Day : 1
Arrive Christchurch
Number of Days : 1
Welcome to Christchurch, New Zealand's Garden City. Flights can arrive any time prior to 4pm and you will be transferred from the airport to your Christchurch hotel. After you check-in, you may wish to stretch your legs and take a walk around Cathedral Square or visit the Re:Start Mall. This evening, meet your fellow passengers and Travel Director at a Welcome Reception and then enjoy dinner together at your hotel.Welcome Reception, Dinner
Day : 2
Christchurch - Punakaiki
Number of Days : 1
First up this morning you will board the TranzAlpine train and head out through the Southern Alps to Arthurs Pass. This spectacular train journey dates back to 1914, and is rated as one of the world's most scenic train trips. The train forges through tunnels and over viaducts with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, beech forests, gorges and river valleys. Then, journey up the West Coast to Punakaiki, where you'll view the Pancake Rocks and blow holes. Tonight dinner with wine is at your hotel, then fall asleep to the sound of the surf crashing on the beach, as we overnight in our eco - friendly resort.Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Day : 3
Punakaiki - Franz Josef
Number of Days : 1
This morning travel down the West Coast to Hokitika. As well as being one of the few West Coast communities to embrace its coastal landscape, Hokitika struck it rich in the resources stakes. Here you will visit a pounamu factory (native greenstone or jade), for the chance to see a Local Specialist at work creating intricate pieces of jewellery and art. Maori tradition says it is bad luck to buy pounamu for yourself, so if you fancy a trinket of your own, make sure you have someone there to purchase it for you. Your final destination for today is the extraordinary rivers of ice that make up Franz Josef Glacier. You may want to get up close and personal with the glaciers on an Optional Experience helicopter flight. Your flight will hover over the snow face, and may land high up in the valley so that you can walk across the ice fall - subject to weather conditions. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Day : 4
Franz Josef - Queenstown (2 Nights)
Number of Days : 1
If weather conditions are unfavourable on Day 3, you will get another chance to fly up to the glaciers this morning. If you aren't flying, you might want to take a stroll through the small but lively Franz Josef village. Then you will head out of Franz following an ancient greenstone trail. View the sheer drop of Thunder Creek Falls and the grand sight of Mt Hooker, flanked on three sides by extensive glaciers. Travel over Haast Pass, marking a change from the rainforest marvel of the wild West Coast to the alpine scenery of the Southern Lakes. From here you will travel further into Central Otago and view Lake Wanaka, where the shoreline is charmingly lined by poplars and willows, followed by the vivid blue waters of Lake Hawea. It is a day of gorgeous lakes, as after Hawea you will travel over to Cromwell, situated next to the sparkling pristine waters of Lake Dunstan. Stop in at a local orchard for a taste of some of the town's delicious stone fruit. Later, you will stop and visit the faithfully restored gold mining settlement of Arrowtown. As you amble down the beautiful tree-lined avenues, past the 19th century wooden buildings, you will feel like you have stepped into a movie set. Then it's on to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand! Buffet Breakfast
Day : 5
Queenstown Sightseeing
Number of Days : 1
Today your choice of sightseeing: ride the Shotover Jet, join a wine tour, play 9 holes of golf, take the gondola to the Skyline Restaurant for dinner or perhaps take a 4WD minibus through Skippers Canyon. This evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue Regional Meal at the Colonel's Homestead. An entertaining farm show provides a glimpse into high-country farm life. Return to Queenstown to experience the festive nightlife.Buffet Breakfast, Regional Meal
Day : 6
Queenstown - Te Anau
Number of Days : 1
Today is one of those days where you will want to have your camera battery charged, and ready to go. And you will probably want to have a spare battery or two on hand… just in case. From the beautiful sights of Queenstown, you will travel out to the spectacular scenes of Milford Sound. You will stop at Mirror Lakes where, as the name suggests, you can see the stunning mountain scenery perfectly reflected in the waters of the lakes. Then on to the Homer Tunnel, man's attempt to master the sheer rocky ranges, still left rough-hewn around the edges. As you emerge out the other side of the tunnel, you are presented with one of the world's most dramatic alpine drives, down through the Cleddau Valley. You will have a stop at the Chasm, where the roaring Cleddau River has carved its way through solid rock, and then it's on to Milford Sound, where you will cruise the waters of this natural wonder. Your cruise meanders down the sound, taking in the Bowen and Stirling Falls as these plummet from glacial hanging valleys sharply into the sea, and the sheer pinnacle of Mitre Peak, rising from the deep waters of the fiord. After leaving Milford Sound, you will journey through the Fiordland National Park and out to Te Anau on one of the most scenic roads you could hope for. Travel through native rainforests, beech forests, alluvial flats and meadows. This evening after dinner with wine at your hotel you may consider an Optional Experience out across the lake to visit the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves.Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Day : 7
Te Anau - Dunedin
Number of Days : 1
You may want to take an early morning walk along the shoreline of the South Island's biggest lake, before you depart the township of Te Anau this morning. The heavily forested, rugged mountains of Fiordland National Park turn into rolling, grassy hills as you meander your way down to the city of Dunedin. Dunedin, also known as the Edinburgh of the South, has strong connections to its northern hemisphere sister city, even down to sharing many of the same street names - so take a wander down George Street, noting Dunedin's Scottish ancestry. This afternoon your choice of sightseeing: tour Larnach Castle, New Zealand's only castle, ride the historic Taieri Gorge Railway, take the Monarch Wildlife Cruise, or tour Cadbury World or Speight's Brewery. Tonight, enjoy dinner with wine at your hotel.Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Day : 8
Dunedin - Twizel
Number of Days : 1
This morning you have some free time in Dunedin. You may wish to roam around the beautiful grounds of New Zealand's first university, Otago. From Dunedin you will then travel through to the township of Oamaru, with its stately tree-lined streets and its famous white limestone buildings. As well as shipping limestone to the bigger cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin for construction of their Town Halls and various churches, Oamaru locals made sure that their own town represented the best in limestone building the mid-late 1800s had to offer. Then you will journey along the Waitaki River, for a photo stop at the Waitaki Hydro Power Scheme and Benmore Dam. The Waitaki River marks the boundary between the regions of Canterbury and Otago, and with its large catchment it is an ideal source of hydro-electric power. Your day finishes in the heart of the Mackenzie Country at Twizel. Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Day : 9
Twizel - Christchurch
Number of Days : 1
You may wish to take an Optional Experience this morning. Take in Mount Cook National Park from the air on a scenic flight out over New Zealand's highest peak, the Southern Alps and on to Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. Sweeping views across the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo framed by a backdrop of rugged hills and snow-capped mountains provide stunning alpine photography opportunities. Later, you will visit the little stone-hewn Church of the Good Shepherd, and stop for a quick photo with the bronze statue of a collie dog, the touching tribute to the sheepdogs which helped develop the Mackenzie Country. Join us at a Be My Guest barbecue at Morelea Farm, a typical working sheep farm, where you'll get a taste of traditional New Zealand country life. You'll be welcomed into the home of Angie and Stan Taylor and their 600 acre garden. You'll have the chance to experience sheep shearing and farming demonstrations before enjoying a BBQ lunch, and wait until you try Angie's famous pavlova dessert! Listen to the family's story of growing up in rural New Zealand and their challenges of farming in the foothills of New Zealand's Southern Alps. This afternoon head through the South Canterbury country towns of Fairlie and Geraldine and out over the patchwork countryside of the Canterbury Plains into Christchurch. Enjoy a city sights tour and see how Christchurch is rebuilding after the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Pop into the Transitional Cathedral in Latimer Square, the temporary home of the Christchurch Cathedral. It is the world's only cathedral made substantially of cardboard! Tonight, speak with your Travel Director about dining recommendations in Christchurch's inner city.
Buffet Breakfast, Be My Guest Dining
Day : 10
Christchurch - Blenheim
Number of Days : 1
You will begin your day travelling through the rolling hills and over the lush river flats out to the Pacific Ocean coastline where roaring sea meets enormous bush-clad mountains. Today you will get the opportunity to spend some time observing some pretty special wildlife. From the seaside township of Kaikoura, you may want to take an Optional Experience helicopter flight and coast out over the Pacific Ocean for whale and dolphin viewing. If a helicopter flight is not your style, why not wander down the main street, stop in at one of many local eateries and sample a Kiwi seafood delight - crayfish. There is no way to avoid these sea creatures… even the town's name reflects an abundance of crustaceans - 'kai' in Maori means food and 'koura' means crayfish. This afternoon get up close and personal with New Zealand fur seals at Ohau Point, and watch as they frolic and play in the tidal currents, and sun themselves on the rocks. This evening you will finish your adventure in the South Island in Blenheim. Tonight enjoy a 5-course Regional Meal prepared from local produce and matched with wines of the Marlborough region, including selections from Villa Maria and Saint Clair wineries.Buffet Breakfast, Regional Meal
Day : 11
Blenheim - Wellington
Number of Days : 1
Enjoy a quiet start to the day. Your Travel Director and coach will join you on board the Interislander for a cruise across the Cook Strait, from the South Island to the North. Surprisingly it takes longer to cruise through the Queen Charlotte Sound and up the Tory Channel than it does to cross the open ocean of Cook Strait. You will meander through a maze of arms and inlets out of Picton. Upon arrival, you will head out on a city sights tour of Wellington taking in New Zealand's parliament buildings, and a visit to Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand, for a Cultural Insight. Discover New Zealand's nature, history, art and heritage, and then enjoy some time at leisure. Indulge in Wellington's renowned coffee culture, or take a walk along Lambton Quay. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Day : 12
Wellington - Rotorua (2 Nights)
Number of Days : 1
After departing Wellington, this morning you'll travel north up the Kapiti Coast to the gorgeous historic villa, Shenandoah, for a Be My Guest morning tea. Join Simon and Claudia, who will show you their home, which includes a unique private collection of Harley Davidson motor cycles. Enjoy morning tea in their garden, then take a walk around the property to meet the animal members of the family. Journey north over the tussock plains of the Central Plateau through Tongariro National Park, view Lake Taupo and Huka Falls on your way to Rotorua. Tonight an evening of culture, history and scrumptious food awaits you at the Tamaki Family Marae. Wander through the ancient forest village and learn about Maori art forms and traditions, followed by a concert featuring local performers. Experience an authentic Maori Hangi Regional Meal, steamed underground in the traditional way.Buffet Breakfast, Be My Guest Dining, Regional Meal
Day : 13
Rotorua Sightseeing
Number of Days : 1
Today your choice of sightseeing: join the Kiwi Encounter at Rainbow Springs Nature Park, discover Maori culture at Te Puia Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, see the Agrodome Farm Show, relax in the seclusion of your own hot mineral pool or unwind with a facial treatment in the Lake Spa Retreat at the Polynesian Spa. Maybe ride the amphibious Rotorua Duck or the luge at Rotorua Skyline. Your Travel Director will assist you in booking all of your chosen sightseeing experiences. Stay at your hotel this evening or with a local family in a nearby country home. Your hosts will provide wonderful Kiwi hospitality that makes you really feel 'at home'. You'll enjoy a wholesome dinner and a cooked breakfast, comfortable accommodation and a tour to introduce you to the way of life. Please make your choice at time of booking.Buffet Breakfast
Day : 14
Rotorua - Auckland
Number of Days : 1
This morning you will travel through the King Country region which was at the centre of the New Zealand Wars in the 1860s to Waitomo Caves. See the amazing underground Glow Worm Grotto by boat and walk through the limestone caverns with a Local Specialist. This afternoon you will follow the meandering trail of the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river, past the lush farmlands of the Waikato Region. As you journey over the Bombay Hills, the landscape changes from green, grassy meadowlands to the edges of suburbia. As you make your way into the heart of New Zealand's largest city, you will stop at Bastion Point and the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, as you will get stunning shots of Auckland, the North Shore and the Waitemata Harbour. Tonight's Regional Meal is at The Langham. Your personal degustation menu is made from the freshest, quality ingredients, including mouth-watering seafood and desserts.Buffet Breakfast, Regional Meal
Day : 15
Auckland - Bay of Islands
Number of Days : 1
This morning depart Auckland City and travel north over the Harbour Bridge. Journey through Orewa and along the scenic Hibiscus Coast, the birthplace of Sir Edmund Hillary. Enjoy a stop at Parry Kauri Park and take a walk among New Zealand's native forest giants, the Kauri trees. Your travels then take you into Whangarei, the northern-most city in New Zealand, where you can wander around the art galleries and through the marina in the Town Basin. This afternoon you will travel into the beautiful Bay of Islands. Experience spectacular scenery as you cruise through game fishing waters to Cape Brett and, weather permitting, through the famous 'Hole in the Rock' formation. The return cruise to Paihia meanders through picturesque islands - see deserted sandy beaches and secluded bays and keep your eyes peeled for the marine life. Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Day : 16
Bay of Islands Sightseeing
Number of Days : 1
Today your choice of sightseeing: Perhaps go on a dolphin watching cruise, journey around Kerikeri on a wine tasting tour, or take a guided walk through Russell - New Zealand's first capital. This evening you can sail aboard a historic tall ship as the sunsets, or glide down the Waitangi River for a sumptuous dinner cruise. Your Travel Director will assist you in booking the sightseeing of your choice.Buffet Breakfast
Day : 17
Bay of Islands - Auckland
Number of Days : 1
Before departing the Bay of Islands today you'll have the opportunity to visit the Waitangi Treaty Reserve, where New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed (own expense). This afternoon sit back and relax as you make your way down through Northland's lush farmland scenery and past the sprawling suburbs of the North Shore back into Auckland.Buffet Breakfast
Day : 18
Depart Auckland
Number of Days : 1
Bid farewell to your fellow travellers when your holiday concludes this morning after breakfast. You will be transferred to Auckland Airport for your onward flight (flights anytime).Buffet Breakfast
