New Zealand North Island

Day 1

Today is a travel day so that we will be ready to go tomorrow upon arrival in New Zealand. The journey starts with home pick ups within the greater Hobart region. This will be a nice and reasonable time as it is an afternoon flight to Melbourne. Upon arrival in Melbourne we will be staying at Park Royal Melbourne Airport, conveniently located near the International Terminal. Your dinner is included at the accommodation and you will be able to rest up for the journey ahead.

Day 2

We can’t wait to get to New Zealand today! Breakfast at the accommodation will be early as we need to get over to the international terminal for our morning departure. Please note: Each morning of this tour we will be enjoying breakfast at the accommodation. Welcome to New Zealand! You are met on arrival at the Auckland International Airport, before travelling into the city centre for a sightseeing tour of the ‘City of Sails’ which includes the panoramic city and harbour views from Bastion Point; trendy Parnell Village; the lovely bays of the waterfront drive and the vibrant Viaduct Harbour area. Arrive at the hotel to check in and freshen up before enjoying a welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Day 3

Travel north across Auckland Harbour Bridge and the North Shore. Stop in at The Kauri Museum. This award winning museum records the timber milling and gum digging pioneering days of the Northland region. Pass north through picturesque farmlands to Paihia in the beautiful Bay of Islands. This region is renowned as the birthplace of the nation of New Zealand as well as for its beautiful beaches and wildlife. This afternoon visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds for a guided tour. It was here on 6 February 1840 that Maori and British settlers signed an historic agreement which gave birth to the nation of New Zealand. The Maori Meeting House in the grounds is a superb example of the skills of Maori wood carvers and flax weavers. Your guide will highlight the unique place that the Waitangi Treaty Grounds has within the history of New Zealand. Dine this evening in the hotel restaurant.

Day 4

This morning enjoy a cruise out into the Bay meandering around the idyllic beaches of the islands that make this area so popular. Continue to Cape Brett and the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’ where, conditions permitting, the boat will travel slowly through. There will be time on Urupukapuka Island where we can enjoy a walk or swim. There is a café to purchase morning tea at own cost. Disembark at the small settlement of Russell, known as ‘the hell hole of the Pacific’ in the 19th Century but now a charming township with colonial architecture, craft galleries, cafés and restaurants. Here we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, before returning to Paihia on the ferry with remainder of afternoon at leisure. Dinner at local restaurant.

Day 5

Depart Paihia and travel south through undulating farmlands and the small settlements of Kawakawa and Hikurangi to the city of Whangarei. Continue south past the townships of Warkworth and Wellsford before arriving in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest and most cosmopolitan city. This afternoon enjoy a private 1-hour guided tour of Auckland Museum. Gain insider knowledge about Auckland Museum’s treasures from experienced guides. Over a fascinating hour they will share their stories of the Museum's most important and fascinating objects in one of New Zealand's most outstanding historical buildings, boldly situated in The Domain. Encounter exhibitions that will excite you with the artistic legacy and cultures of the peoples of the Pacific; the monumental carvings, buildings, canoes and taonga (treasures) of the Maori; and the diversity of cultures which now combine to form the rich tapestry of race, nationality and creed which is modern New Zealand. Dine this evening at Orbit Restaurant near the top of the Sky Tower, the tallest tower in New Zealand.Travel by high-speed elevator to the revolving Orbit Restaurant then enjoy a delicious set-menu dinner while admiring the spectacular panoramic views of Auckland City, the Hauraki Gulf and the Waitemata Harbour. The dining room rotates once every hour, providing a truly unique experience and amazing 360-degree views of Auckland City.

Day 6

Depart Auckland and travel to Hamilton. Make a stop at the magnificent Hamilton Gardens set on the banks of the Waikato River. The unique theme of Hamilton Gardens is ‘the story of gardens’ which is explored through a series of five garden collections.The Paradise Garden Collection is a highlight of the gardens and features a Chinese Scholars Garden, English Flower Garden, Japanese Garden of Contemplation, American Modernist Garden, Italian Renaissance Garden and an Indian Char Bagh Garden. Leaving Hamilton we continue to the thermal wonderland of Rotorua, the Sulphur City. Rotorua has the most energetic thermal activity in the country with bubbling mud pools, gushing geysers, beautiful coloured hot springs and terrace formations created by mineral water. In the late afternoon visit Te Puia for a guided tour followed by the Te Po (the night) experience – an immersive feast of indigenous cultural storytelling, entertainment, and food. Your guided tour provides a premier Maori culture experience combined with an introduction to the magnificent geothermal activity in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Whilst in the valley see the boiling mud pools, steaming silica terraces, hot springs and geysers including the famous Pohutu Geyser which can erupt up to 30 metres high, depending on its mood. Visit the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute where young Maori are learning the traditional carving and weaving skills of their ancestors. Your evening experience will commence with a sumptuous buffet dinner including food from the hangi (traditional Maori method of cooking) served in the Pataka Kai Restaurant. After dinner enjoy a cultural performance in the fully carved Te Aronui-a-Rua meeting house where highlights include waiata (song), moteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka. Following the concert, the evening culminates with hot chocolate served in the geothermal valley bathed in coloured light.

Day 7

This morning learn about the kiwi, New Zealand’s national icon. The National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa is a world leader in kiwi husbandry, egg incubation systems, hatching techniques and kiwi chick rearing. Your visit here will showcase how Kiwi recovery programmes are playing their part to bring this treasured icon back from the brink of extinction on the New Zealand mainland. During your 45-minute guided visit, learn all about the Kiwi bird at the world’s most successful kiwi hatchery and discover how more than 2100 kiwi chicks have been hatched here. By sharing in this experience, you will make a valuable contribution to the conservation of the precious kiwi with all funds going to the National Kiwi Recovery Trust. Travel to Skyline Rotorua and jump onboard an eight-seater Gondola cabin and experience spectacular views of Lake Rotorua, the city and steaming geothermal vistas. The 900-metre long Doppelmayr cableway system will transport you on a gentle, scenic ride up to the Skyline Rotorua complex. A buffet lunch is included in the Stratosfare Restaurant. We will then return to the hotel where the afternoon is at leisure, feel free to explore all that the city has to offer, before returning to the hotel for dinner.

Day 8

Travel by coach from Rotorua to Napier, stopping en route in Taupo to view Huka Falls. On arrival into Napier, depart on a 1-hour guided Art Deco Walking Tour. Take an entertaining look at the unique 1930s architecture as you wander through the streets with your local guide. En-route learn about the 1931 earthquake that destroyed the city, hear about the people that led the rebuild, and discover the unique Art Deco style of this unique city. Dinner at Mission Estate Winery. Mission Estate Winery, established in 1851, by pioneering French Missionaries is New Zealand's oldest winery and the birthplace of New Zealand wine. The restaurant is located in an historic building overlooking Napier and Hawkes Bay. This building was built in 1880. It was known as La Grande Maison or the "big house" and became the home for the early French Marists for three decades.

Day 9

Depart Napier and travel towards Wellington. On arrival in Wellington, visit Te Papa - the National Museum of New Zealand, which offers visitors a unique and authentic experience of New Zealand's treasures and stories. There will be time to explore Te Papa independently to learn about the shaping of its land, the spirit of its diverse peoples, its unique wildlife, landscapes, and its distinctive popular culture. Once you have had some free time to explore, tonight we will dine in hotel restaurant.

Day 10

We start the day at leisure to soak up the last experiences of our fantastic New Zealand holiday. In the afternoon our coach driver will take us to the Wellington International Airport where we thank them for showing us their beautiful home, then it is time to return to ours. For the return journey we fly via Melbourne and will arrive late into Hobart, at which point you will be dropped back off at home.

B=Breakfast, L =Lunch, D=Dinner