Magnificent New Zealand

Itinerary :

Day 1: Auckland: (Wed, Fri, Sun, Tue only): On arrival in Auckland, transfer to your hotel by a private vehicle & check-in. Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Auckland.

Day 2: Auckland-Hobbiton-Rotorua: Leave Auckland to take a guided tour of the Hobbiton filming location. See where the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies were filmed as your tour guide shares behind-the-scenes tales. 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 in the Party Marquee before heading towards Rotorua. Overnight in Rotorua. (L)

Day 3: Rotorua: Today, transfer to Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland for a two hour visit. Wai-O-Tapu is considered to be New Zealand’s most colourful and diverse geothermal sightseeing attraction. Later, you will continue your journey to Te Puia for an Indigenous Evening Experience including a buffet dinner and cultural performance. The evening culminates with hot chocolate and pudding on the geyser terrace. Overnight in Rotorua. (D)

Day 4 Rotorua-Christchurch: Today depart from Rotorua on your domestic flight to Christchurch (flight not included). Christchurch is set between the deep blue Pacific Ocean and the mighty snow-capped Southern Alps. This is a vibrant, ever-changing city with inner city parks and gardens delightfully interwoven by the meandering Avon River. Overnight in Christchurch.

Day 5: Christchurch – Greymouth: Today, transfer to the Christchurch Railway Station for the Tranz Alpine train crossing the vast expanses of the Canterbury Plains, through the dramatic gorge of the Waimakariri River to Arthur’s Pass National Park. On arrival in Greymouth, you will be met and transferred to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes for a short self-guided walk to view the fascinating pancake-shaped rock formations before being delivered to your accommodation. Overnight in Greymouth.

Day 6: Greymouth – Franz Josef (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun only): This morning, you will get transferred to Shantytown Heritage Park for a sense of what it was like to live in New Zealand during the gold rush before returning to Greymouth for your transfer to Glacier Country. The temperate climate at a low altitude makes Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers among the most convenient to visit in the world. Steep valleys bear scars from where glaciers have retreated and advanced over millennia and here, the ice age is still underway. Overnight in Franz Josef.

Day 7: Franz Josef – Queenstown (Tue, Thu, Sat, Mon only): Today you will be picked up from your hotel for your transfer through wilderness towns, waterfalls and river scenery on the journey to Queenstown. Overnight in Queenstown.

Day 8: Queenstown: Today is a free at leisure for you to explore the Adventure Capital of the World on your own. Overnight in Queenstown.

Day 9: Queenstown – Milford Sound – Queenstown: Fiordland is one of the world’s last great wildernesses. Today’s stunning tour takes you past mirror lakes and waterfalls into Milford Sound, carved by ice age glaciers and famously described as the eighth wonder of the world. On arrival, board your vessel for a cruise of the fiord surrounded by towering mountains and cliffs that plunge into the sea. Feel the refreshing spray of a waterfall as you cruise close to sheer rock faces before returning to shore. After a big day out, reflect on memories of a lifetime on your coach return to downtown Queenstown. Lunch is included. Overnight in Queenstown.

Day 10: Queenstown – Mt Cook/Tekapo – Christchurch: Today you will depart Queenstown, your driver guide will bring todays journey to life, sharing stories and rich background knowledge. Pass through the stunning Kawarau Gorge, fruit and wine growing region of Cromwell, following beautiful Lake Dunstan and through the dramatic Lindis Pass. Travel the vast plains of the Mackenzie district alongside magnificent turquoise blue lake framed by Aoraki Mt Cook and the spectacular Southern Alps to Mt Cook Village where you have some free time. Leaving Mt Cook it’s not hard to see why many Lord of the Rings scenes were filmed nearby. Your driver guide will point them out on the journey to Lake Tekapo where you will make a stop close to the popular Church of the Good Shepherd before continuing on through the amazing countryside to Christchurch. Overnight in Christchurch.

Day 11 Christchurch: Your tour concludes today with a departure transfer to Christchurch Airport for your flight to next destination.