Begin your South Island journey in Christchurch, a city where innovation and heritage meet, set between the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Alps. Discover its vibrant arts scene precincts, riverside atmosphere and vibrant culinary scene, or choose to explore further adiels with scenic experiences such as a harbour cruise in Akaroa or the spectacular Alpine journey aboard the TranzAlpine’s. Travel into the heart of the Southern Alps to Aoraki / Mount Cook, where New Zealand’s highest peak rises above glacial valleys, before continuing to the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo and the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd. From Timaru, your journey takes a dramatic turn as you board Scenic Eclipse II and sail south toward the Ross Sea. Over the days that follow, East Antarctica reveals itself in extraordinary scale, vast ice shelves, towering glaciers and remote coastlines shaped by ice and time. Wildlife thrives in this pristine environment, from Adélie penguins to seals and whales, while your expert Discovery Team guides you through one of the most remote frontiers on Earth.