18 day/15 nights: Best value for money including the beautiful sub-tropical region of the Bay of Islands. Experience all the iconic attractions of the North and South islands including the breathtaking Milford Sound and world famous rail journey, The TranzAlpine. Includes two night stays in Queenstown, Wellington, Rotorua and the Bay of Islands.
No Hidden Extras - Pre-Paid Attractions
- Haggis Ceremony & Gift
- Larnach Castle
- Milford Sound Cruise & Lunch
- Cruise Lake Wakatipu on the TSS Earnslaw
- Lakes District Museum
- TranzAlpine Rail Journey
- Cruise on the Interislander Ferry
- Te Papa, NZ’s National Museum
- Skyline Rotorua Gondola & Luge Ride
- Agrodome
- Thermal mud pools & geysers
- Traditional Maori Hangi & Concert
- Dolphin / Hole in the Rock Cruise
- Kauri Museum
- City sights tour of Christchurch, Dunedin & Wellington
Touring
- Modern coach travel with 2 door access, restroom, reclining seats and panoramic windows
- Professional Coach Captain
- Personalised Meet & Greet on arrival
- Return airport transfers in New Zealand
- 15 nights 3 – 3.5 star hotel accommodation
- 4 two night stays
- Hotel porterage
- 4 cruises
- All sightseeing and pre paid attractions
- GST (New Zealand Goods and Services Tax)
- Comprehensive documentation pack
Meals
- 15 cooked breakfasts including a specialty breakfast: Stratosfare Restaurant, Rotorua
- 13 sumptuous dinners including 3 specialty dinners: Haggis Ceremony, Dunedin; Walter Peak Homestead, Queenstown; Maori Hangi & Concert, Rotorua
- 1 picnic lunch
- 1 delicious Devonshire Tea: Larnach Castle
Itinerary
DAY 1 - Depart
US
Ask about our options with Premium Economy and Business class
airfare.
DAY 2 - Cross International Date Line
DAY 3 - Arrive
Christchurch
On arrival into Christchurch you will be met by a Grand Pacific
Tours representative and transferred to your hotel.
Accommodation - Heartland Hotel Cotswold
Includes: Dinner
DAY 4 - Christchurch -
Omarama
After an introductory city sights tour depart Christchurch and
travel through the southern Canterbury Plains to 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, optional) to
enjoy a scenic flight over the Southern Alps before travelling to
Omarama.
Accommodation - Heritage Gateway Hotel
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5 - Omarama -
Dunedin
Depart Omarama and see Lake Benmore, before following the Waitaki
River to Oamaru, famous for its limestone. Continue south to
Dunedin and enjoy a city sights tour followed by some free time.
Tonight, a Scottish evening will be presented comprising of
bagpipes, great food, special Haggis Ceremony and gift.
Accommodation - Dunedin Leisure Lodge – A Distinction Hotel
Includes: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner
DAY 6 - Dunedin - Te
Anau
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. Farewell
Dunedin and travel through Balclutha and Gore to Te Anau, gateway
to Fiordland and your overnight stay. Today you may like to visit
the Te Anau Glowworm Caves (optional).
Accommodation - Distinction Luxmore Lake Te Anau (Superior Room)
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 7 - Te Anau - Milford Sound -
Queenstown
Depart Te Anau for a fascinating drive to Milford Sound where you
board your launch for a cruise on this magnificent fiord. 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, you may choose to dine at one of the many
fine restaurants.
Accommodation - Copthorne Hotel & Resort Queenstown Lakefront (2 nights)
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 8 - Queenstown
Today is a free day for you to explore Queenstown at leisure. Your
Coach Captain and Tour Leader are available to assist with the many
optional activities available, including the thrill of a jet boat
ride or a heritage tour of the scenic Skippers Canyon. This evening
board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake
Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Sit back, relax and enjoy a
delicious gourmet barbecue dinner featuring a menu of seasonal,
fresh and locally sourced food 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.
Accommodation - Copthorne Hotel & Resort Queenstown Lakefront
Includes: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner
DAY 9 - Queenstown – Arrowtown – Fox
Glacier
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 Fox Glacier. Time is available to
experience a scenic flight (weather permitting, optional) over the
spectacular glaciers.
Accommodation - Heartland Hotel Fox Glacier
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 10 - Fox Glacier - Arthur’s Pass -
Christchurch
Travel to Hokitika and visit the Greenstone Factory. Continue into
Arthur’s Pass and board the TranzAlpine, 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. On
arrival into the elegant city of Christchurch, your coach will be
waiting to transfer you to your hotel.
Accommodation - Heartland Hotel Cotswold
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 11 - Christchurch – Picton -
Wellington
Travel along the East Coast to the seaside village of
Kaikõura. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you travel
through Marlborough Country, famous for its food and wine. Continue
to Picton, where you will board the Interislander Ferry for your
journey through the Marlborough Sounds and across Cook Strait to
Wellington.
Accommodation - Ibis Wellington (2 nights)
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 12 - Wellington
A highlight this morning will be time to explore Gallipoli: A Scale
of War exhibition at Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum.
Cutting edge technology brings these stories to life through the
eyes of New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary
circumstances. Reboard your coach for an extensive city tour which
showcases the history and culture on show. Enjoy free time this
afternoon and this evening is also free to choose your own dining
arrangements.
Accommodation - Ibis Wellington
Includes: Breakfast
DAY 13 - Wellington - Taupo -
Rotorua
Depart Wellington and view the snowcapped peaks of Mt Ruapehu and
Mt Tongariro as you travel to Lake Taupo. Visit the spectacular
Huka Falls then travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to the
geothermal wonderland of Rotorua.
Accommodation - Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua (2 nights)
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 14 - Rotorua
Today begins with a gondola ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua.
There is also time for a thrilling luge ride! Next stop is Agrodome
for an action-packed hour of farming entertainment and education
that is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Visit Te Puia to
see the boiling mud pools and awesome geysers that Rotorua is
famous for. Enjoy some free time this afternoon. This evening
experience an entertaining Mãori Hãngi and
Concert.
Accommodation - Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua
Includes: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner
DAY 15
- Rotorua - Auckland - Bay of Islands
This morning depart Rotorua and travel north via Auckland. Continue
via Whangarei to Paihia, situated in the heart of the beautiful Bay
of Islands. Enjoy an introduction to the Bay of Islands, location
of the signing of the treaty between the Mãori tribes and
the British.
Accommodation - Kingsgate Hotel Autolodge (2 nights)
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 16 - Bay of
Islands
Today you will explore the scenic beauty of the Bay of Islands
aboard a luxury catamaran. Cruise to Cape Brett and the famous Hole
in the Rock, keep an eye out for dolphins and other marine life.
Return to Paihia for a free afternoon where 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).
Accommodation - Kingsgate Hotel Autolodge
Includes: Breakfast
DAY 17
- Bay of Islands - Auckland
Depart the Bay of Islands this morning and travel via Whangarei and
Dargaville to Matakohe. Enjoy a visit and informative talk at the
Kauri Museum before continuing to Auckland for a city sights tour.
This evening enjoy a final dinner with your newfound friends.
Accommodation - Rydges Auckland
Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 18 - Depart
Auckland
Time to say goodbye. You’ll be transferred to the airport for
your flight home after a memorable New Zealand holiday.
Includes: Breakfast
Enquire about departure dates and cost
Single Supplement:
From $1,300
New Zealand Entry Requirements:
New Zealand welcomes fully vaccinated International travelers
Read more about the NZ entry requirements
Terms and Conditions
Package from pricing is based on double occupancy (2 people sharing a room) for low season stays. $50 air supplement applies each way for international travel from Thursday to Saturday. Add-on fares are available from other cities. Specific blackout dates apply to the accommodation and tour value add offers. Seats are limited and may not be available on every flight. Hotels are subject to availability. All prices reflect a discount for purchases made by check/wire; please see terms and conditions for credit card payments. Cancellation penalties and other restrictions apply.
To guarantee the package price & purchase the airline tickets, full payment is due at the time of booking. The purchase of travel Insurance is highly recommended for travel to New Zealand. Aspire Down Under partners with CSA Travel Protection. Travelers to New Zealand must be fully vaccinated and obtain a negative COVID-19 test before departure. Travel insurance covers cancellation penalties under the cancellation benefit should you test positive for COVID-19 immediately before traveling to New Zealand. In the unlikely event your scheduled travel date is impacted by New Zealand government entry restrictions, Aspire Down Under will permit a change of travel dates within 12 months from your original booking date without any fees or penalties (the applicable price of the new trip itinerary will apply).
