12 Days/11 Nights (extendable-contractable!)from just $1,990 per person share twin. This tour is adaptable to your requirements

AUCKLAND - WAITOMO CAVES - ROTORUA - TAUPO - WELLINGTON - PICTON - CHRISTCHURCH - MOUNT COOK - QUEENSTOWN - LAKE TE ANAU - MILFORD SOUND OR DOUBTFUL SOUND OPTION - FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER - "TRANZ ALPINE" TRAIN - CHRISTCHURCH. (also operates daily in the reverse direction)

COMMENCES AUCKLAND (and Christchurch reverse direction) DAILY YEAR ROUND - Minimum 2 passengers
First Class (4 star) or Standard (3 Star) accommodation options.

PLEASE NOTE:
This is a semi independent tour using the best local sightseeing operators and scheduled transportation available. Transfers provided by local operators.

ALL SERVICES OPERATE DAILY. You are welcome to extend your stay at any point and the itinerary is fully adaptable. If more than 6 reserve on any particular day some travel will be with our friendly driver/guide and mini coach.

This tour links from and to our AUSTRALIA 7 NIGHT MINI TOUR. Sunday departures from Christchurch or Auckland link to our DISCOVER THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA and DISCOVER THE SOUTH PACIFIC TOURS.

Day 1. ARRIVE AUCKLAND
Arrive Auckland. After completing customs and immigration formalities you will find our driver waiting in the arrivals area with your names on a signboard. They will transfer you to your accommodation. Arrivals before 4pm receive a complimentary 1 hour tour of introduction to Auckland city en route to your hotel including the summit of Mt Eden for a panoramic view over the city, Domain and Rose gardens, Tamaki Waterfront Drive, Mission Bay, city and university areas, and Albert Park.
Standard: President Hotel
1st Class: Grand Chancellor

Day 2. AUCKLAND - WAITOMO CAVES - ROTORUA (B)
Drive south over the Bombay hills and through Ngaruawahia, home of the Maori King. Continue over fertile Waikato dairy farmland to the Waitomo Caves. Enjoy a tour through the main limestone cave and cruise through the glowworm grotto (conditions permitting) before continuing to Rotorua, New Zealand's highest city at 305 metres above sea level and situated inside the rim of an extinct volcanic crater. Enjoy the Agrodome farm tour to meet the sheep and see shearing and sheep dog handling along with a demonstration of wool processing. Drive along the lakefront and through the government gardens and visit Te Puia cultural and thermal area for a Maori Concert and guided tour the through the thermal area to see the boiling mud, steaming geysers, live kiwi birds, and cultural displays. Late afternoon you will be taken to your accommodation for 2 nights.
Standard: Ibis
First Class: Novotel Lakeside

Day 3. ROTORUA (B)
The day is free for your own activities with over 100 ways of spending money and enjoying the day making it as exciting or relaxing as you wish! Your accommodation is 2 minutes walk from the lakefront, 3 minutes walk from the main restaurant area, and 5 minutes walk from the centre of Rotorua. Maybe take a lake cruise, visit some of the many thermal areas, try your hand at trout fishing, relax in the hot thermal waters of the Polynesian spa, try 4wd off roading, white water rafting, tandem parachuting etc etc. All activities extra expense. For more culture enjoy a Maori concert and hangi steam cooked dinner tonight.

Day 4. ROTORUA - TAUPO - WELLINGTON (B)
Drive south through part of the vast Kaiangaroa Pine forest, along the shores of Lake Taupo, and across the Desert Road with excellent views of the central North Island volcanoes in fine weather and on to Wellington, the capital city, for 2 nights.
Standard: West Plaza
1st Class: James Cook Grand Chancellor

Day 5. WELLINGTON (B)
Your morning sightseeing tour includes Parliament House and the Beehive, city areas, part of the beautiful marine drive, and the summit of Mt Victoria for a panoramic view over the city ending at Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand. The afternoon is free to explore the museum and waterfront at your leisure.

Day 6. WELLINGTON - PICTON - CHRISTCHURCH (B)
Transfer to the Interislander terminal for the scenic 3 hour cruise across Cook Strait and through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton. Travel by train or coach down the scenic Kaikoura Coast to Christchurch arriving late afternoon.
Standard: Latimer Hotel - standard rooms
1st Class: Grand Chancellor

Day 7. CHRISTCHURCH - MT COOK - QUEENSTOWN (B)
Depart Christchurch 7.30am and drive across the Canterbury Plains to Lake Tekapo. Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and sheep dog monument and continue along the shores of Lake Pukaki to Mt Cook - New Zealand's highest mountain. (Optional scenic flight in fine weather over the magnificent scenery of the Mt Cook National Park). Continue through the McKenzie Country and over Lindis Pass to Queenstown arriving late afternoon.
Standard: Scenic Circle A Line Hotel
1st Class: Novotel Lakeside

Day 8. QUEENSTOWN (B)
The day is free to explore at your leisure with a huge number of optional (extra expense) activities available. Take a tour to the historic gold mining centre of Arrowtown, a "Lord of the Rings" tour to Glenorchy, lunch or dinner at the Skyline restaurant high above Queenstown, take an exciting jet boat ride, a sedate cruise on the historic steamer "Earnslaw", bungy jump, visit a vineyard, or whatever you wish. All activities are extra expense.

Optional evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu to the Walter Peak sheep station for dinner - extra cost $110. This should be prebooked if required to avoid disappointment.

Day 9. MILFORD or DOUBTFUL SOUND EXCURSION OPTIONS. (BL)
Option 1 - Milford Sound. Extra cost per person $256 including Buffet lunch.
A day of magnificent scenery as you drive along the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau then on through the Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys to Milford Sound. Enjoy a cruise to the head of the Sound under majestic Mitre Peak before returning to Queenstown. (Optional scenic flight from Milford Sound to Queenstown - weather permitting - extra cost $280)

Option 2. Doubtful Sound triple treat. Extra cost per person $375 including picnic lunch.
Drive to Lake Manapouri to join your first cruise across this beautiful bush fringed lake to West Arm. Coach through some of the Fiordland National Park's most dense rainforest across Wilmot Pass to Doubtful Sound to join your 3 hour cruise exploring the fiords and side arms of magnificent Doubtful Sound all the way to the Tasman Sea. Usually Bottlenose dolphins and seals are to be seen and your nature guide will give a commentary. Retrace your steps to Manapouri and Queenstown arriving mid evening. Usually during the return you have the opportunity to drive deep underground at West Arm to visit the massive electric power station carved out of the granite.

Day 10. QUEENSTOWN - FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER (B)
Drive north to Lake Wanaka then over the Haast Pass to the spectacular West Coast and on through the township of Fox Glacier to Franz Josef Glacier.You will be taken by local operator to the Franz Josef Glacier lookout.
Optional ski plane or helicopter flight - extra expense and weather permitting.
Standard: Rainforest Retreat
1st Class: Franz Josef Glacier hotel

Day 11. FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER - "TRANZ ALPINE EXPRESS" - CHRISTCHURCH (B)
Drive north to Hokitika for a brief break then on to Greymouth to join the TRANZ ALPINE EXPRESS for one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world across the Southern Alps and Canterbury Plains arriving Christchurch late afternoon.You will be met and transferred to your accommodation.

Day 12. CHRISTCHURCH DEPART (B)
Transfer to the airport for departure.

This tour links to our DISCOVER AUSTRALIA MINI TOUR daily and to our DISCOVER THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA TOUR commencing Sydney sundays.

You are welcome to stay over in Christchurch for extra nights and enjoy more time in the 'garden city'.

Tour cost per person	2 per room	3 per room	Single room
Standard hotels	$1,990	$1,770	$2,800
1st class hotels	$2,700	$2,200	$3,600

Tour Cost Includes (Full Tour):

** All travel from Auckland to Christchurch (or vv) by mini bus or coach, Interisland ferry, and train.
** Arrival and departure transfers at each point
** 11 nights accommodation at grade chosen - hotels as listed or similar.
** Breakfast daily,
** Admission fees to: Waitomo Caves, Agrodome farm show and demonstrations, Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute.