Kia Ora New Zealand
Christchurch
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It’s hard to pick a highlight of this New Zealand tour from north to south. Is it the fiords and glaciers of Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, explored on a tour? The gem-like Bay of Islands from Auckland? The bubbling geysers and thermal springs of Rotorua? Or perhaps the mountain vistas of Queenstown? In between you have cosmopolitan cities, wineries, train rides, beaches… how does one country pack so much punch?
Availability
From 31/08/2024 to 07/04/2025
Departure dates & prices
Dates
Availability
Price
What's included
Highlights.
Want to get your heart racing? Explore the extremes of the North Island then feel the natural rush of Queenstown.
Or just laze by the pool.
Your choice…You don’t need a reason to visit World Heritage listed Fiordland National Park.
But if you’re looking for one, make it shimmering Milford Sound/Piopiotahi.
This place is nature amplified.
Journey through New Zealand's most important historic site, Waitangi Treaty Grounds, with a passionate local guide.
Discover the stories, people and events that have shaped the past, present and future.
End-of-the-Earth drama awaits in the Bay of Islands, where 140 droplets of land unite powdery beaches with dreamy pockets of forest.
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• Specialist team of two both highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide • 1 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Fiordland National Park • Centrally located premium hotels • National Park entrance fees.
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Itinerary
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Day 1 Explore waterfront precincts filled with yachts or just meet fellow travel companions for a Welcome Reception tonight.
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Day 2 Say goodbye to the 'City of Sails' as you journey north to the Bay of Islands - 140 droplets of land ringed by turquoise sea. It's undeniably beautiful, but it also holds a special historical secret; this is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. Your guide, perhaps a descendent of one of the original signatories, will explain the significance of the site, while pointing out the world's largest ceremonial canoe and a carved meeting house.
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Day 3 Today, trip the light fantastic and head off in whatever direction you please. Perhaps travel up to Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua, the very top of New Zealand, via idyllic Ninety Mile Beach. Or glide around on an historic tall ship, enjoy a cruise to the iconic Hole in the Rock or join a tour of Russell and learn more about the settling of the Bay of Islands.
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Day 4 Whangarei is a place where waterfalls meet beaches, galleries meet museums. It's like the country in a tantalising snapshot - a union of nature and forward-thinking culture. Explore at your leisure before sinking back into your seat for the mesmerising commute back to Auckland.
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Day 5 After a morning of sightseeing, set your GPS for the Waitomo Caves. Cruising cavernous waterways, your route is cast in a magical light by thousands of glowworms. It's a landscape almost as otherworldly as Rotorua, where mud pops and jettisons from bubbling geysers. This evening, explore Te Puia's geothermal valley, and learn about M?ori history and culture on this guided experience, which includes a dinner of hangi-inspired cuisine and a cultural performance in a finely carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. It ends on a high at the Pohutu Geyser, where, armed with a hot chocolate you'll view one of New Zealand's geothermal wonderlands.
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Day 6 Explore at your own pace today. Want a bit of down time? Bliss out at the Polynesian Spa. Animal lover? Go behind the scenes at a working kiwi hatchery. Hobbit fans will want to take advantage of today's opportunity to visit the sights featured in The Lord of the Rings movies at Hobbiton.
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Day 7 At Huka Falls, 220,000 litres of water thunder over an 11-metre-high waterfall every second. The road ahead unfolds in a broad panorama of mint-blue Lake Taupo. Traverse the Kapiti Coast to New Zealand's cool little capital, Wellington, where there are so many restaurants and bars to choose from, you'll need a guidebook. Wait, you have an in-the-know Travel Director to talk to.
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Day 8 Wellington is known for its uber-cool caf?s, designed to fuel you through a session at Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. Onwards to the Interislander for a cruise across Cook Strait, from the North Island to the South, through a maze of arms and inlets.
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Day 9 There aren't many beaches more dramatic than the black sands of Kaikoura. Bonus points if you spot a sea lion or sperm whale frolicking offshore. Your Travel Director has tips on where to dine tonight.
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Day 10 On your city tour view the mind-bending Transitional Cathedral, made largely of cardboard, and Turanga, the gold-clad central library. From here, your outlook is the Canterbury Plains: the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo, snow-capped mountains and atmospheric towns. Your Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience in Tekapo, hosted by passionate guides, will forever change the way you see the night sky. You'll see for yourself it may be one of the quietest spots on the planet, yet it has one of the busiest skies in the universe.
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Day 11 Oamaru, with its stately tree-lined streets and limestone buildings, stands proud before you journey further south toward the 'Edinburgh of the South'. Dunedin's Scottish ancestry is everywhere you look, from the manicured grounds of Otago University to Larnach Castle. While away the afternoon in the city's art-lined alleys, or venture further afield to discover the wildlife that thrives here - fur seals and penguins among them.
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Day 12 Weave your way into Fiordland National Park and the South Island's biggest lake and the town of Te Anau.
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Day 13 Your route through Fiordland National Park is an intoxicating union of beech forests, alluvial flats, meadows and mirror-like lakes. All roads lead to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, where a string of waterfalls create a misty curtain across sheer escarpments. Venture out into the Fiord on a sightseeing cruise, where dolphins and seals are a common sight.
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Day 14 Take Queenstown at your own pace today. Feel the wind in your hair on a high octane jet boat ride, perhaps. Wherever you wander, make sure you're back in time to glide across Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue dinner.
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Day 15 Leaving Lake Wakatipu behind, Arrowtown and Lake Dunstan appear on the horizon. Then there's Lake Hawea followed by Lake Wanaka, with its Instagrammable shoreline of poplars and willows. Over the Haast Pass, the pretty town of Franz Josef/Waiau awaits.
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Day 16 Swap snow for pounamu (native greenstone or jade) in Hokitika: the pounamu found here is the stuff jewellery dreams are made of. Just when you thought your adventure couldn't get any better, you'll aboard the TranzAlpine train bound for Christchurch, through tunnels and over viaducts with panoramic views.
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Day 17 Two islands, glaciers, lakes, thermal springs and a parade of wildlife... We hope you find the words to describe this epic adventure.
- Prices quoted valid for sale until 23 May 2024 unless otherwise stated or sold out prior.
- Price is per person and subject to availability. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share unless otherwise stated.
- Airfare (including internal flights) is not included unless otherwise stated and, if included, is economy class unless otherwise stated.
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