| Group
size & minimum age
This tour is available only to family groups travelling
with children and each departure is limited to no
more than 16 travellers. The minimum age guide for
most activities is 5 years. Groups of families or
large extended families are welcome to request a
tailor-made itinerary and enjoy the exclusive use
of their own vehicle, tour nanny and tour host.
Please have your travel agent contact us for a quote.
Fun activities
for all
The Ultimate Family Escape caters to the needs of
youngsters. We have kept travelling time to a minimum
and feature multinight stopovers at all the places
visited. Safe, family-friendly activities have been
included in your holiday but there is still plenty
of free time for you to explore on your own. Your
Tour Host will be pleased to offer advice on the
many fantastic activities available & make recommendations
based on your
own personal interests.
Travel with
the services of an on-board Tour Nanny
Throughout your stay, you’ll be accompanied
by a professional Tour Host & an experienced,
carefully selected Tour Nanny. Whilst children ultimately
remain the responsibility of parents, your Tour
Nanny will give welcome support in keeping the children
occupied and happy during the tour, especially on
the days when travelling from one place to the next.
And as an extra bonus, each family will enjoy 2
nights complimentary babysitting service so parents
can get away for a special night out …. child-free!
Your
Small Group Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Christchurch
(D)
‘Haere Mai’ … welcome to New Zealand.
Having cleared customs & immigration formalities,
your family will be met by our representative &
transferred to your city hotel. This evening meet
fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at a local
restaurant.
Stay: Heritage
Christchurch Hotel & Apartments
Day 2 Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura
Travel inland to the naturally picturesque and tranquil
alpine village of Hanmer Springs, nestled in a valley
surrounded by a superb expanse of mountains and
forest clad hills. Relax in the hot thermal pools
at the Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve before continuing
on to the township of Kaikoura, nestled in a narrow
strip of stunning coastline that lies between mountain
peaks and the Pacifi c Ocean.
Stay: White
Morph Luxury Apartments (2 nights)
Day 3 Swim with the Dolphins or Whale Watch
cruise
Today, you have the choice of two very special marine
experiences. You can choose to either swim with
pods of playful Dusky dolphins in their natural
environment or view all the fun from the boat. All
wetsuits & snorkelling gear are provided. Alternatively,
take to the water for a whale watch cruise. Each
tour is a unique experience & sightings vary
from day to day. Giant sperm whales are the star
of the show and are year-round residents. You may
also encounter fur seals, pods of Dusky dolphins
& the endangered Wandering Albatross as well
as migrating Hump Backs, Pilot whales, Blue whales
& Southern Right whales.
Day 4 Lake Tekapo, Mt Cook (D)
Journey south to the beautiful, glacial-fed lake
of Tekapo and stop to view the Church of the Good
Shepherd. Travel into the Mt Cook National Park,
a World-heritage listed site covering over 70,000
hectares of breathtaking alpine scenery. Optional
Ski-plane & helicopter fl ights are available
subject to weather conditions
Stay: Mt
Cook Hermitage Hotel (interconnecting rooms)
Day 5 Tasman Glacier Explorer, Queenstown (B)
This morning, an experienced guide will whisk you
away in a stable MAC Boat to explore the melting
ice-face of the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s
largest. Here, you will also get to touch &
taste 400-year old icebergs that have been carved
into the murky waters of the lake. This afternoon,
continue the drive south to Queenstown, a spectacular
alpine resort regarded as New Zealand’s premier
destination.
Stay: Heritage
Queenstown Hotel Lakeview Villas (3 nights)
Day 6 Queenstown sightseeing
Your Queenstown adventure begins with an exhilarating
boat ride through the canyons of the Shotover gorge
on the world-famous Shotover Jet. Next, stop to
view the bungy jumping at Kawerau Bridge, home of
the original bungy before continuing on to the old
mining village of Arrowtown. Set beneath the rugged
Crown Range, this charming historic village consists
of a fascinating collection of mining cottages with
an atmosphere straight out of last century.
Days 7 & 8 At leisure in Queenstown
Enjoy 2 free days to experience this magnifi cent
resort. Surrounded by majestic mountains, Queenstown
boasts adventure & leisure activities in all
forms, from extreme to relaxed exploration and is
a great base from which to explore the Fiordland
National Park, home to the awesome fi ords of Milford
& Doubtful Sounds.
Day 9 Fly Queenstown to Rotorua
This morning board your aircraft for the fl ight
north to the geothermal city of Rotorua. The region’s
raw beauty has enchanted visitors from around the
world for more than 160 years. Here you can stand
upon volcanoes, peer into massive craters, see boiling
mud, exploding geysers and marvel at the unspoiled
native forests that cloak the land.
Stay: Millennium
Rotorua Hotel (3 nights - interconnecting rooms)
Day 10 Exclusive Lake Tarawera Cruise (L)
Today’s highlight is an exclusive cruise across
the pristine, clear waters of Lake Tarawera. Experience
spectacular scenery, try your hand at trout fi shing
and enjoy soaking in the natural, thermal waters
of Hot Water Beach. Also included is a jetski for
some family fun while your captain prepares a sumptuous
BBQ lunch. This afternoon, relax & enjoy your
local surroundings.
Day 11 Rotorua sightseeing
Today’s sightseeing includes the Agrodome
Sheep Show; Te Puia, New Zealand’s Maori cultural
centre where you will learn about Maori art, history
and legends & enjoy a guided walk through Te
Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley; visit the Rainbow
Springs & Kiwi Encounter; ride the Skyline gondola
& enjoy the thrill of luge riding, fi nally
ending the day with a relaxing swim in the mineral
pools at the Polynesian Spa.
Day 12 Bay of Plenty, Coromandel Peninsula
Travel north this morning to the popular beachside
towns of Tauranga & Mt Maunganui. Continue your
journey to Pauanui on the eastern side of the Coromandel
Peninsula, a region where many kiwis choose to escape
the bustle and stress of city life.
Stay: The
Pauanui Lakes Resort (2 nights)
Day 13 Explore Coromandel Beaches
Why not pack a picnic & enjoy a relaxing day
at the beach? This unspoilt region of New Zealand
boasts some of the country’s best beaches
including Hahei, Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach.
Day 14 Pauanui, Auckland
A short drive brings you to Auckland city, New Zealand’s
largest and most vibrant, offering an exciting array
of cosmopolitan experiences.
Stay: Hyatt
Auckland Residences & Suites (2 nights)
Day 15 Auckland sightseeing (D)
Start today with a visit to Auckland Skytower, the
tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere, offering
breath-taking views for more than 80 kilometres
in every direction. On to Kelly Tarlton’s
Underwater World & Antarctic Centre where you’ll
discover spectacular secrets of the Southern Ocean
and see the magical fantasyland of an Antarctic
adventure, complete with penguins strutting in fresh
snow and ice! Step onto the moving walkway &
you’ll fi nd yourself travelling in a clear
tunnel, surrounded by two million litres of ocean
water and the hundreds of awesome sea creatures
within it—you’re just centimetres away
from huge sharks & stingrays. No visit to Auckland
is complete without a visit to the Auckland Domain,
the city’s oldest park situated on a 62000
year old volcano & home to the Auckland Museum.
Enjoy time to wander & appreciate New Zealand’s
most signifi cant collection of Maori & Polynesian
treasures. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner with
fellow families in a leading Auckland restaurant
& relive the many fantastic experiences shared
over the last 16 days.
Day 16 Depart Auckland
Sadly your family holiday is at an end today and
you will be transferred to Auckland airport to connect
with your onward fl ight. We bid you farewell and
hope you leave with many happy memories of your
stay.
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