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| Duration | Destination | Departure |
|---|---|---|
| 16 days and 15 nights | New Zealand (Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Nelson, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Mount Cook, Queenstown) | New Zealand (Auckland) |
Itinerary seat in coach, departs daily with English speaking guide / driver.
Day 1: Auckland
Upon arrival in Auckland, you will be welcomed and transferred by Italian private transfer to your selected Hotel.
Day 2: Auckland
This morning you will discover the beauty of Auckland.
Discover first-hand why Auckland is regarded as one of the best places in the world to live! This half-day tour takes you around the central city, experiencing many of its best and most scenic sights. Journey over the Auckland Harbour Bridge for stunning views back to the city. Visit the Viaduct Harbour and Auckland's famous Queen Street before continuing on through the Auckland Domain. With its classic charm, the Auckland Domain is the city's oldest and one of its largest parks, situated on a 62,000 year old volcano.
After your visit to the Domain continue on to Parnell Village for your morning tea stop. The historic buildings of Parnell have been transformed into a trendy shopping area featuring many boutiques, antique, craft and specialty shops. Following this, the tour will then take you along the stunningly scenic waterfront route of Tamaki Drive to the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park, in Mission Bay. Michael Savage is often regarded as one of New Zealand's greatest and revered Prime Ministers and was given the title of 'New Zealander of the Century' by the New Zealand Herald in 1999. The Memorial Park has beautiful panoramic views over Whenua Rangatira, Auckland city and Waitemata Harbour. This park is a popular wedding venue, with its formal gardens and tranquil atmosphere.
Following the city tour visit Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World. This underground visitor attraction enables you to experience something truly unique. Come face to face with species from New Zealand's waters including sharks, stingrays, turtles and other incredible sea creatures. Enjoy an informative encounter with your favorite animals as the staff give talks and feed them before your very eyes.
Day 3: Auckland to Rotorua
Depart Auckland for Rotorua via Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton. Lunch at the Green Dragon Inn included.
Your professional driver-guide will take you to into the heart of the Central North Island, taking in the Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton Movie Set on a full-day sightseeing tour. Setting off from Auckland, travel through the lush farmland of the Waikato and King Country regions, enjoying your driver guide’s entertaining and informative commentary.
Take a guided tour of the famous Hobbiton Movie Set, located inside a picturesque 1,250 acre sheep and beef farm near Matamata. Here, the village of Hobbiton was carefully created in amazing detail as a film location for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie trilogies.
During your guided tour of this amazing location, you’ll see sights like Hobbit holes, the Mill and the Green Dragon Inn, and learn how farmland was transformed into a living, breathing piece of Middle-earth. After exploring Hobbiton, tuck into a delicious lunch at the Green Dragon Inn.
At the world-famous Waitomo Glow-worm Caves, take a 45-minute guided tour through impressive underground caverns and learn how stalactites, stalagmites and other limestone structures were formed over millions of years. Your tour includes a boat ride through the Glow-worm Grotto - glide silently along an underground river as you gaze at the twinkling glow-worms overhead.
After visiting Waitomo and Hobbiton, continue to Rotorua, arriving in the early evening.
Please note the order of this tour is subject to change.
Overnight at your selected hotel.
Day 4: Rotorua
Morning City Highlights.
Experience Te Puia, a place of Maori culture and a thermal wonderland of impressive geysers and boiling mud pools. Explore Rainbow Springs Nature Park, which showcases native flora and fauna as well as the New Zealand Kiwi. Then see NZ's agricultural industry in action with a sheep shearing display and sheepdog trials at the Agrodome.
This tour includes entrance at Te Puia Thermal Reserve, Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, Rainbow Springs Nature Park and the Agrodome Sheep Show.
Depart around 06.00pm.
In the evening you will taste a typical Hangi dinner and a Maori welcome.
Take a journey back in time through the Maori village of ‘Te Tawa Ngahere Pa’. Experience the pre-European lifestyle and customs of the ancient Maori ancestors as the village comes alive with tribal songs, dances and activities. Enjoy a night of truly authentic, traditional culture and entertainment. Feast on a selection of foods cooked the traditional Maori way on hot stones in an authentic earthen oven. Tour includes transport to and from accommodation with coach commentary and Maori guide to instruct you on the protocol.
You will return to your hotel around 09.30 pm
Day 5: Rotorua to Wellington (flight not included)
Private transfer from Rotorua Hotel to Rotorua Airport. Private Transfer from Wellington Airport to your Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure to enjoy Wellington.
Day 6: Wellington
Depart in the morning for your full-day tour. The Full Day LOTR Locations Tour (allow 8 hours) is a must for any LOTR fan visiting Wellington. Starting on Mt Victoria with a visit to the lookout then onto locations used in the Trilogy like the Outer Shire, Hobbiton Woods & Dunharrow. Then out to the Hutt Valley to Kaitoke Regional Park, the location of Rivendell. Along the way visiting Isengard, Fords of Isen, the River Anduin and past the quarry where Helms Deep & Minas Tirith were filmed.
The Full day tour also includes an Orc sized picnic lunch or café lunch plus a visit to the famous Weta Cave and now including the Weta Workshop tour. This tour returns in the afternoon at approx. 430pm
Day 7: Wellington To Nelson
Transfer from your hotel in seat in coach to Wellington departure marina where you will catch the ferry to Picton.
After 3 hours you will reach New Zealand South Island. Upon arrival make your way to catch seat in coach transfer. Arrive by seat in coach transfer to your hotel in Nelson.
Overnight at your hotel in Nelson.
Day 8: Nelson (full day Abel Tasman NP)
This morning you will be picked up from Nelson accommodation and transferred to Kaiteriteri to cruise through the sheltered waters of the Astrolabe Roadstead to disembark at Anchorage Beach. Then, you can choose to relax or take a walk. Modern Dept. of Conservation facilities at the beach include shelter, picnic tables, flush toilets and filtered drinking water. Suggested itinerary: Pitt Head Loop Track: A 1hr 30mins (4 km, 2.5 miles) return walk from Anchorage through sunny Manuka forest to Te Pukatea Bay via Pitt Head, the site of an ancient Maori Pa (fortified village). Self-guided. The panoramic views of the coast and some evidence of earthworks are all that remain of this strategic site.
Picknick lunch is not included. You will return to your accommodation late this afternoon.
Day 9: Nelson to Kaikoura via Blenheim
Today with a seat in coach transfer you will be transferred from Nelson to Kaikoura.
Departs: 9.45 am Nelson - Outside Travel Centre, 27 Bridge Street.
Arrives: 4.00 pm Kaikoura - 1 of 3 Bus Stops by Public Carpark between Public toilets and i-Site on West End. Approximately 6 hours.
Upon arriving in Kaikoura make your way to your accommodation. No transfer are organised from to your hotels.
Overnight in Kaikoura.
Day 10: Kaikoura (whale watching) - Christchurch
Morning whale watching
Every Whale Watch tour is a unique experience and the sightings vary. Giant Sperm Whales are the stars of the show and year-round residents. A typical Whale Watch tour may encounter New Zealand Fur Seals, pods of Dusky Dolphins and the endangered Wandering Albatross. Depending on the season you may also see migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales. Kaikoura often hosts the world's largest dolphin - the Orca - and is home to the world's smallest and rarest - the Hector's. Kaikoura also attracts the largest concentration and variety of seabirds on mainland New Zealand including 13 species of Albatross, 14 varieties of Petrels and 7 types of Shearwater. Seat in coach transfer from Kaikoura to Christchurch
Duration: 3 hours
Departs: 4.40 pm Kaikoura - 1 of 3 Bus Stops by Public Carpark between Public toilets and i-Site on West End
Arrives: 7.40 pm Christchurch - Outside Bus Interchange on Lichfield Street, near Colombo Street
Note: there is no transfer to your hotel.
Overnight in Christchurch.
Day 11: Christchurch
Today you will experiment an award winning hop on hop off tour with a 24 Hour Hop on Hop Off pass
New Zealand’s only Open Top Double Decker City Tour!
Join us on our classic 1960’s London Open Top Double Decker buses for a fun and informative tour of Christchurch. Learn about Christchurch’s fascinating history from the pioneering days through to modern day times and learn how Christchurch is recovering from the devastating February 22 earthquake which has now become a major event in New Zealand’s history.
On tour, we will view some of the areas affected by the earthquakes, see how Christchurch is preserving some of its iconic heritage buildings and hear about the exciting vision to rebuild and restore the inner city.
Your experience includes a tour around central Christchurch on New Zealand’s only Open Top Double Decker and a 2 hour Tour on a closed top Double Decker visiting places of interest in greater Christchurch.
During the winter months (June-October) the Open Top bus may not be operating on Tour due to weather.
The Central City Tour will continue to run on the closed roof Double Decker bus.
Day 12: Christchurch - Mt Cook
Today seat in coach transfer to Mt Cook Departs: 7.30 am Christchurch Arrives: 12.20 pm Mt Cook. Light lunch included upon arrival.
Transfer is only from selected hotels.
Optional: Glacier Explorer tour Only for the month of September to May
Departs: 3.30 pm outside Hermitage Hotel Returns: Outside Hermitage Hotel
Months: September - May (subject to road and lake conditions) Duration: 2.5 hours
An amazing up-close encounter with New Zealand's largest glacier, the Tasman Glacier. Explore the fascinating glacial landscape and the ever-changing ice face of the glacier. The lake is doded with icebergs and the boat passes by so close you could almost touch them. Depart from Mount Cook Village outside The Hermitage Hotel. The bus will take you on a pleasant trip to the Tasman Valley, followed by an easy 1/2hr stroll through the National Park. Then board your MAC boat, and enjoy the ever changing ice face of the Tasman Glacier icebergs on the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake. Commentary throughout the trip by your experienced guide.
Alternatively for the month of August to June Tasman Valley 4WD Tours (Optional )
A rugged back road 4WD adventure accessing awe inspiring views over the Tasman Glacier and its gigantic moraine wall. You will get to stop at several vantage points and have the opportunity to walk up to the top of the Tasman Glacier moraine wall to view some of the most spectacular photographic opportunities within the Aoraki/ Mt Cook National Park. Your professional guide has a wealth of knowledge of the Aoraki/Mt Cook area. Learn about the area, its unique geology, local flora & fauna and get an entertaining insight into the rich pioneering history and stories of the past 150 years.
Overnight in Mt Cook.
Day 13: Mt Cook – Queenstown
Departs: The Hermitage and Aoraki Mount Cook Hotel 2.30 pm
Arrives: Queenstown 6.30 pm
Departing Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park follows the shores of Lake Pukaki and into the rugged landscape of the Mackenzie Basin. Stop in Omarama for afternoon tea (own expense) before continuing on through the golden tussock country of the Lindis Pass. Enjoy the scenery of the fruit growing region of Cromwell and the historic gold mining region of the rugged Kawarau Gorge before arriving in Queenstown this evening. Arrives: 6.30 pm
Day 14: Queenstown
Departure in the morning for your half-day Safari of the Scenes Tour of Wakatipu. The perfect tour for those who want the thrill of an off-road adventure but also want to discover the thrilling movie locations of Lord of the Rings. The Wakatipu Basin tour takes you to The Remarkables, which were used as various mountains during the trilogy including the Misty Mountains. Traveling partly on this beautiful mountain range you have a bird's eye view of Deer Park Heights, which was used for the Rohan refugees and the scenes of the Battle of Wargs. Traveling from The Remarkables we head towards the Kawarau Gorge where the filming took place for the Argonath, or Columns of the Kings. Leaving the Kawarau Gorge, the trip heads to Arrowtown where the loss of The One Ring at Gladden was filmed Fields. Near Arrowtown, you will experience a true off-road adventure. Following a historic gold mine along the Arrow River, you will cross the river to reach Bruinen's Ford. At this point, you can give yourself morning or afternoon tea and try your hand in a golden panning corner. From Arrowtown, you will travel to the entrance of the Canyon Skippers, where you will be offered spectacular panoramic views of the Wakatipu basin and the Skippers canyon. This tour will last about 4 hours Rest of the day available.
Day 15: Queenstown
Today you will be taken to see one of New Zealand's best fjords. Travel by coach for an unforgettable trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound, located within the Fiordland World Heritage National Park. Highlights include Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Christie Falls, Upper Hollyford Valley, Homer Tunnels, Cleddau Valley and Milford Sound. The tour includes a cruise on the Milford Sound Red Boat, where you will see the wonders of Miter Peak, glacial rock walls that rise to 1,200 meters vertically from the sea and waterfalls that fall from the suspended valleys and crash into the sound much lower. In the afternoon return to Queenstown by bus. Milford Sound panoramic lunch and cruise. This is a full-day tour from the early morning to approx. 08.00pm. Overnight at Hotel in Queenstown.
Day 16: Queenstown
Private transfer in English to the airport in Queenstown.
- 15 nights accommodation, room only basis
- All tours and transfers as shown above
- Optional Excursions
- Meals unless stated
| Day | Overnight | Itinerary highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | Auckland - Auckland Airport (AKL) |
| 2 | Auckland | |
| 3 | Rotorua | |
| 4 | Rotorua | |
| 5 | Wellington | |
| 6 | Wellington | |
| 7 | Nelson | |
| 8 | Nelson | |
| 9 | Kaikoura | |
| 10 | Christchurch | |
| 11 | Christchurch | |
| 12 | Mount Cook | |
| 13 | Queenstown | |
| 14 | Queenstown | |
| 15 | Queenstown | |
| 16 | Queenstown |
To be advised
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