Tour Code: GOW-06 - 11 Days Guided Group Tour)
Cities: Auckland, Rotorua, Napier, Wellington, Nelson, Franz Josef
Click on "Customise with Flights" and choose your Departure City and Departure Date to see the price, including airfare.
This 10 Night Itinerary includes:
Top-rated, centrally located hotel accommodation
Intercity Transport, as mentioned in the program (depending on the group size)
Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
All entrance fees and sightseeing as mentioned in the program
Local English-speaking Guide
For more Details: Contact us at 1-800-710-8747 || info@amta.com.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Auckland to Rotorua
This trip from Auckland to Rotorua includes the Hobbiton movie set tour. Departing from Auckland, this is a wonderful way to get to Rotorua and include a magical journey through Middle-earth to the Hobbiton movie set from "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" films. Travel south from Auckland over the Bombay Hills to the rich farmland of the Waikato region. Your journey takes you through undulating green hills, reminding you that you are approaching the Shire. Your Bush and Beach guide will give you commentary on the way down with insights about the areas you are travelling through and insights to the backgrounds of the movies. On arrival at Shire’s Rest, you embark on your Hobbiton movie set tour. This location is the largest "green set" in the world and the only part of the set remaining in New Zealand. You see 44 hobbit holes, the Mill and double arch bridge and the party tree. At this stunning location, you can take a photo at the gate to Bilbo's house, "Bag End", looking out over the whole set to the hills in the distance. Before your feast in the Party Marquee (which is included in the price) you cross the bridge by the mill to go into the Green Dragon Inn, where you can enjoy a complimentary ale, cider or ginger beer. You will also get to walk through a fully themed Hobbit Hole interior. At the end of your Hobbiton movie set tour, you will travel on to Rotorua (drop off at selected inner city Rotorua accommodation included).
Day 2: Half-Day Elite Rotorua Tour
Visit Rotorua's most popular attractions Te Puia, and views of our beautiful lakes, including Tarawera, Okareka and the Blue/Green lake. Spend an afternoon gaining an appreciation of New Zealand's Maori culture and nature. Learn about Maori customs, traditions, history and protocols, with a guided visit to Te Puia, Rotorua's premier cultural centre. Includes a visit to the wood carving school, arts and craft gallery, Rotowhio Marae, weaving, boiling mud pools and NZ's largest geyser Pohutu. Includes entry to Te Puia.
Day 3: Rotorua to Napier
Transfer from Rotorua to Napier.
Day 4:Day at Leisure in Napier
Enjoy the day as you wish. If you would like to arrange an activity, excursion, or other experience, please contact your TripCorner Destination Specialist.
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Day 5: Napier to Wellington
Departure transfer from Rotorua City Centre to Wellington.
Day 6: Wellington to Nelson
Transfer from Picton Ferry Terminal to Outside Travel Centre, 27 Bridge Street, Nelson. Transfer from Wellington Ferry Terminal to Picton Ferry Terminal.
Day 7: Full Day Seals & Beach Tour
Take a scenic cruise into Tonga Island Marine Reserve, pausing to watch the antics at its resident Fur Seal Colony. Land at historic Tonga Quarry beach to walk 2 hours over a forested saddle and around spectacular Bark Bay estuary with its cascading waterfalls. Rejoin the Vista Cruise at the sheltered golden cove, Medlands Beach.
Day 8: Nelson to Punakaiki
Transfer from Outside Travel Centre, 27 Bridge Street, Nelson to Punakaiki Coach Stop.
Day 9: Punakaiki to Franz Josef
Transfer from Punakaiki Coach Stop to Greymouth Railway Station. Greymouth Railway Station to Franz Josef Coach Stop.
Day 10: Half-Day Heli-Hike
With the combination of an exhilarating helicopter ride, jaw-dropping scenery and a two-and-a-half-hour hike through the most spectacular glacier features, it's no wonder this Glacier Heli Hike is often labeled as the highlight of the visit to Aotearoa (New Zealand). Your journey starts and ends at The Helicopter Line Base, situated on the Main Road, Franz Josef. On arrival, our friendly team will check you in and prepare you for the excitement ahead with the necessary gear and pre-trip briefings. From here, your guide will take you to the helipad and get you ready to board the helicopter. Adrenaline levels start to spike as you board and are whisked away over the jaw-dropping landscape - an opportunity to take in the full panoramic majesty of Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere nestled within the surrounding mountains. Your pilot will land high up on the main icefall of the glacier, where your guide will help you make the final preparations for your hike. Then you will be ready to explore the pristine features of this incredible icescape. Our guides are highly skilled, which means we can find you both the safest and most spectacular route available on the glacier. Because the glacier is so fast-moving, its features are constantly changing - you might find yourself sliding through a narrow crevasse or between towering walls of ice, crawling through blue ice tunnels, hanging out in ice caves, or witnessing the glacier calving. You can be sure that you're seeing the glacier in a unique state, and no two trips are ever quite the same. Whilst on this adventure, your guide will share with you the story of the Maori Legend, Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere. Their knowledge of the glacier and surrounding area, and insight into why Franz Josef is so unique, will leave you with a sense of awe. You will come away from your trip not only having experienced this majestic beauty but with a whole new understanding of their special and precious landmark.
Day 11: Depart from Franz Josef
Departure transfer from the Franz Josef Coach Stop to Queenstown Coach Stop.
For more Details: Contact us at 1-800-710-8747 || info@amta.com
