, 2 large beds, 1 large bed and 1 small bed, a sofa bed or a rollaway bed. If two guests request a double room, we will arrange a room with a New Zealand standard double bed measuring 137 cm x 187 cm. Twin-room configurations include, but are not limited to, 2 single beds or 1 large bed and 1 small bed. Tell us about special requirements when booking; we will do our best to accommodate them. The company retains the final right to interpret room arrangements, and guests may not use these arrangements as grounds for objection or withdrawal. 3. Complimentary airport transfers are only available on the tour’s departure and completion days. Refer to the itinerary for transfer times and locations. Guests who miss the scheduled meeting time must catch up with the group independently and pay all resulting costs. 4. The company may adjust the itinerary due to flights, hotels, weather or other circumstances beyond human control. 5. Guests are strongly advised to purchase their own travel and personal-belongings insurance. The local tour operator will not bear any resulting costs. Cancellation and amendment policy: A 50% deposit per person is required upon confirmation of the quotation; pay the balance 21 days before departure. For cancellation for any reason, refunds are calculated as follows: 30–15 days before departure, inclusive: cancellation or booking amendment incurs a charge of 30% of the tour price. 14–8 days before departure, inclusive: cancellation or booking amendment incurs a charge of 50% of the tour price. Within 7 days before departure, inclusive: cancellation or amendment is non-refundable. If a guest cannot travel because of an epidemic, the same refund policy applies. The company accepts no liability if a guest fails to meet the guide on time for personal reasons. All activities depend on local conditions. The company may adjust sightseeing arrangements due to weather or flights and retains the final right of decision and interpretation. If the listed hotels are fully booked, the company may substitute hotels of the same standard. Booking information: Important: Hotel star ratings may change according to booking availability; sold-out hotels, major events and public holidays may lead to room surcharges or other special circumstances. The final confirmed quotation applies. Smoking is prohibited in hotel rooms and on room balconies. Hotel-imposed fines start at NZD 500. The person responsible for the occupied room must pay any in-room smoking fine. If they refuse, under the operator’s agreement with the hotel, the hotel will submit the matter to the New Zealand small claims court. Any subsequent fines, litigation, visa or border-entry and exit issues are the individual’s responsibility. If you suffer from motion sickness, bring medication and vomit bags in advance. Conditions and limitations: The travel agency may adjust the itinerary according to the weather. If an attraction cannot be visited due to force majeure, the agency will refund the fee or arrange an alternative product of equal value. Shopping undertaken independently during free time is a personal activity unrelated to the agency. Insurance: Travel insurance is strongly recommended to cover unexpected costs, including extra transport, cancellation charges and losses of valuables. Guests who voluntarily decline insurance must personally bear any accident-related costs, including additional transport, accommodation, cancellation charges and losses of valuables. If travel becomes impossible due to force majeure such as weather, war, strikes or earthquakes, the agency will refund unused attraction tickets in accordance with the travel-agency agreement. Other items follow the suppliers’ policies. No refund is given if a guest voluntarily abandons the tour at short notice for personal reasons. The agency’s limited liability covers only the services and related matters expressly listed in this text. It accepts no liability beyond this description, including matters of personal relationships or individual circumstances, unforeseen emergencies, legal or criminal matters, religious beliefs or any other such matters. All prices marked NZD or $ are in New Zealand dollars. All conditions, limitations and itinerary descriptions are formulated under New Zealand laws and regulations and are governed and protected by New Zealand law. All text, images, logos and icons are copyrighted by the agency; unauthorised reproduction is prohibited. If a newer itinerary is available, its description takes precedence.
Why choose us
A local Mandarin-speaking team, fully licensed (Qualmark / TAANZ / IATA), with itineraries you can verify.
How to book
Tap “Book now” for live departure dates, or message our WeChat team and we will arrange it for you.
Departure info
Prices are indicative only; the live price and confirmed departure status on this site apply.