oceania·Multi-day tour·17 days
17-Day New Zealand Uncovered Tour from Auckland: Rotorua, Wellington, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Twizel, Dunedin and Queenstown | 1 Country and 11 Cities | 16 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches & 11 Dinners
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What you'll experience
Highlights
• Wonderful Travel: 17 days, 1 country and 11 cities
• Meal Inclusions: 16 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 11 Dinners
• Make Travel Matter: Hear from the founder about the work being done to address biodiversity needs in the Kaikōura region, by developing a wildlife hospital and conservation centre. Help protect native birds on Pomona Island through a community-based conservation project
• Cultural Immersion: Māori culture is celebrated across the country, no more so than at Te Pā Tū Māori Experience. Be immersed in art, tradition, culture… and nurturing cuisine
• Local Connection: Enjoy an exclusive Be My Guest lunch at the Red Barn, a Waikato working dairy farm
• World Class Nature: A limestone landscape of pancake-shaped rock formations, blowholes and surge pools sure have carved out a name for themselves. Punakaiki or Pancake Rocks are West Coasters that are known the world over
• Meal Inclusions: 16 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 11 Dinners
• Make Travel Matter: Hear from the founder about the work being done to address biodiversity needs in the Kaikōura region, by developing a wildlife hospital and conservation centre. Help protect native birds on Pomona Island through a community-based conservation project
• Cultural Immersion: Māori culture is celebrated across the country, no more so than at Te Pā Tū Māori Experience. Be immersed in art, tradition, culture… and nurturing cuisine
• Local Connection: Enjoy an exclusive Be My Guest lunch at the Red Barn, a Waikato working dairy farm
• World Class Nature: A limestone landscape of pancake-shaped rock formations, blowholes and surge pools sure have carved out a name for themselves. Punakaiki or Pancake Rocks are West Coasters that are known the world over
17 days
Day-by-day itinerary
- 1
Day 1 — Auckland
Auckland is the kind of place you could lose yourself in for a couple of weeks. Arrive at your leisure and explore hip new waterfront precincts, or just ready yourself to meet your fellow travel companions for drinks and dinner tonight. And so your NZ tour begins.Meals: B: Excluded, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Horizon by SkyCity Auckland - 2
Day 2 — Auckland Sightseeing & Free Time
A little bit of leisure, a little bit of culture – today is one of those days. Peek behind the scenes of maritime racing history on the New Zealand Maritime Museum’s America’s Cup Tour, highlighting Auckland’s heritage of boat-building, and offering a glimpse of one of the world’s only replicas of the America’s Cup. Your Auckland tour guide then takes you around the city, pausing at Bastion Point and the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, and view Mission Bay for epic photo opportunities over the city’s dual harbour. By now you should have a few ideas for how to spend your afternoon exploring, but if not, ask us for recommendations. We have a little black book full of contacts.
Mission Bay
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Horizon by SkyCity Auckland - 3
Day 3 — Auckland - Rotorua
Leave Auckland behind and journey into the countryside for an exclusive family-style Be My Guest lunch in the Red Barn on a working dairy farm. Prior to your farm to table lunch prepared by the onsite chef, get a feel for country life as you're invited to roll up your sleeves and make your own butter - butter churners, tiny mason jars and all! The next hot-spot – in every sense of the word – on your NZ holiday is Rotorua. Visit Te Puia to see and support Maori artisans at work, then continue your Rotorua tour at the steamy Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve, a staggering valley where geysers pop and thermal springs jettison skywards.
Whakarewarewa: The Living Maori Village
Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: ExcludedStay: Millennium Hotel Rotorua - 4
Day 4 — Rotorua Free Time
Today, choose your own adventure. We have plenty of ideas for the paths you might follow. Optional Rotorua tour sightseeing experiences include relieving NZ holiday-weary limbs in the thermal waters of Wai Araki Hot Springs & Spa. Or perhaps you’d prefer to zip across Rotorua’s three lakes in an amphibious WWII-era Duck (both own expense). Tonight, dive deep into Maori culture at Te Pa Tu Maori Experience, an important hub keeping tradition, art and music alive. Oh, and exciting Maori cuisine. Enjoy forest ai horotai (seasonal canapes) and chef choice aperitif, followed by a three-course dinner.Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Millennium Hotel Rotorua - 5
Day 5 — Rotorua - Wellington
Say goodbye to Rotorua and hello to the raging rapids of Huka Falls, where 220,000 litres of water barrel over this massive waterfall every second. Your outlook then unfolds into the dreamy landscape of Lake Taupo, the largest of its kind in the country and with a twinkling, blue-eyed-boy charm. Traverse the volcanic Central Plateau to NZ’s cool little capital of Wellington, set on a pretty harbour.
Huka Falls
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Rydges Wellington - 6
Day 6 — Wellington Sightseeing & Free Time
Your day in Wellington should – must – begin with a coffee. The city is known for its ubercool cafés. Head out on city sights tour to take in highlights such as its iconic cable car, parliament, and Mt. Victoria. Your tour ends at Te Papa, the national Museum of New Zealand, where you may choose to visit the groundbreaking exhibitions on offer (entrance fee applies). Later you may decide on an optional tour. Lord of the Rings fans will rejoice with a special tour and visit to Weta Workshop. Or choose to visit Zealandia's ecosanctuary restoring 225 hectares of forest (both own expense). Tonight, there are so many restaurants and bars to choose from. Ask us for recommendations or explore at your leisure.
Te Papa Museum
Weta Workshop
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Rydges Wellington - 7
Day 7 — Wellington - Kaikoura
This morning cruise the Cook Strait into tranquil Queen Charlotte Sound from the North Island to the South, through a maze of arms and inlets into the sleepy seaside village of Picton. Continue to Kaikoura, where Sperm Whales, dolphins and fur seals can often be seen not far from shore. On arrival you will be treated to a biodiversity talk from the founder of Kaikoura Wildlife Centre Trust, Sabrina Luecht at a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Sabrina's ambitious goal is to implement a world-class wildlife hospital in this biodiversity hotspot. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation is a critical conservation tool, providing treatment to injured and ill animals, ensuring at-risk native species have a chance at recovery and return to the wild. Tonight, you'll dine at Hiku. Hiku celebrates what Kaikōura is all about - kai moana, fresh produce, marine life, and dramatic sea and mountain scapes.
Cook Strait
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Sudima Kaikoura - 8
Day 8 — Kaikoura - Christchurch
Enjoy a relaxed start this morning or sign up for one of several local wildlife experiences available. Choose from an optional scenic flight over dramatic beaches framed by turquoise ocean where whales are regularly spotted, or perhaps you’d prefer a cruise to site pods of dolphin which are prolific in the area, or a kayaking tour of the coast to get up close and personal with seals basking on the rocks (all own expense). You won’t be disappointed. Follow the coast and Canterbury Plains to Christchurch, home to some of the country’s most innovative architecture, art institutions and restaurants. We can help you make a booking in any number of the latter.Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Distinction Christchurch Hotel - 9
Day 9 — Christchurch - Twizel
From its eye-popping, cardboard-crafted Cathedral to its gold-clad central library, Christchurch has well and truly rebuilt itself since the 2010/11 earthquakes, setting the bar high for architecture and design across the country. On your Christchurch tour you’ll discover that despite this cosmopolitan culture, South Island locals still cherish a simple life. Prepare yourself for plenty of country swagger over a Be My Guest afternoon tea hosted by Lake Tekapo locals Stan and Angie Taylor at Morelea, their home overlooking the glistening emerald lake. Former farmers, Angie will give a demonstration of her famous pavlova dessert, and you will hear from Stan about a lifetime spent farming in New Zealand.Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Distinction Mackenzie Country Hotel Twizel - 10
Day 10 — Twizel - Dunedin
Oamaru has a rich history and proud heritage, enriched by passionate and perhaps quirky locals. Explore the shops, galleries and traditional crafts within some of the Southern Hemisphere's most complete Victorian streetscapes, before landing in Dunedin. The afternoon is yours to discover the ‘Edinburgh of the Southern Hemisphere’, whether wandering the manicured grounds of its stately castle, taking a wildlife cruise to spot little penguins, or refuelling at a brewery.
Larnach Castle
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Scenic Hotel Southern Cross - 11
Day 11 — Dunedin - Te Anau
From sheep farms to rugged mountains, today is one of diversity. Venture to the South Island's largest lake and the pretty lakeside town of Te Anau. You'll experience the thrill of jet boating on Lake Manapouri, home to Pomona Island where native birds are under threat - and this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience is helping to protect them through a community-based conservation project that is also helping to restore native flora. Stop in some quiet and tranquil spots, soak up the amazing surrounds, spot a few trout, and learn about the unique environment and fascinating history of this unique location among Fiordland National Park.
Te Anau Glowworm Caves
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas - 12
Day 12 — Te Anau - Queenstown
There aren’t many places in the world that remind you how precious the planet is. Fiordland National Park is one. Your journey towards Milford Sound/Piopiotahi traverses native rainforest, alluvial flats and meadows, with mirrored lakes, thundering waterfalls, dramatic rocky ranges and millennia-old valleys. Now prepare yourself for your Milford Sound/Piopiotahi boat tour, cruising through this wild expanse, provides enough drama for an entire travel year. You still have the streets of Queenstown, known as the ‘Adventure Capital of New Zealand’, to explore.
Fiordland National Park
Milford Sound
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Millennium Hotel, Queenstown - 13
Day 13 — Queenstown Free Time
The roll-call of Queenstown optional activities you could sign-up for today is near endless. Perhaps Or maybe your Queenstown tour is dedicated to the gorges of Skippers Canyon. If you’re a gourmand at heart, sign up for a Central Otago wine tour, where your day involves sipping your way through award-winning cool-climate wines. Or visit Kiwi Birdlife Park, take on the Shotover River with KJet. The Lord of the Rings fans, there's the Glenorchy Scenic Tour (all own expense). Your day ends on a dreamy TSS Earnslaw cruise across Lake Wakatipu, landing at Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue dinner at the Colonel’s Homestead.
Kiwi Birdlife Park
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Millennium Hotel, Queenstown - 14
Day 14 — Queenstown - Franz Josef/Waiau
From Arrowtown’s tree-lined avenues (where you've been visiting a bygone time) to Central Otago’s gleaming lakes, nature rules today. Alpine scenery tiers into rainforest along the West Coast of New Zealand. Welcome to the town of Franz Josef/Waiau, home to Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere, the massif ideally explored on an optional helicopter flight – conditions pending, you may even be able to land and walk across the ice-fall. The bird’s-eye view reveals the immensity of this gem-like mound of ice.
Franz Josef Glacier
Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier - 15
Day 15 — Franz Josef/Waiau - Punakaiki
Sleep in or take the morning to explore the small but lively Franz Josef/Waiau village - perhaps visiting the West Coast Wildlife Centre - before venturing to Hokitika, home of the native jade greenstone. From natural jewellery to natural surroundings, you’re off to Punakaiki to view the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Stand at the edge of the water and take in these eroded limestone foundations - they really do look like pancakes! - which began forming 30 million years ago. Imagine the water and wind forming this pancake-like stack of limestone but be sure to listen closely. When you hear a 'whoosh' of water, you can be sure a burst of sea spray is coming through the blowholes. After a spectacular day, spend the night at the eco-friendly, waterfront Ocean View Retreat dining on local specialties with wine and views of the thundering surf just steps away.Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Scenic Hotel Punakaiki - 16
Day 16 — Punakaiki - Christchurch
Venture into the Ponaumu Pathway. Delve into the history and culture of the local Maori (Poutini Ngai Tahu) and the Mawhera Pa settlement. Embark on a unique self-guided journey, as you make your way through this extraordinary storytelling experience born from a collaboration with the Weta Workshop. An inspiring and unforgettable cultural experience. We’ve got you sorted for lunch at legendary Monteith’s Brewery. You only live once, right? The best is yet to come – all aboard for the scenic TranzAlpine train back to Christchurch. Travel through tunnels and over viaducts, with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, beech forests, gorges and river valleys. Your NZ tour arrives in Christchurch just in time for dinner.Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: IncludedStay: Distinction Christchurch Hotel - 17
Day 17 — Christchurch
How many travel highs can you pack into a holiday? This itinerary has certainly pushed the boundaries. Now all you have to do is go home and sort through all those photos.Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: Excluded
What's included
Included
- 16-night hotel accommodation
- 16 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 11 Dinners
- Travel Director, Driver Guide and local Guides
- Transportation by luxury air-conditioned coach
Not included
- Service fee for travel director and driver
- Airfares or related transportation between your home and departure city
- All personal expenses including hotel room service and meals; however, you have the option to pay for meals the tour guide arranges
- Optional tours and mandatory fees are not covered in the tour cost; kindly pay these directly to the guide during the tour. For details, please check the daily itinerary. (Costs listed are estimated; the tour guide will provide final confirmation.)
- Travel insurance
Cancellation policy
| When you cancel | Refund | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 days before | 0% | Cancellation Made Within 3 days prior to departure, No Refund |
| 4–31 days before | 20% | Cancellation Made Within 4 days to 31 days prior to departure, Refund 20% of total purchase amount |
| 32–92 days before | 50% | Cancellation Made Within 32 days to 92 days prior to departure, Refund 50% of total purchase amount |
| 93+ days before | 350% | Cancellation Made 93 or more days prior to departure, only $350 charge handling fee by person |
Read the full cancellation terms
• Airlines change prices and routes from time to time. All air routings are in the sole control of the airline and are subject to change at any time.
• Special events and activities may incur additional penalty.
• Special events and activities may incur additional penalty.
Important info
Special notes
- Day 1: Flights to arrive by 4:00pm into Auckland Airport. Day 17: Flights to depart any time from Christchurch Airport. Return Airport to Hotel transfers are included in the tour price. Flights to and from your tour are not included in the tour price.
- What to bring:
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
- Water bottle
- Warm layers in cooler months
- Camera - Security: Security is a major concern to all of us and the situation globally is constantly changing. Events around the world, coupled with the “Travel Advisories” put out by various governments, may at times necessitate changes to the accommodation and itinerary or even trip cancellation. You must accept these risks involved in travel to any country that may experience security diffi culties and accept responsibility for your own travel decisions.
- Travel insurance:
- Travel insurance is highly recommended for all guests covering all applicable dates of travel with the Provider. This insurance should cover: trip interruption, personal injury, medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation cover including during pandemic events. The choice of insurer is yours.
- The availability of travel insurance and extent of cover is constantly changing. For most up to date information talk to your reservation agent. The Provider may receive a commission for introducing you to a travel insurance provider.
- The Provider cannot be held responsible for your failure to obtain insurance which is appropriate, and we recommend you purchase your insurance at or soon after booking your trip. The Provider (other than in circumstances where the Provider has been negligent) will not be held liable for any costs incurred by the guest resulting from their failure to obtain adequate travel insurance. - Wifi: Complimentary Wi-Fi service is available in the rooms and public areas of most accommodation. Complimentary Wi-Fi is also provided on-board the motorcoaches, however this is not available in all locations, such as on motorcoaches on the local operator Day Tours and Short Breaks in the Northern Territory. The Wi-Fi on the motorcoaches uses the mobile phone network and as a result the connection will be slower than standard broadband and at times may not be available. Audio and Video streaming is not available using motorcoach WiFi. Please note that it may not be available on train trips, cruises, lodges, tented camps or when the main motorcoach is not being used, such as on transfer motorcoaches and other local services.
- Transfers: Transfers can be purchased for an additional cost in many destinations. There will be no refund for missed or unused transfers. If you require and reserve airport transfers and did not purchase your flights from the local operator, you will need to provide your arrival and departure flight information to the local operator 60 days before flight departure depending on the destination. It is your responsibility to update the local operator with any changes to your flight schedule to ensure that you receive your transfers. Failure to do so may result in missing these services and no refund shall be due for missed transfers resulting from missing or outdated flight information.
- Luggage Allowances:
- Due to limited motorcoach capacity, a single bag is allowed with dimensions not exceeding 30”x18”x10” (76x46x25cm) and weight not exceeding 20kgs./44lbs. Carry-on/hand luggage is restricted to one piece per person, not exceeding 12”x11”x6” (30x28x14cm) to fit under your coach seat or in the small overhead compartment. Carry-ons with telescopic handles and wheels will not fit in the overhead compartments or under seats and therefore, cannot be accepted as carry-on luggage. Carry-on/hand luggage handling is the responsibility of each guest and must be taken on and off the coach by you each day of the guided vacation.
- If you wish to bring a second item of luggage this must be requested at time of booking, may not be permitted and will incur an additional charge. Additional items not pre-booked or luggage which exceeds weight or size limits may be refused.
- Please be advised that stricter luggage allowances may be in place for other methods of transportation such as fl ights and cruises. Please confi rm with your local sales representative or online reservation agent.
- The local operator and the local operator' affi liated entities shall not be liable for loss or damage to luggage or any guest's belongings. Guests should immediately report lost items to the Travel Director who will assist in completing a lost property form that can be used for an insurance claim. - Tips:
- Tips are included for services on your guided vacation, except to your Motorcoach Driver, Travel Director, Local Host and Local Experts whose tips/gratuities should be extended on a voluntary, individual basis at the end of your vacation. Included tips cover all services provided by dining-room waiters, housekeeping staff and porters at hotels.
- Tips for cruises and train journeys are subject to other arrangements which may be confi rmed with your local sales agent or online reservation agent. - Passports, Visas and other Entry/Exit Requirements:
- All guests must be in possession of a machine-readable passport valid for 6 months after their trip return date along with applicable visas. Due to government-imposed security/immigration measures, passport and emergency contact information is required for all guests prior to the release of travel documents.
- It is the guest's sole responsibility to secure and/or pay for any and all visas, or Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs), affi davits, vaccinations, etc. that are required in order to be permitted entry into each destination. In some countries you may be subject to entry (reciprocity) fees and/or departure taxes/exit fees which will be collected at the airports upon entry/departure by local government authorities.
- You should check with your Travel Agent or Consular Service for information regarding necessary visa and travel documentation for your entire trip. Where possible we strongly recommend obtaining any required visa or documentation prior to departure. Obtaining documentation while travelling can be a time-consuming process and some countries will not issue documentation at the border. For some countries an invitation letter is required from the Ground Handler to send along with the visa application.
- Please note that entry to any country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete. The Provider will require full passport information (full name, date of birth, passport number, Nationality, issue and expiry dates) prior to final payment.
- For up-to-date detailed information on travel documents and visas, entry/exit taxes and further information on entry and exit requirements please check with your Travel Agent or local consular services. Obtaining and carrying these documents is your sole responsibility.
- The Provider bears no responsibility for such information and will not be responsible for advising and/or obtaining required travel documentation for any guest, or for any delays, damages, and/or losses including missed portions of your vacation related to improper documentation or government decisions about entry. - For Your Comfort: The Provider enforces a strict no smoking (including e-cigarettes) and no alcohol policy on board motorcoaches. Regular comfort stops are made on travelling days. Many hotels, restaurants, trains, cruises and other venues are 100% smoke free. The Provider operates a daily seat rotation system.
Pricing notes (children, single supplement)
* Price for Single Occupancy applies when one person stays in one standard hotel room.
* Price for Double Occupancy applies when two people stay in one standard hotel room respectively.
* Maximum room capacity: 2 people including adult and child.
* Child: 5-15, child under the age of 5 is not allowed.
* Price for Double Occupancy applies when two people stay in one standard hotel room respectively.
* Maximum room capacity: 2 people including adult and child.
* Child: 5-15, child under the age of 5 is not allowed.
Tour operator
Tours4Fun Provider 10327
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from
$8825
NPR 11,91,375