Itinerary
Days 1 & 2 - Departure day
Fly to Christchurch, crossing the International Date Line to arrive on Friday
Day 3 - Christchurch, New Zealand
Today you arrive into Auckland and connect to Christchurch, New Zealand, located on the picturesque South Island. Christchurch is known for its award-winning gardens, its cafe atmosphere, and as a staging area for expeditions to Antarctica. Meet your fellow travelers at the reception and dinner. CROWNE PLAZA CHRISTCHURCH
Day 4 - Christchurch/Antarctic Centre/Home-hosted dinner
Explore the city this morning. Walk through Cathedral Square and see the Canterbury Cathedral. Visit the Antarctic Centre to experience the feel of the South Pole without leaving New Zealand. Tonight, meet some "Kiwis," as the locals are known, when you dine with a native New Zealand family in their home. CROWNE PLAZA CHRISTCHURCH
Day 5 - Skiplane landing on Tasman Glacier/Mount Cook
Gain a new perspective of the South Island as a skiplane carries you into the mountains. Observe how enormous glaciers have left behind numerous lakes and rivers, making for astounding scenery, with many featured in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Experience a snow landing on the Tasman Glacier and fly past Mt. Cook, also known as Aoraki, the highest peak in New Zealand. THE HERMITAGE
Day 6 - Te Anau
As you travel to Te Anau, notice how the countryside changes dramatically from wide plains to mountains and deep river gorges. Enter MacKenzie Country, named for a notorious sheep-thief, and where rugged Merino sheep stolidly withstand the rigors of winter. A horizon of snowy mountains is backdrop to the brilliant turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo. Keep an eye out for magnificent and colorful birds like the kaka, tui, and parakeets. DISTINCTION TE ANAU HOTEL
Day 7 - Milford Sound/Queenstown
Explore Fjordland National Park today, driving along one of the world's finest alpine roads, past towering forests and deep ravines, before arriving at serene Milford Sound. Cruise the glittering deep blue waters of the Sound, past waterfalls spilling into the fjord and gaze up towards the highest sea cliffs in the world, crowned by Mitre Peak at 5,500 feet. Later, drive around Lake Wakatipu en route to Queenstown. Your room overlooks the lake at the ST. MORITZ SUITES.
Day 8 - Shotover River jet boat ride/Gondola
Return to the pristine waters of Lake Wakatipu for an old-fashioned steamship cruise aboard the T.S.S. Earnslaw to the Walter Peak Station. After tea and scones, tour this fully functioning sheep farm and watch a sheep-shearing demonstration. Be amazed how the little Border collies keep the sheep herded together. Later, take the ride of your life on the Shotover River. Specially trained boat drivers speed you along the surface at 40 mph. (Be ready to get a little wet.) The day concludes with a quiet ride in a gondola, providing fabulous views of Queenstown, where the peaceful lakes reflect the images of noble mountains. ST. MORITZ SUITES
Day 9 - Queenstown/Free Day
You have a full free day to enjoy the "adventure capital" of New Zealand. With ready access to Remarkable Mountains, lakes, rivers, ski fields and the glacial lake, you can hike the trails, ride mountain bikes, bungee jump off a bridge, or sedately shop the cosmopolitan stores. Enjoy the South Islands' most popular tourist destination today at your leisure. ST. MORITZ SUITES
Day 10 - Rotorua/Hangi Feast/Whakarewarewa
Fly to Rotorua to visit Whakarewarewa Thermal Village and learn about Maori culture. Here amid hot springs, geysers and mud pools, learn of ancient cooking traditions, the power of the mineral springs, and the history of the Maori's ancestral meetinghouse. This evening is filled with song, dance and a Hangi feast. NOVOTEL LAKESIDE ROTORUA
Day 11 - Auckland/Waitomo Caves
At the Waitomo Caves, the darkness is broken only by the steady glow of the odd blue-green light of the caves' little residents--the glowworms. The caves were not widely known until 1887, when discovered by an English surveyor, though the Maori had known of them for generations. Continue to Auckland and enjoy a farewell evening at the LANGHAM HOTEL AUCKLAND.
Day 12 - Conclude Auckland
At world-renowned Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World, see the penguin colonies, ride in a snow cat, and get a close look at some predators of the deep from the vantage of a underwater tunnel. Your vacation concludes with transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Travel Dates & Rates, Ask Agent
- Land only rate is per person based on double occupancy. International and on-tour flight segment Queenstown/Rotorua are not included. Please inquire about our competitive rates at the time of booking. Arrival/ departure transfers are included with the purchase of International airfare. Single supplement is from $1169. Triple reduction is from $215 per person. New Zealand departure tax of $20 per person is additional, paid directly to Maupintour and is subject to change. Pre/post nights are available upon request. Reservation deposit is $500 per person. Travel insurance is highly recommend.
- Note: For those combining this program with the Australian with Tasmania tour, the flight to Christchurch is Day 3.
Prices subject to change without notice until time of deposit. All dollar values not denoted as US or CA are in US Dollars. |
