New Zealand

Kia Ora! Welcome to New Zealand! Auckland, the metropolitan city of New Zealand.

Travel south to visit the famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Delve into a luminous realm, as you glide along in a boat under a luminous realm a fascinating scene reminiscent of a starry wonderland. Continue your journey to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua, the centre of Maori culture that is renowned for its geysers, boiling mud pools and steaming craters. Go on a brief sightseeing tour which includes a visit to the Rotorua Lakefront, the historical Government Garden and admire the majestic facade of the Rotorua Bath House. Experience a traditionally prepared Maori Hangi (feast) followed by a cultural performance featuring Maori songs, chants and dance.

Make your way to Te Puia, home to the TeWhakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and the New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Centre. Here you will witness all of nature’s thermal wonders such as silica terraces and the famous Pohutu Geyser. Transfer south to Matamata for your Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, which takes place on a working sheep farm that was a significant filming location for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movie series. Continue on to Auckland, the ‘City of Sails’ and enjoy a city sightseeing tour. Stop to admire the view of the Auckland Harbour & Bridge, one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks. Explore the charming Victorian buildings at Parnell Village and enjoy shopping at the stylish area of Queen Street.

Try a full day tour to Bay of Islands, where you’ll get to cruise via the Bay of Islands on a high speed catamaran out to the famous Hole in the Rock in Piercy Island. Prepare for a heart-stopping experience as you sail through the hole, but don’t forget to keep an eye out for dolphins as the area is also rich in marine life.

Transfer to the Auckland airport and depart for Christchurch on a domestic flight. Upon arrival, enjoy a panoramic view of the Southern Alps, where you’ll be greeted with scenes of dramatic mountains, gorges and river valleys across the Canterbury Plain. The journey takes you through Arthur’s Pass, the highest and most well-known of New Zealand’s mountain passes characterised by deep gorges, wide riverbeds and scree slopes.

Start your day as you gaze in amazement at the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, where columns of water shoot skyward from rocks that resemble giant stacks of hotcakes. Continue on to Hokitika to visit a Glassblowing Studio and a Greenstone Centre, where you will be able to shop for beautiful pounamu (jade). Bask in the beautiful terrain of majestic waterfalls, lush forest and rivers as well as glistening white glaciers when you arrive in Westland National Park. Thereafter, proceed to Franz Josef.

Begin your day with a visit to Franz Josef Lookout for spectacular views of the stunning glacier. Then, journey across the scenic Haast Pass before stopping for some photos at the beautiful Lake Hawea. Next, proceed to Lake Wanaka to find 192 square kilometres of alpine beauty, complete with rugged mountains and far-off glaciers feeding a beautiful expanse of water. Make sure to snap some pictures of the iconic Lake Wanaka Tree (the Lone Tree) before heading to Mrs Jones Fruit Orchard for a wide selection of fresh and dry local fruits available all year round. Next, we will arrive at New Zealand’s most-visited region, Queenstown. Surrounded by snow-capped mountain ranges and set on the shores of the crystal-clear Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is the absolute adventure paradise for thrill-seekers. Tonight, enjoy a delectable abalone and lobster seafood dinner at a local restaurant.

Join tour to the gorgeous Milford Sound, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel by coach from Queenstown to Fiordland National Park to explore this lush wilderness, which includes a Milford Sound boat cruise.

Kick-start the day with a visit to the world’s first-ever commercial bungy jump, the Kawarau Bridge Bungy Lookout. Then travel to Arrowtown, a charming former gold mining settlement with restored miners’ cottages nestled below the surrounding beautiful peaks and delightful gold mining sites situated along the Arrow River. Next, enjoy a scenic ride in the iconic Skyline Gondola and admire the exceptional views as you ride the steepest cable car lift in the Southern Hemisphere! You’ll be transported 450 metres above Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu to the top of Bob’s Peak, where you can take in a spectacular 220-degree panorama with breathtaking views of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables mountain range and Queenstown. Last but not least, you’ll be in for a treat this evening as you tuck into the most famous burger in Queenstown – Fergburgers.

This morning, make your way to Lake Pukaki to witness a jaw-dropping landscape of craggy mountain peaks and glacier-fed alpine lakes of shimmering turquoise hues beneath an endless blue sky. Drive past Mount Cook National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers over 70,000 hectares of breathtaking glaciers, terminal lakes, turbulent rivers and Australasia’s tallest peak at 3,724 metres, the mighty Aoraki Mount Cook. Next, stop by a Salmon Farm for an opportunity to feed the salmon and taste fresh salmon sashimi. After that, move on to the enchanting Lake Tekapo, a turquoise-coloured lake that bears the same name as the township. Pose with the iconic Dog Statue and see the delightfully quaint Church of the Good Shepherd by the lakeside.

Our day begins with a stop at the Farmers Corner Alpaca Farm, where you will get to feed the adorable alpacas and snap some pictures with them. The four-hectare farm also provides the perfect relaxing ambience to bask in the wonders of nature. After that, proceed to Christchurch, where you will commence your sightseeing tour which will cover some of Christchurch’s top landmarks – Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Mona Vale and the Cardboard Cathedral. Continue on to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve for an encounter with the Big 5 of New Zealand’s wildlife: the cheeky Kea, the ancient Tuatara, the Kaka bush parrots, the very rare Takahe and of course the Kiwi. The reserve offers a guaranteed kiwi viewing experience with no glass to hinder your view!

Take in the atmosphere of the city one last time