Experience breathtaking alpine scenery on an exciting scenic flight with Air Safaris from the base at Lake Tekapo on the main highway between Christchurch and Queenstown, an exhillerating South Island attraction. The Grand Traverse flight from Lake Tekapo is a popular air tour and covers a diverse range of alpine scenery including New Zealand's highest mountains (Aoraki Mt Cook and Mt Tasman) as well as our longest glaciers including the Tasman, Murchison, Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.
Important Tour Details:
Departs/ Finishes: either Tekapo or Glentanner Airfield. Phone: 0800 806 880 or +64 3 680 6880
Check-in: 15 minutes prior departure.
Length of tour: allow 1 hour for the tour.
Confirmation: Depending on loading the trip either starts from Tekapo or Glentanner. Also, the weather plays a major part in this region. This may mean a tour is cancelled for safety and passenger comfort reasons. Passengers travelling to join on the day of their tour are strongly advised to telephone the day prior to the schedule tour date and reconfirm.
What to bring: Camera, required medication, sun glasses, trainers, warm top.
What is provided: Safety briefing, Qualified Guide, Specialised tour equipment, First Aid Kit.
The Grand Traverse
The flight of a lifetime, the “Grand Traverse” is a spectacular scenic flight that explores the Mount Cook and Westland National Parks and shows you the region like no other flight.
The Grand Traverse is recognised as the premier Aoraki Mount Cook flight-seeing experience and NZ’s “must do” scenic flight; this magnificent flight encompasses two World Heritage National Parks and 200 km of New Zealand’s most memorable and breathtaking scenery.
The highlights of the Grand Traverse flight include:
Beautiful turquoise glacial lakes, golden tussock lands, and the braided river systems of the Mackenzie basin
Remote High Country Sheep Stations, glacial valleys, and landforms
The Aoraki Mount Cook National Park – a magical world of permanent ice and snow
New Zealand’s highest mountains and largest glaciers – including Aoraki Mount Cook and the Tasman Glacier
The Westland Tai Poutini National Park encompassing the magnificent Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers spilling down to the rainforests of the west coast
The aircraft operated by Air Safaris are ideal for New Zealand’s conditions, offering a window seat for every passenger and have wings-above to ensure unobstructed viewing below. Your friendly pilot will provide an informative and enjoyable commentary in addition to all passengers receiving the Air Safaris multi-language flight-guide.
The Grand Traverse is approximately 50 minutes flying time. Allow one hour total duration.
