Fall in love with New Zealand on this 8-day guided tour. See Wellington your way, choosing between an insider’s tour of the city with a Local Expert or a guided hike through Otari Wiltons Bush, the only botanic garden in the country dedicated entirely to native plants. Travel past the dairy country of Manawatu to Hawke’s Bay, where you will enjoy an exclusive wine tasting at one of the country’s world-famous wineries. In Rotorua, walk the Redwoods Treewalk — a maze of forested suspension bridges — and tour a working kiwi nursery and hatchery, where you can learn more about the flightless bird. Savor a flavorful Māori Hāngī feast, made from food cooked in the ground with geothermal steam. Descend the Waitomo Cave to see glowworms illuminate the caverns, then toast your trip during a celebration dinner in Auckland.

Your Fly & Tour Package Includes:

• Economy class flight from Sydney to Wellington, return from Auckland
• 7 night The Endless Shores guided tour with Luxury Gold, Wellington to Auckland

Includes:

• Best-of-the-best hotels
• Exceptional dining
• Highlights & select activities
• Hotel & restaurant tips
• Baggage handling
• Complimentary coach & hotel Wi-Fi (where available)
• VIP experiences including an Auckland Celebration Dinner with an ex All Blacks Player
• Traveling Concierges, handpicked to serve as your expert guide & consummate organiser
• Airline taxes

Pricing is per person twin share and based on travel 16-23 December 2022

Solo traveller pricing available. Please speak to one of our travel consultants for more details

Itinerary:

Day 1: Welcome to Wellington

On arrival at Wellington International Airport you'll be driven by complimentary transfer to your hotel. Spend some time at leisure to relax or explore on your own. This evening, meet your Travelling Concierge and get to know your fellow travellers during your Welcome Dinner.

Day 2: Wellington Sightseeing Relaxed Start

Personalize your day discovering the stunning waterfront and hidden lanes and taste-testing locally produced peanut butter and chocolate. Or, take a guided walk through Otari Wiltons Bush. This evening is free for you to dine at any of the city’s restaurants.

Day 3: Wellington to Hawke's Bay

Travel through the dairy farming land of Manawatu to Napier in Hawke's Bay. In the evening, enjoy a wine tasting and dinner at the family-owned Craggy Range Winery, in the shadow of the spectacular Te Mata Peak. One of the region's world-famous wineries, it produces a wide range of premium wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Day 4: Geothermal Rotorua

Travel past Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, then it’s on to Rotorua where on arrival a sightseeing tour offers the chance to take in views of Lake Rotorua. At Waimangu Volcanic Valley, you’ll experience spectacular volcanic craters, hot water springs, beautiful geothermal features, rare and unusual plant life, brilliantly coloured micro biology and a wide array of birds.

Day 5: The Sights of Rotorua

Your first stop is the Redwoods Treewalk, which consists of 28 suspension bridges traversing between 22 Californian Coastal Redwoods. It provides a unique view of the native undergrowth below from up to 20 metres above the ground, and with a 700-metre-long walk there is plenty of time to appreciate the beauty of the forest. Continue to the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa.  Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and take a behind-the-scenes tour through a working kiwi nursery and hatchery dedicated to the conservation of the national icon.  The rest of the afternoon is free for you to continue exploring at your leisure or perhaps relax at your state-of-the-art hotel. This evening, savour the unique flavours of a Māori Hāngī feast, a meal cooked in the ground using geothermal steam, followed by a cultural performance, at the Tamaki Māori Village.

Day 6: Waitomo and Auckland

Being your day with a dazzling show during an exclusive five-star Eco Glowworm experience at Caveworld, Waitomo. During your guided Eco Glowworm experience admire the magical subterranean world of Waitomo Cave. You’ll enter the cave through a natural chasm, where the scene is set for an intimate cave experience, with lights low so you can appreciate the magnificent glowworm displays at their best. Around the corner lie the bones of one of New Zealand’s lost treasures, the ancient Moa, while the soothing sound of the cave stream flows in the darkness below. Complete the experience by enjoying Kawakawa tea while relaxing in the ponga hut nestled in native forest. In Auckland, embark on an afternoon of sightseeing. Toast your travels at your Celebration Dinner in the company of a former New Zealand All Black rugby player. This is an incredible opportunity to rub shoulders with a former All Black, hear their personal stories, and what it is like to be part of the most successful team in the world.

Day 7: Farewell Auckland

After breakfast, transfer to Auckland Airport for your onward flight.