Revised itinerary prepared for:

Oxford Institute for Science and Spirit

Wilderness and Imagination Course

December 1-12, 2003

Mon	01	CHRISTCHURCH
		After completing customs and immigrations formalities, you are met on arrival by our representative and conducted to your awaiting coach, and transfer to the city centre. Free to explore the city with a Christchurch Tramway Pass: The beautifully restored trams follow a 2.5 kilometre loop around the central city. An entertaining and informative live commentary by the tram drivers identifies points of interest. These include Cathedral Square, Aquarium of Discovery, The Arts Centre, Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Punting on the Avon, Victoria Square, and New Regent Street to name just a few. Using the pass you can board and alight at any of the nine stops around the inner city tram loop and experience the inner city sights and attractions at their leisure. Dinner own arrangements.
1N	01/02	Croydon Bed and Breakfast Your host Nita Herbst and family welcome you to this delightful bed and breakfast hotel, built in 1920, only a few minutes walk to the centre. Croydon House truly embodies an ambience of charm, which ensures your stay will be enjoyable and comfortable. The twelve bedrooms are tastefully decorated retaining the character of the historic guest house. All rooms have modern ensuites or private facilities. An historic tram route runs just past the hotel, which is ideally situated in the centre of town. Christchurch’s Arts Centre, just a two-minute walk away, becomes a colourful market of ethnic food and craft stalls every weekend. Also nearby, are Hagley Park and the Botanical Gardens whose beauty gives Christchurch its name as the ‘Garden City’. Nita offers a delicious cooked breakfast in the sunny breakfast room in the morning.

Tue	02	CHRISTCHURCH – PUNAKAIKI - HOKITIKA
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		Breakfast included. Leave Christchurch across the fertile farmlands of the Canterbury Plains, then climb through the stunning Waimakariri Gorge and pass over New Zealand's greatest mountain range, the Southern Alps. Stops will be made enroute to discover the landscapes of the foothills and Arthur’s Pass National Park, and for refreshments. On descending to Westland, travel through lush beech forests and past serene lakes, before arriving in Greymouth. After lunch at your own expense, travel northwards along the “Nikau Coast”. Water interacts with rock and time to create striking landscapes covering 30,560 hectares in Paparoa National Park - a small but dramatic coastal park situated between Greymouth and Westport, established in 1987. At Punakaiki, the wind and sea have cut shapes in the limestone cliffs, which look remarkably like a stack of pancakes, hence the name Pancake Rocks. In heavy seas, water spouts through spectacular blowholes, and the rumbling and booming are amplified by the huge caves under the rocks. The area also boasts the most southerly palm trees in the world - the graceful nikau. Retrace your steps this afternoon through Greymouth and short distance south to Awatuna. Dinner with your hosts.
1N	02/03	Awatuna Homestead Awatuna is a peaceful private coastal retreat with a river frontage, set in extensive gardens featuring native flora and conservation planting. Newly built in colonial style on the site of the former homestead, Awatuna features extensive timer, with wood-stoves for heating and cooking. French doors open from all 6 guestrooms onto verandahs. Hosts Pauline and Hemi Te Rakau are happy to share the Maori and European cultural heritage of the site and surrounding area with their guests.
Wed	03	PUNAKAIKI – FOX GLACIER
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		Breakfast included. Coach south through Hokitika to Whataroa. Minicoach and jetboat to view the magnificent Kotuku (White Heron), the Kotuku Ngutu Papa (Royal Spoonbill), the Kawapaka (Little Black Shag) and other bird life - all in their natural environment. A unique experience to New Zealand's only Kotuku (White Heron) nesting site, in the Waitangi Roto Nature reserve. The tour consists of a short minibus ride to the river to connect with the jet boat. The jet boat ride is a gentle 20 minutes each way. From the jetty it is just a short boardwalk (500mtrs) through native bush to where you can stay for 30-40 minutes to view the birds. All tours are accompanied by an experienced guide, and wet weather gear is provided if required. Continue south to Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. Optional walks. Helicopter flights or combination of these. Dinner at your hotel.
1N	03/04	Glacier Country Hotel
Thu	04	FOX GLACIER – LAKE WANAKA
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		Time this morning for a glacier or forest walk. Local guides can be provided at additional cost. Drive south past Lakes Paringa and Moeraki to the coast and down to the village of Haast. The Haast River Safari consists of an upstream all-weather journey by purpose-built boat along a 30km section of this spectacular river valley, with the option of a short bush walk through ancient, semi-temperate rainforest. Providing an excellent break in the drive, the Haast River Safari brings to life a section of the valley that cannot be easily explored by other means. Continue by coach over the Haast Pass to the northern reaches of Lakes Wanaka, cross to Lake Hawea and finally back ot the southern shores of Lake Wanaka. Dinner at a local restaurant.
1N	04/05	Te Wanaka Lodge Te Wanaka Lodge is unique in its design and use of local materials and craftsmanship. Nestled in the heart of Wanaka, Te Wanaka Lodge is two minute walk to the lake, restaurants, shops and golf course. Tastefully decorated with fishing and skiing memorabilia, Te Wanaka Lodge has a distinctive alpine ambience. The secret to the popularity of Te Wanaka Lodge lies in the extensive living areas, where you can stretch out and relax in the company of others or enjoy the privacy of your luxurious and well appointed room. In addition there are a library / lounge with log fire, a TV Lounge with satellite TV and video collection, the cedar hot-tub/ spa in secluded garden courtyard with secluded deck seating areas, house bar & cellar, tea & coffee making facilities.
Fri	05	QUEENSTOWN – TE ANAU
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		A delicious breakfast buffet is included Today we journey via the Clutha River Valley or over the Crown Range to the Wakapitu Basin, then alongside Lake Wakatipu to Kingston at the “foot of the giant” (which is said to be at the bottom of the lake causing its ride and fall with his breathing. Continue through Fairlight and across the tussock grassed ranch lands to Fiordland. Dinner included at the hotel
3N	5/8	The Village Inn (superior rooms)
Sat	06	MILFORD SOUND DAY
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		Breakfast at your hotel. Drive alongside Lake Te Anau, then turn inland behind the Earl Mountains for the scenic drive past the Mirror Lakes and through the Eglinton River valley to The Divide, with views down the Hollyford Valley, then on to the Homer Tunnel. Descend the Cleddau Canyon to Milford Sound. Milford Sound is one of the best known and grandest fiords that indent the coastline of the Fiordland World Heritage Park. It is surrounded by steep, forest-topped cliffs, with waterfalls dropping vertically into the sea. Rising sheer from the sea on the south side of the sound, dominating the inlet, is the 1,683m high pinnacle of Mitre Peak. Enjoy a cruise the full length of the fiord with opportunity of seeing dolphins, seals and penguins, as well as the spectacular natural formations including majestic Mitre Peak. Picnic lunch on board. In the afternoon retrace your steps to Te Anau.
Sun	07	DOUBTFUL SOUND DAY
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		Breakfast at your hotel. Your Doubtful Sound adventure begins as you coach the short distance south to Lake Manapouri. Cruise across the lake to West Arm. Drive by bus over Wilmot Pass, stopping along the way to experience some of Fiordland's densest rainforest and to view the colourful alpine moss gardens. On reaching Deep Cove, board a spacious catamaran for a three-hour cruise, which takes in the most dramatic scenery of Doubtful Sound. Cruise staff members are on hand to point out the natural highlights: bottle-nose dolphins, fur seals and rare penguins. A picnic lunch is served on board. Evening at leisure – perhaps a visit to the Te Ana-au Caves.
Mon	08	Te Anau - Queenstown
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		Breakfast at your hotel. Today retrace your steps through Kingston to Queenstown. Enroute visit the historical village of Arrowtown. Check in to the hotel. Transfer this evening to and from the Skyline Restaurant on Bob’s Peak – accessed by cableway, for a buffet dinner with panoramic views
2N	08/10	The Dairy Guesthouse This guesthouse is so-named because it has incorporated a general store or "dairy" which operated here in the 1920s. The guesthouse was designed in keeping with this style in 1996, providing 11 ensuite guestroom near the centre of the town.
Tue	09	GLENORCHY - MIDDLE EARTH - PARADISE
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		Breakfast at your hotel. Drive alongside Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy – departure point for excursions into Mt Aspiring National Park, which was used for many of the scenes in the cinematic trilogy “Lord of the Rings”. The Dart River Jet Safari is the true wilderness experience: discover ancient forests, cascading waterfalls, New Zealand wilderness at it's best. You experience the jetboat both ways on the upper reaches of the Dart River, and one way on the lower reaches with a 4WD coach journey one-way between Glenorchy & Paradise, plus enjoy a short, guided forest walk. A must for any visitor and a journey to mesmerise even the most seasoned traveller. (Local expert walking guides are available at additional cost of NZD 400.00 per guide per 10 people for the full day.) Enjoy a picnic lunch enroute. Return in the afternoon to Queenstown. Evening at leisure to choose from the myriad restaurants and cafés the town has to offer.
Wed	10	QUEENSTOWN - DUNEDIN
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		Breakfast at your hotel. Drive through the rugged Kawarau Gorge, in which region the successful Central Otago wineries can be found - Bannockburn, Rippon, Gibbston and Chard Farm amongst others. The Kawarau Gorge ends at the Clutha River, which discharges the largest volume of water of any river in NZ (650 m³ per second), and is the country’s second longest (338 km). Clutha is old Gaelic for Clyde, and the name was used by the earliest settlers who were from the Clyde in Scotland. The Maori name for the Clutha is Matau-au, meaning a current in a stretch of water. Alexandra was originally an offshoot of the gold rush town of Clyde, but it came into its own during the dredging boom of the 1890s. It was named in 1863, after the then Princess of Wales The road to Dunedin we take today is via the old goldmining route along the Manuherikia River through Ophir and on to Ranfurly. Then cut through the Taieri River valley between the Rock and Pillar Range with its impressive Schist tors and the Taieri Ridge, to Middlemarch. OPTIONAL: Taieri Gorge Train - ride in vintage train carriages along this private line from Pukerangi through the gorge to Dunedin, arriving at the historic Dunedin Railway Station. (Approx NZD 45.00 pp) Dinner at a local restaurant.
2N	10/12	Hulmes Court B&B Hulmes Court Bed and Breakfast is a beautiful 1860s Victorian mansion located right in the heart of Dunedin. Hulmes Court was built by the then provincial surgeon, Edward Hulme, who helped found the Otago Medical School. It is a Historic Places Trust registered building. Hulmes Court provides guests with a continental breakfast, free tea and coffee making facilities, complimentary laundry, mountain bikes, email, phone and fax (free for local calls). There is plenty of off-street parking in our grounds of trees and gardens, providing tranquility from the hustle and bustle so near by. You can move indoors, sit in front of the large marble fireplace and enjoy fine conversation in the Victorian drawing room.
Thu	11	DUNEDIN
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		Breakfast at your hotel. Morning free to explore the central city, then depart by coach for the Otago Peninsula. A special visit (subject to confirmation after 10 Feb 2003) to Otakou Marae for a light lunch and to meet and talk with the local kaumatua (elders) in some aspect of Maori spirituality – for example relationship to the land. The Royal Albatross colony at Taiaroa Head, on the tip of the Peninsula, is the only mainland breeding colony of albatross in the world. Your guide will relate the bird's fascinating life-story, and from the Observatory see live the greatest of all seabirds. Late afternoon is the best time to visit the yellow-eyed penguin Conservation Reserve, to see the "hoiho" returning to their nests after a day out at sea. Via an unique system of hides, tracks and tunnels, gain close-up views and fantastic photographic opportunities of these wonderful birds.
Fri	12	DUNEDIN - CHRISTCHURCH
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		Breakfast at your hotel. Return to Christchurch by coach today via the beach at Moeraki to see the fascinating spherical boulders, historic Oamaru and Timaru. Before departure, visit the International Antarctic Centre. Very few people have the opportunity to experience the awesome and magical beauty of Antarctica first-hand. At the Visitor Centre, the re-creation of the atmosphere of Antarctica provides visitors with an interactive, fun and exciting experience of the "Great White South." Depart Christchurch Airport.