4x4 Millionaires Gold Rush Tour

12 Day Millionaires Gold Tour

Itinerary 27.

Please contact us to arrange a booking for this tour. We will organise a price based on your travel and accommodation requirements.

Tour Inclusions

1. 4x4 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 on the Goldfields hosted by members of the local goldfields community.
4. Maori Hangi Dinner at Queenstown.
5. Farewell Dinner in Christchurch.
6. Supply of gas powered outdoor cooking equipment.
7. All accommodation as detailed in the itinerary.
8. Supply of first aid equipment.
9. Supply of gold prospecting licence's where required (& an armed guard if we decide to do any claim jumping!)
10. 2nd prospector and 4wd support vehicle for days 2 & 3
11. Entry fee into Antarctic Centre.

Not included: Any meals except for 3 special dinners. We suggest you hire a suction dredge for days 2 & 3. The cost for these are $100 per day. We can supply a suggested personal clothing & gear list if needed.

Itinerary

Day 1. You will be met at CHCH Airport by your gold prospector/guide and driven to Greymouth via the Alpine splendor 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 traveling.

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. Traveling 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 gold miners 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 gold miner 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.
Day 4 Overnight at the Thermal Bush Camp. Raft out of the Thermal Bush Camp. Otherwise walk out.

If you are interested in this tour send me an email with your group size, the type of accommodation you want to use and what month you are thinking of going. I will then do a price for you based on these requirements.