Grand Pacific Tours - 16 Day Signature Highlights Itinerary

Welcome to New Zealand!

On arrival into Christchurch, we’ll take care of the transfer from the airport to your hotel where you can settle in before exploring New Zealand’s ‘Garden City’. Take a punt on the Avon River, stroll the Botanic Gardens or visit the Riverside Market, a 7-day-trading indoor market. This evening enjoy a complimentary pre-dinner drink as you meet your travelling companions.

Suggested activities if time allows:

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 Night

After an introductory city sights tour departs Christchurch and travel through the southern Canterbury Plains to beautiful Lake Tekapo. See the brilliant turquoise water, The Church of the Good Shepherd and the Sheep Dog Statue. Marvel at the spectacular mountain ranges including Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak. The opportunity is available (time and weather permitting) to enjoy a scenic flight (optional) over the Southern Alps before travelling to Twizel.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Twizel - 1 Night

Depart Twizel and see Lake Benmore, before following the Waitaki River to Oamaru, famous for its limestone. While its façade is strictly of the Victorian era with ornately decorated grand white stone buildings that once housed upstanding banks, hotels, and restaurants, the residents ‘the Oamaruivans’ are certainly not. In fact quite the contrary, unlike the Victorians they (the locals) are bohemians artisans, creative’s and antiquarians who run ‘out-there’ galleries, museums, shops, and venues – it has to be seen to be believed.

Continue south to Dunedin and enjoy a city sights tour followed by some free time.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Dunedin - 1 Night

This morning travel out along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle where you hear of the tragic and scandalous history on a guided tour.  Enjoy time to wander around this Garden of International significance followed by a delicious Devonshire Tea. Bid farewell to Dunedin and travel through Balclutha and Gore to Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland and your overnight stay. Today you may like to visit the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves (optional)

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Te Anau - 1 Night

The Road to Milford is one of New Zealand’s most scenic drives. The first part is relatively mild farmland, then you’ll ease into a beech forest near the entrance to the Fiordland National Park. Look for the Avenue of the Disappearing Mountain and the Mirror Lakes. The rough-hewn Homer Tunnel brings you into Milford Sound, an amazing 22km-long fiord dominated by Mitre Peak. A cruise on Milford Sound will be an essential component of your time in Fiordland. Tall waterfalls, vertical rock faces, and seals are some of the things you’ll remember. See the spectacular Bowen Falls and towering Mitre Peak as you enjoy a picnic lunch.

This afternoon travel to Queenstown, overlooking magical Lake Wakatipu. Spend the next two nights at this year-round resort which offers a wide range of activities and attractions. This evening is free and you may choose to dine at one of the many fine restaurants.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Queenstown - 2 Nights

Today is a free day for you to explore Queenstown at leisure. Your crew are available to assist with the many sightseeing options available, including the thrill of a jet boat ride, a heritage tour to Skippers Canyon or get up close to a Kiwi bird.

This evening board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Sit back, relax and enjoy a gourmet barbecue dinner which the chef will prepare in front of you at the Colonel’s Homestead. After dinner enjoy a short farm tour then reboard the TSS Earnslaw for a sing along by the piano as you cruise back to Queenstown.

Recommended Queenstown Excursions:

Meals: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner

Travel to Arrowtown and visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue via the Haast Pass to the mighty West Coast, an area of stunning beauty. See the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel north to the township of Franz Josef. Time is available (weather permitting) to experience a scenic flight (optional) over the spectacular glaciers.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Franz Josef - 1 Night

Travel to Hokitika and visit the Greenstone Factory. Continue into Arthur’s Pass and board The TranzAlpine Train, renowned as one of the great train journeys of the world. View rivers and valleys as you travel through the Waimakariri Basin, over massive viaducts and through the patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains to the elegant city of Christchurch. On arrival your coach will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 Night

Travel along the East Coast to the seaside village of Kaikoura. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you travel through Marlborough Country, famous for its food and wine. Continue to the quaint seaside town of Picton, where you board the Interislander Ferry for your journey through the Marlborough Sounds and across Cook Strait to Wellington.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Wellington - 2 Nights

A highlight this morning will be time to explore Gallipoli. A Scale of War exhibition at Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum. Re-board your coach for a city tour. Enjoy free time this afternoon and this evening is also free to choose your own dining arrangements. 

Sightseeing and activity suggestions in Wellington:

Meals: Breakfast

Heading further North we follow the Desert Road and enjoy amazing views of Tongariro National Park’s Mt Ruapehu. The road then takes us to a grand view of Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake. The stunningly blue freshwater of Lake Taupo is sitting in the South Pacific's largest volcanic crater. After Lake Taupo visit the spectacular Huka Falls then to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Rotorua - 2 Nights 

Today begins with a Gondola Ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua. There is also time for a luge ride! The next stop is the Agrodome for an action-packed hour of farming entertainment and education that’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. Enjoy some free time this afternoon before travelling to Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome Geysers that Rotorua is famous for. This evening experience an entertaining Maori Hangi and Concert.

Meals: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner

This morning depart Rotorua and travel north to Whangarei to the Bay of Islands. This afternoon enjoy a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the location of the signing of the treaty between the Māori tribes and the British. 

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Paihia - 2 Nights

This morning cruise through the beautiful Bay of Islands onboard a luxury catamaran to Cape Brett and the famous Hole in the Rock. The cruise includes an island stopover at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island. Stroll along the white sand beach, or walk to the top of the hill for scenic views over the entire Bay of Islands before returning to Paihia for a free afternoon. A range of optional activities are available or you may choose to relax and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the waterfront. This evening is also free, you may like to enjoy a relaxing dinner cruise (optional).

Meals: Breakfast

Depart the Bay of Islands this morning and travel via Whangarei. Enjoy a visit and informative talk at the Kauri Museum before continuing to Auckland for a city sights tour.  This evening enjoy a pre-dinner drink and farewell dinner with your new-found friends.

Meals: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner

Accommodation: Auckland - 1 Night

Haere rā and Bon Voyage!

We hope you enjoyed this tour. Our promise is to make your travels through New Zealand as hassle-free and hospitable as possible - ensuring that today you leave with a memory card full of photos and huge smiles on your faces when recalling your time in New Zealand. Have a great homeward journey and we hope to see you again soon!

Meals: Breakfast