13 Day - Nikau

‘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. Imagine an urban environment where everyone lives within half an hour of beautiful beaches, hiking trails and a dozen enchanted holiday islands. Add a mild climate, a background rhythm of Polynesian culture and a passion for outstanding food, wine and shopping and you’re beginning to get the picture of Auckland. Also known as the City of Sails - a title gained from the view of yachts seen against the cityscape.

Two Nights Accommodation at the Heritage Hotel in Auckland. Perfectly positioned overlooking the sparkling Waitamata Harbour and the excitement of the America's Cup Village. Situated in the heart of Auckland's business district The Heritage is within walking distance of the city's many attractions, including the Sky Tower, Casino, the shops of Queen Street and Auckland city's finest cafés and restaurants.

Auckland provides visitors with so many wonderful experiences, plenty within easy reach of the downtown city centre. Today is a free day at leisure to relax & explore what Auckland has to offer. Perhaps visit Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World and Antarctic Encounter; take a cruise on Auckland Harbour or make your way to the top of the Sky Tower for spectacular views of Auckland city.

Sightseeing and activity options available:

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. 

One Nights Accommodation at Puka Park Resort in the coromandel. The stylish and private chalets are hidden amid 25 acres of lush, native bushland, each harmonising perfectly with the environment. . The resort’s signature restaurant, Miha, is renowned for superb dining, intimate ambience and stunning views, whilst the adjacent ti kouka bar offers the perfect environment to relax and unwind after a busy day exploring.

Journey along the Bay of Plenty coastline to Mt Maunganui & Tauranga. Then head inland across the volcanic plateau to the geothermal city of Rotorua.

Geysers, mud pools and thermal springs have been attracting visitors to Rotorua since the 1800s and the living, breathing landscape never fails to amaze. Perched on the edge of a large lake, in the crater of an ancient volcano, this picturesque city is also the heartland of New Zealand's Maori culture. With 16 sparkling lakes within 20 minutes drive of the city, as well as magnificent forests surrounding, Rotorua has earned the reputation as the North Islands outdoors adventure centre offering an exciting array of experiences.

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.

Sightseeing and activity options available:

Two Nights Accommodation at the Duxton Hotel in Okawa Bay. Located on the shores of beautiful Lake Rotoiti, and just 15 minutes drive from central Rotorua the Duxton Hotel Okawa Bay is known for its idyllic setting, superb facilities and magnificent surroundings.

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 have the opportunity to soak in the thermal waters of Hot Water Beach and experience some of the country’s best trout fishing before enjoying a gourmet picnic lunch. This afternoon, visit the Blue & Green Lakes and then wander around the famous buried village of Te Wairoa.

This morning we visit Wai-O-Tapu (meaning Sacred Waters), a wonderland of geothermal activity. Marvel at the reserve's unique features that include the famous Champagne Pool, geysers, bubbling mud pools, steaming ground and 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.

Two Nights Accommodation at the Te Pania Hotel in Napier. Hawkes Bay is one of the first places in the world to see the light each day, and the Hotel Te Pania in Napier enjoys a premium waterfront location on Marine Parade. The hotel’s slender curved form echoes the shape of the bay, and guests enjoy sweeping views out over the water.

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.

Some alternative sightseeing and activity options:

Travel south 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 native birds including the Takahe, the rarest & most colourful of all New Zealand's birds. The centre also houses Tuatara, lizards & bats in its nocturnal house. Watch out for the enormous eels & trout that loiter under the bridges waiting for handouts! Later we continue on to Wellington, the nations capital. Enjoy a brief sightseeing and orientation tour before checking into your accommodation.

Sightseeing and activity options include:

One Nights Accommodation at the James Cook Hotel in Wellington. This luxurious hotel is situated in the heart of Wellington less than 500 metres from the harbour. Featuring modern, comfortable rooms, many of which boast breathtaking views of the harbour and city.

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. For a different perspective of the city, take a harbour cruise or a ferry trip to Eastbourne, where there are craft shops, galleries and cafes. 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. 

Two Nights Accommodation at the Portage Resort in the Marlborough Sounds. The Portage Resort Hotel has been greeting guests to the Marlborough Sounds for over 100 years. Its has a rich history as a special holiday place for New Zealanders, sailing, fishing, sea kayaking and walking. It is nestled into a wide quiet bay. Rooms are spread throughout the gardens with a range of views, particularly of the spectacular Kenepuru Sound.

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.

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.

Marine Mammal encounters available:

Two Nights Accommodation at the Heritage Hotel in Christchurch. Experience Christchurch in the finest tradition at The Heritage Christchurch. Located in the heart of New Zealand's most "English" of cities, The Heritage Christchurch offers you the opportunity to stay in a magnificent Italian Renaissance building the "OGB", as it is affectionately known, has been lovingly restored from the former turn-of-the-century Old Government Building into a luxury hotel.

Travel by road through the Canterbury Plains to the Waimakariri Gorge in the foothills of the rugged Southern Alps. Travel by jet boat through the gorge deep into the Southern Alps to areas otherwise inaccessible. Rendezvous with the Unimog and travel in this unique 4WD vehicle to Flock Hill Station, viewing spectacular alpine scenery en-route. After lunch, travel by road to Arthur's Pass National Park where you return to Christchurch abroad the world-famous Tranz Alpine train.

Christchurch is the nation’s second largest city and because of its extensive gardens and the Avon River meandering though, it is regarded as the most English of New Zealand cities “The Garden City”. Residents and visitors alike love the city's vibrant nightlife, award-winning restaurants and cafes, fashion precincts, heritage architecture and of course its gardens and wide open spaces for which the city is internationally renowned. This is a city of contrasts, a place where its residents continue to enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle amidst a natural environment it is world-renowned for. It really is the 'city that shines'.

Some sightseeing and activity options available:

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.

Please take the time to view our “Virtual Tour” for the 13 Day  Nikau tour or download or print the detailed “Tour Dossier”. Both can be found on the right hand column of this page. Alternatively you can simply contact us. For a comprehensive  list of  all activities available in each location featured in this tour, please refer to the "Destination Guide" found at the top of this page.