New Zealand...

  EXPERIENCE NEW ZEALAND TOUR
8 NIGHTS/9 DAYS

DAILY DEPARTURES

DAY 1     ARRIVE AUCKLAND

                   Met and transferred by shuttle to the hotel.  Afternoon sightseeing coach tour of Auckland City features the views from Mt Eden, quaint Parnell Village, the Waterfront Drive plus Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World and Antarctic Encounter.  Transfer to your hotel at the conclusion of the tour.
Accommodation:
(A) Stamford Plaza
(B) Novotel Auckland
(C) First Imperial Hotel                  

DAY 2     AUCKLAND/WAITOMO/KARAPIRO

(B,L,D)     Enjoy a full day coach tour via the major dairying and horse raising area of the Waikato Valley and Hamilton City to your farmstay.  Includes a guided tour of the famous Waitomo Limestone Caves, featuring a boat ride on an underground stream into the Glowworm Grotto.  Barbecue lunch included.  In the afternoon join your farmer hosts at Karapiro.  Enjoy a tour of the farm and home cooked dinner with them this evening.                   ACCOMMODATION:     FARMSTAY

DAY 3     KARAPIRO/ROTORUA

(B,L,D)     After a farm cooked breakfast and lunch with your hosts, transfer to Cambridge.  Board your coach and continue on to Rotorua travelling across the bush clad Mamaku Hills.  Dinner this evening is a hangi, followed by a concert of traditional Maori song and dance.
Accommodation:
(A) Royal Lakeside Novotel
(B) Centra Rotorua
(C) Quality Hotel Rotorua                 

DAY 4     ROTORUA/CHRISTCHURCH

(B)     Morning sightseeing tour of Rotorua includes a guided tour of the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve - home of the Pohutu Geyser.  The tour also includes a visit to beautiful Paradise Valley Springs to see the huge trout and lions in their special enclosure.  See the popular performing sheep show at the Agrodome.

                   Afternoon flight to Christchurch.  Transfers provided.
Accommodation:
(A) Parkroyal Christchurch
(B) Copthorne Durham St
(C) Elms Hotel                  

DAY 5     CHRISTCHURCH

(B)     Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour featuring the parks and gardens for which Christchurch is so well known.  See Cathedral Square, the Avon River, Hagley Park and Mona Vale.

DAY 6     CHRISTCHURCH/MT COOK/QUEENSTOWN

(B)     Coach across the Canterbury Plains.  At Tekapo see the quaint Church of the Good Shepherd.  Continue past Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki before arriving at Mt Cook.  In the afternoon drive from Mt Cook to Queenstown through the Mackenzie Country and over the Lindis Pass.  Good views of the Southern Alps for much of the journey.
Accommodation:
(A) Parkroyal Queenstown
(B) Novotel St Moritz
(C) Aspen on Queenstown                  

DAY 7     QUEENSTOWN

(B)     Free day.  Queenstown is a beautiful lakeside resort situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.  There is a wide choice of optional tours and activities in this marvellous alpine resort such as visiting Arrowtown, the gondola to Bob’s Peak, lake cruises, jet boating, river rafting, trout fishing etc.

DAY 8     MILFORD SOUND DAY EXCURSION

(B,L)           A full day coach tour travelling via Fiordland National Park.  The scenery is spectacular with lofty mountains and deep valleys carved out by Ice Age Glaciers.  There are clear rushing mountain streams, leaping waterfalls and dense rainforest.  At Milford board the MV Milford Monarch for a cruise down the fiord, where seals and dolphins are often seen with close up views of Mitre Peak.  Buffet lunch served aboard.  In the late afternoon return to Queenstown arriving approx 7.30 pm. 

DAY 9     QUEENSTOWN/CHRISTCHURCH

(B)     Travel north by coach through Central Otago and the Lindis Pass to the Mackenzie Country.  Weather permitting there are good views of the Southern Alps.  Pass the Waitaki Hydro scheme and glacial Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo.  Descend to the Canterbury Plains and drive through important sheep farming and cropping areas.

                   Arrive Christchurch. 

                   (A) HOTELS (B) HOTELS (C) HOTELS

Twin                $1,175.00     $1,080.00     $950.00   

For travel between 01 May and 31 August off season rates will apply.

INCLUDES:

7 nights hotel accommodation plus 1 night farmstay.  8 x cooked breakfast, 3 lunches, 2 x dinners.  All transfers and touring on a seat in coach basis.  The drivers will provide English language touring commentary.  Sightseeing fees.  GST Tax at 12.5%.

 DOES NOT INCLUDE:

Airfares ROT/CHC which should be included on the international ticket.  Meals except as specified.  Use of rooms before/after normal check in/out times.  Items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls etc.  Additional sightseeing.  Airport Departure Tax of NZD22.00 ex AKL or NZD25.00 ex CHC.

BEST OF NEW ZEALAND
11 NIGHTS/12 DAYS
DAILY DEPARTURES

 DAY 1 ARRIVE AUCKLAND

                        Met and transferred by shuttle to the hotel.  Afternoon sightseeing coach tour of Auckland City features the views from Mt Eden, quaint Parnell Village, the Waterfront Drive plus Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World and Antarctic Encounter.  Transfer to your hotel at the conclusion of the tour.
Accommodation:
(A) Stamford Plaza
(B) Novotel Auckland
(C) First Imperial                       

DAY 2 AUCKLAND/WAITOMO/KARAPIRO

(B,L,D) Travel south via the major dairying and horse-raising area of the Waikato Valley and Hamilton City.  Includes a guided tour of the famous Waitomo Limestone Cave, featuring a boat ride on an underground stream into the Glowworm Grotto.  Barbecue lunch included.  In the afternoon join your hosts for an overnight on a local farm.  A home cooked dinner is included.

                        ACCOMMODATION: FARMSTAY

DAY 3 KARAPIRO/ROTORUA

(B,D) After a farm cooked breakfast with your hosts, transfer to Cambridge.  Continue to Rotorua by coach travelling across the bush clad Mamaku Ranges.

                        Dinner this evening is a hangi dinner followed by a concert of traditional Maori song and dance at your hotel.
Accommodation:
(A) Royal Lakeside Novotel
(B) Centra Rotorua
(C) Quality Hotel Rotorua                       

DAY 4 ROTORUA

(B) Morning sightseeing includes a guided tour of the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve - home of the Pohutu Geyser.  The tour also includes a visit to beautiful Paradise Valley Springs to see the huge trout and lions in their special enclosure.  Also see the popular performing sheep show at the Agrodome.  Afternoon at leisure to explore independently. 

DAY 5 ROTORUA/WELLINGTON

(B) Travel south today through vast pine forests to Wairakei, site of the geothermal power station.  Coach around Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake, and across the Desert Road passing the mountains of the Central North Island.  Continue past Paraparaumu into Wellington City.
Accommodation:
(A) Wellington Parkroyal
(B) Novotel Wellington
(C) Bay Plaza Hotel           

 DAY 6 WELLINGTON/CHRISTCHURCH

(B) Transfer by shuttle to the Interislander ferry terminal.  Board the 9.30 am Interislander ferry for a 3 hour crossing of Cook Strait.  The last hour of the cruise through the Marlborough Sounds is especially scenic.  At Picton board the Coastal Pacific Train for a 5 ½ hour journey to Christchurch via Kaikoura.  Arrive at approx 7.00 pm and transfer by shuttle to your accommodation.
Accommodation:
(A) Parkroyal Christchurch
(B) Copthorne Durham St
(C) Elms Hotel                       

DAY 7 CHRISTCHURCH

(B) Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour featuring the parks and gardens for which Christchurch is so well known.  See Cathedral Square, the Avon River, Hagley Park and Mona Vale.

                        Afternoon at leisure.  

DAY 8 CHRISTCHURCH/FRANZ JOSEF OR FOX GLACIER

(B) Transfer by shuttle to the Railway Station.  At 9.00 am board the award winning Tranz Alpine Train for a scenic journey through the mighty Southern Alps to Greymouth on the West Coast.  Board the coach and travel south to Franz Josef/Fox Glacier.
Accommodation:
(A) Franz Josef Glacier Hotel - Douglas wing
(B) - Graham wing
(C) Glacier Country Hotel

DAY 9  FRANZ JOSEF OR FOX GLACIER/
QUEENSTOWN                       

(B) Coach south then inland following the Haast River to the Haast Pass through the Southern Alps.  The scenery is stunning.  Descend passing glacial Lakes Wanaka and Hawea then drive through the Central Otago fruit growing and sheep farming areas and on into Queenstown.
Accommodation:
(A) Parkroyal Queenstown
(B) Novotel St Moritz
(C) Aspen on Queenstown                     

DAY 10 QUEENSTOWN

(B) Free day.  Queenstown is a beautiful lakeside resort situated on Lake Wakatipu.  There is a wide choice of optional tours and activities in this marvellous alpine resort such as visiting Arrowtown, the gondola to Bob’s Peak, lake cruises, jet boating, river rafting etc. 

DAY 11 MILFORD SOUND DAY EXCURSION

(B,L) A full day tour travelling via Fiordland National Park.  The scenery is spectacular with lofty mountains and deep valleys carved out by Ice Age Glaciers.  There are clear rushing mountain streams, leaping waterfalls and dense rainforest.  At Milford Sound board the MV Milford Monarch for a cruise down the fiord, where seals and dolphins are often seen with close up views of Mitre Peak.  Buffet lunch served aboard.  Arrive back in Queenstown approx 7.30 pm. 

DAY 12 QUEENSTOWN/CHRISTCHURCH/DEPART

(B) Travel north through Central Otago and the Lindis Pass to the Mackenzie Country.  Pass glacial Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo then descend to the Canterbury Plains and drive through important sheep farming and cropping areas.  Arrive Christchurch.

                        (A) HOTELS (B) HOTELS (C) HOTELS

        $1,630.00    $1,485.00   $1,310.00
per person, twin share, land only.

For travel between 01 May and 31 August off season rates will apply.

 INCLUDES:

10 nights hotel accommodation plus 1 night farmstay.  11 x cooked breakfasts, 3 x lunches and 2 x dinners.  All transfers and touring on a seat in coach/train (one class) basis.  Sightseeing fees.  GST Tax at 12.5%.

DOES NOT INCLUDE:

Meals except as specified.  Use of rooms before/after normal check in/out times.  Items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls etc.  Airfares.  Additional sightseeing.  Airport Departure Tax of NZD22.00 ex AKL or NZD25.00 ex CHC.