Discovery Tour: New Zealand

Sample Itinerary - 17/18 DAYS NEW ZEALAND DISCOVERY TOUR BY AIR

• Days 1 - 2 — Fly overnight from London to Auckland. Your flight will arrive 2 days later.
• Day 3 — Auckland - Arrive Auckland. Known as the 'City of Sails' Auckland is New Zealand's largest city. Enjoy a tour of this modern sophisticated city and visit the Auckland Museum with its unique collection of Maori and Pacific treasures. The museum tells the story of New Zealand as a nation and is also a war memorial for the Auckland province. Travel across the harbour bridge for views of Waitemata Harbour, then visit the summit of the Volcanic Crater of Mount Eden. Evening dinner and overnight accommodation Auckland.
• Day 4 — Take a ferry trip to Tiritiri Matangi Island Sanctuary, a scientific reserve, where you will experience a guided walk through the rainforest. Here you will see flightless birds and rare endangered bird species and enjoy a magical setting. In the evening visit Auckland's Sky Tower. At 328 metres it is the tallest tower in the Southern hemisphere offering breathtaking views. Overnight Auckland.
• Day 5 — Depart Auckland and travel through the rich agricultural Waikato Region. Stop at a dairy farm or agricultural research institute to understand more about New Zealand's most important industry. Continue to the Waitomo Caves formed over 30 million years ago, world famous for their limestone formations and thousands of glow worms. Late afternoon Rainforest walk. Overnight Waitomo.
• Day 6 — Visit Waiotapu Geothermal Park. See Geysers, the Silica terraces, mud pools and multicoloured hot pools. Drive to Taupo seeing many volcanic features en-route. Overnight Taupo.
• Day 7 — Continue to Rotorua a geothermal wonderland and New Zealand's oldest resort with its hot springs, volcanic features and unique Maori culture. See the geysers and mud pools at Te Puia Thermal Reserve and enjoy a Maori cultural performance, including a haka. You will also experience Maori arts and crafts, (wood carving and flax weaving) and have a chance to see a very unusual bird, the kiwi. Visit the Rotorua Museum with its bathhouse, volcanoes exhibition and earthquake simulation. Carry out simple tests on hot spring water samples. Overnight Rotorua.
• Day 8 — Transfer to Rotorua Airport for a flight to Christchurch on New Zealand's South island. Christchurch is a charming cultured city, known as the 'Garden City' with a very English feel. There are 19th century buildings, extensive gardens and the meandering River Avon. Visit the Antarctic Centre and discover how life survives in Antarctica. It is from here that most Antarctic Missions are planned. Enjoy a snow and ice experience in the Polar Room, experience an Antarctic storm with the world's first indoor storm experience. Brave a wind chill machine at -18°C. See New Zealand's first indoor/outdoor penguin viewing area. Take an outdoor ride on an all terrain amphibious vehicle. Overnight Christchurch
• Day 9 — Follow braided rivers across the Canterbury Plains and over the snow-capped Southern Alps to Greymouth. Visit Castle Rock an unusual limestone rock formation and Maori historical site. Visit a former gold mining settlement. Take a steam train ride and pan for gold. Overnight Franz Josef.
• Day 10 — Take a half day guided walk on the dramatic Fox Glacier. The Fox Glacier cuts through a dramatic glacial valley to flow into temperate rainforest. Flowing almost to sea level the glacier is a unique relic of the last ice age. Take a trip to Lake Matheson (Mirror Lake) for a magnificent view of Mount Cook and the Fox Glacier. Take a stroll through the rainforest. Time permitting visit the Department of Conservation Visitor Centre. Overnight Franz Josef.
• Day 11 — Drive south through the Haast Pass along the shores of glacier lakes. Enjoy a beach picnic. See ancient forest, waterfalls and take short walks to see wildlife and the spectacular rainforest and scenery of the World Heritage West Coast National Parks. Overnight Wanaka in the southern lakes region.
• Day 12 — Visit 'Puzzling World' in Wanaka, a unique visitor attraction set in 7 acres, specialising in puzzle eccentricity. It offers the world's first 'modern styled 'Great Maze', incredible Illusion Rooms and a Puzzle Centre. Continue to lively exhilarating Queenstown. Set amidst rugged mountains on the shores of Lake Wakatipu Queenstown which started life as a gold-mining camp, is known as the world's adrenaline capital. Visit historic Arrowtown, with its 70 historic buildings. This former gold-mining town is one of the prettiest towns in New Zealand. Evening gondola and luge ride. Overnight Queenstown.
• Day 13 — Time at leisure in Queenstown. Afternoon transfer to Te Anau, gateway to the Fjords. Overnight Te Anau.
• Day 14 — Depart early to visit Milford Sound Fjord. The Maori's believed the Fjords were created by a godly figure Tu Te Raki Whanoa. Take a cruise on Milford Sound to see the stunning scenery, beautiful waterfalls and wildlife. Back in Te Anau you'll have another chance to see flightless Takake and other endangered bird species. Overnight Te Anau.
• Day 15 — Depart for Dunedin. Known as the Edinburgh of the South, this attractive historic town with its Victorian and Edwardian architecture has Scottish roots. Take a wildlife harbour cruise with a chance to see albatross and the rare Yellow Eyed Penguin. Visit the Cadbury World Chocolate Factory. Enjoy the factory tour and product sampling. Overnight Dunedin.
• Day 16 — Visit Duntroon Fossil Trail - The Vanished World Fossil Centre at Duntroon showcases the districts geology as well as fossils and extinct species found in the region. On the trail see the marine fossils buried at the bottom of the sea some 25 million years ago and incredible rock formations of the Waitaki Valley. You will also see the valley where the great battle scene in “The Chronicles of Narnia” was filmed. Continue to the Moeraki Boulders, - giant stone spheres scattered on a beach like an outsize game of bowls. In the evening watch blue penguins come ashore. Overnight Oamaru.
• Day 17 — Drive to Christchurch. Time at leisure in Christchurch depending on flight time. Transfer to the Airport for tour return flight via Auckland to London.

You will arrive back day 17 or 18 depending on flight times.

Meal Arrangements

• Full Board: First Meal – Evening Meal Day 3.
  Final Meal – Breakfast Day 17.

Your Tour Includes

• Tour escort
• Return scheduled flights from London to Auckland returning from Christchurch
• Internal flights Rotorua to Christchurch
• Transport and Entrance Fees for the featured programme
• Full Board Accommodation. Evening Dinner: Restaurant or fully catered meals Lunch: Food courts, fast food outlets or packed lunches Breakfast: Continental breakfast. (Students wash own plates)
• 1:10 Free of Charge
• Insurance
• Quality Guide Book and Map

Not Included

• Driver Tips
• Extend your stay – add extra days (please request a quotation)
• Local flight departure tax for internal flight Rotorua - Christchurch
• International flight departure tax - currently NZ$25 (subject to change)