SOUTHERN COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL
24 May - 3 June 2025
Join us on an 11-day Country Music Odyssey to the bottom of New Zealand, and experience two famous Country Music Festivals, Southern hospitality, fabulous quirky events, local characters and be entertained by our incredible team of talented artists.
$6425 per person twin share
Single Room Supplement Add $1995
Initial Deposit On Booking $1000
Second Deposit Due: 13 December 2024 $1500
Final Balance Due: 12 February 2025
Days
11 Days
Highlights
Country Music Festival, Gore, NZ Gold Guitar Awards plus Dunedin, Invercargill, Stewart Island, great concerts from our artists.
Group Size
35 Travellers
Meals
All Breakfasts
7 Lunches
8 Dinners
Mobility
Easy Tour
SPECIAL FEATURES
• 11-day Country Music Odyssey to the most southern part of New Zealand, to hear country music greats, see hidden treasures and experience Southern hospitality in Dunedin (3 nights), Gore (3 nights) and Invercargill (4 nights).
• Numerous special events as part of the Tussock Country Music Festival and the NZ Gold Guitar Awards including the grand final of the Gold Guitar Awards, several country music concerts, busking competition, Whiskey and Food pairing, lessons in line dancing, yodelling and the ukulele, farm tour and so much more.
• Concerts from our own amazing artists: A Little Bit of Country!, Celtic Celebration, a concert in the beautiful First Church in Invercargill, Memories Are Made Of This, with the greatest songs ever written and our final night gala: The Great American Song Book, celebrating famous American song styles including country, crooning, Dixie and music theatre and a bit of dancing courtesy of Karl and Marian and the team.
• Numerous other tours including Stewart Island, Dunedin and its museums, the Taieri Gorge Railway, chocolate making tour, Olveston House, Larnach Castle and Bill Richardson Transport World, Invercargill.
• Hosted by NZ country music icons: Karl Perigo, Marian Burns and Grant Winterburn.
TRIP ITINERARY
Experience the Exceptional:
SATURDAY 24 MAY 2025 (D)
Distinction Dunedin Hotel (3 nights)
Dunedin is a city in New Zealand, at the head of Otago Harbour on the South Island’s southeast coast. It is known for its Scottish and Maori heritage, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, and a large student population.
We arrive from various parts of New Zealand to begin our tour this afternoon.
Highlights Include:
• A tour to Otago Settlers Museum, rich in history and a great way to discover your ancestral roots.
• Welcome dinner including music from our artists: A Little Bit of Country!
SUNDAY 25 MAY 2025 (B, L)
Highlights Include:
• A city highlights tour plus a guided tour of the historic house of Olveston.
• Larnach Castle – a guided tour of the castle and a chance to wander these beautiful gardens and lunch.
• Free time for meeting friends this evening or enjoying one of the many great restaurants in Dunedin.
MONDAY 26 MAY 2025 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• Journey on the scenic Taieri Gorge Railway with picnic lunch.
• Free afternoon for shopping or further sightseeing.
• Dinner this evening, with soirée entitled Celtic Celebration presented by our great artists.
TUESDAY 27 MAY 2025 (B, L, D)
Croydon Hotel, Gore (3 nights)
Gore is a town and district in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. It has a resident population of around 8,000 people. Gore is known for its country music scene and hosts an annual country music festival, which we will experience.
Highlights Include:
• Transfer to Gore this morning with a stop in Balclutha for a look at the river and enjoy a hearty lunch.
• Visit Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre in Gore before check in at the hotel.
• Old Hokonui – Whiskey & Food Matching Event: ‘Hokonui’ is a legendary southern spirit first made in the bush clad Southland hills of the same name. Over 50 years of localised Prohibition gave rise to this truly indigenous cottage industry and brought forth some legendary clandestine activity in the hills, gullies and farm sheds around Gore.
Spirits from selected southern New Zealand providers will be featured, along with matched tapas style food from the wilds of inland and coastal Southland. Featured of course will be Southland’s own ‘Old Hokonui’, but there will also be representatives from other southern distilleries presenting tastings of their new and exciting lines. Wild foods and live music will also feature in this taste of the South.
WEDNESDAY 28 MAY 2025 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• A morning of learning and laughter with various local characters. Based across several rooms at the Gore Town & Country Stadium, receive a crash course in how to play the ukulele with Marian, how to line dance, how to yodel and how to make the world-famous-in-Southland cheese rolls.
• Jammin’ At The Razza - This laid-back event always attracts a crowd. The show’s line-up features lots of New Zealand’s favourite country and folk performers. So grab a drink, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
• Early evening dinner at the hotel before our evening concert, featuring one of NZ’s leading country music artists and band. We might get our team to join in if possible.
THURSDAY 29 MAY 2025 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• Farm & Mai Mai Tour - Agriculture is at the forefront of Gore’s economy, we enjoy a rural experience, visiting a few local farms in the region, and learn about life in the woolshed, swede paddock and mai mai. 4WD transportation, morning tea and BBQ lunch included. This is a great fundraiser for the local school.
• Some free time to wander and shop. You might like to visit Gore’s Arts and Heritage Precinct. Tour the world class moonshine museum, art gallery or wander the seriously good street art route.
• Early dinner before our evening concert guaranteed to be a leading NZ country music artist/band.
FRIDAY 30 MAY 2025 (B, D)
Langlands Hotel, Invercargill (4 nights)
Invercargill is a city near the southern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s a gateway to wilderness areas including Stewart Island, with its Rakiura Track. Queens Park features flower displays and sports facilities.
Highlights Include:
• Breakfast at Table Talk Café - Enjoy breakfast and hear from a few key Gold Guitar crew (including a famous name or two from years gone by).
• MLT NZ Gold Guitar Awards – History & Auditions In what will be its 50th year, The MLT NZ Gold Guitar Awards attracts artists from around the world and continues to grow in stature and popularity. Budding country music artists and fans flock to Gore every Kings Birthday weekend; the entries in all sections and events total 700 competitors – it’s New Zealand’s biggest talent quest by a country mile. The talent has to be seen to be believed.
• Freeze Ya Bits Off Busking – Schools Competition The first day of the legendary competition starts at 11am on Gore’s main street. With every school in the district performing all at once down the length of the town – it always draws big crowds.
• Free time to wander, enjoying the busking and lunch (own cost) before our drive from Gore to Invercargill this afternoon.
• This evening after dinner, we present a concert in the beautiful First Church in Invercargill, Memories Are Made Of This, with the greatest songs ever written.
SATURDAY 31 MAY 2025 (B, L)
Highlights Include:
• Day trip to Stewart Island across Foveaux Strait, between Bluff and Stewart Island.
• Visit to Bunk House theatre to see the movie “A Local’s Tail” which introduces local characters.
• Village and Bays sightseeing including Rakiura National Park, Horseshoe Bay and Observation Rock with its stunning views of Paterson Inlet.
• Evening free for your own dinner arrangements.
SUNDAY 1 JUNE 2025 (B, D)
Highlights Include:
• Free morning to enjoy a lie in and rest before our gala event this evening.
• Drive to Gore mid-afternoon with dinner included on arrival.
• The NZ Gold Guitar Awards Senior Finals, the premiere event of the week, red carpet pre-show drinks on arrival, this evening features all finalists in the senior award categories, followed by presentation of the awards. The special guest artist is the 2024 award winner.
MONDAY 2 JUNE 2025 (B, L, Chocolate Tastings, D)
Highlights Include:
• A morning city tour of Invercargill including Queens Park, Burt Munro’s famous motorbike and Bill Richardson Transport World.
• Time for lunch and then enjoy a visit to the Seriously Good Chocolate Factory with a chocolate making class. What a sweet way to end our tour of Invercargill.
• Our final night gala: The Great American Song Book, celebrating famous American song styles including country, crooning, Dixie and music theatre and a bit of dancing courtesy of Karl and Marian and Grant.
TUESDAY 3 JUNE 2025 (B)
Off home today after breakfast, filled with great music, fun and fabulous company and good, old Southern hospitality.
This Trip Includes:
• 11-day Country Music Odyssey to the most southern part of New Zealand, to hear country music greats, see hidden treasures and experience Southern hospitality with 4-star hotels in Dunedin (3 nights), Gore (3 nights) and Invercargill (4 nights).
• Numerous special events as part of the Tussock Country Music Festival and the NZ Gold Guitar Awards including the grand final of the Gold Guitar Awards, several country music concerts, busking competition, Whiskey and Food pairing, lessons in line dancing, yodelling and the ukulele, farm tour and so much more.
• Concerts from our own amazing artists: A Little Bit of Country!, Celtic Celebration, a concert in the beautiful First Church in Invercargill, Memories Are Made Of This, with the greatest songs ever written and our final night gala: The Great American Song Book, celebrating famous American song styles including country, crooning, Dixie and music theatre and a bit of dancing courtesy of Karl and Marian and Grant.
• Dunedin (3 nights accommodation) including city tour, visit to Otago Settlers Museum and Olveston House, Taieri Gorge Railway and Larnach Castle. Invercargill (4 nights accommodation) including city tour, see Burt Munro’s motorbike, museums, visit to Bill Richardson Transport World plus chocolate making and tasting.
• Full day tour to Stewart Island which includes village and bay tour, movie of A Local’s Tail, and catamaran return cruise.
• All transfers, entrances and tours listed in this itinerary.
• All breakfasts, 7 lunches and 8 dinners plus chocolate making and tasting and Whiskey and Food pairing event.
• Hosted by NZ country music icons: Karl Perigo, Marian Burns and pianist Grant Winterburn.
PLEASE NOTE: As our travellers are coming from all over NZ, airfares are not included. If you require us to book your flights at an additional cost, please contact us.
Important Information
• All itinerary details are subject to change, but changes will be replaced with a comparable or better option.
• Initial & Second deposits are fully refundable up until final balance due date, minus an administration fee of up to $500 plus any non-recoverable costs.
• All monies are non-refundable at final balance due date. This becomes an insurance claim.
• Bank transfer payments incur no surcharge. Credit card payments incur surcharge of 1.5%.
• Travellers need to be independently mobile and fit to travel.
• Bookings will only be accepted with initial deposit & booking form.
• All travellers must obtain comprehensive travel insurance for international travel and insurance for domestic travel is recommended.
• Please refer to our terms and conditions on booking form.
Mobility - Easy Tour
This tour will suit people with a stick, but not a walker or in a wheelchair. You will be required to walk to get from place to place and stand in museums and gardens, but it is designed to be an easy tour with lots of time to rest, travel on a coach and walk easy leisurely distances. You will need to be able to get on and off a bus with ease. If you are unsure, please ring the office to discuss your suitability for our tours.