Spirit of New Zealand
Spirit of New Zealand
Spirit of New Zealand
21 Days Starting in Christchurch (Nz) and ending in Auckland
Visiting: Christchurch, Omarama, Dunedin, Stewart Island / Rakiura, Invercargill, Queenstown, Franz Josef, Punakaiki, Nelson, Wellington, Napier, Rotorua, Auckland, Bay of Islands
Tour Overview
Dozens of lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Just as many beaches. A good dose of Maori history and culture. Glaciers, gorges and bubbling geysers. Wine, wonderful food and wildlife. It sounds like the recipe for the best New Zealand tour ever. We haven’t even touched on the forward-thinking cities and atmospheric towns you’ll encounter on a Christchurch tour, Wellington tour, Bay of Islands tour... And so much more. Pack your stamina.
Highlights
- We’ve crafted an itinerary with plenty of two-night stays, so you can sleep in and take the pulse of your destination, whether Queenstown, Wellington, Nelson or Rotorua.
- From the bubbling geysers of Rotorua to the gem-like surface of Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere, nature and culture unite across the North and South islands.
- The Real Country Farm Show offers an authentic taste of what rural New Zealand is like. For every guest, we donate funds to The Fairlight Foundation, Advancing Women in Agriculture.
- An island off an island, Stewart Island is wild, wide and wonderful. Some 85% is national park - prepare for epic animal encounters.
- Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide Comfortable accommodation with easy access to city centres National Park entrance fees
- Water bottle Comfortable walking shoes Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Warm layers in cooler months Camera
- Flights to and from the start/end of your trip are not included in the trip price. Day 1 – flights to arrive prior to 4.00pm into Christchurch AirportDay 21 – flights to depart any time from Auckland Airport
- Low level of fitness required
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome To Christchurch
Location: Christchurch
Accommodation Name: Wyndham Garden
Community spirit is strong in Christchurch, as you’ll discover exploring its streets at your leisure. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers this evening for a Welcome Reception.
Day 2: Christchurch - Omarama
Location: Christchurch
Accommodation Name: Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel
More of Christchurch is revealed before the colours of the Canterbury Plains spread before you: the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo, snowcapped mountains and atmospheric towns. Your Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience at Tekapo, hosted by passionate guides, will forever change the way you see the night sky. You'll see for yourself it may be one of the quietest spots on the planet, yet it has one of the busiest skies in the universe.
Day 3: Omarama - Dunedin
Location: Omarama
Accommodation Name: Dunedin Leisure Lodge
Architectural drama awaits in Dunedin. While away the afternoon in atmospheric art-lined alleys or sipping a lager or two in Speight’s Brewery (a national institution). Or venture further afield to discover Larnach Castle, fur seals and penguins.
Day 4: Dunedin - Invercargill
Location: Dunedin
Accommodation Name: Kelvin Hotel
Invercargill is obsessed with motor vehicles. Tributes to speed legends colour the city. So it's only fitting that you visit Classic Motorcycle Mecca for a self-guided tour followed by a guided tour and Highlight Dinner at Transport World, exploring classic vehicles as you are transported on a nostalgic walk back in time.
Day 5: Stewart Island
Location: Stewart Island / Rakiura
Accommodation Name: Kelvin Hotel
Wild, wide and wonderful, Stewart Island’s rugged coastline cuts a dramatic form in the Southern Ocean. It’s largely untouched, which means that endemic flora and fauna thrive. But don’t take our word for it. Meet the locals on a tour through the Village and Bays.
Day 6: Invercargill - Queenstown
Location: Invercargill
Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort
The Real Country Farm Show, offers an authentic taste of what rural New Zealand is like. For every guest, we donate funds to The Fairlight Foundation, Advancing Women in Agriculture, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Continue to Queenstown and take the afternoon at your own pace.
Day 7: Queenstown Free Time
Location: Queenstown
Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort
Consider an epic journey through Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, carved by waterfalls and a playground for dolphins and seals? (Own expense). There’s a reason why this part of the island has World Heritage status. You choose today’s path.
Day 8: Queenstown - Franz Josef
Location: Queenstown
Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
We know you’ll want to linger in Arrowtown’s movie-set-like streets, lined with trees and character-filled boutiques and restaurants. But the Alpine countryside of the Southern Lakes is calling. Over the Haast Pass, the pretty town of Franz Josef/Waiau, at the edge of Westland World Heritage Park, awaits.
Day 9: Franz Josef - Punakaiki
Location: Franz Josef
Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Punakaiki
Wander Hokitika’s windswept coast before discovering the town’s other beauty: pounamu (native greenstone or jade). Prepare yourself for Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks and blowholes; they owe their existence to the thundering surf that will lull you to sleep.
Day 10: Punakaiki - Nelson
Location: Punakaiki
Accommodation Name: The Rutherford Hotel
Ease along the Heritage Highway toward Nelson. Press your nose against the glass as your coach weaves through Buller Gorge and Kahurangi National Park.
Day 11: Nelson Free Time
Location: Nelson
Accommodation Name: The Rutherford Hotel
Lace up your hiking shoes and head off on a bushwalk, or cruise through Abel Tasman National Park (own expense). This pocket in the north of the island inspires calm, its golden beaches framed by sculpted granite cliffs.
Day 12: Nelson - Wellington
Accommodation Name: Travelodge Wellington
All aboard the Interislander for a cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound to Wellington.
Day 13: Wellington - Napier
Location: Wellington
Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Te Pania
Travel to Napier. Beautifully preserved 1930s architecture is Napier's special point of difference.
Day 14: Napier
Location: Napier
Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Te Pania
Experience The Daily Deco Tour for an insight into how Napier City became the Art Deco capital of the world. This comprehensive tour takes you on an historic timeline, sharing stories and showcasing the transformation and how Napier City and its people were resilient after the infamous 1931 Hawke's Bay Earthquake, rebuilding the city they love into a fabulous and stylish 'time warp' Art Deco!
Day 15: Napier - Rotorua
Location: Napier
Accommodation Name: Sudima Lake Rotorua
This afternoon, explore Te Puia's geothermal valley, and learn about Maori history and culture on this guided experience, including a dinner of hangi-inspired cuisine and a cultural performance in a finely carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. It ends on a high at the Pohutu Geyser, where, armed with a hot chocolate, you'll view one of New Zealand's geothermal wonderlands.
Day 16: Rotorua Free Time
Location: Rotorua
Accommodation Name: Sudima Lake Rotorua
Today is one of decisions. Bliss out at Wai Araki Hot Springs & Spa; take the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour or board a scenic flight for a bird’s-eye view (all own expense).
Day 17: Rotorua - Auckland
Location: Rotorua
Accommodation Name: Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre
Today your sights are firmly set on New Zealand's national game: rugby. The interactive All Blacks Experience explores an introduction to the game as a part of New Zealand culture.
Day 18: Auckland - Bay Of Islands
Location: Auckland
Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort
The Bay of Islands is undeniably beautiful, but it also holds a special historical significance: this is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. Your guide, perhaps a descendent of one of the original signatories, will explain the significance.
Day 19: Bay Of Islands Free Time
Location: Bay of Islands
Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort
Trip the light fantastic and head off in whatever direction you please. Perhaps travel up to Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua via idyllic Ninety Mile Beach. Or glide around on an historic tall ship, cruise to the Hole in the Rock or join a tour of Russell (all own expense).
Day 20: Bay Of Islands - Auckland
Location: Bay of Islands
Accommodation Name: Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre
For a little more northern exposure, make your way to Whangarei, the island’s most northerly outpost and a place where waterfalls meet beaches, galleries meet museums. Explore at your leisure before the commute back to Auckland for your Farewell Dinner.
Day 21: Farewell From Auckland
Location: Auckland
Over three weeks, we hope you’ve packed your address book with the names of new friends and your camera with photos. But at the end of the day, it’s the memories that will fuel your flight home.
What's Included
What's Not Included
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Flights to and from the start/end of your trip
Flights to and from the start and end locations of the trip are not included in the trip price.
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Optional activities
Optional activities such as the Fiordland National Park journey, Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, and other excursions are at your own expense.
Mode of Transport
Travel in comfort with a specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide, ensuring a seamless journey through New Zealand's stunning landscapes.
Accommodation
Enjoy comfortable accommodation with easy access to city centres, including stays at the Wyndham Garden in Christchurch, Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel in Omarama, and Copthorne Hotel and Resort in Queenstown.
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of fitness level is required for this tour?
A low level of fitness is required for this tour.
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Are flights included in the tour price?
No, flights to and from the start and end of the trip are not included in the trip price.
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What kind of accommodation can I expect during the tour?
The tour includes comfortable accommodation with easy access to city centres.
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What is the Real Country Farm Show about?
The Real Country Farm Show offers an authentic taste of what rural New Zealand is like. For every guest, funds are donated to The Fairlight Foundation, which advances women in agriculture.
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What kind of experiences are included in Rotorua?
In Rotorua, you will explore Te Puia's geothermal valley, learn about Maori history and culture, enjoy a dinner of hangi-inspired cuisine, and witness a cultural performance in a finely carved meeting house. The experience ends with a view of the Pohutu Geyser while enjoying hot chocolate.
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What activities are available during free time in Queenstown?
During free time in Queenstown, you can consider an epic journey through Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound, which is known for its waterfalls and wildlife such as dolphins and seals. This activity is at your own expense.
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What can I do during free time in Nelson?
In Nelson, you can lace up your hiking shoes for a bushwalk or take a cruise through Abel Tasman National Park, both of which are at your own expense.
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What is special about the Bay of Islands?
The Bay of Islands is not only beautiful but also holds historical significance as the location where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. A guide, possibly a descendant of one of the original signatories, will explain its significance.
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What kind of cultural experience is included in Napier?
In Napier, you will experience The Daily Deco Tour, which provides insight into how Napier City became the Art Deco capital of the world. The tour shares stories and showcases the transformation of the city after the 1931 Hawke's Bay Earthquake.
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What kind of night sky experience is included in Tekapo?
In Tekapo, you will have an Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience hosted by passionate guides, which will change the way you see the night sky. Tekapo is known for having one of the busiest skies in the universe despite being one of the quietest spots on the planet.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
The beauty of taking a holiday with us is you’ll have the opportunity to meet and travel with people from all over the globe.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
It is important to adhere to departure times while on tour for the comfort of everyone on-board, and to make sure no one misses out on the planned experiences. The coach will not be able to wait for you, and in some instances, if you miss a departure time you will need to make your own way to the next destination to re-join the tour.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
AAT Kings operated Guided Holidays have competitive single supplement rates available if you prefer to confirm your own room. Or we can match you to share with a guest of the same gender at no extra cost. If we fail to match you, we will accommodate you in a single room at no extra cost.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Over 100 years
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
We will email your documents to you approximately four weeks before your departure date provided you have completed your pre trip registration using the My Travel Portal. If you’ve booked through a travel agent, your documents will be emailed directly to your agent.
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Low Deposit
AAT Kings requires a minimum deposit of 100 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of aat kings charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 7 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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