Trafalgar Tours - New Zealand Uncovered Itinerary

‘Haere Mai’ … Welcome to New Zealand

Relax you are now officially on holiday and everything has been taken care of! We will meet you at the airport and drive you directly to your hotel to freshen up and unwind. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Reception and dinner with your Travel Director. 

Meals: Dinner with wine

Accommodation:  Auckland - 2 Nights

After a city sights tour, enjoy time at leisure. 

Make the most of some free leisure time in the 'City of Sails' - simply relax or take this opportunity to explore the many sights of Auckland. After meeting your travel director at the Welcome Reception this evening we suggest you head down to the Viaduct for dinner.

Some Activities and sightseeing options if you have time:

Meals: Breakfast

You’re invited to a Be My Guest lunch at the Red Barn on the Waikato farm of Lance and Bridgette O’Sullivan, New Zealand horse racing royalty.

Later, travel to Tauranga, in the Bay of Plenty. 

The Bay of Plenty aptly named by Captain James Cook for its abundance in food, lush soils, sheltered harbours and beauty. 'The Mount' rises abruptly at the entrance to Tauranga Harbour. It is an extinct volcanic cone that towers over the idyllic Ocean Beach, a summer mecca for thousands of sun, sea, surf and sand worshippers. Mt Maunganui is synonymous with New Zealand's love of long summer days and balmy evenings on beaches and barbecue areas. 

Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest Lunch & Dinner with wine

Accommodation: Tauranga - 1 Night

Travel through Te Puke to visit Kiwifruit Country, then after reaching Rotorua, we visit Te Puia, the Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, where students carry on age-old traditions of wood carving and weaving. A tour of Rotorua’s active geothermal fields follows.

After enjoying great views of Lake Rotorua settle down to enjoy a traditional Maori 'Hangi' Feast and Concert at the Tamaki Family Marae.

Meals: Breakfast & Highlight Dinner

Accommodation: Rotorua - 2 Nights

Embark on one of your Included Choice sightseeing experiences. Glide through the Waitomo Glowworm Grotto, take an ancient forest zipline adventure with Canopy Tours, visit the Hobbiton Movie Set, or explore Rotorua and its lakes in an Amphibious WWll-era Duck.

Included Meals: Breakfast

The Thermal Explorer Highway guides you to the Central North Island and the largest body of freshwater in the Southern Hemisphere - Lake Taupo. follow its shores south and climb up to the spectacular Desert Road into the Tongariro National Park where a dramatic alpine vista unfolds, crowned by the imposing volcanic peaks of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngaruahoe. Continue along the Kapiti Coast to Wellington.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Wellington - 1 Night

Savor a morning to yourself - take a look around Wellington or just relax. A visit to the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, offers wonderful insights into the nation’s colourful history and there are some truly world-class collections on display. Waving goodbye to the North Island, we board the ferry for the crossing of Cook Straight. Tranquility and beauty define the cruise into Queen Charlotte Sound and the gorgeous seaside town of Picton, where we first set foot on South Island soil. We stop in Blenheim for a tour of the city before arriving at our destination - the premier wine region of Marlborough. 

Dinner: This evening we savor a tasting of some remarkable local wines and enjoy a 3-course dinner, Sauvignon Blanc is the specialty.

 Meals: Breakfast & Highlight dinner

Accommodation: Blenheim - 1 Night

Today we venture inland through the Wairau Valley, home to some of the Marlborough region’s most well-known wineries & world-famous Sauvignon Blancs. Travel to Kaikoura, where sperm whales can often be seen not far from shore before travelling over the Lewis Pass and Canterbury Plains to Christchurch.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 night

After joining our Sustainable Tourism Commitment by planting a native tree in the Port Hills of Christchurch, an area recovering from wildfire, we travel over the patchwork countryside of the Canterbury Plains to soak up some spectacular sightseeing. Get a taste of famous kiwi hospitality during our special barbecue lunch at Morelea Farm. Our hosts, Angie and Stan, welcome us into their home and share their wonderful 240-hectare garden, overflowing with colour, charm and native bird song. Later on, we visit Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo where a magical scene of turquoise blue water contrasts with a stunning backdrop of mountains cloaked in a veil of golden tussock grass. Adding to the superb photo opportunities,

Later, view the little stone-hewn Church of the Good Shepherd on your way to Twizel.

Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest afternoon tea & Dinner with wine

Accommodation: Tekapo - 1 Night

This morning, we stop to marvel at the Benmore Dam while en route to Oamaru, where the town centre is graced by some of New Zealand's best 19th century architecture. Our journey continues to our final destination of the day Dunedin. 

Today indulge your adventurous side, selecting one of the 'Included Choice Sightseeing Experiences' on offer to you in Dunedin.

Choice from one of these included experiences:

1. Tour Stately Larnach Castle 
2. Historic Taieri Gorge Railway Journey
3. Interactive Tour of Speight's Brewery
4. Otago Peninsula Wildlife Cruise

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with Wine

Accommodation Dunedin - 1 night

We head overland through lush farming country and rolling hills to the splendid lakeside town of Te Anau- the gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. Remember to charge your camera batteries tonight.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with Wine

Accommodation: Te Anau - 1 night

Welcome to one of the most scenic locations in the world. A majestic World Heritage Site, Milford Sound has been described as the '8th natural wonder of the world' and the journey along the amazing Milford Road is just as awe-inspiring as the destination. You'll enjoy plenty of photo opportunities along this spectacular highway that cuts through an unimaginable cathedral of imposing mountain peaks, mirror lakes and bottomless valleys decorated in rainforests, waterfalls, and glaciers. 

At Milford Sound we embark on a cruise you will never forget. An otherworldly landscape plunges into the Tasman Sea and unique wildlife abounds in the deep waters of the fiord. Our destination for tonight is the fairytale town of Queenstown, set on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. On arrival, we finish our day full of highlights with an orientation tour.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Queenstown - 2 nights

Today indulge your adventurous side, selecting one of the Included Choice sightseeing experiences on offer to you in Queenstown.

Choice from one of these included experiences:

1. Central Otago Wine Tour 
2. Thrilling Shotover Jetboat Ride
3. A 4WD Minibus tour in Skippers Canyon
4. Skyline Gondola with thrilling Luge Ride

This evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue ‘highlight dinner’ at the Colonel’s Homestead. An entertaining farm show provides a glimpse into high-country farm life.

Meals: Breakfast and Highlight Dinner

The adventure continues, and this morning Central Otago's rich pioneer gold rush history comes alive in the picturesque village of Arrowtown. Set beside a beautiful clear flowing river, this charming town has some great historical sites, boutique shops, and delightful cafés. Following the road to Cromwell, the fabulous scenery keeps on coming and during the stone fruit season, you can pick up bags of delicious cherries, apricots, and nectarines at any of the roadside stalls. For a slice of paradise, we drive past a trio of fantastic lakes including Lake Dunstan, Hawea, and Wanaka before traversing the Haast Pass where the Thunder Creek Falls makes for some more great photos. A short stroll amongst emerald rainforest refreshes us prior to our arrival at Franz Josef - the world's most accessible glacier.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with Wine

Accommodation: Franz Josef - 1 night

Today we lay eyes on Franz Josef Glacier, a tremendous frozen cascade of ice that tumbles down from the soaring Southern Alps towards the ocean. Then it’s time for an exhilarating adventure among temperate rainforest giants on the West Coast Treetop Walkway, followed by a visit to Hokitika, where a trip to The Jade Factory showcases the beautiful greenstone carvings for which the town is renowned. Further on, the famous limestone stacks of the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks are highlighted by thundering, geyser-like blowholes and unique rock formations etched out over thousands of years.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with Wine

Accommodation Punakaiki - 1 night

Travelling via Greymouth to Arthur's Pass we climb aboard the TranzAlpine. This rail journey is truly something special. Ranked among the world’s top 6 train journeys, these tracks flow through some of New Zealand's most splendid countryside from the Southern Alps to Christchurch . This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see natural grandeur on such a scale. In the evening join your travel director and driver-guide, and your new-found friends for a farewell dinner with wine.

Meals: Breakfast, farewell dinner

Accommodation Christchurch - 1 night

"Haere rā" Goodbye! and Bon Voyage!

Today we say farewell to newfound friends. We take care of your transfer to Christchurch Airport where you will board your onward flight, taking with you the magical memories of a truly exceptional New Zealand holiday.

Some Suggested Activities If You Have Time

Meals: Breakfast

Trip Inclusions

Sightseeing Highlights

• Auckland Sky Tower
• Te Puia - Thermal Mud Pools & Geysers
• Immerse yourself in rich Maori culture with the Tamaki family over dinner
• Take your pick of a selection of included experiences in Rotorua, Dunedin, Queenstown & Bay of Islands
• Journey through the magnificent scenery of Mt. Ruapehu Tongariro National Park
• 'You're invited' to Shenandoah for a unique private afternoon tea experience
• Explore Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand
• Savour a delicious Kiwi BBQ at Morelea Farm
• Cruise on the TSS Earnslaw, to Walter Peak Station
• Travel past ancient glaciers, spectacular mountains and magical rainforest en route to Milford Sound
• Taste Central Otago stone fruits at a local orchard
• Discover fascinating Franz Josef Glacier
• Visit a jade factory and marvel at artists at work
• Walk around Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
• Journey over the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine Train

Included Meals

• Breakfast of Choice (6) 
• Full Buffet Breakfasts (11) 
• 'You Are Invited' Lunch (1) 
• 'You Are Invited' Afternoon Tea 
• Highlight Dinners (4) 
• Dinners with Wine (7) 
• Farewell Dinner (1) 

Plus

• Welcome Reception
• Travel Wallet, Luggage Tags & Map of New Zealand
• Hotel Porterage Included
• Included Choice Experiences

Included Choice Experience

Choice from one of these included experiences when in Dunedin:

1. Tour Stately Larnach Castle
2. Historic Taieri Gorge Railway Journey
3. Interactive Tour of Speight's Brewery
4. Otago Peninsula Wildlife Cruise

Choice from one of these included experiences when in Queenstown:

1. A wine tour
2. A guided walk through native forest
3. A 4WD minibus tour in Skippers Canyon

Choice from one of these included experiences when in Rotorua:

1. Indulge in the Polynesian Spa’s healing waters,
2. Tread in the footsteps of Bilbo Baggins in the fantasy-land of Hobbiton
3. Take the Native Forest Zipline adventure tour with Canopy Tours.