The below itinerary is only a suggestion, we offer tailor-made personal service and solutions to help you plan your perfect vacation. This itinerary is also available in the reverse direction.
Day 1 Bay of Islands
Welcome to New Zealand! Fly into Kerikeri on the North Island, where you’ll pick up your rental car and drive to the beachside hamlet of Paihia amid the sunny Bay of Islands. Your beach resort has an award-winning spa onsite, as well as a wonderful restaurant. Local attractions include fabulous beaches, the quaint village of Russell, Kauri Cliffs Golf Course, and the historic Waitangi Treaty grounds.
Day 2 Bay of Islands Cruise with lunch
Today, rise early to embark on a wilderness cruise in the Bay of Islands. Cruising among the 144 islands, you’ll discover the very best of the area, including a mix of spectacular scenery alongside rich culture and history. Encounter diverse wildlife in their natural surroundings and enjoy the entertaining commentary from your local nature guide. Explore NZ guarantees viewing marine mammals, including dolphins, whales and orca over 90% of the time. Explore the iconic Hole in the Rock and when conditions permit, travel through it! Spend some time adventuring on an island, whether it’s a walk, paddle board, kayak, swim or something else entirely, then enjoy a scrumptious island lunch. After, drive over to Kerikeri for a tour of this area’s best kept secrets. Visit a winery, learn about the history and culture of Kerikeri, and visit a boutique chocolate factory. After your busy morning, return to your resort for a manicure, pedicure, or 30-minute massage.
Day 3 Bay of Islands – Auckland (228km / 141mi)
There are plenty of interesting stops along the way to Auckland today. Turn left at Waipu and follow the road down through Langs Bach and Mangawhai to Waipu Cove, the local surf beach in the area. Further on at the old Bohemian settlement of Puhoi, have a drink and sample some local cheese before arriving to Auckland. Here you’ll spend two nights in a fabulous hotel in the heart of the city, between the vibrant Viaduct Harbour and the new Wynyard Quarter. Venture into town to explore designer shopping and fabulous restaurants, or enjoy fine dining at the hotel’s sleek Lava Dining restaurant.
Day 4 Auckland – Today you have the choice of one of five tours
Today you can personalize your Auckland experience by choosing one of these five tours, all sure to leave you with lifelong memories:
1. Waiheke Island Gourmet Food & Wine Tour
Travel by ferry to beautiful Waiheke Island, Auckland’s food and wine neighbor just 12 miles away. Sample succulent New Zealand oysters, award-winning olive oil and other locally produced foods, all accompanied by wines from some of Waiheke’s top vineyards. Your guide will provide an entertaining and informative commentary as you go, and treats may include wild honey, the famous local green herb spread and artisan cheeses. A lunch platter at one of the area's top vineyard restaurants is included.
2. Explore the dramatic landscapes of the West Coast
This small group eco tour to the Waitakere Ranges showcases the stunning beauty of Auckland’s wilder side. Visit dramatic landscapes with surf beaches and black sand, explore some of New Zealand's lush rain forests with ancient trees like the magnificent kauri tree and discover a hidden lake fringed by native bush and sand dunes. The tour includes a visit to a spectacular gannet colony, one of only three on mainland New Zealand (birds in residence approximately August to April).
3. Taste of Kumeu Wine & Food Tour
The wineries of Kumeu date back to the 1930s, and some of New Zealand's most renowned wines are still going strong. Enjoy tastings at the award-winning Soljans Vineyard – which skillfully marries traditional with modern techniques to produce stylish, richly flavored wines – and a Mediterranean-style lunch at Soljans Winery restaurant. Take a break from wine tasting to see one of the few mainland gannet nesting sites in the world, then visit Matua Valley Wines and West Brook Winery.
4. Morning Guided Bike Tour of Auckland’s Waterfront / Afternoon America's Cup Sailing Experience
This guided bike tour follows flat paths through the Viaduct Basin to the charming seaside community of Mission Bay. Relax, take a swim and enjoy light refreshments on the beach, then pedal back to Auckland for your sailing tour on Waitemata Harbour. Home to two of the America’s Cup races (the world’s oldest sporting trophy and ultimate yachting regatta), you’ll board a grand prix racer to take the helm, trim the grinders or sit back and enjoy the action.
5. Full Day Auckland Maori Culture & Sights Tour
Experience Auckland’s fascinating Maori culture on a very personal small group tour to important historic sites. Learn how this unique living culture is an integral part of what Auckland and New Zealand has to offer, from its well-known cityscapes to its numerous volcanoes and the amazing West Coast. Finish with a visit to the Auckland Museum with its Maori and Polynesian Gallery. You can enjoy the Museum's Maori Cultural Performance to see a postural war dance (the haka) first-hand.
Day 5 Auckland to Rotorua (361km / 224mi)
This morning, collect your rental car and drive through idyllic countryside to the Waitomo. It’s hard to believe that a hidden labyrinth of glowworm caves lies just beneath you, and once inside you’ll find formations and creatures that are simply out of this world. Afterwards, head onwards to the movie set of Hobbiton and The Shire. Duck into the hobbit holes and grab a drink at the Green Dragon Inn while learning the fascinating process of constructing the set. After your tour, continue on to Rotorua.
Day 6 Exploring Rotorua
Today we’ve included admission to Wai-O-Tapu: a geothermal wonderland loved by both the young and young at heart. Wai-O-Tapu means 'Sacred Water' in Maori, and you’ll see exactly why as you peruse hot pools ranging in colour from turquoise blue and rich green to gold and an almost olive tone. This dazzling kaleidoscope of natural colours is caused by the many mineral salts in the water, including arsenic, gold and silver. Wai-O-Tapu is also the home to steaming vents, huge volcanic craters, the world famous Champagne Pool and New Zealand’s largest bubbling mud pool – but the real highlight has to be the Lady Knox Geyser. Erupting with spectacular flair every day at about 10:15am, it will delight your kids and make for some great photo ops. The rest of the day is free to explore the many attractions of Rotorua.
Day 7 Rotorua to Queenstown (Flight)
This morning you’ll drop your vehicle off at the airport and catch your flight (not included) into Queenstown. Waiting to greet you are the majestic Remarkables Ranges and Lake Wakatipu, so keep an eye out as you get closer to see them glistening from below. Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of New Zealand, and it’s the place where bungy jumping began and where sledging and jet boating found their fame. So from white water rafting and horseback riding to mountain biking and hiking, let’s just put it this way: if it can be done in New Zealand, you can probably find it in Queenstown.
Day 8 - 9 Queenstown – Freedom of Choice
You can personalize your Queenstown experience by choosing two of these five tours, all sure to leave you with lifelong memories:
1. Full Day Milford Sound Coach/Nature Cruise/Coach
Travel by coach from Queenstown to Milford Sound through sheer mountains, towering cliffs, rugged valleys and native rain forest. Once at Milford Sound board a catamaran for a leisurely cruise along the fiord, learning from the onboard Nature Guide, visiting the skipper in the wheelhouse or viewing wildlife like dolphins, seals and penguins. Lunch options are available for purchase (must be preordered) and complimentary tea and coffee is provided. After the cruise, return to Queenstown by coach.
Milford Sound Return Flight Upgrade (Approx $395 PP)
Upgrade your itinerary to include a return scenic flight to Queenstown. See magnificent views of the alps, glaciers, lakes and forests of Fiordland National Park from the air – it’s a quick and convenient way to return to Queenstown.
The flight shaves approximately 4 hours off a return by coach, however it is very weather dependent so it’s possible you will need to return by coach and have the upgraded price refunded to you.
2. Half Day Boutique Wine Tour
Spend an afternoon among the boutique vineyards and spectacular scenery of Central Otago. Enjoy tastings at four wineries in the Gibbston Valley, Cromwell and Bannockburn regions plus a delightful platter-style lunch at Carrick Winery Restaurant. Visit historic Old Cromwell Town (time and weather permitting) and take a stunning drive through the Kawarau Gorge to learn about the early pioneering history of the region and see the historic Kawarau Bridge and the original AJ Hackett Bungy jump.
3. Sheep Station to Sheep Station Cycle Tour & Walter Peak BBQ Lunch
Experience Queenstown’s surrounds with a cycle tour. Boarding a Spirit of Queenstown cruise to Mt Nicholas High Country Farm, disembark on the other side of Lake Wakatipu to begin your cycling journey. Ride at your own pace along a quiet country road, taking in views of the Southern Alps, Glenorchy and The Remarkables on the way. After cycling 14 kilometers (1.5 hours) to Walter Peak you’ll enjoy a barbecue lunch, then board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw to return to Queenstown.
4. Walter Peak High Country Farm Excursion / Shotover Jetboat Ride
Step aboard the TSS Earnslaw and enjoy a 40-minute cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. On arrival, wander through gardens or enjoy tea/coffee in the Colonel’s Homestead, then take a tour of the grounds to view sheep, red deer and Scottish Highland cattle. Highlights of the experience are watching the farm demonstrator shear a sheep, sheep dogs working stock and a wool spinning demonstration. Take the TSS Earnslaw back to Queenstown, then transfer by coach to the Shotover River for the jet boat ride of your life.
5. Half Day Wilderness Safari - Jetboat & Forest Walk
Combine wilderness jet boating with a guided walk and back-country drive. Surrounded by breathtaking snow-covered peaks, hidden valleys, waterfalls and glacial valleys, you’ll take a thrilling jet boat through the ever-changing shallow channels of the Dart River’s braided system. Enjoy a guided walk through ancient native Beech forest where you’ll be fascinated by the unique flora and fauna, then journey by bus along a back-country route. Your driver will stop to view some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery and will share stories of the land on the way.
Day 10 Queenstown at Leisure
We’ve left today free so you can explore Queenstown at your leisure. Walk along the tranquil shores of Lake Wakatipu or take a scenic bike ride on the beautiful trails.
Day 11 Depart Queenstown
It’s now the end of your magical New Zealand adventure, and we’ve capped it off with a private transfer to Queenstown Airport.
