We cordially invite you with "Hare Mai" - Welcome to New Zealand

Day 1 - Auckland

You arrive at Auckland Airport and pick up your rental car. During the tour to your hotel you will make acquaintance with the "City of Sails", as Auckland is also called. You can drive to the extinct volcanic cone of Mt Eden, from where you have a beautiful view over the city. Or continue to the elegant suburb of "Parnell" and to Auckland Harbour. The rest of the day is at your own free disposal. You may choose to stroll along the harbour or through the downtown shopping malls.

ACC: Eden Park B&B (Premium) www.bedandbreakfastnz.com
ACC: Bavaria B&B (Budget) www.bavariabandbhotel.co.nz

Day 2 - Auckland - Dargaville - Waipoua Kauri Forest - Bay of Islands (B)

Day 3 - Boat trip - Russell - Paihia (B)

Today you could make a trip along the “ninety-mile-beach” up to the top of north island, “Cape Reinga” or Take a boat trip through the island world of the Bay of Islands, New Zealand's subtropical paradise that will even bring you to the famous “Hole in the rock” (optional). You can make a stop in Russell, New Zealand's oldest city and former capital. You can visit Waitangi (optional), where in 1840 a fundamental treaty between the English and the Maori was signed. Still today this Treaty of Waitangi has a great impact on the living together of the two cultures.

ACC: Clearwater Retreat, Paihia (Premium) www.clearwaterretreat.co.nz
ACC: Seascape Bay of Islands, Opua (Budget) http://www.paihia.co.nz/Entry.cfm?WPID=3900 

Day 4 - Paihia - Auckland - Coromandel Peninsula (B)

Early in the morning you drive via Whangarei and Auckland to the Peninsula of Coromandel. You have the opportunity to stroll through the township Thames and explore a bit of the history of the Coromandel Peninsula.

ACC: Cotswold Cottage, Thames (Premium) http://www.cotswoldcottage.co.nz/
Coppers Creek Farmstay, Whitianga (Budget) http://www.copperscreekfarmstay.co.nz/

Day 5 - Coromandel - Rotorua (B)

Today you can spend the day along the east coast and various beaches. Highlights are Cathedral Cove, Hahei Marine Reserve and Hot Water Beach, where you have the chance to dig our own hot pool straight at the beach (depending on tides). We suggest a boat ride along the coastline to discover the Marine Reserve (optional).
In the afternoon you arrive at Rotorua, the main attraction of the North Island. This thermal city is built around many hot mineral springs. Rotorua is also a centre of Maori culture. At night you can participate in a "Hangi", a traditional Maori meal cooked in a hole in the ground(optional). After the feast, the Maoris sing, play and dance, including all in their lively musical culture. Experience the Maori Challenge and the Haka. See the swinging of the poi symbolising the flight of the bird. All actions, games and dances are accompanied by harmonious singing (optional).

ACC: Country Oaks, Rotorua (Premium) http://www.countryoaks.co.nz/
ACC: Kaska Lodge, Rotorua (Budget) http://www.kaskalodgerotorua.co.nz/

Day 6 - Geyser land - Rainbow Springs & Kiwi Education (B)

You can spend the whole day in the "Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve" and in the remote "Waiotapu Area", renown for their boiling mud puddles and geysers (optional). It will make you sense the "Pulse of the Earth". In the most irregular intervals the water and vapour jets rise into the air. In Rainbow Springs (optional) you could see New Zealand's National animal, the flightless Kiwi bird, in its night house. At the Kiwi Encounter (optional) you experience and hear much of interest about New Zealand’s popular bird.

ACC: Country Oaks, Rotorua (Premium) http://www.countryoaks.co.nz/
ACC: Kaska Lodge, Rotorua (Budget) http://www.kaskalodgerotorua.co.nz/

Day 7 - Rotorua – Taupo – Tongariro National Park (B)

Travel through an important forestry area reaching the picturesque, fast-flowing Huka Falls. The Thermal Energy Plant at Wairakei is of great technical interest. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in NZ and of volcanic origin. State Highway 1 runs along the lake’s edge.
You drive to the heart of the Tongariro National Park. This oldest of the New Zealand national parks consists of a grand volcanic mountain landscape. You have the opportunity to make a stroll in the National Park that is marked by the three partially active volcanoes with an altitude up to 2700 meters.

ACC: Spiral Gardens, Raurimu (Premium) http://www.travelwise.co.nz/listings/Spiral_Gardens.html
ACC: Fernleaf B&B Taumarunui (Budget) http://www.bnb.co.nz/taranaki/results/listing_details.html?lid=2007

Day 8 - Tongariro National Park - Wellington (B)

The tour continues southward through the fertile farmlands of Levin to Wellington. New Zealand's capital lies partially on reclaimed land at the harbour and the steep hillsides adjacent to the Cook Strait. Wellington has been the capital city since 1865 and such is also the country’s political centre. You can undertake a city sightseeing tour and drive to Mount Victoria from where you can enjoy a beautiful view over the city. The rest of the day is at your own free disposal. The top of the cable car (optional), running from Lambton Quay, also gives a fine close-up view of the city. Apart from its importance as the political centre the city offers a large cultural choice of museums and art galleries.

ACC: The Nikau Palms B&B, Wellington (Premium) www.thenikaupalms.co.nz
ACC: Above Town B&B, Wellington (Budget) http://www.abovetownbnb.co.nz/

Day 9 - Wellington - Picton - Abel Tasman National Park (B)

In the morning you board the ferry. After a three-hour trip across Cook Strait and through the scenic island world Marlborough Sounds you arrive at the small port of Picton. Picton is a bustling town in an incomparable setting at the head of exquisite Queen Charlotte Sound. The town enjoys a view of green and blue bush clad ranges dropping to a sheltered lake like bay. Along the spectacular panoramic road "Queen
Charlotte Drive" your route takes you via Nelson to Motueka, entrance of the Abel Tasman National Park. Here you can relax on the lonesome beaches and bays. Today you spend the night close to the entrance of the National Park.

ACC: Bayview B&B, Motueka (Premium) www.KaiteriteriBandB.co.nz
ACC: Golf View Chalet B&B, Motueka (Budget) www.golfviewchalet.co.nz

Day 10 - Abel Tasman National Park (B)

You can undertake a day trip into the National Park (optional), at first by boat along the dreamlike coast with its many lonesome bays, golden beaches and small islands. This unique coastal area is very popular with trampers. After the boat trip you undertake a
light three-hour walk so that you may truly enjoy the indigenous forest and the beaches. In the afternoon you return by boat to Kaiteriteri.

ACC: Bayview B&B, Motueka (Premium) www.KaiteriteriBandB.co.nz
ACC: Golf View Chalet B&B, Motueka (Budget) www.golfviewchalet.co.nz

Day 11 - Abel Tasman National Park - Paparoa National Park - Barrytown (B)

Today’s journey is a full day’s drive, if all places of interest are to be seen. You take the route via Murchison and then along the fast flowing Buller Gorge with its gorges to the coast. Here you experience a dramatic change of vegetation.
You can make a small walk to "Cape Foulwind", where a small Seal colony can be discovered. Next you drive to the Pancake Rocks of Punakaiki.
These bizarre rocks belong to the spectacular Paparoa National Park. The soft chalk rocks are permanently being eroded by the wild Tasman Sea. They lie clearly separated from the harder deposits and this makes them look like piles of pancakes.

ACC: Kallyhouse, Barrytown (Premium) www.bnb.co.nz/schroeder.html
ACC: Chapel Hill B&B, Greymouth (Budget) http://www.chapelhill.co.nz/

Day 12 - Barrytown - Westland National Park - Glaciers (B)

Along the West Coast you pass the forgotten gold miners' townships of Hari Hari and Ross. In Franz Josef you reach the Westland National Park and the Southern Alps. Nowhere else on Earth the glaciers come down to an altitude of 250 meters above sea level and touch the rain forest without transition. A short side trip takes you to the Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier. Here you have the opportunity to make helicopter round-trips with landing on the glaciers (optional).

ACC: Fox Glacier Lodge, Fox Glacier (Premium & Budget) www.travelwise.co.nz/listings/Fox_Glacier_Lodge.html

Day 13 - Glaciers - Haast Pass - Wanaka (B)

You drive through the rain forests of the west coast. The Westland National Park belongs to the most fascinating and multi-faceted national parks of New Zealand. At Lake Moeraki, in the middle of the evergreen rain forest, you can undertake an easy one-hour walk through the moss and algae clad primal forest. You emerge from the forest at the wildly foaming Tasman Sea at Munro Beach. You continue across Haast Pass, the water and climate frontier of the Southern Alps and reach the area of Mount Aspiring
National Park, driving along the idyllic Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka.

ACC: Missy’s B&B, Wanaka (Premium) www.missyswanaka.co.nz
ACC: Hunt’s Homestay, Wanaka (Budget) www.huntshomestay.co.nz

Day 14 - Wanaka - Queenstown - Te Anau (B)

Today you experience within a few hours the different sceneries of the rugged Queenstown mountain world, the fertile farm lands of the Southland region and finally Fiordland itself. The Fiordland National Park is not only New Zealand's largest but also one of the largest National Parks in the world and has been declared a world heritage site. Upon the grand scenery of the narrow valleys, the steep rocks that reach toward the skies, and the lush rain forest the floor of which is covered by moss and ferns, one can be overwhelmed by a sentiment of human powerlessness. In Fiordland nature is the master. Tonight you stay in Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland.

ACC: Antler Lodge, Te Anau (Premium) www.antlerlodgeteanau.co.nz
ACC: Stonewall B&B, Te Anau (Budget) www.stonewallfiordland.co.nz

Day 15 - Te Anau - Queenstown (B)

This morning you have the opportunity to go on a cruise of the Sounds, where you’ really would get an opportunity to see the sights, spot the seals and dolphins, fish the depths and generally soak up the beauty (optional).
After that your journey continues to Queenstown which was the site of the largest gold rush in the country back in the 1860's, and now it has an international reputation as the adventure capital of the world. The combination of a unique alpine setting located next to a freshwater lake, a range of 75 different activities and attractions for visitors to experience and a compact town centre covering just one square kilometre are just some of Queenstown features.

ACC: Coronet View, Queenstown (Premium) www.coronetview.com
ACC: Lakehaven Lodge, Queenstown (Budget) http://www.lakehaven.co.nz

Day 16 - Queenstown (B)

ACC: Coronet View, Queenstown (Premium) www.coronetview.com
ACC: Lakehaven Lodge, Queenstown (Budget) http://www.lakehaven.co.nz/

Day 17 - Queenstown - McKenzie Country – Fairlie (B,D)

You travel through Otago and reach the bizarr clay cliffs at Omarama.
After the walk we continue our tour to Lake Tekapo. The largest of the three lakes in the Mackenzie Country, this beautiful turquoise lake is blessed with a magnificent vista up into the Southern Alps.
Leaving the Southern Alps behind we enter a prosperous farming region, the Canterbury. In Fairlie we are welcomed by local farmers.
Tonight you overnight at a farmhouse and you will be hosted by local farmers.

ACC: Rivendell Lodge, Kimbell-Fairlie (Premium) www.fairlie.co.nz/rivendell
ACC: Ashfield House, Temuka (Budget) www.ashfield.co.nz

Day 18 - Fairlie - Mt Cook – Christchurch (B)

On your way to the South Island's biggest city you take your time to go on a walk along a nature trail in the 'Peel Forest' to study the endemic fauna and flora. You pass through the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand’s most intensive farming district. It is the largest flat country area in this country where you can see not only all varieties of farm animals including deer and emus, but also everything agriculture in this climate has to offer. Canterbury is the 'granary' of the country. On long, straight roads you drive through this area intersected by wind protection hedges to Christchurch, the 'most English city outside of England'.

ACC: Home Lea B&B, Christchurch (Premium) http://www.homelea.co.nz/
ACC: No. 10 B&B, Christchurch (Budget) http://www.no10.co.nz/

Day 19 Christchurch – Departure (B)

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