NEW ZEALAND BY ROAD, RAIL & SEA A COMPREHENSIVE ESCORTED EXPLORATION OF NEW ZEALAND'S NORTH & SOUTH ISLANDS 15TH JANUARY TO 8TH FEBRUARY & 5TH ...
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New Zealand by Road, Rail & Sea A comprehensive escorted exploration of New Zealand’s North & South Islands 15th January to 8th February & 5th February to 1st March 2021
Queenstown
If you are going to travel halfway around the world, you need a good reason. What better reason could
you have than the desire to visit one of the most beautiful places on earth? The scenery, people of New
Zealand and their lifestyle has an enormous appeal which is why it is always high on travellers’ wish lists. With
vast open spaces filled with stunning rugged landscapes, gorgeous beaches, often spectacular geothermal
and volcanic activity, a temperate climate and fascinating animal and plant life, New Zealand is a land of rare
natural beauty and breathtaking contrasts.
With so much to offer, New Zealand deserves more than a fleeting visit. Anyone considering a trip should
look at a minimum of two weeks, but preferably longer. Our tour of New Zealand by road, rail and sea
zigzags its way through the country, taking in the most dramatic scenery and the most attractive towns and
cities on a varied mix of travel modes. In addition to reducing the amount of time spent on a coach, it also
allows for a somewhat different perspective as you journey through the countryside by train or view the bays
from aboard a boat. We have also included a stopover in Singapore to make the outbound journey more
comfortable and allowing for a couple of days of relaxation before arrival in New Zealand. We believe our
itinerary offers the best of all worlds and has been devised on the basis that most travellers from the UK
will only tour New Zealand once, therefore the trip should be as comprehensive and as full of contrasts as
possible. Certainly, this itinerary qualifies on all these important demands.
Bay of Islands
VIA SINGAPORE
Tour Highlights Auckland
• New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland including a harbour cruise & dinner at the iconic Sky Tower Rotorua
NORTH
• Bay of Islands including a ‘hole in the rock’ cruise & a guided tour of Waitangi Treaty House ISLAND
• Rotorua, the heartland of New Zealand’s Maori culture & Wai-O-Tapu geothermal reserve
• Experience three spectacular rail journeys – the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific & TranzAlpine
Picton Wellington
• Cruise across Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton
Hokitika
• Visit Queenstown & enjoy wine tasting at Gibbston Valley Wines
West Coast
• Otago harbour wildlife cruise & Taieri Gorge Railway excursion Glaciers
Christchurch
• Cruise the famous Milford Sound, the ‘Eighth natural wonder of the world’. SOUTH
ISLAND
• Visit the scenic west coast glaciers including the World Heritage Site of Fox Glacier Queenstown
Te Anau
Dunedin
Milford Sound
The Itinerary
Day 1 London Heathrow to fellow travellers for the welcome Day 8 Bay of Islands. Enjoy a full Day 10 Rotorua. Our tour this
Singapore. Fly by scheduled flight. dinner this evening which will be day experiencing the stunning morning includes a visit to the
high up in the iconic Sky Tower scenery of the finest maritime native gardens and kiwi bird
Day 2 Singapore. Arrive into with 360 degree views. (D) park in New Zealand with its nocturnal house at Rainbow
Singapore this evening and transfer 144 islands, secluded bays Springs and to Wai-O-Tapu,
to the Mandarin Oriental hotel for Day 6 Auckland. Our and abundance of marine life. a ‘wonderland’ of stunning
a two night stay. sightseeing tour this morning Discovered by Captain Cook in geothermal activity. Walk at your
will include the main sights 1769, the Bay of Islands is the own pace and absorb the unique
Day 3 Singapore. After breakfast of New Zealand’s largest city, cradle of European civilisation in features including the world
in the hotel spend a relaxing day and we will gain an insight into New Zealand and has important famous champagne pool, geysers,
enjoying the hotel facilities or the country and its history at historical significance for both bubbling mud, steaming ground,
exploring independently. (B) the Auckland Museum, which Maoris and Europeans. Take expansive vistas, huge volcanic
houses the world’s largest a guided tour of the Waitangi craters and terrace formations.
Day 4 Singapore to Auckland. collection of Polynesian Treaty House, wander through Enjoy the afternoon at leisure
Enjoy a morning at leisure before artefacts. This afternoon we will picturesque Kerikeri and take and this evening experience
meeting for our afternoon tour take a harbour cruise and enjoy the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’ a traditional Maori welcome
which will include the National an afternoon tea on board. (B) cruise. (B) and a ‘hangi’ dinner, using the
Orchid Garden which displays the traditional cooking method
largest collection of orchids in the Day 7 Auckland to the Bay of Day 9 Rotorua. This morning we of an earth oven, and cultural
world with over 1000 species and Islands. Today we will journey will take a vintage train excursion experience. (B, D)
2000 hybrids. Our tour ends at the north by coach taking the to enjoy the surrounding area
airport where we check in for our scenic west coast route through on our way to the central region Day 11 Rotorua to Wellington.
scheduled flight to Auckland. (B, L) the Waipoua Kauri Forest of North Island and Rotorua, Today we will journey westwards
with a stop at the fascinating the heartland of New Zealand’s to Hamilton where we join the
Day 5 Auckland, New Zealand. Otamatea Kauri and Pioneer Maori culture. We will spend Northern Explorer train and travel
Arrive this afternoon and transfer to Museum en-route. Arrive at the two nights here staying at the to Wellington, the capital city of
the Crowne Plaza hotel for our two Copthorne Resort near Paihia Novotel Rotorua Lakeside which New Zealand. On arrival, transfer
night stay. Relax and enjoy some and check in for our two night is situated directly on the shores to the Intercontinental Wellington
time at leisure before joining your stay. (B) of Lake Rotorua. (B, D) for our two night stay. (B)
www.noble-caledonia.co.uk
Wellington Bay
Auckland
Haast Pass Lake Te Anau
Day 12 Wellington. On our arrival we transfer to the Crowne the city’s main sights before After our visit we transfer to the
morning sightseeing tour we will Plaza Christchurch and check in for checking in for our two night stay Distinction Te Anau hotel where
pass by the Houses of Parliament, our two night stay. (B) at the centrally located Distinction we will be staying for the next two
Old St Paul’s Cathedral and we Dunedin hotel. (B) nights. (B)
will take a cable car ride and Day 14 Christchurch. Known as the
visit the Botanical Gardens. Garden City, Christchurch is in the Day 16 Dunedin. This morning Day 18 Milford Sound. Our journey
The afternoon is free to explore process of an amazing recovery and either enjoy some time at leisure today to Milford is one of New
independently, perhaps visit Te rebuilding programme after the or join an excursion to the Royal Zealand’s most scenic drives and
Papa, the National Museum of devastating earthquake of 2011. Albatross Centre on the Otago the rough-hewn Homer Tunnel
New Zealand, or take a stroll We will see tree-lined avenues and Peninsula, followed by a wildlife brings us into Milford Sound, a 22
along the waterfront. (B) the gentle meandering Avon River cruise in Otago Harbour to kilometre-long fiord dominated
and our morning tour will include a search for albatross, fur seals and by Mitre Peak. We will take an
Day 13 Wellington to Picton & loop of the inner city’s highlights by penguins. This afternoon we will extended cruise on Milford Sound
Christchurch. This morning we vintage tram as well as a visit to a take the Taieri Gorge railway on its with lunch on board during which
embark on a three hour cruise private garden with morning tea. (B) journey through the rugged and we will witness the towering peaks
across Cook Strait to Picton spectacular Taieri River Gorge, and cascading waterfalls described
and the South Island where we Day 15 Christchurch to Dunedin. across wrought iron viaducts and as the ‘Eighth Natural Wonder of
join the Coastal Pacific train for On today’s journey, Canterbury’s through tunnels carved by hand the World’. The cruise will take
the journey to Christchurch, flat plains, flanked by the dramatic more than 100 years ago. (B) us past the incredible Mitre Peak,
the South Island’s largest city. peaks of the Southern Alps, stretch Bowen Falls, Stirling Falls and
One of the world’s most scenic in a colourful patchwork of fields Day 17 Dunedin to Te Anau. Seal Point. After the cruise, we
train journeys, with the Kaikoura south to Timaru, the urban heart of Following a leisurely breakfast we will visit Milford Deep Underwater
mountain range on one side and the Central South Island. Visit the will drive through green farming Observatory beneath Pembroke
the rugged Pacific coastline on town of Oamaru, with its wonderful countryside to Lake Te Anau in the Glacier. (B, L)
the other, the Coastal Pacific Victorian architecture and a Fiordland National Park. Here we
travels through 22 tunnels and resident colony of Little Penguins will visit the Te Anau Glow-worm Day 19 Te Anau to Queenstown.
crosses 175 bridges before and view the ‘mysterious’ spherical Caves and take a cruise across This morning we depart for the
arriving in Christchurch in the boulders at Moeraki Beach. On spectacular Lake Te Anau on a lakeside resort of Queenstown,
province of Canterbury. Upon arrival in Dunedin, we will tour purpose-built scenic cruise vessel. set in the magnificent landscapes
Moeraki Boulders, Koekohe Beach
Penguins, Otago
Arthur’s Pass National Park
TranzAlpine train
Dunedin
of the Southern Alps. Born as an stunning views of this beautiful and you will see lush beech rainforest there will be a ‘farewell to New
1860s gold mining camp, 140 years remote location and experience and the Southern Alps before we Zealand’ dinner. (B, D)
later Queenstown has a compact life on a working sheep station. descend through the spectacular
and sophisticated downtown area There will also be the opportunity gorges and river valleys of the Day 24 Christchurch to London
tucked into a picturesque bay on to take a trip by four-wheel drive to Waimakariri River to the Canterbury Heathrow. Transfer to the airport
the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Upon explore the rugged high country. Plains and fields of farmland, for your return flight to London via
arrival we will transfer to the Crowne (B, L) crossing five viaducts, the highest Auckland and Singapore. (B)
Plaza Queenstown, our base for the being the Staircase standing at 73
next three nights. (B, D) Day 22 West Coast Glaciers. Today metres. On arrival, transfer to the Day 25 London Heathrow.
we will drive to Westland National Crowne Plaza Christchurch hotel for Arrive today.
Day 20 Queenstown. Today our Park crossing the Haast Pass, an our overnight stay and this evening
tour of Queenstown’s highlights historic transalpine route. Enjoy
includes a visit to Arrowtown, a a safari by large jet-boat on the
gold-boom township which was Haast River before continuing to
established literally overnight with Fox Glacier, a World Heritage Site Prices per person
the discovery of gold in the Arrow with incredible scenery. Weather Based on double occupancy
River in 1862. We will also enjoy permitting, you may wish to take
Price
a wine tasting at Gibbston Valley an optional scenic flight over the
Twin £8995
Wines. Lunch and dinner are under glaciers. Transfer to the Scenic
Single £10495
your own arrangements for you to Hotel this evening for our overnight
experience the local dining scene stay. (B)
with many restaurants and cafes to Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel • 21 nights hotel
choose from. (B) Day 23 West Coast Glaciers to accommodation as described • Meals as indicated (B - Breakfast, L - Lunch,
Christchurch. Continue to Hokitika, D - Dinner) inclusive of wine, beer or soft drinks with lunch & dinner • Noble
Caledonia Tour Manager • Excursions with local guide • Gratuities • Transfers
Day 21 Queenstown. Late this popular for artisans’ work in wood,
• Airport taxes.
morning we will join the Spirit of gold, glass and jade. A highlight
Not Included: Travel insurance, optional scenic flight on day 22.
Queenstown for a cruise across of today will be the journey on the Group Size: For your maximum enjoyment we are restricting the group size
Lake Wakatipu to Mount Nicholas. TranzAlpine train from Arthur’s Pass to just 25 participants.
Savour the fresh mountain air and to Christchurch. From your carriage
+44 (0)20 7752 0000
Rotorua
NOBLE CALEDONIA
IJ MIX
Paper from
2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London, SW1X 7BE
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+44 (0)20 7752 0000 | info@noble-caledonia.co.uk | noble-caledonia.co.uk ABTA
V321X
Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations and are available on request. Itinerary and accommodation subject to change.
Cover image: Bay of Islands
110919_S
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