Wilderness-Travel-2017-Catalog

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From the mountains to the sea, New
Zealand’s South Island feels like one
enormous national park. Snorkel and
swim with dolphins on the Kaikoura Coast,
hike and kayak in Abel
Tasman National Park,
and savor world-famed
Milford Sound on a
breathtaking overnight
cruise. Pinot noirs and
crisp white wines,
delightful picnics and
barbecues, wonderful
lodging, superb Trip
Leaders who make things fun every
step of the way—this is Kiwi adventure,
WT style!
Days 1-3 Kaikoura Coast / Swim with
Dolphins / Marlborough Sounds / Nelson
Hike along the Kaikoura Peninsula, then
swim and snorkel with its most famous
local personalities—the playful dusky
dolphins who frolic here in pods numbering
in the hundreds. In Marlborough Sounds,
renowned for its elegant Sauvignon Blanc
wines, we enjoy wine tasting and a
vineyard picnic lunch, then end our day
in the artists’ haven of Nelson.
Days 4-7 Abel Tasman National Park /
Paparoa Our hikes in Abel Tasman National
Park lead through mystical fern forests, along
powdery beaches, past lagoons with turquoise
waters, and up into headlands—all with
fantastic coastal views. At Paparoa National
Park, we explore water-sculpted limestone
blowholes and hike through a magical “lost
world” of subtropical rainforest.
Days 8-11 Fox Glacier / Mount Aspiring
A walk near the terminus of the Fox Glacier
offers up-close views of a dynamic river of
ice, and we search for the rare Fiordland
crested penguins at Munro Beach. In Mount
Aspiring National Park, our hike leads
to a natural amphitheater surrounded by
hundreds of waterfalls pouring from hanging
sheets of ice.
Days 12-13 Fiordland / Milford Sound
With sheer 4,000-foot rock walls rising
from the water’s edge, Milford Sound is a
dramatic meeting of mountains and sea.
Our overnight cruise takes us out to an
anchorage in a sheltered cove beneath
towering Mount Pembroke, where we can
explore the fjord by kayak or tender, or
simply relax and enjoy the view. Depart on
Day 13, or join our Queenstown or Hollyford
Track extension.
“The itinerary started
out amazing and
seemed to get more
spectacular every day.
I would encourage
anyone to go on
this trip!”
Candace S., Palo Alto CA
Discover New Zealand’s astonishing beauty as you explore the full range of South Island environments, from mountaintop ridges to sublime Milford Sound.
PHOTO: COLIN MONTEATH
QUESTIONS? 1.800.368.2794 OR EMAIL 108