New Zealand Amplified (Southbound)
Overview
Highlights
- Dig your own natural hot tub on Hot Water Beach and check out the much-photographed Cathedral Cove – a little piece of paradise awaits on the Coromandel Peninsula.
- Head to a Maori village where the profits from your visit are fed back into the community, learn the haka and Maori weaving before tucking into a traditional hangi dinner.
- Take the ferry from Wellington to Picton, sailing through the Marlborough Sounds – scenic sea-drowned valleys with lush peaks and bright blue waters. If you’re lucky, you even spot some dolphins swimming next to the boat!
- Spend a night under the stars of Lake Tekapo – this gorgeous bright blue lake is also a designated Dark Sky Reserve and after sunset, the sky comes alive with stars. Maybe watch the sky change colours at the Church of Good Shepard for one of the most gorgeous backdrops!
- Soak in the beauty of Wanaka – from its centrepiece lake to surrounding mountains, you’ll uncover all this pretty little spot has to offer, including the iconic Wanaka Tree.
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- Coromandel Peninsula - Hot Water Beach
- Rotorua - Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
- Coromandel Peninsula - Cathedral Cove
- Murupara - Hangi Dinner
- Rotorua - Pohutu Geyser
- Rotorua - Visit Te Puia Maori Village
- Murupara - Learn to Weave Flax
- Murupara - Learn the Haka
- Murupara - Village Tour with Maori Elder
- Tongariro National Park - Scenic Drive
- Wellington - Mount Victoria Lookout
- Marlborough - Cook Strait Ferry Crossing
- Kaikoura - Visit to a Seal Colony
- Lake Tekapo - Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd
- Christchurch - City Tour
- Queenstown - Kawarau Gorge
- Arrowtown - Village visit
- West Coast - Haast Pass
- West Coast - Lake Hawea Lookout
- Franz Josef - Carve your own Pounamu Necklace
- Hokitika - Mountain Jade Greenstone Factory
Itinerary
Kia Ora! Welcome to New Zealand. Your adventure begins in Auckland – a multi-cultural city full of good food, local music, arts and culture. You’ll meet up with your local leader and new travel buddies for a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, why no...
This morning, get on the road and travel towards the Coromandel Peninsula. This super scenic drive sets the tone for the rest of your journey, as you cruise down the coastline past views of glittering water and white sands. The Coromandel Peninsula is known for its lu...
Take a deeper dive into the landscapes of the Coromandel Peninsula today with a walk along the clifftops and down to Cathedral Cove, one of the region’s most beautiful and photogenic spots – the rock arches, columns and pristine beaches are a truly impressive sight. W...
There’s so much to see and do in Rotorua, so today is free to discover it all. Have a chat to your local leader for tips on how to get the most out of your day here. You may like to take a stroll through Kuirau Park, surrounded by bubbling and boiling mud pools. If yo...
Start the day with a visit to the Te Puia Maori Village, where you’ll get firsthand insight into Maori culture. You’ll also have the chance to see Pohutu, New Zealand’s largest geyser, in action – this is a sight that will blow you away! A visit to the kiwi conservati...
Hit the road this morning and head to Taupo, making a few stops along the way. Check out simmering mud pools, the rushing waters of the Huka Falls and the impressive Aratiatia Dam and rapids. Arrive in Taupo, sitting in the shores of Lake Taupo – New Zealand’s largest...
The day is yours to enjoy all Taupo has to offer. Chill out lakeside to soak in the inspiring views, or get active and take on one of the awesome hiking trails in the area. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, the Tongariro Crossing in the nearby Tongariro National Pa...
Get ready for a long drive from Taupo to Wellington with views so incredible you’ll wish the drive was longer! Weave through the barren landscapes of the Rangipo Desert and pass through Tongariro National Park. Look out for the volcanic peaks of Mount Ruapehu, Mount T...
Say goodbye to the North Island and jump on a ferry across the Cook Strait. Your introduction to the South Island is certainly a beautiful one as you cruise through the magnificent Marlborough Sounds and into Picton Harbour. Next, travel down to Kaikoura, famous for i...
Experiencing Kaikoura’s wildlife while you’re in this corner of the country is a must, so take the chance this morning to get to know the town’s most famous creatures. You may like to set out on a trip to encounter dolphins in their natural habitat – dusky dolphins, h...
Today is a free day to explore Christchurch at your own pace. Maybe chill out in the Botanic Gardens or go and see the Christchurch Cathedral – made entirely out of cardboard after the earthquake in 2011, this is a great example of the ingenuity of the locals. Tonight...
This morning, head out with your local leader to get to know Christchurch. After exploring some of the sites, it’s time to get on the road and drive to Lake Tekapo – this spot is a designated Dark Sky Reserve and the lake is a truly stunning sight, with its bright blu...
Rise and shine! If you’d like to really embrace the morning, maybe take a hike to the summit of Mt John for views of the Southern Alps. If you skip the walk, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of incredible views to be seen today. You’ll drive past the tussock lands of...
The day is yours to experience all Queenstown has to offer. If you want to get your heart racing, look no further! Paragliding, jet boating, mountain biking, canyon swinging and bungy jumping could all be on the cards for you today – just speak to your leader. For sce...
Take the morning to tick off anything you didn’t get to see or do yesterday, then leave Queenstown in the rear-view mirror and begin the super scenic drive across the Crown Range to Wanaka. Along the way, stop off in the little gold-rush town of Arrowtown, where the h...
Soak up a free morning to explore Wanaka at your own pace. Maybe take a bike ride along the shores of Lake Wanaka or get on the water and cruise to Mou Waho Island, where you’ll find an island in a lake on an island in a lake! There are heaps of beautiful short walks ...
Franz Josef is where glaciers and soaring peaks make a spectacular background to the slow-paced, daily life. This part of the country is known as Te Wahi Pounamu, meaning ‘the place of greenstone’, due to the region’s abundance of this culturally and spiritually signi...
Travel up the wild and wet West Coast, where the country’s highest annual rainfall means the landscapes are unbelievably green, standing in striking contrast to the blues of the ocean. Stop off in the town of Hokitika and pop into a pounamu factory where you’ll have t...
Your adventure comes to an end this morning, but if you’re not ready to go home yet, just get in touch ahead of time and your booking agent can arrange additional accommodation in Christchurch.
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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- Haka House Christchurch
- 36 Hereford Street, Christchurch Central,
- Christchurch
- 8013
- NEW ZEALAND
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