Experience the most scenic part of the rail journey as the train climbs into the heart of the Southern Alps, winding its way along the bright blue Waimakariri River and through dramatic alpine valleys before arriving at Arthur’s Pass National Park.

Here, your private guide will meet you for a hike in moss-laden forests teeming with glacial streams and waterfalls, followed by a café lunch or picnic. You might even meet a kea, the world’s only alpine parrot. On your return via road to Otahuna, stop at the monolithic limestone outcroppings of Castle Hill, one of the primary film locations from “The Chronicles of Narnia.”