Tour Highlights

Day 01 - Jan 08, 2024: Mon – ARRIVE AUCKLAND / FLIGHT TO NAPIER, NZ
Mid-day flight from Auckland into Napier, New Zealand. Transfer to a hotel with the balance of the afternoon free until “Welcome Dinner” this evening hosted by Select Holidays. [D]
**International airfare into Auckland is NOT included in the price below. Call for pricing details.

Day 02 - Jan 09, 2024: Tue – NAPIER, NZ
A morning tour of the Napier and Hawke's Bay regions. Lunch will be at a local winery, with the balance of the day and evening free.    [B/L]

Day 03 - Jan 10, 2024:  Wed –NAPIER ~ ROTORUA, NZ
Making your way across New Zealand and to the Lake Taupo region.  Lake Taupo is in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano and is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand. Later you arrive Rotorua on the North Island and check into hotel for a 2 night stay.  This evening enjoy a Maori Hangi Feast and Concert at your hotel.     [B/D]

Day 04 - Jan 11, 2024: Thu – ROTORUA, NZ
A morning visit to an authentic Maori Village for a guided tour with one of the elders.  See first hand how the local native Maori people use the natural hot water and steam from deep in the earth to cook their food and heat their homes.  Then it is off to the “Agrodome”, for a show of sheep and sheep dog demonstration and farm wagon tour to see kiwi fruit on the vine.  Rest of the day at leisure. [B]

Day 05 - Jan 12, 2024: Fri – ROTORUA ~ AUCKLAND, NZ
This morning visit “Waitomo Glow Worm Caves”.  Visit a rural town and have lunch before continuing into Auckland, known as the “City of Sails” and New Zealand’s largest city, for a two night stay.    [B/L]

Day 06 - Jan 13, 2024: Sat – AUCKLAND, NZ
A morning visit to the “Kelly Tarlton Underwater World” with its live penguin and killer sharks display. Drive to Davenport, across the bay from the city of Auckland, for lunch and time on your own. Take a ferry back to the city center and make your own way back to the hotel. Balance of the afternoon and evening is free to explore on your own. [B]

Day 07 - Jan 14, 2024:  Sun – AUCKLAND ~ QUEENSTOWN ~ TE ANAU, NZ
Morning flight from Auckland to Queenstown located on the South Island. Upon arrival, journey following along the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu and past sheep and deer farms on the way to Te Anau.  [B/D]

Day 08 - Jan 15, 2024: Mon - TE ANAU ~ MILFORD SOUND ~ QUEENSTOWN, NZ
Enter Fjordland's National Park, crossing over mountain passes and through scenic valleys enroute to Milford Sound.  Enjoy a cruise in this breath-taking fjord, watch for numerous fur seals sunning themselves on the rocks and also view numerous waterfalls.  Box lunch before returning to Te Anau for a break before travel back to Queenstown and checking into a centrally located hotel for a 2-night stay. [B/L]

Day 09 - Jan 16, 2024: Tue - QUEENSTOWN, NZ
Travel along the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy for a visit.  Afternoon is free to explore on your own.  This evening, enjoy a relaxing cruise on the historic coal-fired steamer, the “SS Earnslaw”, crossing to the “Walter Peak Sheep Station” for dinner and a sheep dog demonstration.  Return to Queenstown for the night.      [B/D]

Day 10 - Jan 17, 2024: Wed - QUEENSTOWN ~ CENTRAL OTAGO ~ OAMARU, NZ
This morning we drive via the impressive Clyde Dam with a break for coffee in the beautifully preserved historic town of Clyde. We make a brief visit to a fruit orchard then continue through Central Otago via Alexandra and Ranfurly to the wide-open spaces of the Maniatoto Basin. This a dry, expansive farming region where we visit a diverse fine-wool sheep, deer and cattle farming business adding value with agritourism. Enjoy lunch with your hosts and learn about farming life in this beautiful, yet climatically harsh, location. Continue via “the Pig Route” to Oamaru, renowned for its attractive limestone buildings and home to the world’s smallest penguin, the little Blue Penguin. A free evening with an optional penguin spotting opportunity. Overnight in Oamaru. [B/L]

Day 11 - Jan 18, 2024: Thu – OAMARU ~ WAITAKI VALLEY ~ AORAKI MOUNT COOK, NZ
This morning we visit an interesting family-owned cropping and added-value farming business. This arable farming enterprise has innovatively expanded into a niche business. Also enjoy time in the revived Victorian Precinct - a hub of galleries, stores, cafes, restaurants, museums, a brewery and unique steam punk art. For lunch we travel to a renowned cafe outside of Oamaru - as well as the restaurant, shop and bountiful vegetable gardens, the castle is quite a sight! This afternoon we travel up the Waitaki River valley past the hydro lakes and irrigation schemes that have transformed the lower country from dryland to dairying. Flanked by the dry hills which are home to tens of thousands of sheep, this valley has also become a popular route for the many visitors cycling the Alps to Ocean cycle track (Mount Cook to Oamaru). We’ll make a short stop at an interesting salmon farm in the hydro canal before arriving at a village at the base of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook. Time for a stroll or perhaps a visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, one of the world’s greatest explorers, before dinner tonight. Overnight at Aoraki Mount Cook. [B/L/D]

Day 12 - Jan 19, 2024: Fri - AORAKI MOUNT COOK ~ MACKENZIE COUNTRY ~ METHVEN, NZ
After time for an optional hike or scenic flight (weather and wallet depending!) amidst the incredible alpine surrounds, continue via the stunning aqua blue hydro lakes of Pukaki and Tekapo; the source of the majority of New Zealand’s electricity. We visit a third generation Angus stud in the Mackenzie Country and learn about the operation. We enjoy a picnic lunch taking in the superb vistas that typify the spectacular Mackenzie Basin. This afternoon we continue via Burkes Pass and the rolling foothills regions around Fairlie and Geraldine. Continuing into the expansive Canterbury Plains, we make our way to the rural township of Methven, lying in the shadow of Mount Hutt, one of New Zealand’s premier ski resorts. Perhaps enjoy a relaxing soak in the new hot pools complex before dinner at the lodge. Overnight in Methven. [B/L/D]

Day 13 - Jan 20, 2024:  Sat - METHVEN ~ MID-CANTERBURY ~ CHRISTCHURCH, NZ
Today we visit farms on the Canterbury Plains, the largest area of flat land in New Zealand, with approximately 500,000ha of irrigated land. Irrigation makes varied land-use possible - arable and vegetable cropping is found on the best soils, and many large-scale dairy farms are present on the lighter soils. This morning visit a family-owned dairy farm milking 1000 cows and learn how the farmers are responding to environmental trends. Also visit a potato, seed and cereal producer and learn how this region regularly produces world-record wheat yields. Depending on conditions, perhaps a chance to see arable crops being harvested. Later we travel to Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island with a population of around 400,000. Take an orientation tour of the “Garden City” before checking into your central hotel for a two-night stay. Overnight in Christchurch. [B/L]

Day 14 - Jan 21, 2024: Sun - CHRISTCHURCH, NZ
Time for a stroll through the Botanic Gardens. Travel to the picturesque Banks Peninsula region and the charming French settlement of Akaroa for “Farewell Lunch”. Balance of afternoon and evening are free for you to explore this amazing city on your own. Overnight in Christchurch. [B/L]

Day 15 - Jan 22, 2024: Mon - CHRISTCHURCH, NZ - END OF TOUR**
Today your tour comes to an end. [B]

Ask about a post-tour to Australia. Click here for details.

PRICE PER PERSON, DOUBLE - FROM $8,895.00 LAND PRICE ONLY*

Plus Air/Gov't Taxes of $488.00 CAD per person
Single Occupancy - add $2,390.00
INITIAL DEPOSIT - $1,500.00 per person at time of booking
Second Payment of $1,500.00 is DUE before June 30, 2023
FINAL PAYMENT per person is due before October 04, 2023

**Airfare to/from New Zealand is not included in the price. 
Ask about special International airfares for this tour.