18 day New Zealand Adventure Tour with AAT Kings

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AAT Kings 18 day premium New Zealand Adventure, see the north and south island including Bay of Islands, Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Milford Sound and many more attractions in NZ.

18 day New Zealand tour from $5,535*pp

18 day New Zealand tour from $5,535*pp

Inclusions

17 nights in centrally located hotels
Transportation by luxury coach with panoramic windows
Professional, experienced tour director and tour driver
17 full buffet breakfast
1 lunch
3 highlight dinners and 9 hotel dinner
Visit Waitangi Treaty Reserve
Waitomo Glow Worm Grotto
Experience a Maori Hangi feast and concert
Cruise on Milford Sound
TranzAlpine train journey

Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive Auckland
Meet and transfer from the airport to your hotel. See Auckland your way until an evening welcome drink with your Tour Director and fellow travellers. Hotel: Stamford Plaza, Auckland.

Day 2 Auckland - Bay of Islands
Over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and up the scenic Hibiscus Coast. Walk among the Kauri trees, explore Whangarei, then on to the Bay of Islands. Enjoy a scenic cruise through the Bay of Islands to Cape Brett and the ‘Hole in the Rock’. Explore Urupukapuka Island then return to Paihia. Hotel: Copthorne Hotel & Resort (Water View), Bay of Islands, 2 nights.

Day 3 Bay of Islands 'Free Time'
The day is yours to explore the Bay of Islands. Dolphin watch, catch a ferry to Russell, drive along the Ninety Mile Beach, sail or sea-kayak - whatever you like, then have a night on the town.

Day 4 Bay of Islands - Auckland
We'll tour the historic Waitangi Treaty Reserve and then return to Auckland.
Hotel: Stamford Plaza, Auckland.

Day 5 Auckland - Rotorua
After an Auckland City Sights Tour, you'll trace the Waikato River to Waitomo Caves, where you'll see the amazing Glow Worm Grotto. Your Rotorua orientation tour takes in views of Lake Rotorua. Tonight experience The Realm of Tãne, a Maori Hangi feast and concert. Hotel: Millennium Hotel, Rotorua, 2 nights.

Day 6 Rotorua
A ride on the Skyline Gondola and breakfast with stunning views over Lake Rotorua. On to the Agrodome Sheep Show and a sample of farm life. Visit Te Puia and be accompanied by a local Maori guide for a tour of the geothermal reserve. Enjoy an afternoon of ‘Free Time’.

Day 7 Rotorua - Wellington
From the mountains to the sea. View the Huka Falls. Visit Taupo and drive along the shores of its lake. Travel through the alpine scenery of Mt. Ruapehu. Tongariro National Park. Manawatu. The Kapiti Coast. On your Wellington city sights tour see the city from Mt. Victoria.Hotel: Novotel, Wellington.

Day 8 Wellington - Blenheim
A morning to explore Wellington your way. Visit Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand, with time to discover it yourself. Cruise the tranquillity of Queen Charlotte Sound. On to Picton then Blenheim for a city tour. Tonight you’ll enjoy a tour, tasting and dinner at Georges Michel Wine Estate, a family owned and run winery. Hotel: Chateau Marlborough, Blenheim.

Day 9 Kaikoura - Christchurch
En route to Kaikoura, you pass the Grassmere Salt Works and see New Zealand fur seals at Ohau Point. Explore Kaikoura, maybe take an optional scenic Whale Watching flight. Travel through the Canterbury Plains. Hotel: Terrace Downs Resort, Darfield.

Day 10 Mt. Cook
You are Invited to enjoy a taste of country life with a barbecue lunch on a working farm. See Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki, visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and see the sensational Mt. Cook National Park. Maybe take a scenic flight over it. Hotel: MacKenzie Country Inn, Deluxe Rooms, Twizel.

Day 11 Dunedin
From the Waitaki Hydro Power Scheme and Benmore Dam we travel through Oamaru to Dunedin, we tour the city and the afternoon is yours - take a Wildlife Cruise, visit the Cadbury Factory or ride the Taieri Gorge Railway - it's up to you. Hotel: Scenic Hotel Southern Cross, Dunedin.

Day 12 Dunedin - Te Anau
A guided tour of Larnach Castle begins the day. Across fertile sheep-filled farming land to Te Anau, on the shores of Lake Te Anau. A visit to the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves is an option tonight. Hotel: Distinction Hotel, Te Anau.

Day 13 Milford Sound
In Fiordland National Park you’ll cruise on Milford Sound. See the Mirror Lake, Cleddau Valley, the Chasm, Mitre Peak, Bowen Falls and more. Travel along Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown for an orientation tour on arrival. For dinner you may choose to dine at the Skyline Restaurant on Bob’s Peak. Access is via the steepest Gondola in the Southern Hemisphere and there’ll be the Kiwi Haka Maori Show as well! Hotel: Millennium Hotel, Queenstown, 2 nights.

Day 14 Queenstown 'Free Time'
Explore Queenstown for yourself. Take it easy with wine or garden tours. Or go wild with jet boat rides or white water rafting. Dinner is at Walter Peak Sheep Station via New Zealand's oldest steamship, the TSS Earnslaw.

Day 15 Franz Josef
First stop is historic gold mining town Arrowtown. Second stop Cromwell and its sensational stone fruit. Then it's a trio of lakes - Dunstan, Hawea and Wanaka - Haast Pass, Thunder Creek Falls and a small rainforest walk. Then Franz Josef Glacier - the world's most accessible glacier. Hotel: Te Waonui Forest Retreat, Franz Josef.

Day 16 Franz Josef - Punakaiki
Explore Franz Josef Glacier - take an optional flight (weather permitting) or a glacier hike! Depart for Hokitika, home of the native greenstone (jade) for a factory visit and jewellery demonstration. It's on to Punakaiki, where we'll view the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Hotel: Punakaiki Resort, Punakaiki.

Day 17 TranzAlpine - Christchurch
Enjoy time at leisure before travelling via Greymouth to Arthur's Pass where you'll board the TranzAlpine to travel through the Southern Alps. Hotel:Terrace Downs Resort, Darfield.

Day 18 Depart Christchurch
Explore Christchurch as you wish until we transfer you to Christchurch Airport.