Days 1 & 2 UK to Auckland

Fly (via Los Angeles or Hong Kong or Singapore) to Auckland.

Day 3 – Auckland

Met by our coach driver – transfer to the Copthorne Anzac Avenue Hotel for a two night stay – welcome to New Zealand dinner at the hotel with beers and local wines included.

Day 4 – Auckland

Morning sightseeing tour of Auckland taking in the downtown business district and Viaduct Basin, which was for 8 years home of the Americas Cup yacht fleet, then Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World and Antarctic Encounter, the Auckland War Memorial Museum where there is a superb collection of Maori artefacts including a magnificent carved Maori war canoe constructed in 1836 – stop to take in the panoramic views from the Skytower, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere – afternoon free or join the optional harbour cruise.

Day 5 – Waipoua Kauri Forest & Bay of Islands

Drive north across the Harbour Bridge and through the North Shore – time for lunch at the excellent Matakohe Timber Museum where the gum digging and timber milling history of this Northland Region is on show – travel up the west coast to the Waipoua Kauri Forest to see Tane Mahuta, which is the largest of all the giant kauri trees – drive around Hokianga Harbour, a popular fishing ground for local Maori, and on through Kaikohe township to the lovely Bay of Islands – two nights at the Kingsgate Autolodge Hotel.

Day 6 – Bay of Islands

Morning cruise through the lovely Bay of Islands to Cape Brett and the Hole in the Rock – on the return voyage we stop at Otehei Bay on pretty Urupukapuka Island – in the afternoon visit the Waitangi Treaty House where in 1840 the Maori and British signed the treaty which gave birth to the nation of New Zealand.

Day 7 – Hamilton & Te Awamutu

Travel to Whangarei for a visit to Clapham’s Clock Museum – cross the Brynderwyn Hills and drive on down the Hibiscus Coast and through Auckland City – on to Hamilton, New Zealand’s largest inland city to see the excellent Hamilton Gardens,142 acres featuring a variety of theme gardens – drive on to Te Awamutu in the heart of prosperous dairy farming country to meet our farmer hosts and go home with them (4 people to each farm) for a wonderful opportunity to meet the friendly Kiwis and enjoy home cooked dinner with our hosts.

Day 8 – Waitomo & Rotorua

Guided tour of the famous Waitomo limestone caves as we glide silently on an underground stream into the Glowworm Grotto, lit only by the lights of thousands of tiny glowworms – through picturesque farmlands to Longlands Farm near Matamata for included lunch – continue into Rotorua for a two night stay at Lake Plaza Hotel.

Day 9 – Rotorua

Guided tour of Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve to see the geysers and the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, where young Maori are being taught traditional carving and weaving skills – visit lovely Rainbow Springs to see trout and rare kiwis, and the popular Agrodome sheep show – afternoon is free – this evening we enjoy a powhiri (welcome), hangi (dinner) and concert of traditional Maori song and dance at Tamaki Tours Marae (Maori Village).

Day 10 – Taupo & Wellington

Drive south through forests and farmlands to Wairakei to view the spectacular Huka Falls on the Waikato River – continue to the popular holiday resort of Taupo, famous around the world for its trout fishing, and around Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake – cross the Desert Road to Waiouru with good views of the three main volcanic peaks in Tongariro National Park where the scenes of Mordor from the Lord of the Rings trilogy were filmed – visit Southwards excellent vintage car collection at Paraparaumu – drive on into Wellington City, New Zealand’s capital city built around a magnificent natural harbour – one night stay at the Mercure Wellington Hotel.

Day 11 – Picton & Christchurch

Take the Inter Islander ferry and cross Cook Strait to Picton in the South Island with the last part of the cruise through the Marlborough Sounds being especially scenic – late morning arrival into Picton – board the Tranz Coastal train and travel through Blenheim and the Marlborough and Kaikoura on the Pacific Coast, and across the Canterbury Plains into Christchurch – two night stay at the Holiday Inn on Avon.

Day 12 – Christchurch

Morning sightseeing tour of New Zealand’s ‘Garden City’ includes the city centre with its Gothic style Cathedral, the Canterbury Arts Centre, Museum and lovely Botanical Gardens and the International Antarctic Centre to learn about the exploration of the great southern continent – afternoon and evening are free.

Day 13 – Arthur’s Pass & Franz Josef

Drive inland through scenery with high snow capped mountains and native beech forests to Arthur’s Pass in the heart of the Southern Alps – cross the Alps and descend to the West Coast for a visit to Shantytown for an opportunity to try your hand at gold panning and ride the bush railway – travel south to Franz Josef through forests and farmlands with vistas of the Tasman Sea to the west and the mighty Southern Alps rising sharply to the east – check in to the Franz Josef Glacier Hotel (Graham Wing) for a one night stay.

Day 14 – Franz Josef & Haast Pass

Time this morning to view the Franz Josef Glacier, a huge river of snow and ice flows from vast snowfields high in the Southern Alps almost to sea level – drive south through the rainforests of Westland National Park and across the Haast Pass through the Southern Alps – two nights at the A-Line Hotel in Queenstown, located on a hillside just a few minutes walk to the town centre.

Day 15 – Queenstown

Morning sightseeing tour of Queenstown by coach includes historic Arrowtown, the site of a major 1860s gold rush – drive out past lovely Lake Hayes to the Gibbston Valley winery to sample some of the excellent estate wines – afternoon is free – for dinner this evening, there is the option of taking the gondola to the Skyline Restaurant on Bob’s Peak from where there are panoramic views.

Day 16 – Milford Sound & Te Anau

The scenery of the Fiordland World Heritage National Park is stunning with high mountains and deep valleys, clear rushing streams and waterfalls set in magnificent native rainforest – afternoon cruise down the spectacularly beautiful Milford Sound past Mitre Peak before returning to Te Anau via the Cleddau Gorge, Homer Tunnel and pretty Eglinton Valley – one night stay at the centrally located Luxmore Hotel.

Day 17 – Dunedin

Drive across the Southland and Otago farmlands to the university city of Dunedin, originally settled by the Scots and retaining a good deal of its tartan heritage – drive out to the Otago Peninsula for a visit the Royal Albatross Colony, the only mainland nesting place in the world for these magnificent seabirds – travel on to Penguin Place to see the rare Yellow Eyed Penguins from especially constructed ‘hides’ – one night stay at the centrally located Scenic Circle City Hotel.

Day 18 – Mount Cook

Drive north across the Dunedin Hills and up the Pacific Coast – stop en route at Moeraki to see the unusual giant marble like boulders on the beach and visit the old port area at Oamaru, famous for its limestone buildings – turn inland to the Mount Cook National Park including Mount Cook itself (12,349 ft), New Zealand’s highest mountain – afternoon free to relax and enjoy the magnificent alpine scenery – one night stay at The Hermitage (Mount Cook Wing), one of the world’s best-known alpine retreats.

Day 19 – Christchurch to UK

Transfer to Christchurch for our flight to back to UK (via Auckland and Los Angeles or Hong Kong or Singapore).

Day 20 – Arrive UK

15 nights accommodation in good 3* to 4* hotels in rooms with private bathrooms

1 night farm stay

Breakfast every morning

3 evening meals and 1 lunch

Single room supplement £499

Insurance

Optional excursions

Local airport departure taxes

Visa fees (not required for UK passport holders)

Flights to New Zealand are via Los Angeles, Hong Kong or Singapore. Why not add a stopover on your outbound and/or return flights?

Like this tour but want to change it to suit your group’s budget or preferences? You could:

• stay at 4* and 5* hotels
• on half board basis throughout
• with fewer or different excursions
• for more (or fewer) days
• include all entrance fees and gratuities

Remember there will be cost consequences (either up or down) depending on your preferences but once we have we have sent you our initial offer, we can amend it as required by you until you have a tour with an itinerary and at a price which matches the interests and profile of your members.