Compare New Zealand's Wildlife self-drive by Audley Travel vs New Zealand: See & Experience it ALL in 10 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 25 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 8,995 | $ 4,545 |
| Price Per Day | $ 360 | $ 455 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Luxury |
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| Flights & Transport | Internal airfare and ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities | N/A |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
Along with lunch on Day 8, a traditional Maori (native) dinner is included on this tour on Evening 9. We do our best to ensure you are being offered healthy and tasty local cuisine. |
| Description |
New Zealand has the kind of scenery that demands a standing ovation — and it’s all in such close proximity. Our specialists are passionate about helping you get out to explore it all. There are Milford Sound’s arrow-headed peaks, and stretches of sand so vast they earn outlandish names (‘Ninety Mile Beach’). Caves spangle with glow-worms like a million fairy lights. Stratovolcanoes rise above grassy plains. Ice fields career down almost to the edge of the Tasman Sea. And that’s just for starters. |
You absolutely will not find another tour out there as packed with activities and attractions as this one, provided by CharlieTheTraveler. You will also not find another tour out there that offers it all "FIRST CLASS," yet for a relatively low price. We have thousands of travelers taking this specific tour every year-and that's because no competitor can beat us on quality, price & substance. |
Day 1 : International outbound flight
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Auckland.
Day 2 : International outbound flight
On-board your international outbound flight to Auckland.
Day 3 : Russell & The Bay of Islands
On arrival in Auckland you will be met by our representatives and have a private transfer to the domestic terminal for your flight to the Bay of Islands. Once in Kerikeri you pick up a hire car and make your way to your accommodation.
Day 4 : Russell & The Bay of Islands
This morning you join a Dolphin swim cruise which will take you out into the bay to look for dolphins. What a way to start your holiday!
Day 5 : Auckland
Make your way south from the Bay of Islands to the international city of Auckland where you will stay for two nights. This afternoon is at leisure to explore the city. I recommend making a stop at the Viaduct Harbour region to have a nice meal or stop my the Auckland War Memorial Museum to learn about the New Zealand war history.
Day 6 : Auckland
Today you'll be collected from your hotel in the morning and enjoy a full day tour of the Tiritiri Matangi Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary. This is an excellent chance to learn of the history and evolution of New Zealand's birds and animals. Along with time to independently explore, the day includes a guided walk through the native bush.
Day 7 : Coromandel Peninsula
Make your way southeast to the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula today. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the Coromandel Peninsula. I recommend going to Hot Water Beach to make your own hot water hole or head to the mining region of the peninsula.
Day 8 : Coromandel Peninsula
You will be collect from your accommodation for a full day tour of the Coromandel. You will tour around the entire peninsula, visiting beautiful coastline and seemingly endless mountains. Your guide will ensure you learn of the Coromandel's significant Maori cultural history. In terms of industrial history, you will visit old gold mining site from the area's mining hay day. Your guide will also highlight the native Kauri trees (New Zealand Redwoods), and the impressive Hot Water Beach, where you can have a hot spring experience like none other on Earth!
Day 9 : Rotorua
Make your way south to Rotorua, the thermal centre of New Zealand. Here you can see bubbling mud-pools, steaming lakes and impressive geysers. In the evening you will be collected from your accommodation and head to a local Maori cultural center. Enjoy a traditional Maori Hangi meal and cultural experience at the Mitai Maori Village. You will learn of New Zealand's indigenous culture, be treated to a Haka performance, and walk through the sacred Fairy Springs, which is a renowned spot for glow worms. Finish the night by taking a trip into Rainbow Springs where you have the chance to see kiwi.
Day 10 : Rotorua
Today you will go on an adventure to see volcanoes and rainforests on a guided walk around the Rotorua area. You will also learn lots about the native bird life on this trip.
Day 11 : Wellington
Head out early today and make your way south to the capital city of Wellington. The remainder of the day is at leisure in Wellington. We recommend stopping at the famous Te Papa Museum, to learn all about the country's Natural, Maori, and European history.
Day 12 : Wellington
Spend the day at leisure exploring the capital city before taking a trip out to Zealandia tonight for a night tour - the reserve is home to plenty of native species which had originally been wiped out from the mainland. There is a great chance to see Tuatara and Kiwi birds here.
Day 13 : Murchison
Journey across the Cook Strait and through the picturesque Marlborough Sounds today, looking out for dolphins and seals as you cruise through the tranquil waters. Drive south to Murchison, an overnight stay on your way to Kaikoura.
Day 14 : Kaikoura
Drive to Kaikoura this morning and go for an afternoon walk around the peninsula, where you will see the extensive seal colonies and can also see how much of the sea bed has raised up with the recent earthquake.
Day 15 : Christchurch
This morning you join the Whale Watch trip, departing from the Whale Way Station in Kaikoura. You will hopefully encounter the majestic sperm whales, as well as dolphins, albatross and seals, all of which make these waters their home.This afternoon, drive to Christchurch.
Day 16 : Christchurch
Spend today at your leisure. Although Christchurch is still undergoing reconstruction from an earthquake in 2011, there is still loads to see and do. Enjoy a walk through Hagley Park on your way to the Central Business District, where you'll find an abundance of shops and restaurants.
Day 17 : Dunedin
Make your way down to Dunedin today, and you might like to stop for a break at the fascinating Moeraki Boulders, just north of Palmerston.
Day 18 : Dunedin
You join a wildlife cruise today that will allow you to see the fantastic wildlife of this area in its natural environment. The trip includes a visit to the yellow-eyed penguin colony, an extremely rare species, where you can get very close to the penguins via some specially designed underground walkways.
Day 19 : Stewart Island
Continue to make your way south to Invercargill in time for your short flight over to Stewart Island, a pristine island which is mostly national park where you will stay for two nights.
Day 20 : Stewart Island
Today you have a full-day tour of Ulva and Stewart Islands with a knowledgeable local guide, on which you will learn all about the resident fauna and flora.
Day 21 : Te Anau
You return to Invercargill by light aircraft today and continue onto Te Anau where you will stay for one night.In the evening make your way down to the Real Journeys Visitor Centre for an evening excursion to the renowned Te Anau Glow Worm Caves, one of the few places on earth to see these bioluminescent creatures!
Day 22 : Array
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and driven to Manapouri, where you'll get a ferry across to the Manapouri Power Station and then board another coach, bringing you to the Doubtful Head via Wilmot Pass, allowing you to see the Sound from far above. You'll board the Fjordland Navigator for your overnight scenic cruise. There are a number of ways to experience the Sound, with its dominating peaks and cascading waterfalls, enjoy this magical place as you wish!
Day 23 : Queenstown
You will return from the cruise late this morning to collect your car and make your way to Queenstown for your last night stay.
Day 24 : Queenstown
Today you will fly from Queenstown to Auckland to connect with your onward flight.
Day 25 : International return flight
Arrive home today to complete your journey.
Day 1: A Cable Car Ride Over Stunning Landscape & the Country's Most Popular Destination
Our tour starts in Queenstown, a vibrant resort which serves as New Zealand’s most popular destination. This evening we head to a nearby place called Skyline Queenstown. There we take a cable car ride to the top of a mountain called Bob’s Peak. Beautiful views can be seen in every direction. While there, a buffet-style dinner can be purchased at a restaurant called Stratosfare. The cable car ride is included on the tour.
Day 2: Flight-Seeing Over Fjords & a Majestic Boat Ride
Today we make a daytrip to Milford Sound, getting to there and back to Queenstown by scenic flight. Upon arrival, we go on a boat tour cruising atop clear waters and in between postcard-perfect mountains. Milford Sound has been judged the world’s top travel destination in an international survey taken by TripAdvisor, receiving the Travelers' Choice Destinations Awards. Milford Sound is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist attraction.
Please note that due to unpredictable weather conditions in and around Milford Sound, it is common our customers get to there or return from there by land. When this happens, stops are made so we can enjoy Lake Te Anau, Mirror Lakes, the mountainous Monkey Creek and a national park called the ‘Chasm’.
Day 3: Rapid Jet-Boating, Zip-Lining, Exploring a Gorge & a Cruise on a Vintage Steamship
We start our day with a quick drive to a picturesque gorge called Skippers Canyon. It is mostly one-way, narrow and steep with sheer drops of several hundred meters. After our scenic land expedition, we head to the nearby Shotover River. There we go on a very fast and swerving jet-boating ride. Following lunch, we go zip-lining near the village of Glenorchy.
Our day ends with a cruise on the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship. While on the tour, we make a stop at a homestead which is known for its sheep, alpacas and a beautiful garden. After dinner, we visit a purpose-built amphitheater. There we see a farmyard of sheep shearing (cutting the sheep’s wool) and otherwise watch a ‘sheepdog round-up’ (the dog makes the sheep walk together as a group).
Day 4: Approaching the Highest Mountain in New Zealand
Today we relocate from Queenstown to Mount Cook Village. Upon arrival, we are provided with a guided tour inside Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park’s Hooker Valley Track. The lookout point at the end of the track is the closest any walking track comes to seeing the highest mountain in New Zealand (Mount Cook). The end of the track reveals completely unobstructed views, with Hooker Glacier seen in the valley below.
Day 5: A Plane Landing on Tasman Glacier & Visiting Ice Grottoes and Caves
Before relocating to the city of Christchurch, we make a daytrip to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park’s Tasman Glacier. We get to there and back to Mount Cook Village by scenic flight. Of New Zealand's 20 peaks over 3,000 meters, all except one lie in this park. Glaciers cover 40 percent of the park area, notably the Tasman Glacier. After landing on this glacier, we go on a guided snow shoeing hike, seeing blue ice grottoes and caves.
Please note that due to unpredictable weather conditions in and around Tasman Glacier, it is common our customers get to there or return from there by land. When this happens between September and May, we replace the flight-seeing tour with a popular boat ride which visits icebergs. When this happens between June and August, we replace the flight-seeing tour with a four-wheel drive expedition around Tasman Valley.
Day 6: The Historic Architecture of Christchurch & Sightseeing
Before relocating to the town of Nelson by flight, we are provided with a guided tour around Christchurch. This city was established in 1850 by Anglican English settlers. The heritage shows in its fine older buildings, especially the neo-gothic ones. The city highlights are the cathedral, riverside market and botanical gardens.
Day 7: The Finest Beaches on This Tour
Before relocating to the city of Auckland, we make a daytrip from Nelson to Abel Tasman National Park. There we are provided with a scenic boat tour. Abel Tasman National Park is in one of the sunniest places in the country, with over 2,000 hours of sunlight per year. The most notable features of this park are its golden-sand beaches, arguably the finest in New Zealand.
Day 8: Where Lord of the Rings was Filmed & Glowworm Grottoes
When relocating from Auckland to the town of Rotorua, two important stops are made along the way. The first is at the Hobbiton Movie Set, home to the internationally acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy. There we are provided with a guided tour and lunch. The other important stop before reaching Rotorua is at the Waitomo Caves. There we are provided with a boat ride through glowworm grottoes. The site is spectacular, to say the least.
Day 9: A Mud Bath, Volcanic Craters, Hot Water Springs & a Native Show with Dinner
This morning starts with a daytrip to the nearby Waimangu Volcanic Valley, which includes Lake Rotomahana. On a self-guided tour, there we see volcanic craters, hot water springs and other geothermal features. Upon returning to Rotorua, we are taken to the so-called Hell’s Gate Geothermal Reserve and Mud Spa. There we bathe in a mud pool. The evening ends at the nearby Tamaki Maori Village. There we learn about native rituals, watch a show and have a traditional dinner. The meal is included this evening.
Day 10: Our Tour Ends Today
Rotorua is the final destination on our tour around New Zealand. Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport.
Note that you can extend this standard 10-day tour by one day if you wish to engage in some extreme sports activities near Queenstown. Specifically, on this added day, you would jump off a 43-meter (141-foot) bridge called Kawarau as well as run off a 60-meter (196.85-foot) cliff. It is called the Fox Jump. Obviously, these two activities are not for everyone. This is why we are offering it as a one-day extension to our standard 10-day tour around New Zealand. Let us know if you are interested.
Also, note that you can extend this standard 10-day tour by returning to and visiting Auckland once done in Rotorua. Some customers want a day or two to go sightseeing in New Zealand’s largest city. We offer guided tours upon request. Ask us for details.
