Discover Aotearoa Itinerary
Day 1 - Meet in Auckland.
Day 2 - Depart Auckland and drive north to Whangarei and Bay of Islands.
Day 3 - Visit Waitangi Treaty Grounds and learn about the history of European colonisation of New Zealand. Spend the afternoon visiting several waterfalls and walking around New Zealand’s first capital city, Russell.
Day 4 - Full day boat tour of the Bay of Islands. In the late afternoon, drive to Paeroa.
Day 5 - Head to the Coromandel Peninsula. Soak at the Hot Water Beach and visit the Cathedral Cove.
Day 6 - Morning tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set, the filming location of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies. Head to Rotorua.
Day 7 - In the morning, explore Wai-O-Tapu, one of Rotorua's most spectacular geothermal parks. Spend the afternoon exploring Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand.
Day 8 - Visit the National Kiwi Hatchery Centre and learn more about New Zealand's precious endangered bird. In the evening, visit the Pōhutu Geyser at Te Puia Geothermal Park and attend a Māori cultural performance after enjoying a buffet dinner.
Day 9 - Embark on a boat ride through a Glowworm Cave. Return to Auckland, and take an evening flight to Christchurch, South Island.
Day 10 - Take a short stroll through Christchurch City Centre. Head to Dunedin with a stop at Moeraki Boulders and Baldwin Street (the steepest street in the world).
Day 11 - Full day tour of the Catlins, including a visit to the Nugget Point Lighthouse, Purakaunui Falls, and Slope Point - the Southernmost point of the South Island. Continue onwards to Te Anau for the night.
Day 12 - Embark on a cruise to Milford Sound, including stops at picturesque spots on the route. Return to Te Anau.
Day 13 - Travel to Queenstown and check into our hotel. Optional afternoon trip to Glenorchy.
Day 14 - Free day in Queenstown to do optional activites: ride the gondola, ride the luge, mountain biking, white water rafting, skydiving, bungee jumping, jetboating, or soak in a hot pool.
Day 15 - Check out The Wanaka Tree at Lake Wanaka. Travel through Lindis Pass to Twizel with a stop at the Omarama Clay Cliffs.
Day 16 - Full day exploring Mt. Cook, the highest peak in Australia & New Zealand. Embark on a boat tour on the Tasman Lake to get up and close to the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand's longest glacier. Soak in hot pools at Lake Tekapo for the evening.
Day 17 - Return to Christchurch for a late afternoon flight back to Auckland. Visit Auckland Deaf Society.
Day 18 - Depart Auckland.