SAMPLE PRIVATE - Family tour - 25/26

Kia Ora and Welcome to New Zealand. Your guide will pick you up from the airport and transfer you into the city. Settle into your accommodation and start exploring our wonderful city. We recommend checking out the Auckland War Memorial Museum, located in the middle of the beautiful Auckland Domain or exploring the busy viaduct.

Spend a full day in the City of Sails today. This morning head up the tallest building in New Zealand - the Sky Tower - for 360 degree views of the city and harbour. Your guide will take you some of the most iconic spots in the city - including Mission Bay, One Tree Hill, Mount Eden and more. This evening you have a free night in the city.

Start your journey south today - first stop, Hobbiton! Journey past the colourful Hobbit Hole doors that scatter the hillsides, including the iconic Bag End, home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, before arriving at Bagshot Row for a glimpse of the interior of a humble Hobbit’s home. Continue along the pathways past The Millhouse, across the double-arch stone bridge and into the world-famous Green Dragon Inn, where you will enjoy a complimentary, exclusive beverage from our Hobbit Southfarthing range.

After your adventure through Middle Earth, continue on to Rotorua. Enjoy a free afternoon in Rotorua before enjoying the Redwoods Nightlights experience.

This is one of New Zealand’s top design led experiences that features 34 exquisite lanterns designed by world-renowned designer and sustainability champion David Trubridge. Floating between 9-20 metres above the forest floor, this award-winning, eco-tourism walk is 700 metres long, spans across 28 suspension bridges and 27 platforms and takes about 40 minutes to complete.

Spend the whole day exploring the Geothermal City of Rotorua. This morning you will head out to the Agrodome for a Farm Show and Tour experience. You’ll hear amazing facts and have a few laughs as you’re introduced to 19 breeds of sheep. Then, witness a live sheep shearing demonstration and a fun sheep auction with bidding from the floor and audience participation. If a hands-on experience is what you want, jump up on stage for the opportunity to feed the baby lambs or even hand-milk a cow! After the Farm Show, jump outside to the dog trial area to watch our talented dogs in the dog trial. On the Tour you’ll get to hand-feed and take photos with all sorts of friendly animals, including Romney sheep, cattle, deer, llamas, ostrich, pigs and alpaca! During your ride you may even spot some rare breeds of sheep.

This evening you will be immersed in Maori Culture at Te Puia. Featuring dramatic geysers, bubbling mud, and beautiful native bush explored by our personalised guided tours. Te Puia is home to the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute and offers a state-of-the-art Kiwi Conservation Centre, so you can get closer than ever before to New Zealand’s national treasure- the native Kiwi bird. After a guided tour, experience a Maori Haka and show, before enjoying a traditional Maori Hangi for dinner.

This morning visit Wai-O-Tapu thermal Wonderland. It is a spectacular showcase of New Zealand’s most colourful and unique geothermal elements sculpted by thousands of years of geothermal activity.

Afterwards head to Taupo - the home of the Great Lake Taupo. Stop and visit the majestic Huka Falls before heading out on to the lake to experience the best way to explore Lake Taupo - a Sail Boat Trip. Explore aboard Taupo Sailing Adventure’s yachts to the Māori Rock Carvings and take a swim in the pristine waters. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the lake’s remarkable coastline as you discover the bays and hidden bush. Immerse yourself in Taupo’s history and culture while listening to the onboard commentary.

Today we head to the coolest little capital city in the world, the hip and happening Wellington.

Perched on the edge of a spectacular harbour, encircled by green, towering hills, Wellington is a stunning and compact city. Vibrant, exciting and cultured, the nation’s capital combines the stimulation and sophistication of a big city with the quirkiness and personality of a much smaller town.

After an afternoon orientation from your guide, head up Mount Victoria for some of the best views in town.

This evening, the city lights are yours to enjoy. Discover why Wellington is celebrated for its foodie culture – you are truly spoilt for dining choices tonight.

Soak up the atmosphere of vibrant Wellington. Famous for being a bit on the windy side, be prepared to ditch the hairspray and go with the flow.

As always, your guide will introduce you to the city with an orientation tour – including a drive around the bays through central Wellington to the Botanic Gardens and Parliament Buildings. You will also ride the iconic cable car, for views of Wellington from above.

Wellington has a feast of cultural attractions and its crowning glory is Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand. Situated on Wellington’s magnificent waterfront, this internationally acclaimed museum combines leading edge technology with traditional exhibits to tell the stories of New Zealand’s land and people. The museum is free entry but you may like to opt for a tour from one of their experienced guides for a more in depth visit.

This morning we say farewell to the North Island and take one of the world’s most scenic ferry journeys as we cross the Cook Strait. The South Island has a stunning welcome in store for us – gliding through the Marlborough Sounds as we approach Picton Harbour, you’ll feel like you’re in another world.

After lunch, our next destination is Kaikōura which literally means “to eat crayfish” – and the area is teeming with them. The nutrient-rich waters of this area attract a wide variety of marine wildlife including the stars of the show – the whales and dolphins. Stop and visit the local seal colony that calls this coastline their home.

Spend the whole day in Kaikoura, soaking up all this seaside town has to offer. 

If you want to get up close to the giants of the ocean, a whale watching tour here is the way to do it - and this morning you will get the chance to do it! Humpbacks, sperm whales and orca all stop by at various times of year, so this is a great chance to meet some of them.  

The chance to encounter dolphins in the wild is a massive New Zealand highlight for many travellers, and Kaikōura is one of the best places to find them, with pods of up to 300 of these playful creatures hanging out here at any one time.

After visiting the local seals on our way out of town, our road trip continues to our home for the night – Christchurch, known as the “Garden City” for its peaceful parklands and lazy rivers. Upon arrival, your guide will show you the iconic downtown Christchurch and the cool and creative ways the city is being rebuilt after the life-changing 2011 earthquake here. Christchurch folk are an innovative and creative bunch – the Transitional Cathedral, created from cardboard, is totally inspirational.

This afternoon you will get the chance to paddle a traditional Maori Waka (boat) on the famous Avon River. This 45-minute waka paddling experience is an amazing cultural journey of the Ōtākaro Avon River by waka. Waka have been paddled on the Ōtākaro Avon River as far back as the 1700 century.  Māori sailed to Aotearoa New Zealand on Waka Hourua (double-hull sailing waka). Single-hull waka became an important part of the early transport days of Christchurch city with no roads and nothing but swamp, Māori and early settlers collaborated regularly to transport trading goods and equipment up and down the Ōtākaro Avon River. 

Mid-morning we head for Lake Tekapo. Ready your camera – the lake’s breathtaking turquoise colour and mountain backdrop is a photographer’s dream come true.

The tiny Church of the Good Shepherd stands right at the water’s edge, proving that small is bold and definitely beautiful. Grab some confetti and congratulate any passing brides – couples travel from all over the world for wedding shots in front of the chapel!

Located at the heart of a Dark Sky Reserve, Tekapo is one of the best places in New Zealand to go star gazing. This afternoon you will embark on an interactive journey delivering thought-provoking insight into the world of tatai aroraki (Māori astronomy) and its pivotal role to the Māori understanding of the universe. Using incredible immersive visual displays, you will explore the science based narrative of how living beings came to be, and delve into the depths of the Milky Way and get up close with the impressive 125 year old recently restored Brashear telescope.

From the golden tussocklands of Mackenzie country – where epic battles of Return of the King were filmed – to the dramatic peaks of the Southern Alps, it’s like you’re driving into a postcard.

We’ll pause for lots of photo stops en route to give your camera a workout, including a stop at the spectacular Kawarau Gorge. This also happens to be the world home of bungy! Give it a go or enjoy watching the jumpers scream their way into the gorge.

Prepare yourself for the ultimate jet boating experience with Shotover Jet - the unique, breathtaking white water ride and adrenaline rush you’ll never forget. Experience wall to wall canyon action and 360 spins whilst traveling at over 85 kmph!

Enjoy a full day trip out to the Milford Sound and find out why it is known as the 8th Wonder of the World. Nestled within Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound is a pristine haven for birdlife, dolphins, fur seals and endangered species such as the Fiordland Crested Penguin. A marvel at any time of year and in any weather, Milford Sound is rich in geological formations, captivating waterfalls and unsurprisingly, one of the most impressive scenic day trips to do in New Zealand.

This morning you will travel up the Skyline Gondola for one last epic view of Queenstown. Whilst you are there, try your hand at lugeing. Jump in the driver’s seat in this global thrill for all ages. Nestle into a Luge cart and wind your way through 1,600 meters of banked corners, tunnels and dippers. Once you’ve conquered the course, hop on the chairlift and go again!

Head back down to the town and pick up some last minute souvenirs before your guide take you to the airport. Haere Ra and thank you for joining us in New Zealand. We hope to see you again soon!