Isola del Sud - da/a Christchurch - 6 giorni / 5 notti

Franz Josef owes its fame to a rare geological spectacle: the Franz Josef Glacier, which tumbles down from the Southern Alps to within a few hundred metres of sea level, amid lush temperate rainforest. This meeting of ice and exuberant vegetation, unique in the world, forms part of the Te Wāhipounamu protected area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The small village set along the West Coast lives on adventure: guided ice walks, scenic helicopter flights landing on the snowfield, and trails leading to lookouts over the glacier's tongue. After the hikes, the village's hot pools offer relief among the ferns. A short distance away, the twin Fox Glacier completes the picture. Between age-old ice and emerald forests, Franz Josef reigns as the kingdom of adventure on the wild coast.

Wanaka sits on the shores of its namesake lake, at the edge of the Otago region's Southern Alps, and has earned a reputation as a more relaxed and authentic retreat than nearby Queenstown. The town is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park, part of Te Wahipounamu, the UNESCO World Heritage area that protects some of New Zealand's most spectacular alpine landscapes. In winter the slopes of Treble Cone and Cardrona draw skiers; in summer the lake lends itself to kayaking, swimming and walks along its inlets. The town's icon is the famous "That Wanaka Tree", a solitary willow growing in the lake's waters that attracts photographers from around the world. The surrounding hills, warmed by the Central Otago sun, also produce some of the country's finest pinot noir. Wanaka is an ideal stop for those seeking nature, outdoor sport and an unhurried pace.

Queenstown rises on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, embraced by the jagged peaks of the Remarkables, and is widely known as New Zealand's adventure capital. The tourist heart of the South Island, it blends the energy of outdoor pursuits with the charm of a compact lakefront, where cafés, restaurants and boutiques enliven the town's streets. From here come bungee jumping on the Kawarau Bridge, cruises aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship, jet boating through the gorges, and the ski fields of Coronet Peak and The Remarkables. The Skyline Gondola climbs to Bob's Peak, offering a spectacular view over town and lake. Nearby, the picturesque gold-mining town of Arrowtown and the wineries of the Central Otago region, famous for its Pinot Noir, round out the experience. Among mountains, crystal-clear waters and adrenaline, Queenstown is a destination for every season of the year.

Aoraki/Mount Cook is New Zealand's highest peak, more than 3,700 metres of rock and ice soaring in the heart of the Southern Alps. The surrounding national park, part of the Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO World Heritage area, holds the Tasman Glacier, milky glacial lakes and a crown of snow-capped summits mirrored in the waters of Lake Pukaki. The Hooker Valley trails lead across suspension bridges and past floating icebergs to the foot of the mountain sacred to the Māori. By night, the clear skies of the Dark Sky Reserve blaze with stars. An unforgettable destination for lovers of high mountains and great silence.