Grand Pacific Tours - 19 Day Signature Showcase Itinerary

‘Haere Mai’ … Welcome to New Zealand!

Upon arrival in Auckland you will be met by a tour representative and transferred to your hotel to settle in and freshen up. Depending on what time you'll arrive, you will then have some time to explore the 'City of Sails' before meeting your travel companions for dinner. Visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum for an insight into New Zealand culture and history. Take a boat cruise on the harbour and see marine life and islands, or simply relax with a coffee in one of the many unique inner-city cafes.

This evening enjoy a complimentary pre-dinner drink when you meet your Tour Leader and travelling companions for dinner.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Auckland - 1 Night 

Depart Auckland and embark on a journey of discovery as you venture North driving along the scenic Hibiscus Coast. Enjoy a visit to the Kauri Museum in Matakohe where you will hear an informative talk. Enjoy a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the location of the signing of the treaty between the Maori tribes and the British. There’s time to explore New Zealand’s northern-most city, Whangarei, before continuing on to Paihia, the gateway to the coastal paradise that is the Bay of Islands.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Bay of Islands - 2 Nights

One of New Zealand’s coastal jewels, the Bay of Islands, offers a myriad of things to do and places to see; all located within a sheltered paradise of islands and inlets. Today is a free day. Choose from the many optional activities available. Join mini-tours to the historic seaside town of Russell or check-out the finest local arts and crafts in beautiful Kerikeri. A game of Golf at Waitangi, an evening Dinner Cruise, or perhaps a fantastic day sailing onboard a Tall Ship.

Alternative excursions available in the Bay of Islands:

Meals: Breakfast

Discover the Bay of Islands this morning onboard a catamaran to Cape Brett and the famous Hole in the Rock. The cruise includes an island stopover at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island. Stroll along the white sand beach or walk to the top of the hill for scenic views over the entire Bay of Islands. Return to Paihia and continue South via Whangarei to Auckland, where you will enjoy a city sights tour. This evening is free to explore the many eateries surrounding your hotel. 

Some Activities and sightseeing options if you have time:

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Auckland - 1 Night

Enjoy a leisurely start before visiting Sky Tower, one of New Zealand’s most spectacular attractions. Depart Auckland and travel through the picturesque countryside to Hobbiton for a buffet lunch. This is followed by a guided tour of the Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Your guide will recount details of how this beautiful piece of farmland was transformed into The Shire from Middle Earth. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Rotorua - 2 Nights

The day begins with a Gondola ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua, with the option of a luge ride if you're up for it! The next stop is the  Agrodome  for a unique New Zealand farm experience. Enjoy some free time this afternoon before travelling to Visit Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome Geysers that Rotorua is famous for.

Immerse yourself in a  Maori Cultural Experience  on the grounds of a historic Maori Village. Participate in a pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony), and learn about the history ofthe marae (village) and the Rotorua from a local Maori guide. This evening experience an entertaining Maori Hangi.

Meals: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner

Depart Rotorua and travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to Huka Falls and Lake Taupo. Continue to Napier known as “The Art Deco Capital”, where a city tour will showcase an impressive collection of art deco buildings. Enjoy some free time to explore the fascinating architecture before traveling through the Wairarapa, an emerging cool-climate wine region.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Masterton - 1 Night

Enjoy a leisurely start to the day before travelling to quaint Greytown. Drive through the scenic Rimutaka Mountain Range into Wellington. Enjoy a city tour of the nation’s,  followed by a visit to Gallipoli: A Scale of War exhibition at Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum. Cutting edge technology brings these stories to life through the eyes of New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances.

Here are some sight seeing and activity suggestions while in Wellington:

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Wellington - 1 Night

This morning board the Interislander Ferry where you can relax in comfort in the Queen Charlotte Lounge. Enjoy the scenery as you travel through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton. Board your coach for the short journey to Blenheim, where you will enjoy some free time.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Blenheim - 1 Night

Tour through Marlborough Country, famous for its food and wine, then travel to the seaside village of Kaikōura. Once down on the flats, this road - (worthy of any big-budget car commercial) hugs the coastline - we stop to enjoy the marine life as fur seals bask and play along the rocky shoreline, before arriving in the gorgeous seaside town of Kaikoura.

Continue onto the garden city of Christchurch for a city sights tour. 

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 Night

This morning board the TranzAlpine, renowned as one of the great train journeys of the world. Travel over massive viaducts, river valleys, and spectacular gorges as you ascend to Arthur’s Pass, located in the centre of the Southern Alps. View rivers and valleys as you travel through the Waimakariri Basin, over massive viaducts, and through the patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains. 

Board your coach and travel to Hokitika, famous for its Greenstone, before continuing to Franz Josef where time is available to experience a scenic flight (optional, weather permitting) over the spectacular glaciers.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Franz Josef - 1 Night

See the snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel south along the West Coast to the Fox Glacier township. Continue via the Haast Pass, an area of stunning beauty before arriving into picturesque Queenstown, a year round resort situated on the shores of magical Lake Wakatipu. This evening is free and you may choose to dine out at one of the many fine restaurants.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Queenstown - 2 Nights

Today is a free day to explore Queenstown, you may wish to enjoy the thrill of a jet boat ride (optional) or a heritage tour of the scenic Skippers Canyon (optional). This evening board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Sit back and enjoy a delicious gourmet barbecue dinner featuring seasonal, fresh and locally sourced food at the Colonel’s Homestead. After dinner enjoy a short farm tour then reboard the TSS Earnslaw for a sing along by the piano as you cruise back to Queenstown. 

Meals: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner 

Enjoy a leisurely start this morning before traveling to Arrowtown, an old gold mining village where you visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue to Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland.

Today you may like to visit the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves (optional).

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Te Anau - 2 Nights

The Road to Milford is one of New Zealand’s most scenic drives. The first part is relatively mild farmland, then you’ll ease into a beech forest near the entrance to the Fiordland National Park. Look for the Avenue of the Disappearing Mountain and the Mirror Lakes. The rough-hewn Homer Tunnel brings you into Milford Sound, an amazing 22km-long fiord dominated by Mitre Peak. A cruise on Milford Sound will be an essential component of your time in Fiordland. Tall waterfalls, vertical rock faces and seals are some of the things you’ll remember. This afternoon return to Te Anau where some free time in available. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel via Gore and Balclutha to Dunedin - Scottish City of Grace and Grandeur. The name 'Dunedin' comes from Dun Eideann the Scots-Gaelic name for Edinburgh, founded largely by Scottish immigrants, who raised the impressive buildings which now add much to the city's charm. These buildings incorporate a diverse array of styles from Tudor, Jacobean, Georgian, Carpenter, Gothic, and Arts and Crafts styles also feature - to some very fine examples of Neo-Gothic. Dunedin is regarded as one of the best-preserved Victorian cities in the Commonwealth.

This afternoon we take part in an informative city tour. Travel along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle where you will hear of the tragic and scandalous history on a guided tour. Enjoy time to wander around this Garden of International Significance followed by a delicious Devonshire Tea.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Dunedin - 1 Night

Farewell Dunedin and travel to Oamaru. While its façade is strictly of the Victorian era with ornately decorated grand white stone buildings that once housed upstanding banks, hotels, and restaurants, the residents ‘the Oamaruivans’ are certainly not. In fact quite the contrary, unlike the Victorians they (the locals) are bohemians artisans, creative’s and antiquarians who run ‘out-there’ galleries, museums, shops, and venues – it has to be seen to be believed and you'll love it.

Follow the Waitaki River and see Lake Benmore as you continue to marvel at Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak. The opportunity is available to enjoy a scenic flight (optional, weather permitting) over the Southern Alps. Travel to Twizel for your overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Twizel - 1 Night

Continue to Lake Tekapo and view the brilliant turquoise water, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Sheep Dog Statue before arriving into Christchurch. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner with your new-found friends.

Meals: Breakfast, Specialty Dinner

Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 Night

"Haere rā" Goodbye! and Bon Voyage!

We know you enjoyed the 'New Zealand Signature Showcase Tour' and our promise to you is to make your travels through New Zealand as hassle-free and hospitable as possible - ensuring that today you leave with plenty of photos and huge smiles on your faces when recalling your time in New Zealand! Have a great homeward journey, farewell, and hope to see you again soon.

Meals: Breakfast

Itinerary Variations:
The provider strives to improve trip itineraries. If improvements can be made, or if circumstances beyond their control make changes necessary, the provider reserves the right to vary itineraries and to make substitutions.