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Highlights of New Zealand
Preferred
Overview
Short Description
New Zealand has the kind of scenery that demands a standing ovation — and it’s all in such close proximity. Our specialists are passionate about helping you get out to explore it all. There are Milford Sound’s arrow-headed peaks, and stretches of sand so vast they earn outlandish names (‘Ninety Mile Beach’). Caves spangle with glow-worms like a million fairy lights. Stratovolcanoes rise above grassy plains. Ice fields career down almost to the edge of the Tasman Sea. And that’s just for starters.
Whether you’re keen to explore on foot or by car, bicycle or even helicopter (or a combination of them all), our specialists can help. They’ll devise a New Zealand holiday that allows you to take in the major destinations, as well as more out-of-the-way spots or lesser-known activities. They can recommend everything from the best Maori guides to the best places for viewing New Zealand’s unique panoply of birdlife.
Itinerary
Day 1 : International outbound flight
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Auckland.
Day 2 : International outbound flight
On-board your international outbound flight to Auckland.
Day 3 : Auckland
Upon arrival in Auckland you will be welcomed by one of our representatives and transferred by private vehicle to your accommodation. We will also have arranged for a set of documents to await you, which will include a detailed driving atlas and local information guides. After you have settled into your hotel room, venture out into Auckland to begin exploring New Zealand's largest city under your own steam. Take a boat ride around the harbour, or visit the city's many shops and museums. This evening, we recommend making your way to the harbour area which has an abundance of bars and restaurants.
Day 4 : Rotorua
This morning enjoy a half day small group Auckland highlights tour, which is a fantastic introduction to both the city and New Zealand. You then collect your car and make the three hour drive south to Rotorua. We'll have organised your car to be ready at your closest depot at a convenient time for you. All insurances are included in your car hire package and a sat-nav is also available on request.The drive to Rotorua takes around four hours and it's a straightforward, scenic drive. Following the motorway south out of the city, you'll drive through flat pasture lands, then a forested plateau before arriving at Lake Rotorua.
Day 5 : Rotorua
You have the whole day at leisure to explore the thermal plateau region. Take a drive to Lake Taupo and en route, stop at Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Reserve to see Lady Knox Geyser and the bubbling mud basins known as the Devil's Ink Pots. This evening, you have tickets to a Maori cultural evening, where you'll experience traditional performances and a delicious 'Hangi' feast.
Day 6 : Tongariro National Park
Depart for Tongariro National Park where you will spend tonight. You may wish to try one of the many shorter walks available within the park and will notice how dramatically different the scenery here is compared to Rotorua.
Day 7 : Wellington
Depart today for Wellington. Stop en route for coffee and lunch at one of the small rural service towns you will pass through. Once in Wellington, you will have time at leisure to explore the capital city. An excellent recommendation is the national museum, Te Papa, where you will have the opportunity to learn a little more about New Zealand's history and Maori culture. You may also like to take a trip up to Zealandia, a fabulous native bird sanctuary on the hills above Wellington.
Day 8 : Blenheim
Make your own way to the ferry terminal this morning and board the InterIslander ferry across the Cook Strait to the South Island. The crossing takes around three hours. Upon arrival in Picton you collect your hire car from the ferry terminal and make the short 30 minute drive into the Blenheim and Marlborough winelands.Spend the afternoon exploring the Blenheim winelands. If you'd like to explore at leisure we recommend hiring a push bike and visiting the well-known Blenheim and Marlborough vineyards such as Cloudy Bay or Oyster Bay. Alternatively, we can arrange guided tours of the region and its vineyards.
Day 9 : Hanmer Springs
This morning take the beautiful inland drive to Hanmer Springs, this is a very scenic drive and there are plenty of photo opportunities along the way.Spend the rest of today at leisure in Hanmer Springs, you might like to take a relaxing dip in the natural hot pools and then go for a walk to take in the beautiful alpine scenery.
Day 10 : Christchurch
Today, drive to Christchurch where you will have time to explore the city this afternoon, check out the Re-Start container mall and perhaps visit the Antarctic centre.Try out one of the fabulous restaurants in the city tonight, the Tram restaurant is a great way to see the city whilst dining.
Day 11 : Franz Josef Glacier
Drop your car at the airport and take a taxi to the train station this morning where you board the TranzAlpine train. This three hour scenic journey takes you across the Southern Alps through Arthur's Pass National Park to South Island's west coast.Upon arrival in Greymouth you collect your hire car from the train station and take a leisurely drive down to the Glaciers. We can highly recommend stopping en route at the small town of Hokitika for lunch. The drive to Franz Josef takes around three hours.
Day 12 : Franz Josef Glacier
Today you will enjoy a fabulous heli hike on the Franz Josef glacier. You will be flown up over the glacier before landing where you will put on your crampons and your guide will pick out a path with his pick axe, enabling him to show you the best ice formations on the glacier that day. Your helicopter will collect you and fly you back down to the township where you have access to the relaxing hot pools for the afternoon.
Day 13 : Queenstown
This morning, you will drive south to Queenstown. On the way, there are plenty of short walks to take in the Haast Pass and scenic spots to enjoy. Stop off for the afternoon in Wanaka, a beautiful lakeside town surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. Then take the road over the Cardrona range to Queenstown which offers you spectacular views of the Queenstown area.
Day 14 : Queenstown
You will join the Dart River Wilderness Safari today - a great half day excursion including an exhilarating jet boat ride followed by a short guided walk and scenic 4WD trip through the forest where you will learn about the local flora and fauna as well as local Maori and colonial history. The trip will take you to Glenorchy and you will have the opportunity to view some of the filming locations of Lord of The Rings during the tour!
Day 15 : International return flight
Today make your own way to the airport in time for your onward flight.
Day 16 : International return flight
Arrive home today to complete your journey.
Availability
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3,322 Audley Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings
Highlights of New Zealand
Company Reviews
I’ll use Audley for all my travel moving forward
The locations were perfect and the activities made the experience extra special.
I would definitely recommend Audley and especially Ewan to anyone looking for a more bespoke experience.
Unresponsive
I contacted Audley as they came recommended by Wilderness Travel, the company we traveled with previously.
I left multiple messages for their regional specialist Adam -- voice messages through his co-workers (Alec and Jacky), email, website inquiry -- he didn't reply. I finally spoke to another specialist at the office (Lydia) and pressed her to not take yet another message for Adam, but tell me honestly if they are interested in working on our itinerary or we should move on. She then told me that they are busy. Well, wish they had some integrity to tell me on the first call, so I didn't have to loose time on trying to contact their "specialist".
p.s. They sent their automated marketing message with ALL their trips listed in response to my website inquiry. In this message they included: "When you are ready...". I replied that, indeed, we are ready, as I explained in my inquiry -- ready, know where and when we want to travel and are inquiring if you are interested in creating a private journey for us. No reply! Instead, they sent another marketing message the next day (and after Lydia already told us that they are very busy and won't be able to make reservations.) The second marketing message had no option to "unsubscribe". Again, I replied to that message and asked them to stop spamming me with marketing materials.
UPDATE: Audley's Client Experience Executive reached out to me in response to this review. She apologized profusely and wanted me to know that my "feedback is being heard". She said that she spoke with the employees' manager to "ensure mistakes like this don’t happen again and provide additional training to support their growth." She also promised to ask the marketing to delete my name from their marketing list. I took her at her word.
I don't know if this interaction with the client experience executive convinced me to seek Audley's services in the future, but I promised her to include in my review this "status update".
There are much better travel companies than Audley
I’m booking for South Africa and they simply can’t accept that another company can provide a better itinerary at a lower price - even to the point of asking for the other quote and saying this is usual practice in the industry!! ( rubbish) . Totally unprofessional behaviour. Furthermore , sending me emails knocking my choice of hotel and safari park while at the same time promoting hotels that clearly have issues as evidenced by poor ratings on the major sites
I use another well known travel provider that actually provide high quality at a decent price
Audley are simply interested in selling the highest price hotels etc that give them the maximum profit rather than what is right for you
They love themselves and keep on saying nonsense such as “ I’m really pleased with what I’ve come up with and hope you are too “
They need to get real
I won’t reveal the name of the agent dealing with me as that’s probably unfair
Amazing Trip of a life time
Christmas in Thailand
Mark Hotham at Audley Travel helped us to put together the holiday of a lifetime. He helped us through the complexity of different start dates, advised on a suitable hotel and arranged a terrific trip to the Elephant Hills camp in the jungle.
The arrangements worked splendidly, the hotel in Khao Lak was first class and the Elephant Hills trip was magical.
Nothing was ever too much trouble for Mark and every effort was made to deliver the holiday we were looking for.
We have already recommended Audley travel to our friends and they will be our first choice of travel agency from now on.
Our California Trip
Details
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal ground transport
Group Size
Intimate Group - 12 max
Trip ID#:
audley-travel-44174
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