New Zealand
New Zealand
- Information
- Tour Plan
- Location
- Gallery
- Additional Info
- Similar Tours
What's included
- A guided tour of important places
- Accommodation in single twin share room
- All meals included
- Beautifully illustrated souvenir map
- Current Hotel Taxes and Service Charges
- Departure Taxes or Visa handling fees
- First class or best available hotels in the area
- Entrance tickets to monuments and museums
- Excess baggage charge
- First Entrance fees
- Increases in airfares or Government imposed taxes
- Meals, unless expressly states
- Medical insurance and emergency insurance
- Observation and participation in allowed activities
- Personal expenses
- Professionally guided tour
- Services not specifically stated in the itinerary
- Tips to guide and driver
- Unlimited bottled water
- Visa arrangements
The Culture
New Zealand’s culture is a vibrant reflection of its unique blend of Maori and European influences. The indigenous Maori culture is deeply ingrained, evident in their language, traditional haka performances, and intricate carvings. Kiwis, as New Zealanders are known, embrace a laid-back, friendly lifestyle. The arts thrive, from Maori weaving to contemporary film with talents like Peter Jackson. The stunning landscapes inspire a love for outdoor activities, and the “kiwi” spirit of innovation is evident in various fields. This cultural fusion creates a warm, inclusive atmosphere where tradition and modernity coexist harmoniously in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Adventure Tourism
New Zealand, a haven for adventure enthusiasts, offers a playground of thrilling experiences. Queenstown, the “Adventure Capital,” entices with bungee jumping, skydiving, and jet boating. Fiordland National Park’s majestic landscapes invite hiking and kayaking, while Rotorua’s geothermal wonders add a unique touch to outdoor escapades. From glacier hiking on the South Island to exploring the glowworm caves in Waitomo, New Zealand promises adrenaline-fueled adventures amidst its stunning natural beauty.
Tapping into History
New Zealand’s history is a captivating narrative of exploration and cultural convergence. Polynesians, the first settlers, arrived around 1250-1300 AD. European exploration began in the 17th century, and by the late 18th century, British settlers arrived. The Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 marked the founding document, forging a partnership between Maori and the British Crown. The nation’s evolution into a self-governing dominion, rich in Maori and European heritage, is a testament to its fascinating history of cultural exchange and resilience.
Natural Resources & Great Views
New Zealand’s natural resources and vistas are a breathtaking symphony of diversity. Fiords like Milford Sound, surrounded by towering cliffs, exemplify the South Island’s dramatic landscapes. Rotorua’s geothermal wonders showcase the Earth’s raw power. Pristine beaches along the Coromandel Peninsula and Abel Tasman National Park offer coastal serenity. Lush rainforests of Westland Tai Poutini and the Southern Alps’ snow-capped peaks contribute to the nation’s ecological richness. The captivating glowworm caves of Waitomo add a magical touch. New Zealand’s great views, from soaring mountains to pristine waters, make it a visual paradise for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5
- Day 6
- Day 7
- Day 8
- Day 9
- Day 10
- Day 11
- Day 12
Arrive Auckland
Upon arrival, collect your rental vehicle and self-drive to your accommodation
Welcome to Auckland, this is New Zealand’s largest city, set between two harbours with gentle sandy shores on the east and black sand, wild surf beaches on the west. Home to sheltered, sparkling blue waters dotted with beautiful emerald islands, we recommend getting out on the water when you are here.
The Sky Tower (Maori: Pourewa Rangi) is a telecommunications and observation tower in Auckland, New Zealand. Located at the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets within the city's CBD, it is 328 metres (1,076 ft) tall, as measured from ground level to the top of the mast, making it the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere and the 28th tallest tower in the world. It has become an iconic landmark in Auckland's skyline due to its height and design.
Optional: Kelly Tarleton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium at the Auckland waterfront
Overnight: Auckland
Auckland - Waitomo - Hobbiton – Rotorua
After breakfast check-out from the hotel and proceed to journey through the rolling green hills of Waitomo and enjoy a tour through an underground wonderland of caves decorated with galaxies of glowworms. Continue to Matamata for a charming tour of unique, character Hobbit homes, gardens and the watering hole just as you see in the movies. Finishing off a visually fulfilling day, continue Rotorua, a bubbling and steaming destination like nowhere else.
Auckland-Waitomo: 195km (approx 2hrs, 30mins)
Waitomo-Matamata: 102km (approx 1hr, 20mins)
Matamata-Rotorua: 67km (approx 55mins)
Overnight: Rotorua
Rotorua | Waimangu Volcanic Valley | Redwoods Treewalk Nightlights
Rotorua is surrounded by a fascinating geothermal landscape with its unique steam vents, spouting geysers and bubbling mud pool set alongside freshwater lakes and majestic native forests. It is also a region immersed in fascinating Maori myths and legends. Today you'll visit one of the local geothermal attractions before a sensory evening display in the forest
Overnight: Rotorua
Rotorua - Christchurch (Domestic Flight)
After breakfast check-out from the hotel and depart on your domestic flight to Christchurch.
Handover the car at Rotorua airport / Auckland airport as per flight (Please Note: Domestic Airfare is not included in the final pricing). Flight Time Rotorua to Christchurch is approx. 2 hours
After arriving at Christchurch, complete your car rental formalities & pick-up the car from Airport Car Depo, & process to your accommodation with self-drive car.
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: Christchurch
Christchurch - Glacier Region
Depart across the Canterbury Plains, a fertile patchwork made with every shade of green, through the spectacular scenery of Arthurs Pass National Park and on to the West Coast. New Zealand’s rugged West Coast is a wild and untamed place known for its rivers, rainforests, glaciers and geological treasures. Here, mighty rivers of solid white ice, relics of the world’s last ice-age, tumble down the rocky valleys
Christchurch - Glacier Region: 240-380km (approx 3.5-5hrs)
Overnight: Glacier Region
Glacier Region
A temperate climate at a low altitude make Fox and Franz Josef 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.
Today is a free day to add your preferred activity. Make a visit to Punakaki's Pancake Rocks or, for an absolute bucket list experience, take to the air on a scenic flight with a glacier landing and a thrilling hike across the icy wonderland. Overnight: Glacier Region
Glacier Region – Queenstown
Travel through wilderness towns, waterfalls and river scenery on today’s scenic journey to Queenstown. We recommend stopping for a break, and to stretch the legs, at Makarora’s Blue Pools.
Glacier Region - Queenstown: 350km (approx 4hrs, 35mins)
Overnight: Queenstown
Queenstown
Magnificent vistas and majestic mountains dominate this compact alpine resort town and with such an expansive natural physical environment it is not surprising that Queenstown has been described as the Adventure Capital of the World. Today is a free day to add some of the endless optional activities on offer
Shotover Jet Boating
Take a jet boat ride on the Shotover River during an extreme ride, and make use of transport from Queenstown. Experience adrenaline-fueled fun as the jet boat skims the water’s surface at high speed and fishtails into 360-degree spins. Hold on tight as the captain maneuvers the jet boat over rapids and through narrow canyons during one heart-pounding adventure you won’t soon forget.
Optional: Nevis Bungy - 134m
Overnight: Queenstown
Queenstown - Milford Sound – Queenstown
After breakfast check-out from the hotel and proceed to Fiordland, one of the world’s last great wildernesses. Today's stunning journey takes you past mirror lakes, spectacular waterfalls and water-sculpted rocks. Venture into Milford Sound, a New Zealand treasure carved by ice age glaciers and famously described as the eighth wonder of the world. After a big day out, reflect on memories of a lifetime on your return to Queenstown.
Queenstown - Milford: 287km (approx 3hrs, 50mins) each way
Overnight: Queenstown
Queenstown – Lake Tekapo / Mount Cook
After breakfast check-out from the hotel and proceed to a scenic wonderland with golden tussocks, snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes. Hug the shores of beautiful Lake Pukaki to a rugged land of ice and rock, home to Aoraki Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain.
Queenstown – Tekapo/Mt Cook: 256-266km (approx. 3hrs, 15mins)
Overnight: Lake Tekapo / Mt. Cook
Lake Tekapo / Mount Cook – Christchurch
After breakfast, proceed for check out formalities and head to Christchurch. Enroute make sure to stop for a while at Lake Tekapo where the ‘Church of the Good Shepherd’ takes pride of the place against the backdrop of a vivid blue glacier-fed lake. Then continue north east where braided rivers and familiar plains will signal your arrival back into Christchurch.
Overnight: Christchurch
Depart Christchurch
Arrangements conclude today the return of your rental car to Christchurch Airport.
More about Auckland
More about Christchurch
More about Matamata
More about Mount Cook
More about New Zealand
More about Queenstown
More about Rotorua
More about Waitomo
More about this tour
New Zealand, a captivating island nation in the Pacific, is a kaleidoscope of natural wonders and cultural fusion. Maori traditions blend harmoniously with European influences, defining a unique national identity. Its landscapes, from the majestic Southern Alps to the pristine beaches, offer an adventure lover's dream. With a rich history shaped by Maori and European encounters, New Zealand embraces its multicultural tapestry, creating a dynamic destination where breathtaking scenery and diverse heritage converge for an unforgettable experience.
