New Zealand In-Depth

A Healthy Dose of History

Today you will be collected from your accommodation by your private guide to embark on an Auckland city tour. Auckland is set on 48 dormant volcanic cones, is known as the City of Sails, and is New Zealand’s largest and busiest city. Your morning tour is a journey of discovery, designed to not only show you the history, sights, and sounds but also to give you a glimpse of how Aucklanders live and play. The tour includes visits to Auckland University, Domain and Harbour Bridge, Queen Street and is complemented with stunning views across the Hauraki Gulf and back to the city from Mount Victoria on the North Shore. You’ll also visit Auckland’s Westhaven Marina, an excellent example of the city’s passion for sailing. After this privately guided experience, you will be transferred back to your accommodation.

Cross an item off the Bucket List

This morning you will be picked up from your accommodation in Auckland. Your private driver-guide will provide a transfer to Rotorua. Along the way, stop at the famous Hobbiton Movie Set from the film trilogy ”Lord of the Rings”. Take a tour and discover sights such as the Hobbit Holes, the Green Dragon Inn, and the double-arched bridge. This experience will last between four to six hours, pending the duration of your visit to Hobbiton. Meals are not included.

Experience the real Middle-earth with a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, the bucolic setting for The Shire that featured in the Peter Jackson directed films ‘The Lord of the Rings. Your tour starts with a drive through the picturesque 1,250-acre sheep farm with spectacular views across the Kaimai Ranges. Your guide will escort you through the ten-acre site recounting fascinating details of how the Hobbiton set was created. The Hobbit holes, Green Dragon Inn, Mill and other structures created for the Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ films can be viewed and you will see how this beautiful piece of Waikato farmland was transformed into The Shire from Middle-earth. Upon completion of your tour of the set, you will return to The Shires Rest. This shared Hobbiton tour takes approximately 2.5 hours and has a maximum group number of 40 participants. Please report to the Shire’s Rest, 501 Buckland Road.

Cultural Immersion

Immerse yourself in an authentic Maori experience in a private-guided exploration of Te Puia, a historic village nestled in the expanse of the geothermal Te Whakarewarewa Valley. Hidden among native manuka trees at the southern end of the village, you’ll discover Ngararatuatara – a natural, boiling cauldron that has been used for cooking over many generations. Named for its similarity to the eye of the native Tuatara lizard, the waters are constantly boiling. You will then be called into the dining area by a ”Karanga ”, a traditional call of welcome by the female villagers. The dining marquee offers a table laden with beautifully presented fresh salads, Indigenous-inspired chutneys, sauces and dressings, baskets of freshly made bread and dips, Maori -made wines and beers, fresh kiwifruit, and orange juice. Watch as the chef places green-lipped mussels, king prawns, eggs, corn, kumara, potato, and sometimes fish or chicken, into the tu kohl a woven flax basket. The basket is then lowered into the boiling waters to steam, allowing the food to cook before your eyes. Cooking takes just a few minutes – perhaps the duration of only two songs, performed for you by a Maori Soloist. With the poolside table, the sound of the bubbling cooking pool, the gushing of nearby geysers, and the songs of native birds in the background, Ingo is truly an exclusive encounter with Te Puia’s environment and its people. Following the meal, you’ll be guided around the valley, first visiting the Kiwihouse, a beautifully carved meeting house, and marae area, Pikirangi pre-European village, and the NZMACI Wananga – schools of carving and weaving.

A Change of Scenery

A privately driven vehicle will provide a transfer between the airport and hotel today.

Board a flight in Rotorua with service to Wellington. The approximate direct flight duration is one hour and 15 minutes.

This flight is not included in the price and must be purchased separately.

A private vehicle with a driver will provide a transfer between the airport and hotel.

This evening, consider dining at one of Wellington’s fantastic restaurants. For a fine dining experience, we recommend Logan Brown or the critically acclaimed Hikari. For a more relaxed experience, pay a visit to The Larder, which is a local favorite.

Hit the Streets

Meet your private local guide at the Bolton Hotel to set off on a walking tour of compact Wellington, New Zealand’s capital and hub of artistry. Whether it’s through rich art history, cutting-edge innovation, or contemporary architecture, Wellington is a cosmopolitan gem where creativity takes center stage. Before beginning your walking tour, your private guide will introduce you to the artworks found at the Bolton Hotel, many of which were created by pioneering painter Rita Angus. You’ll next view the 19th-century built Rita Angus cottage, the studio now devoted to housing emerging artists through a residency program. Explore Wellington’s Parliament Grounds, comprised of four buildings that serve as the country’s core of democracy. Among these buildings is the Executive Wing, also known as the Beehive, so nicknamed for its shape reminiscent of a beehive variety known as a skep. View the Waka Landing Point, Old Government House, and Wellington Railway Station among sites of interest on your journey. Your Wellington walk also includes a visit to the NZ Portrait Gallery, showcasing the stories of New Zealanders through dynamic and ever-changing exhibitions. Wander by the city’s waterfront, a beautiful sprawl of summertime markets and eateries amid a backdrop of picturesque harbor views.

A Bit of Time on Your Own

During your afternoon at leisure in Wellington, consider visiting the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Here you can learn about the art, culture, and natural history of the region with a particular focus on Maori and Pacific cultures. A massive museum, the various collections include roughly 70,000 bird specimens, the largest example of the colossal squid, and approximately 13,000 items from historic and contemporary cultures throughout the Pacific Islands.

The Journey Continues…

A private vehicle with a driver will provide a transfer between the port and your hotel.

Take the ferry from Wellington to Picton. Once you have collected your luggage after the ferry journey, you will be met by your driver who will transfer you to Blenheim. Blenheim is considered the ”Sunshine Capital” of New Zealand and is situated on the Wairau Plain near the top of the South Island. Blenheim’s combination of high sunshine hours, a long ripening period, and free-draining river flats have put the district’s vineyards at the forefront of the International Wine Industry. The second Saturday of February is Blenheim’s Wine and Food Festival which draws many to celebrate food, music, and dance.

This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace or relax at your hotel.

Vintage Adventure

Discover the very best of Marlborough aboard a luxury vehicle with a driver, accompanied by an experienced local tour guide. Enjoy a fabulous mix of natural scenery around Marlborough with a two-hour walk within a native forest on the famed Queen Charlotte Track, an incredibly picturesque region north of Blenheim. You’ll also enjoy a picnic morning tea while taking in excellent views over the Marlborough Sounds, then visit a nearby vineyard to dine on a platter lunch paired with wine samples in the famous Marlborough wine region. Although select wine samples are included, beverages are excluded.

En Route

A private transfer between the train station and Blenheim is provided.

Take the train from Blenheim to Christchurch. The journey takes approximately 5 hours.

This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace or relax at your hotel.

A private vehicle with a driver will provide a transfer between the train station and your hotel.

Nurtured by Nature

The Banks Peninsula was formed following the violent eruption of two volcanoes. A crater nurses the picturesque harbor of Akaroa with many smaller bays indenting the coastline. Sighted by Captain Cook in 1770, the Peninsula was then inhabited by Maori. In 1840, French settlers arrived at Akaroa, which had just been claimed under the Treaty of Waitangi by the English. The charm of this old French town with incredible scenery has ensured Akaroa’s position as a must-see destination. Visit Barry’s Bay Cheese Factory for cheese tasting, then stroll past quaint colonial-style buildings and wander through the charming 150-year-old French harborside village of Akaroa with its museum of settlers’ history, craft shops and studios, cafes, and wine bars. Afterward, take part in an eco-marine adventure, swimming with Hector’s dolphins, the smallest and rarest marine dolphins on the planet. This tour departs at 8:30 am and takes approximately nine hours and 30 minutes to complete, and operates with a maximum of eight guests.

Starry Night

You will be privately transferred from Christchurch to Mount Cook by a professional driver. The approximate travel duration is four hours.

Mount Cook is far from the city lights and therefore has some of the darkest skies in New Zealand – perfect for viewing the night sky! Begin with an introduction and orientation in the Theatre Planetarium using a special live Digital Sky presentation highlighting unique features in the southern sky. The informative astronomy guides then take you on a short drive (transport provided) to an outdoor stargazing site for spectacular views of that southern sky. Using the naked eye, high-powered binoculars, and state-of-the-art telescopes, you will tour the Milky Way and beyond. Unleash your imagination as you explore our neighborhood in the universe including the Southern Cross, star clusters, planets, moons, and distant galaxies.

Explore with an Expert

Enjoy a memorable and amazing up-close encounter with the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s largest glacier. Explore, learn and discover the ever-changing glacial landscape as you journey across the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake in a custom-built MAC Boat alongside an experienced guide. With the effects of global warming and other climatic processes taking their toll on New Zealand glaciers, it is obvious that their retreat is imminent. Now approximately 17 miles (27 kilometers) long and 1965 feet (600 meters) deep, the Tasman Glacier is melting and calving at an increasing rate. In recent years the Tasman Glacier has changed from a ’melting’ to a ’calving and melting’ terminus, resulting in a terminal lake that is rapidly increasing in size. This results in icebergs of every shape and size imaginable periodically tearing away from the terminal face of the glacier into the rapidly growing lake below. On either side of the Terminal Lake, lateral moraines rear up almost 665 feet (200 meters) to remind us of the scale and grandeur that the glacier has reached in previous times – the last ice age finishing in just 1890.

You will be privately transferred from Mount Cook to Queenstown by a professional driver. The approximate travel time is three hours and 30 minutes.

This evening, consider dining at one of Queenstown’s many excellent establishments. For a fine dining experience, we recommend Botswana Butchery, Rata, or Eichardt’s Bar. For something quick and casual, Fergburger is a local favorite.

A Bird’s Eye View

Today you will be picked up from your hotel and travel from Queenstown along the shores of Lake Wakatipu, through the scenic rolling countryside to Te Anau. After a short break at Te Anau, continue via the spectacular Milford Road to Milford Sound. Here you’ll board a vessel that hosts up to 150 guests, features three viewing decks, and embark on a relaxing cruise of Milford Sound. The cruise provides excellent opportunities to take in the incredible scenery of waterfalls, rainforest, mountains, and wildlife, all while an onboard naturalist guide provides insights into the region throughout the journey. After the cruise, settle in for a coach transfer to Milford Airport to board a twin-engine aircraft for the return flight to Queenstown (weather permitting). During this 35 minutes scenic flight, take in panoramic views of the spectacular alpine scenery as you are returned to Queenstown.

Explore a City of Contrasts

Meet your private driver-guide at your accommodation and set off for a memorable 3-hour sightseeing tour of stunning Queenstown. The panoramic views of Queenstown Hill are the first of several photo stops, allowing you to witness how the vista extends to Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables Mountain Range. The tour then follows a route along the Frankton Arm and into the Wakatipu Basin, passing beautiful Lake Hayes, and into the mouth of the Kawarau Gorge, one of many filming locations for ”The Lord of the Rings”. You’ll next experience a 20-minute behind-the-scenes look into how bungee jumping started, as Queenstown is famous for being the birthplace of the adrenaline-pumping sport. Discover which technology is used and how it allows access to restricted viewing areas to watch live bungee jumping action. You’ll next journey a short drive up the road to the Gibbston Valley Winery, where you’ll enjoy the opportunity to savor a selection of 4 wines. Continue on to the historic gold mining settlement of Arrowtown where you can wander around the shops and cafes in the main street. Your tour concludes with a private transfer back to your Queenstown accommodation, passing the world-famous Shotover Canyon.

Until Next Time…

Meet your driver for a private transfer between Queenstown and the Domestic Airport.