18 Day Auckland to Christchurch Small Group Tour

Ask our expert Chris Hawkins about the 18 Day Auckland to Christchurch Small Group Tour

Day 1 Arrive Auckland
'Haere Mai' … welcome to New Zealand

Having cleared customs & immigration formalities, you will be met by our representative & transferred by limousine to your city hotel. The 'City of Sails' is New Zealand's largest and most vibrant, offering an exciting array of cosmopolitan experiences.
Stay Heritage Auckland Hotel

Day 2 Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula (B)
Today, travel south to the Coromandel Peninsula, a beautiful rugged area fringed with dozens of excellent beaches that separate the Pacific Ocean from the Hauraki Gulf. It is a place where many kiwis choose to escape the hustle & hype of city life and is home to many arts & crafts people who seek an alternative lifestyle. At the quaint township of Coromandel, we ride the Driving Creek narrow gauge railway to a fascinating artist colony before crossing the divide to the eastern side of the peninsula for our overnight stay in Tairua.
Stay Pacific Harbour Lodge

Day 3 Coromandel, Rotorua (B,D)
Journey along the Bay of Plenty coastline to Mt Maunganui & Tauranga. Then head inland across the volcanic plateau to the geothermal city of Rotorua, an area that has enchanted visitors from around the world for more than 160 years. This evening, enjoy a twilight cruise across Lake Rotoiti to the natural themal springs of Manupirua Pools before enjoying a lakeside BBQ dinner at your resort.
Stay  Duxton Hotel Okawa Bay

Day 4 Exclusive Lake Tarawera Cruise & Te Wairoa Buried Village (B,L)
The days highlight is an exclusive cruise across the pristine, clear waters of Lake Tarawera at the base of a gigantic dormant volcano. You’ll experience spectacular scenery & some of the country’s best trout fishing & have the opportunity to soak in the thermal waters of Hot Water Beach before enjoying a gourmet picnic lunch. This afternoon, visit the Blue & Green Lakes and then wander around the famous buried village of Te Wairoa.
Stay Duxton Hotel Okawa Bay

Day 5 Lake Taupo, Napier (B)
This morning, visit Wai-O-Tapu, a wonderland of geothermal activity. Walk at your own pace and marvel at the reserve's unique features that include the world famous Champagne Pool, geysers, bubbling mud, steaming ground, expansive vistas, huge volcanic craters & sinter terrace formations. An hour south of Rotorua is Lake Taupo, itself a gigantic volcanic crater following an enormous explosion in AD183. View Huka Falls & the Wairakei Geothermal project and take time to walk around this popular lakeside resort. Journey on to Napier, widely regarded as the 'Art Deco Capital of the World', the result of a thorough rebuilding after a massive earthquake in 1931. It boasts the largest collection of Art Deco buildings outside of Miami, Florida. Nowhere else can you see as wide a variety of 1930’s-style buildings in such a concentrated area, including Striped Classical, Spanish Mission and above all, Art Deco. Your local guide will bring this fascinating architecture to life on your walk around the town this afternoon.
Stay Te Pania Hotel

Day 6 At leisure in the Hawke's Bay (B)
Widely regarded as the ‘Tuscany of the South Pacific’, this region boasts some of New Zealand’s best and oldest wineries. You can enjoy a guided wine trail and taste some of the great wines produced locally, visit the world’s largest mainland Gannet Colony, play a challenging round of golf at Cape Kidnappers, take to the skies on an early morning balloon ride over vineyards, olive groves and orchards or simply relax and enjoy your surroundings.
Stay Te Pania Hotel

Day 7 Wairarapa, Mt Bruce & Wellington (B)
Travel through the rural heartland of the Wairarapa region to Pukaha Mount Bruce, New Zealand's National Wildlife Centre. In this beautiful setting of native forest you will see the finest collection of New Zealand native birds to be found anywhere. See the mighty Takahe, the rarest & most colourful of all. The centre also houses tuatara, various lizards and bats in its nocturnal house. Watch out for the enormous eels and trout that loiter under the bridges, waiting for handouts. Later, we continue on to Wellington, the nations capital, and enjoy a brief sightseeing and orientation tour before checking into your accommodation.
Stay Duxton Hotel

Day 8 Picton & the Marlborough Sounds (B)
This morning is at leisure to explore what Wellington has to offer. Downtown Wellington on Lambton Quay is popular with shoppers. Perhaps a trip on the Cable Car, which takes you from Lambton Quay to Kelburn or a visit to the Botanic Gardens. A visit to Te Papa National Museum is highly recommended. This afternoon, travel across Cook Strait, the stretch of water that separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The journey across Cook Strait has a dramatic beauty all of its own. Both Islands can be viewed, including the magnificent Kaikoura ranges, and there is often the chance to see wildlife such as seabirds, dolphins, seals, whales and orca. On arrival in Picton, join your water taxi transfer to Torea Bay & transfer over the saddle by resort vehicle to your hotel.
Stay The Portage Resort

Day 9 Stunning Kenepuru Sound (B)
A free day to relax & marvel at the magic that is the Marlborough Sounds. Resort staff will share their love of the Sounds with you through the range of water and nature based experiences they put at your fingertips. The wide beach access is great for fishing, boating, sailing, swimming & sea-kayaking and there is a wealth of walks and meanderings in the immediate vicinity. There is also the opportunity to visit the vineyards & wineries that are located in the famous Marlborough wine region.
Stay The Portage Resort

Day 10 Kaikoura Coast, Christchurch (B)
Return by water taxi to Picton. Rejoin your coach and travel through Blenheim to Kaikoura, world-renowned as the whale-watching centre of New Zealand. Later, we continue south to the “Garden City” of Christchurch, regarded as the most English of New Zealand cities.
Stay Heritage Hotel

Day 11 Spectacular Tranz Alpine Train, Franz Josef & Fox Glaciers (B)
The Tranz Alpine is described as "The Great New Zealand Rail Adventure" and is rated as one of the top six scenic train journeys in the world. After crossing the huge and fertile patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains, the Tranz Alpine winds its way over massive viaducts, through spectacular river gorges and the stunning Waimakariri River valley. It tracks its way up and across the spectacular Southern Alps via the alpine village of Arthur’s Pass situated 737 metres above sea level. Your Tour Host will meet you on arrival at Arthur’s Pass where you will rejoin your coach and travel along the dramatic West Coast, steeped in history dating back to the gold rush era of the 1800's, to the township of Fox Glacier for our overnight stay.
Stay Te Weheka Inn

Day 12 Haast, Wanaka, Queenstown (B)
There is the opportunity to experience an optional scenic flight over this remarkable region (subject to weather conditions) before our departure this morning. Today, view incredible scenery as you travel past the untouched native forests and pristine lakes of the World Heritage Westland National Park and Haast Pass. We then travel over the magnificent Southern Alps to the Southern Lakes District. Time to wander around the popular lakeside townships of Hawea and Wanaka before travelling to Queenstown, a beautiful alpine resort regarded as New Zealand's premier holiday destination.
Stay Heritage Queenstown Hotel

Day 13 , 14 & 15 Explore Queenstown & the Fiordland National Park (B)
Enjoy three full days to experience this magnificent resort. Surrounded by majestic mountains, Queenstown boasts adventure activities in all forms, from extreme to relaxed exploration. Here you can take a thrilling jet boat ride, pan for gold, raft the white water rapids, take a wine trail, fish for trout, play golf or 4WD sheer canyons. It is also a great base from which to explore the Fiordland National Park, and optional day tours & overnight cruises to the awesome Milford & Doubtful Sounds are available. There are numerous activities from which to choose and your Tour Host will be pleased to offer advice and help you in your selection.
Stay Heritage Queenstown Hotel

Day 16 Arrowtown, Mt Cook National Park (B,D)
Set beneath the rugged Crown Range is Arrowtown, a fascinating collection of mining cottages with an atmosphere straight out of last century. Enjoy some time to stroll through this historic village located beside the Arrow River, once a haven for the gold prospectors of the 1860’s. Later, we travel through the towns of Omarama & Twizel before driving up the western side of Lake Pukaki to the Mt Cook National Park, a World Heritage listed site. Mt Cook is Australasia's highest mountain at 3764 metres. The park covers over 70,000 hectares of breathtaking alpine scenery and is also home to the Tasman Glacier, the longest in the Southern hemisphere (optional Ski-plane & helicopter flights are available subject to weather conditions).
Stay Mt Cook Hermitage Hotel - Aoraki Wing

Day 17 Tasman Glacier, Lake Tekapo, Christchurch (B)
Experience the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s largest, in the most unique way possible. An experienced guide will whisk you away in a stable MAC Boat to explore the melting ice-face of the Tasman Glacier where you will also get to touch & taste 400-year old icebergs that have been carved into the murky waters of the lake. Later we visit beautiful Lake Tekapo and view the tiny Church of the Good Shepherd, built of local stone and oak in 1935. Leaving the High Country, cross the vast Canterbury Plains to the 'Garden City' of Christchurch.
Stay Heritage Hotel

Day 18 Depart Christchurch (B)
Sadly, your holiday is at an end and you will be transferred to Christchurch airport today for your onward flight. Here, we bid you ‘Haere Ra’, a fond farewell and hope you leave with many happy memories of your stay in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

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