Detail of the Seventeen day tour through New Zealand.

Day 1. Meet people off the planes at Auckland International Airport. Many of the planes arrive early in the morning ( 6.30 ) so we can have a full day in Auckland, even though you may well be tired. It is better to transfer as quickly as possible to the times in New Zealand, so you should not have an 'afternoon' sleep; rather stay awake until after dinner and then have an early night!

We will visit Mt Eden and have a good view over the city, then probably go to a disused quarry which has been turned into gardens by volunteers, and have lunch. After lunch we will travel out along the waterfront drive to Mission Bay ( most cities have a 'Mission Bay' ) and Kohimarama. We will return to look at the developments on the waterfront near where the Americas Cup yachts were housed.

Early dinner and early to bed!

Day 2. Leave for Northland, travelling up the east coast through Orewa, Whangarei, Kawakawa to Paihia, a beautiful town located on the shores of the Bay of Islands. This was where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 ( New Zealands founding document ).

Day 3. In and around the Bay of Islands. A trip out to the 'hole in the rock' and also over to the old Pomperier House, the first missionary station in NZ which has been well preserved.

Day 4. Drive back to Auckland via the western route, past the kauri forests and 'Tane Mahuta', the biggest kauri tree in the country. We will stop at the Kauri museum in Matakohe, and travel through the main kumera ( sweet potato ) growing area in the country.

Day 5. Travel to Rotorua, stopping at Cambridge for lunch and a look at a church converted into a gift shop and cafe. Carry on through Tirau where we will stop briefly for a photo opportunity, and then up onto the plateau of the Kaimai ranges ( not very high ) and through the native forest to Lake Rotorua and the city of the same name. Second part of the afternoon is free. We will stay at the Geyserland Hotel which is only one in Rotorua which overlooks the thermal area and the famous Pohutu geyser.

Day 6. Around Rotorua today. In the morning we will visit the Maori church in the Ohinemutu thermal area, and then go to a Maori village for lunch. In the afternoon we will take in the show at the agrodome. Many aspects of NZ farming are shown and discussed in a humorous and skilful way. There is some audience inter-action and you may volunteer ( or be picked army style )

In the evening we will go to a Marae ( a meeting area for Maori ) and have a hangi ( evening meal ) cooked in the ground on heated stones, followed by a usually vigorous concert.

Day 7. After breakfast, we will travel to Waitomo and look at the limestone caves of the area. We usually visit two caves; the popular glow-worm cave and a less visited cave which has a different limestone formation. In the afternoon we will drive through the Awakino gorge ( good road ) to the little settlement of Onaero on the Taranaki coast ( where we live ). There you will be introduced to your rural homestay hosts who will take you to their place, have dinner and breakfast there the following morning.

Day 8. Quite a long day today. In the morning travel the short distance into New Plymouth, in the shadow of Mt Taranaki, and look at the wonderful park there, and the coastal walkway and windwand which is a creation of the well known artist Len Lye.

We will drive to Hawera and visit a museum established in an old cheese factory which gives a good account of the local history. It is an unusual museum and we are sure you will find it interesting. We will have lunch there, at Mr Badgers cafe.

Continue south east, through some of the best dairy country in NZ and on to Manawatu plains and down the west coast to the capital Wellington where we will stay overnight.

Day 9. In the morning we will look around the city, getting a good view of it from the top of Mt Victoria ( which we can drive up ). We will also take in the Houses of Parliament ( from the outside ) and Te Papa which is the National Museum, set up to attract everyone. In the afternoon we will catch the inter island ferry to Picton where we will stay the night.

Day10. In the morning we will travel through to the Wairau Plains which produces most of New Zealand's sauvignon blanc and perhaps visit a winery. We will continue on to Havelock which is at the head of the Pelorus Sound. Most of the green lipped mussels are produced in this Sound and brought ashore at Havelock. We will look at the boats especially designed for this task. We will have lunch at Mussel Boys cafe ( there's alternative platters for those who dont like mussels )

In the afternoon we will continue on to Nelson which is the centre of a thriving alternative lifestyle industry. The area surrounding is intensively farmed and the port is the main one for export of apples and stone fruit.

Day 11.Today we drive south over the lower portion of the Waimea plains, past the intensively farmed areas to the forested hills round Wakefield. We continue south through the two levels of the Buller gorge and stop for lunch in Westport. The town is the centre for coal production and is a port at the mouth of the Buller River. After lunch we continue south, stopping for a look at a former harbour used by the gold miners of the 1880's. It is most impressive!. We carry on to meet up with the wild west coast just north of Punakaiki. When we get to Punakaiki we will stop and have a look at the unusual shapes rocks ( and blowholes ) that there are there. Continue on to Greymouth where we will have dinner at Revingtons Hotel.

Day 12. Today we travel south to view the glaciers. First, though, we stop in Hokitika which has become the centre for much of the craft activities on the coast. Glass blowing, wood carving, and jade ( pounamu, greenstone ) carving are all carried out here. It is a good place to do some shopping!! We continue south and stop at the Hari Hari public bar for lunch. After lunch we continue to Franz Josef town where we stop briefly before carrying on to the Glacier carpark. If the weather is not too bad ( there's a lot of rain on the coast! ) we will walk to the face of the glacier ( ninety minutes return ). The path is well defined up the river valley and thus the walk is an easy one. We will then continue on to the small township of Fox where we will stay the night.

Day 13. Today we change from the wet west coast to the dry central plateau. Immediately after we leave the town of Fox, we will visit the Fox glacier and walk into its face, depending on the weather. Later we will continue through south Westland, stopping for lunch at one of the pubs at Haast. After lunch we drive up the east bank of the Haast river and will stop for a photo at the Gates of Haast. We will carry on through Makarora ( maybe stop for an ice cream ) and along the side of Lakes Wanaka and Hawea until we reach the town of Wanaka. Walk on the lake front and then continue up past the Cadrona skifield and over the Crown Range down into the Queenstown basin. Book into the Lakes Terraces Hotel, the rooms opening out onto individual balconies which overlook the Lake.

Day 14. Round Queenstown. At some stage we will take a jet boat ride on the Shotover River, and a cruise on the old ship Earnslaw. There will be some time free for you to look at the many shops in this all year round tourist centre. At night we will have dinner at the Skyline restaurant at the top end of the gondola.

Day 15. Big day today for we go to Milford Sound for a two hour ride on the Sound. Leave after an early breakfast and travel south, west and then north to get to the Eglington valley which leads to the Homer tunnel and Milford Sound itself. Lunch at Milford and then the trip on the boat. After, we return to Te Anau where we stay the night in the Red Tussock Motel.

Day 16. Today we travel north to Lake Tekapo via Queenstown and then through the Kawarau gorge to Cromwell and Lake Dunstan before we go north through Tarras and Omarama, past Lake Pukaki with Mt Cook in the background and on to the township of Tekapo on the shores of that lake. Visit the church which is situated overlooking the Lake. Overnight at Tekapo.

Day 17. Drive through to Christchurch where the tour concludes.

( If you want assistance with bookings from Christchurch back to Auckland, let us know. )