TRANZ Alpine Multi Day Tours

Choose Any two 1/2 day tours to go with your package.
Ex Christchurch

Take the Tranz-Alpine Train from Christchurch to Greymouth and choose any two of the following activities to make up an over night stay on the Wild West Coast - a land of stunning contrasts.

Choose any two tours from these and specify which ones you would like to do when booking. Click on the link below to get a full desrcriptions of each of these activities that are available on this package;

- Jungle Boat Cruising
- 4x4 goldrush & glow-worm adventure
- Dragons Blackwater cave Rafting
- Shantytown Visit
- Jade & Gold Discovery
- Southern Alps Whitewater Rafting

All Ex Christchurch
 

Below are desciptions of each of the half day tours you can choose from

Pancake Rocks and Blowholes - National Park

We travel from Greymouth north along the stunning Coast Road to Punakaiki, being the Maori word for "food basket" and the home of the fascinating Pancake Rocks. Enter a world of Limestone Landscapes amongst the Towering gorges of the Paparoa National Park. Take a stroll around the Pancake Rocks Walkway to see the unique rock structures layered here 30 million years ago. Watch also for the roaring Geysers that heave their way from the Ocean floor up out through the Rock Blowholes. Take time also to view the award winning audio visual show at the Visitors Centre and to browse around some of New Zealand's finest craft displays at the Gallery.

Other options included are (1) Take a short easy interpretative Rain Forest walk where you will learn about the ecology of NZ's temperate flora and how the local Maori people gained their food and medicine from the forest. (2) Beach combing for NZ Jade. This wild landscape is the home of NZ's Pounamu-the jade greenstone treasured by the Maori people. Walk along a secluded beach beside the thundering Tasman Sea surf in a search for your own souvenir piece of this treasured gemstone. (3) Myths and Legends Cavern Tour. Step into a forgotten world of caves misted with time and ancient maori legends. You will be led through the mysterious regions between oral history and myth. Follow the footsteps of Maori warriors and the early European explorers as you learn about maori underworld legends and explore this historic site. We recommend you wear sturdy footwear if you would like to do the walking options.

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Jungle Boat cruising -a float the rainforest experience

A relaxing cruise by Jungle Boat amongst the primeval giants of our rain forests.

Take the Tranz-Alpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth. You will be met at the Greymouth Rail Station for a gentle float trip through some of the worlds most hauntingly beautiful scenery.

In the traditions of our early explorers, by Jungle Boat we follow the route of 'Te Ara Pounamu'-the greenstone pathway. This is part of the trail used by ancient Maori greenstone jade traders on their way to the West Coast jade fields. Your spirit will lead you to your choice of waka (boat). Choose from taking a fun journey on the unique Maori outrigger canoe of the type used to travel the great ocean currents of the Pacific or be more relaxed in the inflatable jungle boats. (both have outboard motors but we do encourage you to have a go at paddling if you want) For those individual sprits paddle your own dugout canoe through the rainforest waterway with your guide.

This gentle flat water float trip through some of the worlds most hauntingly beautiful scenery teaches you how we preserve the delicate balance between one of natures oldest ecosystems and today's modern use of this environment. Touch the silence while drifting by this prehistoric world of huge podocarp rainforest trees with some of the areas bird life. The dark waters give you an eerie feeling of timelessness and spirituality.

Enjoy a cup of Manuka Bush tea as you learn about the life and legends of the native Maori People and take home a piece of traditional flax weaving that we teach you to do on the way. You will leave with a sense of rejuvenation from your visit with nature today.
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4x4 Goldrush & glow-worms adventure  

Meet one of the Wild West's local gold prospectors who will take you into the outback to visit some of his claims. He "claims" to have gold in your pan within one hour! You will take a Unimog 4x4 tour up the Grey River Valley to the Nelson Creek Goldfields and then onto the goldminers back country trails . Enjoy a short bush walk and negotiate the ancient Chinese gold-diggers maze. Learn about the Native Beech Forest ecosystem found in abundance here. Step into an underworld galaxy of glow-worms at the Deviation Mine. and on the way make your fortune at the 1860's gold claim. This historic, underground mine was opened in 1866 and is worked from time to time by a local prospector who keeps the mine operating. Experience the Wild West's living heritage as you pan for the elusive gold flakes & red garnets. See how the old timers did it - Try some billy tea or, if you dare our 'Goldseekers Lament" Liqueur.

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Dragons cave rafting  

Join your Wild West Adventure Company guide for a half day of underworld intrigue. An adventure of mystery, romance & intrique! Float through a galaxy world of glow-worms on subterranean lakes, experience the splendour and roar as you slide down underground water-falls or take a cuddle through the love tunnel. Discover enchanting limestone formations in this Castle of the Underworld. Finish with a hot spa & showers. Trips to suit all ages and abilities over 8 years. Average fitness required.

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Shantytown an 1860's goldrush town  

Take a trip back in time to Shantytown, a recreated goldrush mining town of the 1860's. Here you can ride a steam train into the bush to the Shantytown gold claim. Try your hand at goldpanning where gold is guaranteed for every prospector. (that's you!) The town has over 30 buildings full of history and relics from the goldrush. Especially interesting is the 1860's hospital with its iron lung and shock treatment equipment!
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Jade and Gold Discovery. Discover your own treasures!

You will be met by a Wild West goldminer who will take you on an adventure of romance and intrigue as you hunt for treasures on the West Coast. Your prospecting guide will take you back in time on a tour of an 1860's goldfield. Discover your own Goldstrike when you pan for gold while enjoying a cup of billy tea and some damper with your guide. Gold in your pan within one hour guaranteed!!! Make sure you bring a sack!

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4x4 White Water Rafting Adventure  

Benefit from the economy of taking two tours in one. This trip has a fun four wheel drive mountain truck adventure with surround windows and stereo plus one and a half hours of intensive full-on fun grade 3 whitewater rafting adventure. The 4x4 trip alone sells for $135 and a similar rafting trip for around $100.
Our 4 WD Mercedes Offroad vehicle will take you on a safari into the heartland of NZ's Southern Alps. We drive in from the highway through heavy native rainforest. Climbing over mountain foothills, churning through side creeks to the rivers of the Taipo Valley. The "Taipo" refers to a mythical Maori Dragon which was said to live in the area. We pass through a private cattle station and into an area that has a history of gold rushes and early Maori Jade Traders. Experience the contrast between Native rainforest and Alpine Valleys as you ride the trail to the start of your whitewater rafting adventure.

This is a fast flowing river of 12 grade 3 rapids and 16 grade 2 so that you have one and a half hours of action plus 15 minutes through a smooth water gorge. This gorge gives you time for a break and to feel the closeness of the rainforest here.

The river is braided so you can chose to take the action route or something a little more gentle if you are more tentative with your rafting. We also have a range of boat sizes so you can up your own "fun factor". For adventurers, smaller boats on this grade 3 river gives an exhilarating experience while in the larger boats you will have more confidence while still having a fun adventure.

You will raft across NZ's Alpine Faultline and view the staggering power of nature as it twists and bends solid bedrock. You can also learn about the earths tectonic plates as you actually raft from one plate to the other. You'll also see the effects of the glaciers that passed this way.

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As a bonus, just to show you we really are committed to making sure you feel that you are getting value for money, we'll include a set of 4 fun photos on computer disc of you on your trip. This CD pack usually sells for $22

Cancellations: Tours paid for and cancelled within 30 days of or during travel will not be refunded under any circumstances. We recommend you have travel insurance & can arrange this for you.