Transport

TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass Service of drivers and air-conditioned vehicles per the itinerary

Others

Entrance fees for mentioned sights visited Interislander ferry crossing

Accommodation

13 nights at well-selected 3-star hotels

Meals

13 Breakfasts 1 Lunch 7 Dinners

Guide

Service of English speaking local guides per the itinerary

Not included:

Others

International airfares into and out of New Zealand Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.) Personal travel insurance Tips for guides and drivers New Zealand visa fee

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Arrival In Auckland, Airport Pick-Up
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Arrival In Auckland, Airport Pick-Up

Welcome to join this New Zealand itinerary! Today our driver will pick you up from the airport and send you to check into the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. In the evening meet your tour director and other group members and enjoy the welcoming dinner together. We will inform you the time and location in advance.

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express, Auckland (3 stars)
Day 2 Auckland Sightseeing Tour, Transfer To Rotorua
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Auckland Sightseeing Tour, Transfer To Rotorua

After breakfast, our trip will begin with a visit to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Then leaving Auckland we’ll firstly get to Waitomo and discover your magic moment in those Glowworm Caves. On arrival in Rotorua, we will tour around the Lake Rotorua, the second largest lake in North Island of New Zealand, formed from a large volcano crater. At the end of the day, check into a hotel in Rotorua and enjoy a special buffet dinner with range of delicious New Zealand flavours and a cultural performance.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Ibis Rotorua or similar (3 stars)
Day 3 Rotorua Free Time
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Rotorua Free Time

The lakeside city Rotorua is famous for its geothermal activities and fascinating Maori culture. Today, you will be free to experience the scenic wonders of this area on your own. Or you can take some optional tours to Rainbow Springs Nature Park & The National Kiwi Hatchery, or pay a visit to Te Puia, the New Zealand’s geothermal wonderland and home to a living Maori Village with schools teaching traditional carving and weaving arts. Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve at the region owns about 500 natural hot springs, bubbling mud pools as well as the Pohutu Geyser which erupts hourly to the height of up to 30 meters (98 feet).

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Ibis Rotorua or similar (3 stars)
Day 4 Transfer From Rotorua To Wellington Via Taupo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Transfer From Rotorua To Wellington Via Taupo

In the morning depart for Huka Falls through jungles and forests. The endless, mesmerizing waterfall is formed where the Waikato River, normally 100 meters in width, is forced to go through a 15-meter-wide volcanic canyon. Each second, up to 220,000 litres of water bursts out from the gorge and thunders 11 meters to create a crystal-blue pool. You can experience this power of nature close-up. We’ll also tour beautiful Lake Taupo, about the same size with Singapore, created by a volcanic eruption and very famous for trout fishery. Then we will move south to the capital city of Wellington and stay overnight there.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Travelodge Wellington or similar (3 stars)
Day 5 Wellington City Trip, Transfer To Picton By Ferry
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Wellington City Trip, Transfer To Picton By Ferry

After breakfast, visit the neoclassical-style Parliament Buildings and Te Papa - the national museum and art gallery. In the afternoon, the tour director will accompany you to board the ferry at Interislander Ferry Terminal and cross the Cook Strait to the town of Picton in around 3.5 hours. The journey is reputed as one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world. Check into a local hotel on arrival.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Beachcomber Inn Picton or similar (3 stars)
Day 6 Drive From Picton To Christchurch Via Kaikoura
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Drive From Picton To Christchurch Via Kaikoura

Today from Picton we’ll head south crossing Kaikoura towards Christchurch. Kaikoura is a coastal town kwon for its rich wildlife, especially the sperm whale. You may encounter them at nearshore area. Dinner is at your own expense. Feel free to ask your tour director for recommendations.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Ibis or similar (3 stars)
Day 7 Christchurch City Tour, Transfer To Omarama
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Christchurch City Tour, Transfer To Omarama

Today continue the trip to Christchurch, officially the oldest established city in the county unfolds. It shows resilience and creativity after the devastating 2011 earthquake. The street art has transformed the sad city into an artistic powerhouse. Walking on the street while admiring those post-quake pieces, you will gain the strength too. Lake Tekapo and New Zealand’s most photographed church - Church of the Good Shepherd are also on our to-visit list. Then leave for the town of Omarama and stay overnight at a local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Heritage Gateway Hotel or similar (3 stars)
Day 8 Tranfer From Omarama To Dunedin
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Tranfer From Omarama To Dunedin

Today we will drive along the braided Waitaki River crossing Oamaru to Dunedin. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Dunedin is famous for its Victorian and Edwardian architecture. A walk in downtown will take you up close to those impressive architectural gems including the most photographed Dunedin Railway Station. You could also take half an hour’s drive to Otago Peninsula, a beckoning land of rolling hills with clifftop vistas, sandy beaches and a great abundance of wildlife including penguins, seals, sea lions and albatross etc.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Dunedin City or similar (3 stars)
Day 9 Feel Free To Explore Dunedin, Drive To Te Anau
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Feel Free To Explore Dunedin, Drive To Te Anau

The morning is free for you. After breakfast, you could pay a visit to Larnach Castle - a historic mock castle with beautiful gardens or Otago University ranking the oldest university in the country. In the afternoon, we will set out for the picturesque town of Te Anau, also the visitor base for Fiordland National Park with spectacular glacier-carved fiords and Lake Te Anau, the largest lake only second to Lake Taupo in New Zealand. After the visit, you could go for a self-paid boat trip from the lakefront to explore the 12,000 year old glowworm caves. Tonight, stay in a hotel in Te Anau.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Distinction Luxmore Hotel or similar (3 stars)
Day 10 Milford Sound Sightseeing, Transfer To Queenstown
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Milford Sound Sightseeing, Transfer To Queenstown

Today we are going to visit the Milford Sound, the world-renowned nature wonder lying within Fiordland National Park. Make sure your phone or camera is fully charged. After arrival, we will enjoy a cruise to admire its towering peaks, cascading waterfalls and amazing wildlife. Travel to Queenstown this afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown Lakefront or similar (3 stars)
Day 11 Free Time In Queenstown
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Free Time In Queenstown

Enjoy your day for independent visits. Queenstown is a nature playground for adventurers. It offers a huge choice of blood-pumping activities such as jet boating, bungy jumping, rafting and skydiving. A tour to Gibbston Valley Winery and Cheesery with wine tasting is also a good choice to unwind. In the evening, the tour director will lead you to board TSS Earnslaw, the heritage coal-fired steamship to sail across the Lake Wakatipu. After disembarking at Walter Peak Station, we’ll tour around High Country Farm and enjoy an authentic dinner. Then we will sail back to Queenstown.

Meals: Breakfast, Speciality Dinner

Accommodation: Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown Lakefront or similar (3 stars)
Day 12 Transfer To Arrowtown To Franz Josef, Appreciate Franz Josef Glacier
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Transfer To Arrowtown To Franz Josef, Appreciate Franz Josef Glacier

After breakfast, depart for Arrowtown, a historic gold-mining town on the banks of the Arrow River. Then we will travel to Cromwell and sample seasonal fruits at a local orchard. After arrival at Franz Josef, a small town located on the rugged West Coast, we will hike to the viewpoint of Franz Josef Glacier and overlook the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps. If you want to have close-up look at the glacier, you could join a heli-hike or guided ice walk at your own expense.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier or similar (3 stars)
Day 13 Transfer To Arthur’S Pass And Take Train Back To Christchurch
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Transfer To Arthur’S Pass And Take Train Back To Christchurch

Today we will drive north along the West Coast to Hokitika, a gold mining town known for its mining history, pounamu, whitebait and driftwood beaches. Upon arrival, we’ll tour a pounamu factory and watch the master cavers at work. Then travel with TranzAlpine for a scenic train journey from Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner waiting for you.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Ibis or similar (3 stars)
Day 14 Departure From Christchurch, Airport See-Off
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Departure From Christchurch, Airport See-Off

The 2 weeks New Zealand tour will end here. After breakfast, our driver will send you to the airport according to your flight schedule. Looking forward to see you again. Wish you all the best!

Meals: Breakfast

+11

14 days tour

Best New Zealand Tour

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Best New Zealand Tour

Arrival In Auckland, Airport Pick-Up

Auckland Sightseeing Tour, Transfer To Rotorua

Rotorua Free Time

Transfer From Rotorua To Wellington Via Taupo

Wellington City Trip, Transfer To Picton By Ferry

Drive From Picton To Christchurch Via Kaikoura

Christchurch City Tour, Transfer To Omarama

Tranfer From Omarama To Dunedin

Feel Free To Explore Dunedin, Drive To Te Anau

Milford Sound Sightseeing, Transfer To Queenstown

Free Time In Queenstown

Transfer To Arrowtown To Franz Josef, Appreciate Franz Josef Glacier

Transfer To Arthur’S Pass And Take Train Back To Christchurch

Departure From Christchurch, Airport See-Off

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