18 Days New Zealand Heritage & Landscapes

Day 1
Arrive in Auckland early in the morning, and receive a meet and greet from a local Down Under Endeavours representative.  He or she will escort you to your domestic flight to Queenstown and provide you with a comprehensive road atlas and any last-minute information regarding your trip. Your first local: check! Arrive in Queenstown a short flight later and pick up your rental car, automatic transmission of course. Head to your hotel in a one-bedroom alpine suite with views of gorgeous Lake Wakatipu.
4-star hotel in Queenstown

Day 2 (D)
The morning is at leisure. 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. This afternoon, you’ll drive the famous Milford Road, great for photo stops and history lessons about the pioneering days of New Zealand as you drive along a narrow highway with sheer cliffs on each side. Tonight, you’ll board an overnight cruise of Milford Sound. You'll have your own private cabin with private bathroom for extended visit.
3.5-star onboard accommodations on Milford Sound

Day 3 (B)
Designed along the lines of a traditional New Zealand coastal trading scow to reflect Fiordland’s heritage, your vessel has been purpose built for viewing Milford Sound at its finest. An on board nature guide with specialist knowledge of the region’s history, flora and fauna provides detailed interpretation.  There is plenty of time to view the alpine scenery with waterfalls (which are most impressive when it’s raining), rainforest, and the towering peaks. Keep your eyes out for seals, dolphins and penguins. Activities include kayaking and exploring the shoreline on a tender craft. After the cruise docks in the morning, you’ll drive back to Queenstown with the rest of the day at leisure.
4-star hotel in Queenstown

Day 4
Today you’ll hop by plane to Blenheim, the capital of Marlborough, New Zealand’s most well-known winery region famous for its Sauvignon Blancs and greenlipped mussels. It’s also now known for its Maori heritage, thanks to a new gallery and museum devoted to Maori wood carvings and history. You have an executive suite in one of the best hotels in the region.
4-star hotel in Marlborough Wine Region

Day 5
A guide with a small group will pick you up from your hotel this morning and take you on a tour of Marlborough’s icons. Enjoy a range of wine tastings (including famous Cloudy Bay) along with gourmet treats before heading through to experience a stunning cruise through the Marlborough Sounds. Take in the natural beauty of the native bush and the tranquility of the Sounds. Learn from your experienced skipper the history of the Sounds and the pioneering families who have settled in the Sounds for over six generations. Visit a greenshell mussel farm and taste them -- freshly steamed -- matched perfectly with a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
4-star hotel in Marlborough Wine Region

Day 6
Today you’ll see the Sounds from another perspective -- the air -- on your own private scenic helicopter flight over the forested peaks and drowned river valleys. Land, and then have the afternoon at leisure to go explore that Maori art gallery and museum. We can arrange a private tour followed by tea with the local Maori chief in his home if you like. Otherwise, enjoy a leisurely bike ride, visit Motuara Island bird sanctuary, or just relax at your luxurious hotel.
4-star hotel in Marlborough Wine Region

Day 7 (L)
Now for a ferry ride from the South Island of New Zealand to the North Island, from Picton to Wellington, the capital. You’ll enjoy the best views on the ferry from the VIP lounge. The best foodie spot in the country, Wellington is filled with cafés, museums, and art; theatre performances and galleries abound. You’ll be escorted upon arrival to the city’s best hotel, where you have a suite in the city center, within walking distance of all the major sites. Tonight, you’ll learn what New Zealand looked like 1,000 years ago at Zealandia, a nature preserve in the middle of the city where you can spot elusive kiwi birds, rare tuatara lizards, and the strange morepork in a setting that has returned to the way it looked before humans arrived.
4.5-star hotel in downtown Wellington

Day 8
This morning you have a private tour of the National Museum, Te Papa, located minutes from your hotel. You’ll see all of the museum’s major artworks, Maori treasures, the world’s only discovered colossal squid, and other highlights with a private guide. The rest of the day is yours at leisure. Optional additional activities include hikes on Mt. Victoria, scenic city touring, visits to Kapiti Island bird sanctuary, or just sitting in a café and enjoying the street life with your latte.
4.5-star hotel in downtown Wellington

Day 9 (L)
You have a full-day small group tour of the best foodie sites in Wellington on foot today, including meeting a local culinary personality at their home for some special local hospitality. Visit a boutique coffee roaster and café. Enjoy tastings at Wellington’s best specialist gourmet food stores. Meet owners, baristas, and chefs. Savor a delicious, light, three-course tasting lunch with matched New Zealand wines at a top restaurant. You may even enjoy a drive through some of the city’s interesting suburbs to see typical houses on steep hills down to Wellington’s many scenic bays.
4.5-star hotel in downtown Wellington

Day 10
Today is a short flight to the center of the North Island, Rotorua. 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. Your hotel room has lovely views of Lake Rotorua, created by a volcanic explosion long ago (or created by the tears of a scorned lover, according to Maori legend).
3.5-star hotel in downtown Rotorua

Day 11
This is a special day. A full-day, private, exclusive customized tour by an indigenous New Zealand Maori guide will give you VIP access to the beautiful natural surroundings of Rotorua and many features of his Maori tribe. Ask all the questions you may have always wanted to ask but have not had the opportunity to do so today. He will explain Maori customs such as how they welcome their visitors and how they mourn those who have passed away. You’ll see the Maori settlement where they conduct their tribal meetings and he will tell you Maori creation legends as you stroll through some of the most beautiful and peaceful areas of Rotorua. Depending on your interests, the day can also include stops at geothermal sites, Maori arts and crafts studios, music, astronomy, education, or a variety of other topics.
3.5-star hotel in downtown Rotorua

Day 12
Today you’ll drive through the beautiful Waikato region (where The Lord of the Rings film featured Hobbiton) to Auckland. A night downtown in a marina suite is yours from which to explore the lively downtown scene. The largest city in New Zealand, Auckland is mostly a jumping off point for other destinations but also provides interest in its museums, nightlife, restaurants, fine hotels, and natural, native bush island destinations.
4-star hotel in downtown Auckland

Day 13 (L,D)
Today you’ll depart Auckland to spend a night at a real Marae (Maori meeting house) where your guide spent her childhood. The iwi (tribal family) will greet you with the famous process of hongi (nose pressing) and you’ll learn about Maori customs and traditions while spending a night on a traditional Marae. Learn some basic Maori language, history, songs, dances (including the Haka), crafts, and cooking. Prepare a hangi (earth oven meal) together with your guide and other guests, lifting the food from the earth oven and enjoying a fantastic feast together. Enjoy the complete experience by sleeping at the Marae, observing Maori customs and rules along the way.
Traditional Maori Marae

Day 14 (B,L)
Continue learning about the Maori culture and go sightseeing with your guides and other guests this morning, dropping you back off in Auckland at the end of your stay. Tonight is yours to enjoy the downtown sights of Auckland again before heading north tomorrow.
4-star hotel in downtown Auckland

Day 15
Head up, up, up into the Northlands today to Paihia, a charming beachside township and the home of famous Cape Brett and the Hole in the Rock located on the Bay of Islands. Your accommodations may be the highlight of your stay here -- directly overlooking Paihia’s most picturesque beach and within walking distance of the wharf, you’ll have panoramic sea views from the large outdoor pool and five different Jacuzzis that offer relaxation at different temperatures. The natural surroundings here are stunning, so relax and enjoy!
4.5-star seaside resort in Paihia

Day 16 (B)
This morning you have a private guided tour of the heart of European history in New Zealand -- the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. This is the birthplace of modern New Zealand. Learn the significance of the ceremonial waka (dugout canoe), the flagstaff, the carved Whare Runanga and the Treaty House. Walk in the footsteps of the European ancestors. In the afternoon, take a ferry to Russell and check in for a late afternoon sail on the R. Tucker Thompson. View secluded islands as the historic ship sails across the sheltered waters of the Bay of Islands.
4.5-star seaside resort in Paihia

Day 17 (B)
Today, drive back down to Auckland along the West Coast of the Northlands, checking out enormous kauri tree forests and quaint townships along the way. Check back into your cozy hotel in Auckland, home of one out of every four New Zealanders (or Kiwis as they prefer to be called!)
4-star hotel in downtown Auckland

Day 18
Check out of your hotel, self drive to the Auckland airport today and board your flight home. Now that you have a better understanding of the Maori and European culture and history of this remote island nation, you will have plenty of stories to bring home, especially about the amazing hospitality expressed by the local people of New Zealand.