North & South Island Adventure

Upon arrival at Auckland Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, we recommend you spend some time exploring the popular waterside Wynyard Quarter and Viaduct Harbour; charming areas filled with cafes, restaurants and bars offering casual bites, gourmet treats and craft beers.

This morning collect your rental car and travel south to Waitomo Caves, an ancient limestone region under which lies a labyrinth of caves. Marvel at the enormous caverns, stalactites and stalagmites, and enjoy a boat ride looking up at the millions of glow worms that light up the cavern roof above you. Continue through farmland and forest to geothermal Rotorua and its distinctive sulphurous smell.

Discover a thermal valley full of geysers and bubbling mud pools and experience Maori culture at Te Puia. Learn how woodcarving and weaving are being passed on to the younger generation. Explore Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park and visit a working farm where you can view a sheep shearing display and sheep dog trials. The day ends with a night of song and dance followed by a traditional Maori dinner. 

Return your car to Rotorura Airport before taking your flight to Queenstown. Collect another car at the Airport and make your way to picturesque Queenstown.
Wander along the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu for some stunning photo opportunities, before exploring the area’s laid-back restaurant scene. Try one of Queenstown’s gourmet burgers or enjoy a bottle of Central Otago Pinot Noir paired with a delicious meal featuring locally sourced produce.

Today you have a full day to explore Milford Sound. Journey across the Southern Alps past the stunning Mirror Lakes and Eglinton Valley. Experience the world-famous fjord onboard your nature cruise; see the towering Mitre Peak with its glacier-formed rock walls and waterfalls that cascade through valleys before crashing in to the sea far below. The fjord is also home to seal colonies, penguins and dolphins. Later return to Queenstown.

A day to enjoy Queenstown’s many delights. For the more active, there’s plenty to choose from including hiking, biking, canyoning, bungee jumping, ziplining, jetboating, white water rafting, and even sky-diving; in the winter, skiing and snowboarding are available too. Other options include a more sedate ride on the Skyline Gondola, a visit to the historic gold-mining settlement, Arrowtown, or a visit to the region’s award-winning wineries.

Today travel through a mixture of high country, farmland and snow-capped mountains. Visit Aoraki, Mount Cook, New Zealand’s tallest mountain. Enjoy the alpine setting and take a mountain walk to see the sky-scraping peaks, glaciers and snowfields.
Continue on past Lake Tekapo and the patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains before arriving at Christchurch.

Today you will drop off your rental vehicle at Christchurch Airport in time for your flight back to the UK.