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DAY 9: Hokitika – Fox Glacier (B) Stroll through Hokitika to explore the Jade Factory or other Jade shops, then travel south along the breathtaking West Coast, passing through luxuriant forest before arriving in Franz Josef. Go for a short walk to a viewing platform to see the Glacier tongue and Ered Nimrais (The White Mountains) near Mount Gunn, the location used in The Return of the King for the lighting of the beacons from Gondor to Rohan. Continue to Fox Glacier to stay the night. Time permitting, take a leisurely stroll around Lake Matheson, a photographer's dream with its magnificent forest and mountain reflections. An optional scenic flight provides unforgettable views of the glacier tongue and the highest peaks of the Southern Alps. Hotel: High Peaks Hotel. DAY 10: Fox Glacier – Queenstown (B) Travel down the spectacular West Coast and over the Southern Alps via the Haast Pass, before reaching Mount Aspiring National Park. Enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding snowy peaks and the glacial lakes Hawea and Wanaka. On a clear day there is a stop to take photographs of the "Misty Mountains" of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Continue the journey over the Crown Range, and stop for a drink at the famous old Cardrona Hotel and Restaurant, before arriving in historic Arrowtown for a stroll through the town. Scenes from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy were shot on the peaceful Arrow River. End the day in the world's adventure capital, Queenstown. Hotel: Garden Court Suites & Apartments (three nights). DAY 11: Queenstown (B) Enjoy a morning at leisure. This alpine resort offers a wide range of optional tours (own expense). In the afternoon, experience a Hobbit-themed excursion to Paradise, with a thrilling Jet boat ride along the Dart River in one of the world's finest landscapes. Visit Isengard, the road to Mordor, and the Fangorn forest. Return in time to explore the variety of Queenstown's restaurants and nightlife at your leisure. DAY 12: Milford Sound (B, L) Take a trip to the famous Milford Sound in Fiordland, New Zealand's largest National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage area. Travel from Te Anau down the Eglinton and Hollyford valleys, then through the Homer Tunnel to be met by the sight of Mitre Peak towering from the glassy waters of Milford Sound. Here, the power of nature stuns the enthralled visitor - from its waterfalls tumbling hundreds of meters into unsullied, forested valleys and lonely fiords, to endless stretches of shimmering lakes and granite peaks. A boat cruise on the fiord provides close up views of the awesome scenery, and the chance to spot seals and, with a bit of luck, dolphins and penguins. DAY 13: Queenstown – Lake Tekapo (B) Travel through the Kawarau Gorge, where record quantities of gold were extracted around the turn of the 20th century, then reach Cromwell in Central Otago, the location of the computer-generated Argonath, or Pillars of the Kings. Continue over the Lindis Pass to the tussock-covered plains of the MacKenzie Basin passing the bizarre clay cliffs at Omarama. Here Peter Jackson filmed the epic Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where thousands of orcs bred by Sauron clashed with the men of Gondor and Rohan. If the weather is good, see the majestic range of the Southern Alps, its peaks including Aoraki Mt Cook, which at 3754m is New Zealand's highest mountain. Continue the tour to Lake Tekapo, the largest of the three lakes in the Mackenzie Country. Take an optional night tour to Mt John Observatory to discover the clearest skies in the world and learn about the constellations of the Southern hemisphere. Hotel: Peppers Bluewater Resort. DAY 14: Lake Tekapo – Christchurch (B) Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd, a memorial to the pioneers of the MacKenzie Country and one of the most photographed churches in New Zealand, along with the Sheep Dog Statue nearby. Depending on the weather, a visit to the magnificent Lord of the Rings site of Edoras, near Erewhon station, may be included. The road to Erewhon is a scenic drive into the mountains past high country rivers and lakes. The landscape is easily recognized as Edoras from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The journey continues through the Canterbury plains where the widespread farmlands extend like a patchwork quilt, before reaching Christchurch. Hotel: Heartland Hotel Cotswold. DAY 15: Depart Christchurch (B) In the morning enjoy a short city tour and a stroll through the award-winning Botanical Gardens. Consult your travel agent for more details on this and other escorted tours. 15-Day A Journey Through Middle Earth Tour 31

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