Kia Ora and welcome to Auckland for your two night Special Stay. Celebrate the wonder of New Zealand at tonight’s welcome dinner.

Freechoice: Sail on an authentic America’s Cup yacht or explore the wine and cuisine of Waiheke Island. Alternatively, take a leisurely harbour cruise, discover the black sand beaches of the West Coast, or join a small group sightseeing tour of Auckland.

Freechoice Dining: Choose between a sunset dinner yacht cruise, Orbit 360 at Sky City, or dinner at the hotel’s Grand Millennium Brasserie.

Travel north towards the Bay of Islands and visit the Kauri Museum to learn about the history of the local pioneers.

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Seeing  the mighty Tane Mahuta kauri tree for the first time is unforgettable. Listen to stories from your Maori guide about the ‘Lord of the Forest’.

Sundowners
Relax over an evening drink watching the sunset from your hotel.

Freechoice: Take a lunch cruise or enjoy a ferry ride to Russell. Alternatively, cruise to Cape Brett Lighthouse and through the Hole in the Rock (weather permitting), or join a Taste of the Bay tour.

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Journey to the top of New Zealand – Cape Reinga – and enjoy the thrill of travelling along Ninety Mile Beach.

This morning, discover Waitangi Treaty Grounds with a Maori guide.

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Be entertained by an authentic Maori cultural performance inside the meeting house.

Return to your hotel in Auckland for a one-night stay.

Visit the Hobbiton™ Movie Set before arriving in Rotorua, home of Maori culture and bubbling mud pools. Later, visit the National Kiwi Trust, before your two night stay in Rotorua.

Be amazed by Rotorua’s geothermal activity during a visit to Te Puia.

Freechoice: Witness a sheep show, take an amphibious duck tour or relax in the geothermal pools. Alternatively, enjoy the view from Skyline Rotorua while wine tasting.

Tonight, immerse yourself in Maori traditions at an authentic hangi dinner.

Optional flight - Take a floatplane flight over Mt Tarawera (additional expense, please book prior to departure).

Witness the force of nature at Huka Falls before cruising magnificent Lake Taupo. Enjoy your overnight stay in the home of Art Deco, Napier.

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Meet the makers at a special wine tasting and dinner at Mission Estate Winery.

Freechoice: Take a walking tour of Napier’s Art Deco buildings, view the famous landmarks of Napier during a vintage car tour or discover a diverse range of aquatic animals and wildlife at the National Aquarium.

Continue to Wellington for a two-night stay.

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Take an in-depth journey of Te Papa to discover the treasures and stories of New Zealand.

Travel in the ferry’s premium lounge across the Marlborough Sounds to the South Island.

Freechoice: Enjoy a tasting at the home of Sauvignon Blanc, a visit to Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, or take an afternoon cruise on the Marlborough Sounds.

Enjoy an overnight stay at Blenheim.

Drive along the spectacular East Coast where rugged mountains meet the ocean. Experience how Christchurch is recovering during your two-night stay.

Freechoice: Go punting on the Avon River, take a Botanic Gardens Tour or enjoy a city tour around Christchurch. Alternatively, visit the seaside town of Akaroa or the International Antarctic Centre.

Freechoice Dining: Experience a Kiwi home-hosted dinner with a local family or enjoy dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

Join the TranzAlpine this morning for your rail journey across the Southern Alps. Stand in wonder at Franz Josef Glacier with its ever-changing face before your overnight Special Stay.

Optional flight - Take a helicopter flight over Franz Josef or Fox Glacier and experience the wonder in this natural alpine landscape (additional expense, please book prior to departure).

Enjoy a ride on the Haast River Jet boat before you arrive in Queenstown for your three night stay.

Freechoice: Take the Dart River Wilderness Jet, or tour local wineries. Feel exhilarated on the Shotover Jet, a 4WD Skippers Canyon, or Safari of the Scenes tour.

Freechoice Dining: Take a steamship cruise on TSS Earnslaw and enjoy dinner at Walter Peak, ride the Skyline Gondola and dine overlooking Queenstown, or simply relax at the hotel’s restaurant.

Enjoy a day at leisure to discover Queenstown.

In the darkness of the Te Anau caves, see the shimmer of thousands of glow-worms. Enjoy an overnight Special Stay on board the Milford Mariner amidst the majesty of Milford Sound.

Awake to breathtaking beauty in Milford Sound. Then immerse yourself in New Zealand’s oldest university city, Dunedin, with a two night Special Stay.

Freechoice Dining: Choose between Speight’s Brewery and the hotel’s Parcels Restaurant.

Freechoice: Tour Larnach Castle or visit the breeding colony of Royal Albatross. Alternatively, take a heritage walking tour, cruise Otago Harbour or take the scenic Taieri Gorge Railway.

Visit the Mraki Boulders, featuring huge spherical boulders scattered across a sandy beach. Enjoy a Special Stay at Mount Cook.

Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd before returning to Christchurch for your Special Stay.

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Celebrate your adventures during an iconic tram ride.

Bid farewell to New Zealand.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.