Route: Auckland – Waitomo Caves – Hobbiton - Rotorua – Taupo – Wellington – Picton – Nelson – Punakaiki – Fox Glacier – Wanaka - Queenstown
Description: This trip will allow you to travel around both of the beautiful islands of Aotearoa, see the most stunning landscapes, and experience the greatest activities. Please note that this tour is best suited to the summer months. Enjoy your trip!
Day 1
Itinerary:
Arrive in New Zealand in the morning or a day before.
14:30 – 17:30 Start your journey with the Auckland City Sights Tour and Sky Tower. Experience the best of Auckland's city highlights with a half-day scenic tour, followed by a trip up the famous Auckland Sky Tower.
17:30 – 19:30 Enjoy a 3 Course Dinner at the revolving Orbit Restaurant located at the top of the Sky Tower.
Day 2
Auckland – Waitomo Caves – Hobbiton - Rotorua
Itinerary:
08:00 – 11:00 Drive from Auckland to Waitomo (196 km, about 4 hours with a couple of short breaks).
11:30 – 13:30 Grab New Zealand’s longest guided underground walking tour at Waitomo Ruakuri Cave.
13:30 –15:00 Drive to Hobbiton.
15:00 – 16:00 Check-inn, lunch at Shire Rest Cafe.
16:00 – 18:00 Tour to the famous Hobbiton.
18:00 – 19:00 Drive to Rotorua.
In the evening we advise you to soak in the mineral pools of Polynesian SPA.
Day 3
Itinerary:
09:00 – 10:00 Start your day with the Redwoods Treewalk
10:00 – 14:00 Driving to Skyline Gondola and go uphill. There is a great lake and town view from the summit! Skyline Half Day Adventure Pass: Gondola ride + 5 luge rides + Skyswing + Zipline and Stratosfare Lunch.
14:00 - 14:30 Make your way to Agrodome.
14:30 - 16:30 Farm Show & Eco Farm/Orchard Tour at Agrodome.
16:30 - 16:45 Driving to Rainbow Springs.
16:45 - 18:00 Tour of Rainbow Springs park where you'll encounter lots of New Zealand endemics including tuatara and kiwi bird. We advise you to go straight to Kiwi House because it closes at 5 pm. Afterwards, you'll have plenty of time to see the rest inhabitants of the park.
18:10 – 21:00 Mitai Maori Village Experience.
Day 4
Rotorua – Wai-O-Tapu – Huka Falls – Taupo
Itinerary:
08:00 – 08:30 Drive from Rotorua to Wai-O-Tapu (31 km, 30 minutes)
08:30 – 10:00 Admission to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Wander through “one of the 20 most surreal places in the world”.
10:00 – 10:35 Drive from Wai-O-Tapu to Huka falls Jet Ride (47 km).
11:00 – 11:30 Experience the awesome Huka Falls Jet Ride with 360-degree spins and a photo session in front of the powerful Huka Falls.
11:30 – 12:30 Taste king prawns at the Huka Prawn Park, which is on the doorstep of the Huka Falls Jet Ride.
12:30 – 12:40 Drive from the Huka Prawn Park to Taupo (9 km)
12:40 – 13:30 Try a solo or tandem Taupo Bungy or Swing or even the Bungy & Swing Combo.
13:30 – 13:40 Drive to Taupo Marina, located at 65 Redoubt Street
14:00 – 16:00 Enjoy the Maori Rock Carvings Cruise with unique lake views and photo opportunities.
16:00 – 16:20 Drive from Taupo Marina to the Wairakei Terraces.
16:30 – 17:00 Take a stroll along the Silica Terraces Walkway and be surprised by the powerful geothermal activity of this place.
17:00 till late - Relax in the mineral and silica-enriched thermal pools at Wairakei Terraces.
Day 5
Itinerary:
If you like hiking you can do Tongariro Crossing today (please, google the detailed information). Alternative shorter routes in Tongariro National Park are Ohakune Great Coach Road and Taranaki Falls trail.
Then you'll drive to Wellington. The total distance between Taupo and Wellington is 370 km. However, the views are spectacular and you will stop frequently to take photos. We advise you to use State Highway 1 rather than State Highway 2.
Enjoy a free evening in the capital of New Zealand.
Day 6
Itinerary:
If your hotel is in the city centre, it’s better to leave your car in the hotel’s carpark. Wellington is made to explore on foot.
10:00 – 11:00 Take a 1-hour public tour around the New Zealand Parliament. It is free of charge.
11:00 – 13:30 Make you way down Lambton Quay to the Wellington Cable Car and ride uphill to the one of the most picturesque lookouts in the city. Walk down the hill through the Botanic Gardens and go to the local I-Site. You’ll have 20-30 minutes for lunch.
13:30 – 17:00 Get up close to the props, weapons and costumes created for The Lord of the Rings, Power Ranges, The Great Wall, Avatar, District 9, and more. Grab the Weta Cave: The Full Experience with return transfers from the central I-Site.
17:00 – 18:00 If you are not exhausted, visit Te Papa Tongarewa – the main New Zealand museum. The entrance is free, but the museum is only open until 6 pm, so make your way there quickly!
Day 7
Wellington – Cook Strait - Picton – Nelson
Itinerary:
08:30 – 12:00 Cross Cook Strait by ferry (approximately 3 hours 30 mins). Please note that some car rental companies require clients to drop-off their first vehicle in Wellington and pick up another one in Picton; while other companies are happy for clients to take their first car on the ferry to the South Island. In this case you’ll have to pay a ferry fee for your car.
12:00 – 14:00 Drive from Picton to Nelson (107 km).
Enjoy a free evening in the sunniest town in New Zealand. Advise you to visit one or several Marlborough wineries.
Day 8
Itinerary:
08:30 – 16:30 Take the excellent Abel Tasman Kayaking: Kayak & Pitt Head Nature Loop. You will see seals and little blue penguins, paddle through the pristine green waters of one of New Zealand's most beautiful national parks, and enjoy its golden sandy beaches.
Visit a local winery for dinner.
Day 9
Nelson - Charleston - Westport
Itinerary:
09:00 – 13:00 Driving to Charleston village. During gold rush, it was the biggest town in New Zealand with more than 30,000 dwellers. Nowadays only 6 people live here. 222 km on the road.
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch at a local cafe. Check-in the tour.
14:00 – 18:00 Underworld Rafting with Glowworms. Unforgettable experience is waiting for you!
Night in Westport town which is nearby Charleston.
Day 10
Westport - Punakaiki - Shantytown - Greymouth - Fox Glacier
Itinerary:
09:00 – 10:00 Make your way to Punakaiki pancake rocks.
10:00 – 11:00 Walking in the park (free entrance).
11:00 – 12:00 Driving to Shantytown heritage park which is a full-scale re-creation of a 19th-century pioneer gold mining town.
12:00 – 14:00 Shantytown Experience with Gold Panning.
14:00 – 15:00 Lunch at a Greymouth cafe.
15:00 – 19:00 Driving to Fox Glacier village (240 km).
Day 11
Itinerary:
08:30 - 08:50 The tour check-in.
08:50 - 12:50 Fox Glacier Heli Hike.
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch at a local cafe.
14:00 - 15:30 Hiking around mirror lake Matheson. Instead, you can go to Queenstown and spend some time in Wanaka. Puzzling World: The Combo - Illusion Rooms & Great Maze is available there.
15:30 - 20:30 Driving to Queenstown (327 km).
Day 12
Itinerary:
09:00 – 12:30 Get your adrenaline flowing this morning with the Shotover Canyon Fox & Swing. These are two of the must-do activities in the adventure capital of the world!
If you are looking for a less heart-thumping activity, take the Gold Heritage 4WD tour to Skippers Canyon, or Ziptrek’s Kea 6-line Tour.
13:00 – 17:30 Treat yourself to a delicious day of gourmet goodies with the Wine & Food Tour. You’ll be picked up near the Station Building, which is on the doorstep of Shotover Canyon Swing & Fox’s office.
18:00 – 22:00 Take a cruise on the legendary steamship TSS Earnslaw, and enjoy the mouth-watering Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Dinner.
Day 13
Itinerary:
06:55 – 15:40 Today is a day you'll remember for the rest of your life, as you explore the incredible scenery of Milford Sound! The best way to experience the sound is to take the Milford Sound Coach/Nature Cruise/Fly tour. It will give you a chance to enjoy the beauty of this remote place from different angles. Other options: Milford Sound Fly/Scenic Cruise/Fly, Milford Sound Helicopter/Scenic Cruise/Helicopter, Helicopter Tour Fiordland's Finest. Please, check all options on the page All Activities.
18:00 – 20:00 Spend the evening at Stratosfare Restaurant, taking in great lake and town views, and devouring a delicious meal with the Skyline Gondola & Dinner.
Day 14
Queenstown – Auckland (or directly overseas)
Itinerary:
If you leave New Zealand late at night we recommend you to try one of the tours listed below:
1) 07:45 - 16:30 Dart River Funyaks
2) 08:30 - 12:00 Queenstown Quad Safari
3) 09:00 - 10:00 Shotover Jet Ride
Or any other tour available on the page All Activities.
The End
We'll be happy to see you in New Zealand!
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