Destination introduction
A holiday to New Zealand offers you more kinds of heaven than anywhere on earth. From the north’s sub-tropical Bay of Islands to the south’s magnificent Fjordland, with, Rotorua’s geysers, Queenstown’s lake and mountains and majestic Milford Sound in-between.
Journeys of Distinction escorted tours to New Zealand allow you to see the best bits this country has to offer. Magnificent New Zealand, is a 29 day luxury holiday with stops in Wellington, Franz Josef and Auckland to name a few.
Alternatively, our ‘Highlights of Australia and New Zealand’ is ideal for those who can take the opportunity to visit two very different countries in our 31 day luxury tour.
Our New Zealand Holiday Highlights
• Spending the night onboard the Milford Mariner at the awe-inspiring Milford Sounds and awake to spot penguins, seals and dolphins surrounded by spectacular scenery.
• Traversing the southern alps on the TranzAlpine Express you will pass rivers, valleys, farmland and pastures. Don’t miss the open air viewing carriage!
• Meeting Maori Tribe Chief Hone Mihaka and learn about New Zealand’s fascinating indigenous culture.
• Witnessing breathtaking views at the stunning Franz Josef Glacier.
Where is New Zealand?
Lying in the midst of the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is quite literally on the other side of the world from the UK and slightly larger. The country is made up of the north and south island as well as the lesser known Stewart Island and a host of islets. Separated from Australia by the Tasman Sea, the two countries are often visited together as an antipodean adventure. Holiday extensions to Fiji or stopovers in USA, Singpaore or Hong Kong provide a practical route home.
New Zealand’s geographic position allows a temperate climate with as many sunshine hours as Italy or Florida. Summers and winters are the reserve of those in Europe and the weather tends to be pleasantly warm from October to April and much cooler at other times of year when skiing and snowboarding are popular sports.
New Zealand Cuisine
All this, and when it comes to food and wine, a gourmet’s dream. New Zealand’s cities enjoy a range of styles and ingredients from around the world. Increasingly diverse restaurants are opening up and although prices remain reasonable it is possible to splash out on 5* dining on occasion.
Don’t miss the famous New Zealand lamb, splendid range of delicious pies and some of the best fish and chips in the world!
Did You Know?
The tallest building is...
The Auckland Sky Tower. At 328m it is the tallest man-made structure in the Southern Hemisphere, with amazing 360 degree views across Auckland.
The mightiest tree is...
The native New Zealand Kauri Tree growing to more than 50 metres tall. It’s the most populous in the country and first appeared in the Jurassic period between 190 and 135 million years ago.
The highest ratio of animals to humans is in...
New Zealand. Less than five percent of New Zealand's population is human, the rest are animals - one of the highest ratios of animals to humans in the world.