Orbis Express Travel

 One of the best New Zealand tours for only $3250

DAY1 Arrive Auckland (D)
Welcome to Aotearoa – land of the big white cloud. Be greeted on arrival at the airport and transferred to your accommodation.

DAY 2 Auckland/Bay of Islands (B)
Drive north to Paihia in the Bay of Islands. On the way first sights of the beautiful scenery of New Zealand. After arriving to the Bay of Islands, visit to New Zealand’s birthplace, Waitangi. A self-guided tour through the Treaty House, the Maori Meeting House and war canoe. This afternoon enjoy a cruise to Russell, first capital of New Zealand.

DAY 3 Bay of Islands (B)
Today is at your leisure, take the time to relax and enjoy the scenery of the Bay of Islands. Your guide can help you with arranging activities for you. Why not try a day trip to Cape Reinga, The northern most point of New Zealand and Ninety Mile Beach. Alternatively, take a cruise to famous ‘Hole in the Rock’, swim with dolphins.

DAY 4 Bay of Islands/Auckland (B)
Travel south through famous Waipoua Forest on the west coast, just north of Dargaville. As the largest remaining tract of native forest in Northland, Waipoua is an ancient green world of towering trees and rare birds. The highway through the forest is memorable for the natural gateways created by huge kauri trees and the fringing of colourful ferns along the road’s edge. This forest is the home of Tane Mahuta, the country’s largest kauri tree, which is approximately 2,000 years old and still growing. Nearly 18 metres to the first branch and 4.4 metres in diameter, Tane Mahuta is rightly called ‘The Lord of the Forest’. Stop at the Kauri Museum where you will discover a lot of interesting facts about kauri forest. Drive to Auckland for sightseeing. View the panorama of the city from a top of ancient volcano crater at Mt Eden.

DAY 5 Auckland/Rotorua (B)
Cross the Bombay Hills to the lush farmlands of the Waikato region to famous Hobbiton Movie Set village. Experience the real Middle-earth with a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. Your guided tour starts with a drive through picturesque 1,250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges. After your visit to Hobbiton drive to Rotorua, the centre of Maori culture.

DAY 6 Rotorua (B,D)
Rotorua will captivate you with its shooting geysers, intriguing Maori villages and thrilling adventure activities. Rotorua sits squarely on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so volcanic activity is part of the city’s past and present. The city is also the tribal home of the Te Arawa people, who settled in its lakeside geothermal areas more than 600 years ago. Geysers, boiling mud pools, marae stays, hangi feasts, an authentic pre-European Maori village and indulgent spa therapies promise to impress. Rotorua also has a well-developed adventure culture. Today you will visit Te Puia, geothermal village, have a walk through sequoia forest. This evening enjoy a Maori Hangi (meal) with traditionally prepared meats and vegetables followed by a concert featuring Maori songs.

DAY 7 Rotorua/Napier (B)
View the Huka Falls and the Wairakei Geothermal electricity project. Stop at Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. .Enjoy super view across the lake, have a cup of coffee. Continue on to Napier, regarded as the world’s Art Deco capital. On arrival, enjoy a walking tour of the city where you can feel the past of times. The Hawke’s Bay region combines art-deco with agriculture and vineyards galore.

DAY 8 Napier/Wellington (B)
Today we leave The Hawke’s Bay landscape which is a mix of stunning mountains, pastoral plains and wild ocean beach. On the way to Wellington, stop at historic Greytown to view excellent examples of Victorian colonial architecture before travelling over the Rimutaka Ranges to Wellington, the nation’s capital, where you enjoy a city tour on arrival. Visit to Te Papa – national museum, drive to the top of Mt Victoria for panoramic view of the city.

DAY9 Wellington/Blenheim (B)
Enjoy some free time this morning, make the most of Wellington’s endless sights. Sail in the afternoon on Interislander Ferry which great views of Wellington and its and cross the Cook Strait into the sheltered waters of Queen Charlotte Sound and the South Island. Upon arrival into Picton, continue south to Blenheim. Here, you will be enjoying a tasting of Marlborough wines.

DAY 10 Blenheim/Kaikoura/Christchurch (B)
We follow the coastline to Kaikoura, an area noted for whale watching. Take a whale watching cruise. Over the Hundalee Ranges and onto the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. On arrival, enjoy a brief tour of Christchurch and its surrounds.

DAY 11 Christchurch/Mt Cook/Twisel (B)
Cross the Canterbury Plains with the view of the Southern Alps. View the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Collie Dog Memorial overlooking Lake Tekapo. Visit Mt Cook National Park, with time to enjoy the scenic majesty of New Zealand’s highest snow capped peaks and a visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, have a spectacular walk to Tasman Glacier, before travelling around Lake Pukaki to Twizel. Today a special treat, salmon degustation at a salmon farm.

DAY 12 Twisel/Dunedin (B)
Pass large hydro lakes as you travel down the Waitaki Valley to Oamaru for a stroll through historic precinct with Victorian buildings of white limestone. The Moeraki Boulders one of the big attraction is our next stop. They are a group of very large spherical “stones” on Koekohe Beach. They originally formed in ancient sea floor sediments around 60 million years ago. Next to Dunedin – the ‘Scottish’ city. A drive to the Otago Peninsula and Taiaroa Head (named after a Māori chief), to a protected albatross colony. We also visit Dunedin Railway Station, described as the outstanding monument of Edwardian architecture in New Zealand

DAY 13 /Dunedin/Te Anau (B)
Today visit historic Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle. Learn about its history as well as enjoying spectacular views across the Otago Peninsula and coast. We leave Dunedin behind and drive inland, crossing rich farmlands to small town of Gore where we stop for a stroll before arriving to Lake and town of Te Anau.

DAY 14 Milford Sound (B)

Follow the Hollyford Valley where you will see ancient Beech forests, beautiful valleys, snow capped peaks. Descend into the Cleddau Canyon to Milford Sound, the world renowned natural wonder, dominated by Mitre Peak. World of rainforest, rock walls and waterfalls tumbling hundreds of meters to the sea. You take A cruise to the Tasman Sea with such highlights as the Bowen and Stirling Falls. We will have a walk into the rainforest to visit The Chasm, a spectacular waterfall, and stop at the Homer Tunnel where if lucky we get close to New Zealand`s Kea, a colourful parrot.

DAY 15 Te Anau/Queenstown (B)
This morning, drive around the shores of Lake Wakatipu towards Queenstown. After arriving, you will take a gondola trip to the top of the hill for a breathtaking view of the city and environs. This afternoon, visit, Arrowtown with its gold heritage.

DAY 16 Queenstown (B)
Today is your free day to explore many aspects of town or take part in one of the many activities that Queenstown as adventure capital its renown for. You can either sit back or relax. You can take a ride on the world famous Shotover Jet Boat, or for the adventurous – white water rafting. Alternatively, browse in the many shops and galleries. Cruise across the lake aboard the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw, known as the ‘Lady of the Lake’ on the journey across the Lake Wakatipu with its beautiful alpine scenery, to the Walter Peak High Country Farm, where you can view the shearing show, see how farm dogs work with sheep.

DAY 17 Queenstown/Franz Josef (B)
Today Pass we drive along Kawairau River to an area steeped in fascinating history relating to early settlement and the gold mining era, to Lake Wanaka. On the way will stop at famous Mrs Jones fruit store to taste some delicious New Zealand fruits. After Wanaka will drive along Lake Hawea to Makarora into Mt Aspiring and Westland National Parks where we stop to see famous waterfall, Roaring Billy. Drive north along the coast to Fox Glacier where we will have a walk to the face of this fascinating glacier.

DAY 18 Franz Josef/Christchurch (B)
Our first visit today its Greenstone or Jade factory in Hokitika. Greenstone is considered a treasure in Maori culture and is seen as a sign of status and power. It is found only on the south island. Then we drive through Arthurs Pass to the Canterbury Plains and into Christchurch.

DAY 19 Christchurch (B)
Time to say good bay to new friends and be transported to the airport for your flight home.