1
Welcome to Christchurch
‘Haere Mai’ … Welcome to New Zealand!
Upon arrival in Christchurch you will be met by a tour representative and transferred to your hotel. Depending what time you arrive you will then have some time to explore before meeting your travel director and fellow companions for dinner and a welcome drink.
Some suggested excursions if you have time.
Easygoing Cycling Tour | Punting the Avon River | Lyttelton Harbour Wildlife Cruise |
Māori Cultural Evening | French Akaroa Tour | Southern Alps Ballooning |
Christchurch Gondola | Clearwater Golf |
Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 Night (or similar)
2
TranzAlpine Train Journey to Glacier Country
All aboard the famous TranzAlpine train, rated as one of the world’s great scenic railway journeys. Travel across the Canterbury Plains through the Southern Alps, an unforgettable trip. Re-join your coach at Arthur’s Pass and travel to Hokitika to meet a local artisan for a jewelry carving demonstration. Continue to Franz Josef Glacier for the next two nights. Tonight relax away in Franz Josef geothermal hot pools.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Accommodation: Franz Josef - 2 Nights (or similar)
4
Queenstown - The Adventure Capital of the World
Today you get to feel the wind in your hair with a jetboat ride on the Haast River at Haast Pass followed by a lunch stop at Makarora, and later visit the historic gold-mining village of Arrowtown, before a chance to relax in Queenstown. Surrounded by majestic mountains and nestled on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu, the surrounding scenery is breathtaking.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Accommodation: Queenstown - 3 Nights
5
Queenstown
Enjoy two full days to discover beautiful Queenstown.
Perhaps a wine tour, or even an adrenaline-filled activity.
Recommended Queenstown Excursions:
Routeburn Day Walk | Highest Bungey Jump | Explore Arrowtown |
Biking Skippers Canyon | Round at Millbrook Golf Resort | |
Earnslaw Steamboat Cruise | Dart River Jetboat Safari |
Meals: Breakfast
6
Queenstown at Leisure
Again today you're free to explore New Zealand’s adventure-capital. Perhaps play a round of golf on one of the countries best courses, or one of the more adventurous adrenalin activities. This evening enjoy a memorable local Dining Experience at one of Queenstown's fine dining restaurants
Recommended Queenstown Excursions:
Routeburn Day Walk | Highest Bungey Jump | Explore Arrowtown |
Biking Skippers Canyon | Round at Millbrook Golf Resort | |
Earnslaw Steamboat Cruise | Dart River Jetboat Safari |
Meals: Breakfast, Local Dining Experience
7
Queenstown - Te Anau - Milford Sound (Piopiotahi)
Travel south along Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau, which is nestled on the shores of the South Island’s largest lake. Stop for lunch at a local farm, where you will hear stories of life on the land and meet a cuddly animal or two. Continue through the rainforest of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Fiordland National Park, sighting glaciers, and mountain ranges en route to the amazing Mirror Lake before driving through the hand-hewn Homer Tunnel. Spend the night aboard the iconic Milford Mariner and wake up in one of the most beautiful places on earth. The cruise style is relaxed, allowing plenty of time to view the fiord’s spectacular waterfalls, rainforest, mountains, and diverse wildlife such as seals, penguins, and dolphins. Hear from the specialist nature guide on board or choose to explore the shoreline by kayak or small boat. The Milford Mariner offers the facilities of a larger ship while retaining the intimate atmosphere of a small ship. Onboard facilities are made up of spacious viewing decks, a dining saloon with fully licensed bar, as well as an observation lounge. Dining included in your cruise are hors d’oeuvres followed by a sumptuous three-course meal, as well as a choice between continental or a cooked breakfast.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with wine
Accommodation: Milford Mariner - 1 Night
8
Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) - Invercargill
Leave Fiordland National Park and journey to Invercargill. A city obsessed with motoring history, there are tributes to speed legends across town, from Burt Munro to Bill Richardson and his shed full of classic vehicles. Enjoy a tour of the largest private collection of its type in the world.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Invercargill - 2 nights
9
Invercargill - Stewart Island
This morning, embark on a journey from the rainforests of pristine Fiordland National Park, through to Invercargill. Board a ferry at Bluff and cruise to the pristine Stewart Island. Later, join a leisurely cruise around Paterson Inlet and see diverse flora and birdlife, before returning to Invercargill for the night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with wine
10
Invercargill - Dunedin
Enjoy a relaxed start in Invercargill before departing for Dunedin. Visit Dunedin Craft Distillers, the first distillery in Aotearoa New Zealand and one of only a handful worldwide, to produce botanical spirits from surplus bread and bakery products that would otherwise go to landfill. Discover on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience how owners, Jenny McDonald and Sue Stockwell do it, on a ‘Bread to Bottle Tour’ which takes you through the process used to turn bread into spirits. Venture just next door for a special chocolate tasting journey at OCHO Chocolate.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
11
Dunedin - Christchurch
Today travel up the east coast through Oamaru and back to the Garden City of Christchurch. On arrival in Christchurch, embark on a sightseeing tour of the city.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 Night (or similar)
12
Kaikoura and on to Wellington
Travel along the rugged Pacific Ocean coast to Kaikoura, famous for its whales (optional whale-watching flight is available). See New Zealand’s fur seals at Ohau Point, then travel to the seaside town of Picton. Cruise Queen Charlotte Sound and across Cook Strait to Wellington for a sightseeing tour of New Zealand's capital city.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with wine
Accommodation: Wellington - 2 Nights
13
Wellington at Leisure
Today see Wellington your way. Why not visit the Weta Cave, home of the creative wizards behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies or go on a walking tour around Wellington.
Suggested outings in and around Wellington.
National Museum - Te Papa | Visit Cuba Street | Weta Workshop Tour |
Zealandia Wildlife Reserve | Carter Observatory |
Meals: Breakfast
15
Hawkes Bay
After a leisurely start this morning join a local guide for a city tour. You'll see the pervasive Art Deco flavor - as the city of Napier was rebuilt following the devasting 1931 earthquake. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner with wine
16
Hawkes Bay to Rotorua
Continue your journey to Rotorua, where this afternoon, armed with a packed lunch, you'll join a local guide for a cultural walking eco-tour to discover the jurassic Whirinaki Forest, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Pullman Hotel - 2 Nights
17
Rotorua
Ascending to the breathtaking Redwoods Treewalk, enjoy an elevated bird’s eye view of the 115-year old redwood giants. At the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa, passionate conservationists reveal how they are saving the kiwi population, one incubated egg at a time.Tonight, visit Te Pā Tū Māori Experience. Tū Te Rā is a celebration of the abundant harvest of this season, and explores concepts, rituals, and stories of ancient Māori warfare and peace in a feast of culture and cuisine. Enjoy a seasonal canapé and complementary chef choice aperitif, and a seasonal three-course dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Local Dining Experience
18
Waitomo to Auckland - City of Sails
Make your way to the famous Caveworld Waitomo for an exclusive 5-star Eco Glowworm experience in Footwhistle Cave. Later, travel to Auckland. This evening, toast your tour at a Celebration Dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Celebration Dinner
Accommodation: Auckland - 1 Night
19
Farewell Auckland
Your holiday concludes this morning after breakfast. You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.
Haere rā and Bon Voyage!
We hope you enjoyed your holiday and our promise 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, farewell and hope to see you again soon.
Meals: Breakfast
Inclusions
Itinerary Variations – the provider strives to improve trip itineraries. If improvements can be made, or if circumstances beyond their control make changes necessary, the provider reserves the right to vary itineraries and to make substitutions.
Included Highlights
IMMERSE
Embrace the traditional Māori greeting at Te Pā Tū Māori Experience, and immerse yourself in Jurassic rainforest.
INDULGE
Enjoy an unforgettable dining experience at Craggy Range Winery in Hawke’s Bay, a region blessed with fertile soils.
EXPLORE
Join a nature guide on the breathtaking Milford Track, and discover the luminous shimmer of the Footwhistle Cave
RELAX
Wake up to the wonder of fiordland on your Milford Mariner cruise, and take a deep breath and unwind at Te Waonui Forest Retreat.
Inclusions
- 30 meals including 18 breakfasts, 12 dinners, Welcome Drinks
- Specialist team of two highly experienced Journey Director and Driver Guide
- Local Specialists (Guides)
- Mixture of boutique, unique and 5-star hotels
Dining
- 18 Full buffet breakfasts
- 8 Dinner with wine
- 3 Local Dining Experiences
- 1 Celebration Dinner
FLIGHT INFORMATION
- Flights are not included in holiday price.
- Day 1: Flights to arrive prior to 4.00pm into Christchurch Airport
- Day 19: Flights to depart anytime from Auckland Airport
What Anna Caudle says about this tour: Once you've experienced the Long White Cloud luxury small group tour - you will have travelled from the remote wilderness of the West Coast to the balmy reaches of Auckland. Staying in hand-picked accommodation, this tour that delivers stunning scenery, adventure, heritage, and kiwi culture.
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