New Zealand & Fijian Ancient Cultures

 
Day 1  
Arrive early into the Nadi airport in Fiji and board your catamaran for Castaway Island. The island's 174 acres are covered with lush tropical vegetation, surrounded by white sand beaches and encircled by vibrant coral reefs. The beauty of the island is matched by the warmth and genuine hospitality of the staff which encourages guests to learn about the Fiiian way of life.  Castaway is the heart and soul of the Fijian Islands.
Castaway Island Resort

Day 2 - 4 (B)
Days are at your leisure to explore the island. Visit the Shell Village to interact with locals and have the chance to meet a real live Fijiian chief. If you are lucky, you will be there during rugby season and you can attend a rugby match played by local teams! Also learn about the  environment initiatives on the island including the coral repopulation efforts and the giant clam restoration program.
Castaway Island Resort

Day 5 (B)
Today take the boat back to Nadi and fly to Rotorua, New Zealand, the center of the North Island. Home of the best geothermal sites and the most accessible Maori cultural experiences, Rotorua may smell like sulphur but its many rewards are worth the visit. Start our stay with Te Pō evening cultural experience. It is a feast of cultural storytelling, entertainment and Māori kai (indigenous food). Feel the spirit of Te Puia at night and experience the Maori heritage - a living legacy of people, culture and place.
4-star hotel in downtown Rotorua

Day 6
Today us a full-day cultural tour of Rotorua. Visit the most significant georthermal sites including the largest boiling mud pool and a series of colourful hot springs at Wai-o-tapu. Then see the Lady Knox geyser erupt. Spend the afternoon experiencing Rotorua’s Maori culture and thermal activity and see how they are intricately entwined. This includes a visit to the wood carving school, art and craft gallery, Rotowhio Marae, weaving display, kiwi house and finally the Pohutu geyser. Then visit the Lakefront area to see the Maori War Canoe and learn more about Maori history and customs.
4-star hotel in downtown Rotorua

Day 7
Today fly to Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island. Though badly damaged by a major earthquake in 2011, Christchurch is rebuilding and still serves as the gateway for many locations on the South Island.
4.5-star hotel in Christchurch

Day 8 (D)
This morning you will board the TranzAlpine train for one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world. Traveling from one coast of New Zealand to the other, you’ll see the fields of the Canterbury Plains and farmland, followed by the spectacular gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River. Your train then climbs into the Southern Alps and drops you at Arthur’s Pass where your home for the next 2 nights is a nature reserve and high country merino sheep station in a spectacular mountain setting.
4-star luxury lodge in Arthur's Pass

Day 9 (B,D)
Today is yours to enjoy Arthur’s Pass and the many activities offered by the lodge. Naturalist guides will help you learn about high country life and explore nature in this special place the first Maori visitors called "Te Ko Awa a Aniwaniwa - Valley of the Mother of the Rainbows." Optional activities include self-guided nature walks, sheep shearing, trout fishing, canoeing, and glacier walks.
4-star luxury lodge in Arthur's Pass

Day 10 (B)
After a private journey back to Christchurch, you will board a flight bound for Queenstown. A delight for scenery lovers and adrenaline junkies alike, Queenstown is the outdoor adventure capital of the country, if not the world. There are an endless supply of activities to fully experience the stunning natural landscape and to get your adrenaline flowing. The feeling is that of a small frontier town, with stunning mountains surrounding it and placid Lake Wakatipu alongside.
4-star hotel in Queenstown

Day 11
Today is a special day as you venture to one of the most remote and scenic locations in New Zealand, the Fiordlands. Travel along the shores of Lake Wakatipu and through the rolling countryside to Manapouri. Cruise across the crystal waters of Lake Manapouri and then board a catamaran to explore the waterways of on of the most serene and isolated fiords, Doubtful Sound. There is plenty of time available to explore points of interest and view the spectacular alpine scenery including waterfalls, rainforest and mountains all the way out to the Tasman Sea. It is home to bottlenose dolphins and fur seals and when in season, the rare Fiordland crested penguin. An on board nature guide with specialist knowledge of the region’s history, flora and fauna.
4-star hotel in Queenstown

Day 12
You have a full day to explore Queenstown at your leisure. Visit historic Arrowtown to learn about the early mining history of the region. Or take a wine tasting tour of the Otago region to sample some excellent Pinot Noirs. Or board the historic steamship TSS Earnslaw for a ride across Lake Wakatipu. To take advantage of the adrenaline activities that Queenstown is famous for, try these recommended activities: jet boating, sky diving, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, zip-lining, canyon swinging, luging.
4-star hotel in Queenstown

Day 13
Catch a flight to the Auckland today and then board your flight home. Now that you have a better understanding of the Maori and European culture and history of both Fiji and New Zealand, you will have plenty of stories to bring home, especially about the amazing hospitality expressed by the local people of both countries.