From the Icy Fingers of Franz Josef Glacier to the warmth of Rotorua’s Geothermal wonders, New Zealand will have you in its grip. Explore the magical Milford Sound and indulge in a mouth-watering hangi feast shared with a local Maori Family.
Package Includes
- Round trip international airfare to Auckland and return from Queenstown
- 8 night guided vacation First Class coach tour
- 8 nights hand picked hotel accommodation
- Dining: 8 hot buffet breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners
- Transfers from airport to hotel and hotel to airport
- Local air flight as per itinerary
- Hand-picked insider experiences
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- All hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling fees and local taxes included
Sightseeing Highlights
- City tour in Auckland and Christchurch
- Cruise on Auckland Harbour and Milford Sound.
- View native flora and fauna, jade carving in Hokitika and the Southern Alps from the TranzAlpine train
- Visit Te Puia Thermal Valley and Franz Josef Glacier.
Travel Highlights
- Connect with Locals
Join the O’Sullivans in the North Island for lunch at the Red Barn on their beautiful dairy farm in the Waikato region. (Day 3) - Dive into Culture
Immerse yourself in Māori culture and enjoy a traditional Māori feast at the Tamaki Māori Marae. (Day 3) - Local Specialist
For included sightseeing in Rotorua (Day 4)
Book by June 21 and save $100 per person (savings reflected in pricing)
| November 13, 2019 | Based on Double or Single Share |
| Vancouver | $6299 + $183 tax |
| Victoria, Kelowna | $6699 + $183 tax |
| Calgary, Edmonton | $6599 + $183 tax |
| Single Room Supplement | add $1635 |
*Due to limited motorcoach capacity only 1 luggage per person is allowed.
Itinerary
DAY 1 ARRIVE AUCKLAND (2 NIGHTS)
Welcome to the New Zealand’s invigorating North Island hub. On arrival in Auckland, transfer to your hotel (flights to arrive prior to 4pm) and settle in to one of the world’s most liveable cities. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception and dinner at your hotel.
MEAL(S) – Welcome Reception, Dinner with wine
HOTEL – Stamford Plaza
DAY 2 AUCKLAND SIGHTSEEING
Immerse yourself in Auckland’s intoxicating charm this morning as you embark on a city sightseeing tour to Mission Bay. Ascend to Bastion Point to admire views of the city skyline and Auckland Harbour, which you’ll have an opportunity to explore later on board a cruise. Sit back and relax, as you experience firsthand why Auckland justifiably earns its reputation as the City of Sails.
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast
DAY 3 AUCKLAND ROTORUA
Your Trafalgar Highlight today is a visit to Lance and Bridgette O’Sullivan’s dairy farm, where you’ll ‘Connect with Locals’ and discover New Zealand’s horse racing traditions over a sumptuous countrystyle Be My Guest lunch. This evening, ‘Dive into
Culture’ at the Tamaki Family Marae, complete with a tasty Hangi Regional Meal with wine and powerful Māori cultural performance revealing the rituals and traditions of this ancient culture.
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast, Lunch, Regional Meal
HOTEL – Millennium
DAY 4 ROTORUA CHRISTCHURCH
Encounter New Zealand’s indigenous creatures that find sanctuary alongside the crystalclear mineral springs of Rainbow Springs Nature Park. Join a ‘Local Specialist’ who will help you spot shy kiwi amongst the native bush, ferns and trees. From here, ‘Dive into Culture’ when you journey to Te Puia to meet the local Māori community at Whakawerawera for an introduction to their gift from the gods the bubbling geysers, mud pools and thermal springs of Rotorua. A Māori ‘Local Specialist’ will show you New Zealand’s largest geyser before you board your flight to Christchurch.
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast
HOTEL – Distinction
DAY 5 CHRISTCHURCH FRANZ JOSEF
Journey across the Canterbury Plains and snowcapped Southern Alps on board the TranzAlpine, one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys. Admire the vivid hues of greenstone (jade) during a visit to Hokitika for an exclusive jewellery carving demonstration with a ‘Local Specialist’ master carver. Continue to the luminescent icy depths of the Franz Josef Glacier, which you may choose to explore by air on an Optional Experience scenic flight (weather permitting).
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with wine
HOTEL – Te Waonui Forest Retreat
DAY 6 FRANZ JOSEF QUEENSTOWN (3 NIGHTS)
Journey across Haast Pass, along the pebbled shores of Lakes Wanaka and Hawea and past Thunder Creek Falls. Savour the juicy flavours of apricots, peaches, plums in Cromwell, New Zealand’s stone fruit capital, then visit the historic gold mining village of Arrowtown before arriving in Queenstown, where an orientation tour completes your day.
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast
HOTEL – Millennium
DAY 7 MILFORD SOUND CRUISE
Travel south over the Devil’s Staircase and along the tranquil shores of Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau, the gateway to South Island’s spectacular fiords. Continue through the ancient forests of Fiordland National Park, driving past peaks and glaciers and through the handhewn Homer Tunnel to capture the startling natural beauty of Cleddau Valley and Mirror Lake. A journey filled with pinchme
moments awaits as you take to the tranquil waters of Milford Sound, enjoying a soulstirring encounter with this wonder of nature and lunch on board before returning to Queenstown for an evening at leisure.
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 8 QUEENSTOWN FREE TIME
Push your boundaries and indulge your inner adventurer on one of Trafalgar’s Optional Experiences. You could ride the Shotover Jet boat, take a minibus excursion through Skippers Canyon or simply explore Queenstown on your own. This evening, join your Travel Director for dinner at The Boatshed set in the historic New Zealand Railways Shipping Office built in 1936. Restored and relocated to its lakefront setting, The Boatshed, with its spectacular views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range, is the perfect venue for your exclusive Farewell Dinner.
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast, Farewell Dinner
DAY 9 DEPART QUEENSTOWN
Your holiday concludes this morning after breakfast. You will be transferred to Queenstown Airport for your onward flight (flights anytime).
MEAL(S) – Buffet Breakfast
