The tour includes three different rail experiences: the TranzAlpine Scenic Plus journey from Greymouth to Christchurch, the Coastal Pacific from Christchurch to Picton and the heritage Charleston Rainforest Train on the West Coast. Together they showcase alpine, coastal and rainforest landscapes while offering three very different styles of rail travel.

Yes. We travel aboard the TranzAlpine in Scenic Plus, with premium seating, personalised table service and regionally inspired food and beverages served at your seat as we journey from Greymouth across the Southern Alps to Christchurch.

This tour has been designed with mature travellers in mind and combines comfortable coach and rail travel with sightseeing and relatively short walks.

Guests do need to be independently mobile enough to board coaches, trains and boats and comfortably take part in sightseeing stops. If you have any concerns about the walking or mobility requirements, please talk to us before booking and we'll be happy to discuss the itinerary with you.

To ensure everyone enjoys the tour safely, guests should be able to walk approximately 300 metres unassisted and manage a few steps. Walking sticks and hiking poles are most welcome. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate walkers or mobility frames on our standard tours, as many of the places we visit include uneven terrain, steps, boats, trains and coach access where these mobility aids cannot always be used safely.

There are several opportunities for short walks during the tour, including Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, sightseeing around historic sites and general touring stops. The itinerary is not designed as a walking holiday, and there is also plenty of time spent travelling comfortably by coach, train and boat.

If you're unsure whether the level of activity will suit you, please contact us and we can talk through each day with you.

The seven-day tour begins in Nelson and finishes in Marlborough, with return travel arrangements included as detailed in your booking. The itinerary travels through Nelson, the Buller region, Westport, Denniston, Punakaiki, Greymouth, Hokitika, Christchurch, Picton and Marlborough.

The TranzAlpine crosses the Southern Alps between the West Coast and Canterbury, travelling through dramatic mountain scenery, river gorges and the Canterbury Plains. On this tour we upgrade the experience to Scenic Plus, adding premium seating, table service and onboard dining.

Yes. We offer a convenient home pick-up and drop-off service for many locations (conditions apply). Simply ask us when booking and we'll discuss the options available from your area.

We specialise in small-group escorted holidays, with most tours welcoming between 8 and 16 guests. Travelling in a smaller group creates a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where everyone quickly gets to know one another, and many lifelong friendships begin along the way.

Smaller groups also give us the flexibility to visit unique locations, meet local hosts in their homes and businesses, and enjoy authentic experiences that simply aren't possible with large coach tours. It means less time waiting, more time exploring, and a far more personal holiday from beginning to end.

The Queen Charlotte Sound Mail Boat is a working service travelling from Picton into remote bays and communities throughout the Marlborough Sounds. Our cruise follows part of the local mail route, offering a fascinating glimpse of life in isolated parts of Queen Charlotte Sound as well as opportunities to see dolphins, seals and native birdlife.

Throughout the Boats, Trains & Southern Plains tour, we stay in comfortable, quality accommodation chosen for its location, convenience and suitability for our mature travellers. The tour includes six nights’ accommodation, with overnight stays in Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, Christchurch and Picton, including two nights in Christchurch.

Where possible, we select well-located hotels and motels that make it easy to relax at the end of each day and keep the following morning’s travel straightforward. Full accommodation details are confirmed in your pre-tour information.

March is a wonderful time to explore the South Island, with mild early-autumn temperatures, long daylight hours and often settled conditions making it ideal for scenic rail journeys, sightseeing and time outdoors.

As we travel from Nelson through the West Coast, across the Southern Alps and on to Christchurch and Marlborough, you’ll experience a variety of landscapes and local climates. Days can be pleasantly warm, particularly in Nelson and Marlborough, while mornings and evenings are generally cooler.

The West Coast can experience occasional rain, which is part of what keeps its rainforest and landscapes so lush and spectacular, so we recommend bringing a light waterproof jacket along with comfortable layers.

Overall, March is an excellent month for South Island touring — comfortable for travelling, beautifully green, and often accompanied by clear autumn light and changing seasonal colours.

Yes. The tour includes all breakfasts, all dinners and six of the seven lunches, including dining during the TranzAlpine Scenic Plus journey and a farewell vineyard lunch in Marlborough.

Absolutely. Around half of our guests travel solo, making Seemore Tours a wonderful way to meet like-minded people. We keep our single supplement as affordable as possible, and many lasting friendships begin on our tours.

If you'd prefer to share a room, just let us know when you book. We'll happily check whether there is another solo traveller of the same gender who is also interested in sharing accommodation. While we can't guarantee a suitable roommate will always be available, we'll certainly do our best to match you with a compatible travelling companion.

Yes — the main historic area at Denniston is accessible by road, so our group does not need to undertake a steep walk up to the former mining settlement. The road climbs to the Denniston Plateau, where we can explore the historic coal-mining area and hear the stories of the families who once lived and worked there.

The Department of Conservation describes the main Denniston Brakehead area as having mostly flat gravel tracks. There is also a short 150-metre return walk to the Denniston Incline viewpoint that is wheelchair accessible, starting from the lower car park. Other optional walks around the historic area are longer and may involve uneven ground.

For our Seemore Tours itinerary, you should be comfortable walking short distances over gravel or uneven surfaces and getting on and off the coach independently. As always, if you have concerns about your mobility, please talk to us before booking and we can explain exactly what is involved.

Yes. If you're travelling from Auckland, your return flights are included in the tour price, along with all transfers and transport throughout the holiday.

If you're joining us from elsewhere in New Zealand, we'd be delighted to arrange connecting flights from your nearest airport to seamlessly connect with the tour. We'll provide you with the available options and pricing at the time of booking, making the journey as easy and stress-free as possible.

The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim is much more than a traditional aircraft museum. Its impressive collection of historic aircraft is presented through dramatic, highly detailed displays that bring aviation stories to life, with cinematic staging influenced by Sir Peter Jackson and craftsmanship from Wētā Workshop.

Even if you are not an aviation enthusiast, Omaka is a fascinating and visually engaging experience. The exhibitions combine history, storytelling, authentic aircraft and immersive scenes, making it one of Marlborough’s standout attractions and a memorable final-day highlight of our South Island journey.