Day 1 Departure from London Heathrow
Your adventure starts at Heathrow. Here you meet your Tour Manager and companions before your non-stop flight to Singapore. Smiling attendants, a superb entertainment system with your personal seatback screen, excellent food and complimentary drinks show why Singapore Airlines is so often considered the world’s best.
Meals: In-flight
Day 2 Arrival into Singapore
Your hotel overlooks the vista of Marina Bay, but is near three excellent shopping centres. You have a day at leisure - a good time to find bargains. In the early evening we gather for our welcome drinks party, and the opportunity to meet your fellow travellers.
Meals: In-flight
Hotel: Swissôtel Stamford
Day 3 Singapore
After breakfast you tour Singapore. Spectacular modern buildings contrast with traditional sights like Thian Hock Keng Temple, Little India and the Malay area of Geylang Serai. You also see the Orchid Gardens in Singapore’s botanical gardens which amazingly contain a rain forest. In the early afternoon it’s back to the hotel to relax.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Swissôtel Stamford
Day 4 Singapore to Christchurch
Take it easy for the day. Why not cruise the river past century-old godowns and shophouses, visit the Chinese and Japanese Gardens or the Jurong Bird Park? Take your time: your rooms are booked till late afternoon - you can freshen up before you fly in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Inflight
Day 5 Arrival into Christchurch
You’re staying next to Cathedral Square in the centre. Christchurch – known as the Garden City - is rather like England. Why not take a look at the lovely gardens with the river Avon running through them, just a few minutes away from your hotel? A city sightseeing tour of Christchurch is also included.
Meals: Inflight
Hotel: Heritage
Day 6 Christchurch
A day to enjoy Christchurch and its surroundings. Go up Mount Cavendish by cable car – there’s a wonderful view - or tour by restored antique tramcar. You could punt on the river, go out to Akaroa – a romantic old French settlement by the sea or Kaikoura, famous for whalewatching and swimming with dolphins.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Heritage
Day 7 Christchurch to Dunedin
Now it’s South through the great Canterbury Plains. The high point of the journey is Koekohe Beach – a world-famous scientific reserve with massive spherical 60 million year old Moeraki Boulders weighing several tonnes each. Your day ends with an evening of leisure in Dunedin - the 'Edinburgh of the South'. Check out the statue of Robert Burns whose nephew was among the city founders.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Southern Cross
Day 8 Dunedin
This morning you tour the Otago Peninsula including a wildlife cruise where there is the opportunity to see Albertrosses, Blue Penguins, Sea Lions and Whales. In the afternoon and evening you are at leisure to explore. You could take a ride on the Taieri Gorge train starting at the quite astonishing railway station, or visit the Early Settler's Museum.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Southern Cross
Day 9 Dunedin to Milford Sound
A splendid scenic drive towards Te Anau and then on to Milford Sound. The climax is your romantic overnight cruise along this most spectacular fiord. You anchor for the night in sheltered Harrison Cove where you can go exploring in the tender craft or simply relax. After a splendid dinner it’s a night in your private cabin with its en-suite facilities.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Vessel: Milford Mariner
Day 10 Milford Sound to Queenstown
What can we offer you after such an unforgettable experience? How about a leisurely lunch before you go and see Arrowtown’s picturesque tree lined streets and miners’ cottages – exactly as they were in the 19th century gold rush. Then you arrive in Queenstown overlooking the serene waters of Lake Wakatipu. In the evening, you cruise the lake on the coal fired 98-year old steamer 'Earnslaw' to enjoy a slap-up dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm before steaming back.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Heritage
Day 11 Queenstown
Queenstown is like an Alpine wonderland, with its lake and mountains – The Remarkables. You have a free day - with so much choice. Horse riding, a four wheel drive safari over old mining tracks or a jet boat ride on the Shotover River. For an easier day try a garden tour or lakeside stroll.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Heritage
Day 12 Queenstown to Franz Josef
Today you travel by the shores of Lakes Hawea and Wanaka - one of the most enchanting routes you can possibly imagine - before entering Westland National Park with its snowtopped peaks, glaciers, forests, grasslands, lakes, rivers and wetlands.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Te Waonui Retreat
Day 13 Franz Josef
A day of grandeur and beauty. If you wish we’ll drive you to the Franz Josef Glacier terminal to walk to the glacier face. Weather permitting you can take an optional scenic flight (at an extra cost) over the awe-inspiring Alpine region.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Te Waonui Retreat
Day 14 Franz Josef to Nelson
Today you see Punakaki - astonishing limestone columns shaped like stacks of pancakes. At high tide a heavy swell forces seawater up through booming blowholes Then it’s through Buller Gorge and its deep canyon, to Nelson on the Tasman Bay.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Rutherford
Day 15 Nelson
Nelson is one of the sunniest places in New Zealand. Enjoy a free day and look round this creative paradise of art galleries and workshops, old buildings and street cafes.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Rutherford
Day 16 Nelson to Wellington
Now it’s off to the port of Picton for our cruise to North Island. The views as we leave Queen Charlotte Sound are spectacular. Sea birds and dolphins may pursue us as we sail to the capital.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Copthorne Oriental Bay
Day 17 Wellington
Your day is free to take in this lively city – which has more cafes per head than New York City. Oriental Parade and Queen's Wharf on the waterfront are well worth seeing – with good restaurants like Shed 5 and Dockside to try.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Copthorne Oriental Bay
Day 18 Wellington to Napier
You now travel north to the Art Deco Town of Napier. Enjoy a late lunch at a local vineyard including wine tasting. Your afternoon is at leisure to wander through this quaint town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel: Scenic Te Pania
Day 19 Napier to Rotorua
Travel from Napier via Taupo to Rotorua. En route you visit Wairakei Terraces including a meeting of a Maori elder to discuss Maori life and culture passed and present. This evening enjoy dinner and a splendid Maori concert.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Millennium
Day 20 Rotorua
Today you see Rotorua's famous bath house and steam vents and the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve with its boiling, bubbling mudpools and mighty spurting geysers. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Millennium
Day 21 Rotorua to Bay of Islands
Past idyllic dairy farms and rolling hills, it’s through Auckland and the shores of the Pacific to the magnificent Bay of Islands for three nights. You’ll find it all remarkably like paradise - with the sea on both sides of your hotel. This evening is a true highlight as we have arranged an exclusive experience with Hone Mihaka, Chief of the Ngapuhi Tribe.(see page 9 for full details)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Copthorne Bay of Islands
Day 22 Bay of Islands
This morning you cruise around the Bay of Islands to the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’. Here are some of the world’s finest deep-sea game fishing grounds, full of porpoise, marlin, kingfish and snapper. You return via Russell, New Zealand’s first capital.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Copthorne Bay of Islands
Day 23 Bay of Islands
Today you’re free – perhaps to see Cape Reinga with its lighthouse, or take the ferry for a closer look at Russell, once called “the Hell Hole of the Pacific”. On Flagstaff Hill you can see where Maori war leader Hone Heke’s actions led to the last war against the British.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Copthorne Bay of Islands
Day 24 Bay of Islands to Auckland
It’s back to Auckland to relax at the Heritage again – with plenty of time to stroll down Queen Street, the city’s main shopping area for those souvenirs you almost forgot.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Sky City Grand
Day 25 Auckland
Today has been left completely free for meeting friends, exploring the city or merely relaxing with your fellow traveller. This evening enjoy a farewell meal together at the spectacular Orbit restaruant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Sky City Grand
Day 26 Auckland
Mid-morning you leave for Auckland airport in time for your flight via Singapore to London Heathrow.
Meals: Breakfast, Inflight
Day 27 Arrival into London Heathrow
You arrive at London Heathrow ... with new friends made and splendid memories to take home with you.