Best Of New Zealand

On arrival, seat in coach guests will be met and privately transferred to hotel. Self-drive guests will collect a rental car and drive to the hotel.

Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of Auckland city (seat in coach guests only). Visit Kelly Tarlton’s Sealife Aquarium and Antarctic Encounter (both seat in coach and self-drive guests). The remainder of the day is free. (B)

Travel south through the fertile Waikato region to arrive at Waitomo. Enjoy a guided tour of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. On completion continue over the Mamaku Ranges to reach the ‘Thermal City’ of Rotorua. (B)

Visit Te Puia Thermal Reserve to see boiling mud pools and roaring geysers. Following this, visit Agrodome for a farm show and Rainbow Springs to see trout, birds and wildlife. The afternoon is at leisure. This evening enjoy an authentic Maori Hangi (feast) and Concert. (B, D)

Travel south to reach the popular lake resort of Taupo before continuing on the Desert Road, dominated in the background by the three peaks of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. Continue south through farmland before arriving in the ‘Capital City’ of Wellington. (B)

Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of Wellington (seat in coach guests only) . Visit Te Papa, ‘Museum of New Zealand’ for a short guided tour (both seat in coach and self-drive guests) before enjoying a free afternoon to explore. (B)

Journey across Cook Strait and into the Marlborough Sounds before arriving in Picton. Travel south through the town of Blenheim, before reaching Kaikoura – here you might like to take an optional whalewatch cruise or scenic flight (optional activities not included in the tour price). (B)

Leave Kaikoura behind as you turn inland and travel to the ‘Garden City’ of Christchurch. (B)

Travel across the fertile Canterbury Plains to Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd before continuing on to New Zealand’s highest mountain - Mt Cook. Follow the shores of Lake Pukaki south through the historic Central Otago region to the ‘Alpine Resort’ of Queenstown. (B)

Follow the southern arm of Lake Wakatipu to Lumsden, and onward to Lake Te Anau. Enter the Eglinton Valley and travel through the Homer Tunnel to reach Milford Sound. Enjoy a cruise on this world famous fiord. Return to Queenstown. (B, L)

A free day to explore the endless optional attractions available. Queenstown offers bungee jumping, Jetboating, gondola rides and much more. Optional activities not included in the tour price. (B)

Depart Queenstown and travel via Lake Wanaka and through the historic Haast Pass, gateway to the World Heritage Westland National Park. Continue up the West Coast past spectacular mountain ranges, native forests and lakes to the glacier region. (B)

Travel north to Greymouth and board the world famous Tranz Alpine train (seat in coach guests only). Ascend through lush beech forests past the alpine village of Arthur’s Pass before crossing the spectacular Southern Alps. Travel over Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. (B)