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New Zealand Holidays

Goldrush Adventures
Clifton Road
Greymouth
New Zealand
Ph +64 3 7689703
Fax +64 3 7686649
email: newzealand.holiday@xtra.co.nz

GOLDRUSH TOURS

Take an adventure on a trip back in time along the Wild West Goldfield Trails

You will be met by a back country gold prospector who will reveal to you his lifetime secrets on how to find and pan for your own Gold. He will issue you with your personal Gold Seekers Licence to ensure that nobody can accuse you of claim-jumping!

Gold in your pan within one hour guaranteed!

He will treat you to billy tea & damper followed by a dram of the goldfields “Stags Braethe” elixir of life liqueur as you experience the romance & adventure of seeking your fortune on the goldfields

THERE’S GOLD IN THEM THERE HILLS

Prices Nett & include GST. W2RG-Goldrush Tour $25pp. JB4-Jetboat Adventure at Gold Claim $47pp. JB4G-Gold & Jetboat combined $65pp BOOKINGS FREE PHONE O8OO-2-23456

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Golden Age Tours
Garden Discoveries
Top of the South

A six day /5 night tour taking in the top of New Zealand’s majestic South Island based from the Garden City of Christchurch.

Highlights: Home hosted dinner, visits to specialist private gardens arranged on your behalf, workshops on aspects of gardening (your choice), new plant variety cuttings available, commercial garden visit, winery visit with wine tasting & growing, whale watch, alpine flower valley walk, natural coastal rock garden and the romance & adventure of the goldfields.

Day 1 Arrive Christchurch airport with a transfer to your accommodation. Your visit starts with a tour of some private inner city gardens where you will learn from the years of experience involved in maintaining magnificent foliage and flower growth in an often windy and dry environment. Evening is your own free time to enjoy the night life of this very English city, enjoy a tram trip through the city centre, take a romantic ride on the gondola for fabulous night views over the city and Pacific Ocean or try your luck at the Casino.

Day 2 On our coach trip up to Kaikoura we visit a large traditional homestead garden with its English influence showing through. In the afternoon is a whale watch cruise or flight.

Day 3 Morning tour of a local garden with an emphasis on salt and wind hardy species. We then travel on to Blenheim where you will lunch at one of the many vineyards of the area with its associated wine tastings of course! In the afternoon we travel on to Nelson, NZ’s Sun City, with a chance to visit some of the many internationally acclaimed potters in this area.

Day 4 OPTION 1 Two half day tours with an emphasis on environmentally sustainable gardening practices. Today will include an address by one of NZ’s leading soil research scientists.

OPTION 2 Visit the golden sands and marine life of the Abel Tasman National Park with a bus tour, boat trip and optional shoreline walk.

Day 5 Travel south through the rugged Buller Gorge to the subtropical rainforest area of the West Coast. This is the area where most of NZ’s post cards come from. You will enjoy a guided rain forest walk where we will see the killer giants of the jungle. No you will not have to take to your heels! These are epiphyte plants of the forest that survive by slowly strangling huge three hundred year old trees. A visit to a natural coastal rock garden framed in nikau palms and roaring blowholes sets us up for lunch at the Pancake rocks. In the afternoon we travel down a the wildly beautiful coastline to Oak Lodge Gardens which contain a range of species thriving in an area of both high rainfall and sunshine hours.

Day 6 The West Coast Gardeners Guild will host you this morning to tea and scones at their garden of the month. This is a chance to exchange ideas with people who have developed gardens from within an often harsh environment. You will be amazed at the results found here. We then travel into the Southern Alps where we will take a short nature walk with a local botanist to view the incredible adaptations exhibited by plants that flourish in this spectacular Alpine Environment with its magnificent views of alpine flower valleys and lofty mountain peaks. Your tour finishes in the late afternoon back in Christchurch.

Retail Price is per Person in NZ$ & includes GST. Accommodation is on a share twin basis. Bookings for groups of under 9 pax may be placed on scheduled public transport being met by local escorts. Meals are not included but can be priced as a meal package if required.

Quality Tourist with a homestay & incl. D & Br.

Share twin $1448 $1199 $1588

single supplement $349 $289 $349

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Thermal Bush Camp & Hot Rock Rafting

At the Thermal River near Hari Hari. This is a water way which starts in the heart of NZ’s spectacular Southern Alps. It winds it’s way through some of this countries most scenic Alpine areas skirting places such as the Garden Of Eden and one of our world heritage areas with its vistas of massive peaks and glaciers. In doing so it crosses the Alpine Fault Line revealing a country of fire and ice! Below the snow fields and sparkling glaciers is to be found a hidden world of steamy spas and natural thermal springs.

After leaving your coach you will enjoy an hours easy escorted walk up the Thermal River Valley through tussock river flats and ancient fern covered forest. We are heading for The Thermal Bush Camp. After a short ferry trip across the river by raft we reach a riverside terrace set beside a small gorge carved through the rock by centuries of water. Luckily for us this has revealed a group of natural alpine hot springs bubbling through the rock at the base of the terrace. This hidden site will be your home for the night. Imagine relaxing with a glass of wine in one hand and some of NZ’s excellent food in the other as you soak up the heat bubbling from the ground while gazing at the hauntingly beautiful scenery. This is the place where friends are made for a lifetime!

Your camp site consists of a large communal dining and lounge tent surrounded by a series of smaller sleeping tents set amongst the ferns and tussock of the river terrace. Sleeping tents range in size from two to four persons and come equipped with camp beds & mattresses, sleeping bags and lighting. Tents are also set up to suit couples with double bedding and sleeping bags whilst being set back in their own private slice of heaven. Meals are cooked over the open fire and enjoyed under the stars or in the hot pools. It’s not uncommon here to find yourself relaxed out at two o’clock in the morning asking someone through the steam to push over the float board so you can help yourself to another glass of wine from the cask that is resting invitingly upon it. But finally to bed for tomorrow finds us amongst the fun and excitement of Southern white-water!

This morning we have several options.

Adventure Heli-raft. For those looking for one of NZ’s premiere wilderness white-water rafting trips this is for you. You will be picked up from the Thermal Bush Camp by helicopter and flown into the headwaters of this spectacular river. The Thermal River is generally a grade four river with one grade five rapid. This gives adventure seekers a great range of white-water rafting experiences all on the one trip while enjoying the economy of a Southern Alps scenic helicopter flight and premium rafting adventure for the one low price. The Thermal River is sought after by rafting enthusiasts because of the number of rapids encountered down its length. We will all need to leave our rafts and scout the grade five section so that everyone understands the correct route for the rafts to take. This is a wild ride down through the Rock Garden and across the slip rapid. If you would rather be a spectator for this rapid that’s fine as you can walk this section of the river (10 minutes) and reboard the raft when it emerges from the foam! After about three hours on the river we return to the Thermal Camp to join the rest of your team for a late morning tea.

Need a more relaxing day? You’d like to enjoy a white-water rafting experience but aren’t to keen on the big water? Then the bottom section of this river is for you. Grade two to three (depending on which route we take) but packed with river fun that everyone can enjoy. You will be able to enjoy a lie in this morning or take a guided walk in search of the Whio Whio duck which actually lives and feeds in the white-water rapids. And of course take another dip in the hot springs with breakfast? You will meet our Heli-rafters at around 11 o’clock to join them for the raft out to the road on the bottom section of the river.

Your not really into rafting at all? No problem because you will be able to enjoy the walk back down the river with one of our guides to escort you. They will teach you how the local Maori people lived off the land in this area. You will be able to try some of these bush foods for yourself as you gain an insight into the history and culture of this rugged landscape.

For those not into heli-rafting there is an opportunity to take advantage of the helicopters presence and go for a scenic Alpine flight or snow landing in this majestic country.

We will all arrive back at the coach together for your departure to the glaciers.

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Southern Discovery

An 11 days/10 night Discovery Adventure based from Christchurch. Your tour heads into the remarkable fjord country of the deep South and takes in the Alpine resort of Queenstown. Highlights: Lecture by an Antarctic Scientist on life and survival on the South Pole with a visit to the Antarctic Centre, guided walk to an advancing Glacier, Tranz-Alpine Train Journey, lunch cruise on Milford Sound, Penguin Nature Watch, rainforest ecology tour, Paparoa Limestone National Park Visit, 4 half days of visits and instruction in your tours special interest, farmstay.

Day 1 Arrive Christchurch and visit the Antarctic Centre. Relax with your own free time in NZ’s Garden City.

Day 2 Tranz-Alpine Train Journey---To our Wild West Coast. Majestic Southern Alps, Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, tour into the Paparoa Limestone National Park.

Day 3 Guided rain forest walk, optional cave tour & a ½ day involved with our special interest.

Day 4 Coastal beach Jade search and 4wd tour to the goldfields to collect some of the natural treasures found in this region of NZ. Includes a visit to the local potters studio where you will be hosted for lunch and given demonstrations using this popular medium. (Optional Jetboat trip available during today following the ancient Maori canoe greenstone trails-- own extra cost.)

Day 5 ½ day with our special interest expert and activity. ½ day hosted by members of the local community who will invite you home for lunch and escort you to some of the more interesting places in the area that only a local would know about. The afternoon is one to be planned by you and your host. They will discus the options with you (including a relaxing afternoon at home!) and the choice here will be yours.

Day 6 Travel to Fox Glacier with visits to country craft centres, The Bushmans Centre and the stunning mirror lakes.

Day 7 Guided walk to the Glacier, ½ day with our resident special interest tutor.

Day 8 Travel on through the spectacular West Coast scenery. This is a land of contrasts with majestic mountains on one side of the road and a rugged untamed coast on the other. Today a local bushman will endeavour to show you the intriguing penguins and seals that are resident to this coast line. We will visit thundering waterfalls of the Haast Pass area and finish the day in Queenstown. Dinner tonight is included in your tour cost with either a Maori hangi or a romantic meal with a gondola ride to the Skyline Restaurant.

Day 9 A free day in the Alpine resort town of Queenstown. Optional overnight farm stay.

Day 10 Fiordland National Park. Today we take a lunch cruise on Milford Sound amongst some of the world’s most awe inspiring scenery. Bring a raincoat because you will actually float under a waterfall! We will visit the underwater viewing facility where we can see rare species of corals and marine life adapted to the unusual phenonomon of layers of salt and sea water found only in the worlds fjords. Special farewell dinner tonight is included in your tour cost.

Day 11 A scenic flight to Christchurch today finishes your tour on arrival at Christchurch Airport.

NATURE DISCOVERY: ALTERNATIVE MODULE TRAVELING TO CHRISTCHURCH

Day 12 ½ day today with our special interest tour component then coaching to Dunedin, hailed as the Edinburgh of the South.

Day 13 Visit to Dunedin’s Albatross Colony(Nov to May), seals and Yellow Crested Penguin Conservation Programme on the Otago Peninsula. This is a fascinating day viewing and learning about the techniques used to help increase the populations of some of the world’s endangered species. Part of your tour cost today goes towards helping to fund this important programme.

Day 14 Travel by Coach up the Pacific Coast through the sheep and cropping country of the Canterbury Plains visiting the Moeraki Boulders on the way. These massive rock spheres found on the beach are a unique geological event well worth viewing amongst the surf and seaweed of the Pacific Ocean. Your tour ends today in the late afternoon on arrival in Christchurch.

Tour Costs Retail Cost in $NZ, per person 11 Day tour Includes all accommodation, 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 4 group dinners plus all entry and activity fees unless specified own extra cost Tourist Economy Quality Fully escorted own group coach $ 2794 $ 2289 $ 3344 Freedom Tour—scheduled transport & local guides $ 2254 $ 2049 $ 2794 Single supplement $ 829 $ 789 $ 1246

Meal Package- $420. Includes 7 cooked breakfasts and 6 dinners.

Nature Discovery Module: 3 days/ 2 nights Te Anau to Christchurch $335 per person (no meals)

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WILD WEST TRAIN HOLD UP ! (OR COACH)

This activity is used after your transport enters the West Coast and helps to set the mood for your groups visit.

The train is held up at Jacksons using track detonators which cause a lot of noise and smoke. A group of actors then enter the transport unit dressed in period costume and carrying Black Powder Replica guns.

These people hand out any conference material, theme packs and Gold Nuggets Ale.

Included in the team is one or two musicians who entertain your group until they reach their destination.

Yes, its a mini party setting the scene for a memorable visit to the Wild West Coast.

Cost for this is $1200 nett (incl GST) per group plus the cost of any drinks or souvenirs you wish us to hand out.

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Jade & Gold Discovery Itinerary

Please Note: This product takes approximately one and a half hours depending on group size and pick-up & drop off points. We advise Itinerary writers to allow TWO HOURS in their programmes for this.

JG1 0830

JG1 0930 JG1 1130 JG1 1245 Note: We suggest that clients who are catching the Tranz-Alpine Train to Christchurch after this tour do so from the Brunner Mine site. This allows clients more time at the mine site. People are also impressed that the Train stops for them in a Bush setting.

JG1

JG1 JG1 1900 back to the top
Gold Rush Millionaires Tour

Tour Inclusions

  1. Coach Transport from Christchurch Airport Return.
  2. Prospector/guide for the entire tour who will also drive the coach and assist with food purchase and cooking. It is envisaged that a food kitty system will be operating and that people will take turns at preparation and clean up of meals under the direction the guide. A roster will be set up for this.
  3. Dinner at the Nelson Creek Goldfields hosted by members of the local goldfields community. 4.Maori Hangi Dinner at Queenstown.
  4. Farewell Dinner in Christchurch.
  5. Supply of gas powered outdoor cooking equipment.
  6. All accommodation as detailed in the itinerary.
  7. Supply of first aid equipment.
  8. Supply of gold prospecting licences where required (& an armed guard if we decide to do any claim jumping!)
  9. 2nd prospector and 4wd support vehicle for days 2 & 3
  10. Entry fee into Antarctic Centre.
Not included: Any meals except for 3 special dinners. Own sleeping bags are required.

We suggest a suction dredge is hired for days 2 & 3. The cost for these are $100 per day. I understand that people will bring their own gold mining gear. We can supply a suggested personal clothing & gear list if needed.

Cost $598 pp nett including GST. Based on a minimum of 30 Pax

Itinerary

Day 1. You will be met at CHCH Airport by your gold prospector/guide and driven to Greymouth via the Alpine splendour of Arthur’s Pass amongst the Southern Alps. This is the gateway to New Zealand’s Wild West and the Heart of the Goldfields. A stop off at Jacksons Tavern Stage Coach Stop sets the scene for ten days experiencing the romance and adventure of discovering your own gold in the goldrush era of New Zealand. Accommodation: Greymouth Seaside Holiday Park Cabins. Dinner: Self Cook

Day 2 Today we will travel to the Nelson Creek Goldfields where we will visit a range of gold bearing geographical features in order to prospect for and locate pay dirt. This area was the home of two thousand gold diggers in the 1800’s and around eight commercial gold operations today. Using various hand methods we will be able to visit underground tunnel claims and also work the alluvial gorges found here. (We suggest that a suction dredge & operator be hired for the day to get the best results from this area.) Accommodation: Goldfields Hall. This area has a local Pub and general store. Goldfields Dinner Supplied.

Day 3 Continue with our gold recovery today. On returning to Greymouth we will visit the Ngahere Gold Dredge, one of the biggest gold operations in NZ. Accommodation: Seaside Holiday Park Cabins. Dinner: Self cook.

Day 4 We coach South today down through the Coastal Jade area where we will have the opportunity to fossick for another of the West Coasts Treasures. Continuing South we approach the Glacier region. ( Extra Option: We pass the Thermal River near Hari Hari. Here we could take the one hour walk to the Thermal Bush Camp and prospect the alluvial river flats deposited during the Glacial Ages. See camp description enclosed. Extra Cost) Accommodation: Thermal Bush Camp or Fox Glacier Holiday Park Cabins. Dinner: Self cook.

Day 5 We travel today back over the Southern Alps via the Haast Pass. There is an opportunity to do several short walks to some amazing waterfalls. Accommodation: Te Anau Holiday Park Cabins. Dinner: Self Cook. I would suggest that everyone has fish & chips etc for tea tonight as people will not feel like cooking after a long days travelling.

Day 6 Today we visit the Majestic Panoramas of Fiordland National Park. We will visit the mirror lakes and pass through the Homer Tunnel on our way to Milford Sound. Visit the Chasms Waterfalls or take a Fjord boat cruise to an area where the waterfalls go up!!! Accommodation: Queenstown Holiday Park Cabins Dinner: Self cook

Day 7 A day at leisure in the Alpine Resort Town of Queenstown. A chance to quietly relax amongst some of the worlds finest scenery or take in some of the many activities available. Note that today your driver /guide will not be officially on duty ( the law requires a 24 hour rest period for coach drivers for safety reasons) but he will be around to give advice about what to do for the day. Accommodation: Queenstown Holiday Park Dinner: Maori Hangi

Day 8 Travelling this morning to Gabriel’s Gully near Lawrence. This is one of the richest areas on the Otago Goldfields. A new chum to the Goldfields in the early 1860’s, Gabrielle asked some established miners where the best place to dig for Gold was and in the hope of sending him in the wrong direction they directed him to an unlikely looking backwash which turned out to be a goldminers dream! Hopefully all ours will come true here too! Accommodation: Goldfield Holiday Park Cabins, Lawrence. Dinner: Self cook

Day 9 Leaving the Goldfields behind but taking our treasures with us we move through Otago to Dunedin City, the Edinburgh of the South. There are more bagpipes and haggis here than in Scotland! Accommodation: Tahuna Holiday Park Cabins, Dunedin. Dinner: Self cook. Anyone want to try a haggis! The compulsory whiskey to follow it isn’t to bad though.

Day 10 Take a wildlife tour today out onto the Otago Peninsula to view the Yellow Crested Penguin where some of your entry fee goes towards the Penguin Conservation Programme. We will also visit Larnach’s Castle for the stunning views of the Dunedin Harbour. Extra Option at own extra cost: Take a ride on the historic Taeiri Gorge Railway for a day of fascinating scenery and goldfield relics. Accommodation: Tahuna Holiday Park Dinner: Self cook

Day 11 Heading up the east coast and across the Canterbury plains we visit the Moeraki Boulders. Huge round spheres of rock like bowling balls. We are moving into sheep country. There is no Gold here but Christchurch, the Garden City, is a gem worth visiting. We will be staying in the City Centre within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Botanical Gardens and The Square where you will find the wizard in residence after 10:00am. Accommodation: YHA. Dinner: Oxford on Avon.

Day 12 Today your coach will be available for touring the greater Christchurch area. We will visit the Port Hills, an extinct volcano, for its stunning views and experience the rawness of nature at the Antarctic Centre. Christchurch is a vibrant City of events and sights which can be planned for depending on everyone’s energy levels on the day. Depart from CHCH airport at 1740

Optional Extras for consideration. Day 3 Travel from Nelson Creek to the Pancake Rocks visiting the National Park and on the way meet ‘The Captain’, who is an elderly goldminer living with his wife in the bush at the 10 Mile River. Some gold panning in the 10 Mile River claim at the mouth often gives good results. This would involve an extra cost of $9pp. Day 4 Jet boat trip up the Taramakau River to the Chinese gold workings. Cost $75pp Day 4 Overnight at the Thermal Bush Camp. See enclosed sheet for description. Cost Extra $9pp Raft out of the Thermal Bush Camp. $55pp. Otherwise walk out.

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GLOW-WORMS AND GOLDRUSH

A nature tour visiting the natural wonders of New Zealand’s underworld with the romance and adventure of seeking your fortune on the goldfields.

Enjoy an adventure into the back country trails of New Zealand’s Wild West. Today you will venture into the tranquil, galaxy world of the fascinating glow-worm. Floating quietly across the underground stream is like a journey through the milky-way, enclosed by a million stars. Your boat will take you on to experience the exhilaration of an underground waterfall! Upon exiting back into the world of daylight You will be met by a back country gold prospector who will reveal to you his lifetime secrets on how to find and pan for your own Gold. He will issue you with your personal Gold Seekers Licence to ensure that nobody can accuse you of claim-jumping!

Gold in your pan within one hour guaranteed!

He will treat you to billy tea & damper followed by a dram of the goldfields “Stags Braethe” elixir of life liqueur as you experience the romance & adventure of seeking your fortune on the goldfields.

THERE’S GOLD IN THEM THERE HILLS

Retail Price: Adults $89pp Child $50pp

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