YOUR DAY
Guided: Upon arrival at Auckland Airport, a shuttle driver will be waiting for you as you clear customs. This driver will take you to your accommodation in the city. The day and night are free to spend at your leisure and your guide will meet you tomorrow morning.
Self Drive: Upon arrival at Auckland Airport you will collect your rental vehicle within the airport terminal. Make your way to your inner city accommodation where the day and night are free to spend at your leisure and prepare for the adventure ahead.
Tonight you will enjoy an Authentic New Zealand dining experience like no other, at Ahi.
He Korero Kai ō Aotearoa - A New Zealand Food Story
4 snacks + 4 courses (vegeterian courses available)
The te reo Māori word ‘Ahi’ means ‘Fire’. The cooking connection is obvious but, for us, Ahi also speaks of the fire in our bellies to deliver the best New Zealand kai in the most authentic way.
The entire Ahi Whānau is united by its love of Aotearoa, its food and people, and sharing the warm feelings of Manaaki and Whanaungatanga.
YOUR DAY
250km, 3.5 hours driving
Today you farewell the ‘City of Sails’ and head south to Rotorua; a hot spot for Māori culture and geothermal activity. En route you will visit Hobbiton and The Shire’s Rest, the only remaining film set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. You'll also enjoy a buffet style feast in the festive marquee next to the Green Dragon!
Arrive in Rotorua in the late afternoon and perhaps explore Kuirau Park mud pool reserve and view the stunning government gardens and lakefront.
This evening you will experience Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa. Wai Ariki is uniquely built on the legacy of Ngāti Whakaue culture, healing practices and manaakitanga – the centuries-old and internationally-renowned Ngāti Whakaue concept of welcoming manuhiri (visitors). Nestled on the foreshore of the stunning Lake Rotorua and meaning ‘Chiefly Waters’ - Wai Ariki offers two architecturally stunning and culturally authentic areas for you to explore, unwind, rejuvenate and relax.
YOUR DAY
Your first stop for the day is Waimangu Volcanic Valley - a Wonderland of Stunning Geothermal Activity. You will see the world's largest hot spring, sinter terraces and stunning hot and cold pools of many different colours. You'll also enjoy a cruise above the once famous Pink and White Terraces, buried by the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886.
This afternoon you will take a guided walk around Te Puia where you will experience mud pools and geysers and visit the Māori Weaving School and Kiwi House. This is a chance to see our national bird up close.
This evening you will enjoy an authentic cultural experience at Te Pā Tū (formerly Tamaki Māori Village). In the summertime, Te Pā Tū offers their Summer Harvest Celebration experience, "Tū Te Rā." Tū Te Rā is a summer celebration, aligned with the maramataka – the Māori lunar calendar. This is a time when the sun expresses optimal energy, the days are longer, and light nourishes the natural world. Tū Te Rā celebrates the abundant harvest of this season, and explores concepts, rituals, and stories of ancient Māori warfare and peace in a feast of culture and cuisine.
YOUR DAY
321km, 4 hours driving + 1 hour 20 minute flight
Your first stop for the day is Waitomo - New Zealand’s most extensive underground caving network.
Here you will enjoy a long and gentle boat ride beneath a galaxy of glowworms, avoiding big crowds by joining a small group tour, in private caves. Spellbound are close by Waitomo Caves, and a little off the beaten track, visiting a rugged and scenic limestone studded farm.
Following this you continue to Auckland, where you depart the North Island and fly South to New Zealand’s mainland, arriving in Christchurch in the evening.
Including 2x 23kg checked bags + 1x 7kg carry-on bag per person
YOUR DAY
380km, 5 hours driving
Today you will drive through the mighty Southern Alps to Arthurs Pass National Park. Keep a look out for the Bealey River as well as the reflective waters of Lake Pearson and Lake Lyndon. Our favourite nature walk in this national park features a stunning 150 metre waterfall and spectacular views of the mountains as you peek through native beech forest. Be sure to keep a look out overhead for the Kea (New Zealand’s cheeky native alpine parrot)!
Driving further, you will reach the West Coast and the Tasman coastline. Detour inland where you can visit the stunning Hokitika Gorge to marvel at its beautiful bright blue waters and surrounding native forest.
Continue further south through the rainforest to the town of Franz Josef glacier, nestled at the base of the towering alps and surrounded by dense native bush.
This evening you will enjoy a soak at Waiho Hot Tubs. Relax and unwind in the soothing comfort of fresh, warm water and aromatic wood smoke. Enjoy your own private tub, nestled in lush rainforest.
YOUR DAY
250km, 4 hours driving
This morning you will fly over both the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, soaring first over the townships and then following the ice of the glaciers high up into the upper reaches. Land in the snow at the head of one of the glaciers and survey the path the glacier has carved below you. Franz Josef Glacier is one of only three glaciers in the world to be surrounded by rainforest!
One of the most dramatic journeys in the country is what you can experience on your drive over the Haast Pass through to Wānaka. En route you will visit Lake Matheson, otherwise known as ‘Mirror Lakes’ where on a clear day it is possible to see the reflection of New Zealand’s highest mountain Aoraki/Mt Cook (3754m/12,316ft). The walking possibilities are endless today around Haast and Haast Pass and you can choose from several nature walks, some of which feature spectacular waterfalls and deep blue coloured pools where it is possible to see trout swimming. One of our favourite spots at The Road Trip is Ship Creek, an isolated beach featuring native totara trees hugging rugged coastline.
Tonight you stay in Wānaka, one of New Zealand’s most popular holiday spots.
30 minutes
YOUR DAY
67km, 1 hour driving
This morning in Wanaka there are several options. Perhaps enjoy a horse-back ride in the Cardona Valley, hire a paddle boat or kayak on the lake, climb up Mt. Iron for stunning 360 degree views, or try out Puzzling World.
Next up, your South Island tour takes you to the beautiful town of Arrowtown via The Crown Range, New Zealand’s highest highway. Arrowtown was an important location in the gold rush of Central Otago in the 1860s and is now a historic town with a very special vibe. Perhaps browse the preserved Chinese gold mining village or wander the boutique shops the town has on offer.
This evening you will enjoy a quintessential Kiwi experience – a delicious gourmet BBQ buffet meal and a farm demonstration in a stunning lakeside setting, after crusiing across Lake Wakatipu in a 110 year old steam ship - The T.S.S Earnslaw.
YOUR DAY
This morning you'll be taken on a thrilling jet boat ride down the beautiful Shotover River! Enjoy twists, turns and spins through this remarkable landscape.
In the afternoon, take a trip to the top of the Skyline Gondola to see Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables from the best vantage point. After admiring the view, its time to try the luge! Jump in your specialised luge cart and enjoy a thrilling, gravity fuelled downhill ride. Take it easy on the blue track or zoom around the curves and over the bumps of the red track, then hop on the chairlift and do it all over again - once is never enough!
The rest of the day is free to explore Queenstown at leisure and take part in some of the fantastic activities that this ‘Adventure Capital of the World’ has to offer. Options for the adventurous include: skydiving, bungy jumping, , canyon swings, white water rafting, flyboarding and paragliding.
If you feel like taking a more relaxed approach to the day, a walk through Queenstown’s Botanic Gardens is not to be missed. Perhaps drive out to the head of Lake Wakatipu and experience the breath-taking scenery of the Glenorchy Lagoon.
Today you will transfer to Queenstown Airport for your further travel arrangements. We trust you've had a wonderful time here in New Zealand!
Onward flight is not included.