Day 1London
Board your economy flight from London Heathrow to Auckland.
Day 2
In flight.
Upon arrival in Auckland you will be welcomed by one of our representatives who will hand you your documentation and transfer you to the domestic terminal. Here you will fly up to the Bay of Islands. Collect your hire car from the airport and make your way to the Kauri Coast.
Spend the day at leisure exploring the Hokianga and Waipoua forests. This evening you will be taken on a twilight walk into Waipoua forest by your Maori guides who will entertain you with tales of the forests secrets. You will see Tane Mahuta (the Lord of the Forest) which stands 51 metres tall!
Take a leisurely drive through the towns of the western north island until you reach your accommodation on Auckland's north shore. Spend the afternoon exploring New Zealand's largest city. Take a stroll along the harbour, visit the museum or take a cruise across to Rangitoto Island where you can enjoy the views back across to the city.
Make your way to the Southern Coromandel Peninsula today. Why not take the scenic route and drive via Coromandel Town and Hot Water Beach in the Northern Coromandel.
Explore the Southern Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty today. This evening you may want to kayak to Lake McClaren glow worm grottos.
Continuing around the expansive Bay of Plenty you will cut across the East Cape to Gisborne, the first city to see the sun each morning. Stay at Knapdale Eco Lodge, a stunning property on a busy working farm.
Day 9Gisborne - New Plymouth & Taranaki
Journey the width of the country to New Plymouth, in the shadow of the mighty Mount Taranaki today. Stop en-route at Lake Taupo and perhaps take a boat ride on the Lake to see the Maori carvings here.
Day 10New Plymouth & Taranaki
Spend the day exploring New Plymouth and the Mount Egmont National Park. The scenery here is beautiful and the walking tracks plentiful.
Drop your hire car at the airport this morning and fly to Blenheim on the South Island. Here you can have lunch and spend the afternoon exploring the Blenheim and Marlborough vineyards before driving down the east coast and detouring from the main highway to picturesque Hanmer Springs.
Spend the morning in the natural hot springs before returning to the main highway and by-passing the city of Christchurch make your way out along the stunning Banks Peninsula to the pretty French harbour town of Akaroa.
There is plenty to keep you busy in this pretty harbourside town. Take a cruise around the harbour and if you are feeling active get into the water and swim with the dolphins here.
Heading inland today, journey from the flat Canterbury Plains up into the majestic Southern Alps.
Take a drive into the Mount Cook National Park where you can enjoy one of the many walking tracks or cruise to the Tasman Glacier. At nearby Lake Tekapo you can take a spectacular ski-plane flight over the region, including a snow landing high on top of the remote Tasman Glacier. The scenery is simply breathtaking.
Day 16Twizel - Ranfurly
Wind your way south via the Lindis Pass to Ranfurly, in the heart of the Central Otago highlands. Base yourself at Kokonga Lodge, a wonderful property with fabulous views of the area and great access to the Rail Trail.
Day 17Ranfurly
Take a full day to walk or cycle the historic Rail Trail, stopping off at the tiny towns along the way.
Drive to Queenstown this morning and enjoy lunch by the lake. Drop your hire car at the airport this afternoon and fly back to Auckland and then onto London.
Day 19London
Arrive back into London today.