Our Southern skies and wheels tour begins at Mandeville Airfield and ends at Highlands Motorsport Museum. In Invercargill on Burt Munro’s trail we visit Classic Motorcycle Mecca and Transport World. At Te Anau we jet boat the Waiau River and at Wanaka the three-day gold pass gives you the best seats at this iconic air show.
Itinerary
Day 1: Auckland - Queenstown - Invercargill
We drive south to Mandeville Airfield which dates back to the biplane barnstorming days after WW1. It’s home to the Croydon Heritage Museum and factory, internationally renowned for restoring vintage aircraft.
At Gore Jim takes us on a tour of the Hokonui Moonshine Museum telling the colourful history of illicit whisky stills and offering us a wee dram of whisky. We continuje south to Invercargill and Ascot Park Hotel, our home for two nights, and dine in this evening.
What you'll love today
- Landing at Queenstown, is there a more stunning approach anywhere in the world?
- The vintage planes at Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre
Accommodation: Invercargill, Ascot Park
Day 2: Oreti Beach - Motorcycle & Transport Museums
Our first stop in town is E. Hayes & Sons, the home of Burt Munro’s Indian Scout, then Oreti Beach, famous as Burt’s racetrack.
We drive out to Bluff to the much photographed sign at the bottom of the South Island. Later we browse the astonishing collection of wheels accumulated by a Southland family over several generations at Classic Motorcycles and Bill Richardson’s Transport World.
What you'll love today
- Burt Munro's original Indian Scout
- Some of New Zealand's most impressive motor collections at E.Hayes and Bill Richardson's
Accommodation: Invercargill, Ascot Park
Day 3: Invercargill - Waiau River - Te Anau
We visit Allan and Beverley Stearne’s in Otautau, where Allan has a huge collection of vintage audio gear, cameras and a model railway.
We walk over the Clifden Suspension Bridge and at Te Anau ride the Fiordland Jet down the Upper Waiau River to Lake Manapouri. We stay in lakeview rooms at Distinction Te Anau Hotel and dine in this evening.
What you'll love today
- A stunning Fiordland jet boat ride
- The backroad into Fiordland, from Invercargill to Manapouri
Accommodation: Te Anau, Distinction hotel
Day 4: Te Anau - Wanaka
Drive through the Southland countryside to Lake Wakatipu and over the Crown Range to Wanaka Airfield in time for lunch.
Your three day Gold Pass gives you the best seats at the show in front of the runway and the air show programme. We stay three nights at Edgewater Hotel and dine in each evening.
What you'll love today
- From Lake Wakatipu to Wanaka over the Crown Range, with a stop at the historic Cardrona Hotel
- Relax for three nights in lakefront accommodation at Edgewater Resort
Accommodation: Wanaka, Edgewater Resort
Day 5: Warbirds Over Wanaka International Air Show
We breakfast at Edgewater and arrive at the Air Show for the 10am start.
Enjoy all the action from your grandstand seat and lunch at a cooking station where chefs prepare the food in front of you. The show finishes at 4pm and we sightsee around Wanaka in the late afternoon.
What you'll love today
- Enjoy your Gold Pass access to the show with the best seats in the house, free souvenir pack and more
- Free time to explore town and the lake after the show
Accommodation: Wanaka, Edgewater Resort
Day 6: Warbirds Over Wanaka International Air Show
The final day of the Show – take the chance to mingle with the pilots and walk the flightline and enjoy the spectacle in the sky.
Towards the end of the day we sightsee in Wanaka and take a stroll along the lakeside trail in front of our hotel.
What you'll love today
- Another full day of fun at the Warbirds over Wanaka International Airshow
Accommodation: Wanaka, Edgewater Resort
Day 7: Wanaka - Cromwell - Arrowtown - Queenstown - Auckland
After breakfast we depart Wanaka and on the way to Cromwell call into the Warbirds and Wheels museum collection which tells the story of Warbird’s founder Sir Tim Wallis. We lunch at Highlands MotorSport Park, visit the museum, take our coach for a spin round the track, and check out what else is on offer.
Later in the afternoon we drive through the Kawarau Gorge to Arrowtown where there’s time to stretch our legs in this leafy town before continuing to Queenstown Airport.
What you'll love today
- The Highlands Motorsport Park and Museum in Cromwell
- Classic Central Otago - the Kawarau Gorge, Gibbston Valley and Arrowtown
General inclusions:
- All transport by comfortable, air conditioned coach (maximum of 18 travellers).
- Services of your knowledgeable MoaTrek Kiwi guide.
- Quality accommodation chosen for a “sense of place".
- Return airfares ex Auckland. (please ask us about flights from other airports)
All meals are included
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
All Activities and entrance fees are included
- Three-day Gold Pass, includes seats in the best stand, at the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Air Show.
- Visit Mandeville airfield and the Croydon Heritage Aviation Museum.
- Entrance to the Hokonui Moonshine Museum, dram of Whiskey included!
- Entrance to the Invercargill Classic Motorcycle Mecca and Bill Richardson's Transport World.
- Visit E. Hayes and Sons, home of Burt Monro's 1920 Indian Scout.
- Check out Allan Stearne's man shed in Otautau.
- Jet boat on the Waiau River to Lake Manapouri.
- Visit the Highlands National Motorsport Museum in Cromwell.
Included Sightseeing & Exploring
- Visit leafy Arrowtown and browse the shops.
- Sightsee around the Wanaka region.
Tour Dates:
- 12 - 18 April 2022
From $4,590 per person based on twin share. Single Supplement please add $400
Enquire now for the best available price on this tour
