New Zealand
New Zealand is the ultimate destination where unspoiled wilderness and modern, sophisticated cities meet.
With the tropical golden sand beaches and bustling cities of the North Island to the plunging, deep waters of Milford Sound at the foot of the South Island, and the bubbling thermal pools of Rotorua, this is a land of wild and vivid contrasts and therefore a fantastic destination for your vacation.
You’ll feel you are the first to discover these fascinating islands as a safe haven of natural beauty.
Wildlife
Nature lovers will simply feel drawn to this inviting country. New Zealand’s unusual and protected flightless bird, the kiwi, is a national icon. Visitors and locals alike love to watch the frolicking dolphins in the far north, while the beautiful Kaikoura Coast on the South Island is renowned for the pods of giant sperm whales, humpbacks, and even orcas (killer whales).
Adrenalin-Fueled Adventures
Set your heart thumping with one of many adventure sports in New Zealand. Whether you choose to experience extreme adventure on water, land or in the air.
Queenstown, on the South Island is the ultimate vacation destination for you. Take a jetboat for a spin, or give quad (4-wheel) biking a try. Go skydiving, skiing, snowboarding and parasailing. Like New Zealand’s bungee jumping innovation, there’s always an exhilarating adventure waiting for you!
Wining & Dining in New Zealand
Tasting a traditional Maori ‘hangi’, slowly cooking food with the steam from an earthen oven heated with red hot stones, is a must! Dine on fresh scallops, whitebait, crayfish, pork, chicken, or perennial favorite, New Zealand lamb. An idyllic complement to any fine meal is one of New Zealand’s award-winning Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs or Rieslings. It wil be an enjoyable dining experience for any visitor.
Golfing
As a nation of golf fanatics and over 400 golf courses, no other place offers more golf course land per person than New Zealand! It will be a great place to improve your handicap while on vacation.
Taking Home a Piece of New Zealand
Shopping for souvenirs in New Zealand offers a vast array of locally produced goods. Maori arts, crafts, jewelry and traditional wood carvings to the finest designer Merino wool suits, oil paintings and local wine, you’ll find all sorts of attractive gifts to take home as a reminder of your fabulous New Zealand vacation.
Places to Stay
New Zealand offers an outstanding selection of accommodation for your vacation needs, from luxury lodges of international acclaim to city hotels, boutique bed and breakfasts, camping huts and lodges along hiking routes.
Fully Escorted and Mini Tours
New Zealand is such an easy destination to get around. You can choose to take a fully escorted vacation with an expert guide or a mini tour taking in the highlights of the North and South Islands. Some tours include a self-drive option, providing the freedom to explore the country at your leisure. All of our tours offer accommodation choices to suit your taste and budget.
Auckland
Auckland is popularly known as the "City of Sails" because its glistening harbor is dotted with white yachts. As New Zealand’s largest population center, buzzing Auckland is located between two enormous harbors and dotted with extinct volcanic cones.
Life centers around the water here and Auckland Harbour Tours can take you for a memorable boat ride around Waitemata Harbour with a Maori guide, so you can enjoy the history and cultural heritage of this place and its people.
Taste local wine made in the region with a visit to the Villa Maria Estate. The 20 hectare vineyard in Auckland offers tours to visitors, and you should keep an eye out for other events that are held there, like fashion shows and concerts.
The Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is the finest maritime park in New Zealand with the 144 secluded islands and stunning bays. An abundance of marine life, including the big marlin, whales, penguins, dolphins, gannets and many other species, can be seen throughout the Bay of Islands region.
From the cosmopolitan hub of Auckland to the expanse of 90-Mile Beach, Northland and the Bay of Islands also offer a mix of sailing, fishing, islands and beaches for tourists and visitors.
Rotorua and Taupo
Rotorua is the ideal place to discover active volcanoes, thermal mineral pools and underground Glowworm Grottos.
In this extraordinarily diverse area, Taupo’s inviting lake is great for trout fishing and surrounded by hot springs and mud pools.
Witness a superb Maori performance where traditions and myths of New Zealand’s native heritage are relayed through hypnotic song and dance.
Rotorua and Taupo will also welcome you with warm hospitality for your entire vacation.
Wellington, Marlborough and Nelson
The central region of New Zealand is renowned for its creativity, countryside and extreme coastline.
Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, boasts some of the country’s finest galleries and museums, including Te Papa National Museum. Stop by for an interactive lesson on the artistic and cultural history of the country’s native people.
Wellington is set on the edge of a stunning harbor and surrounded by rolling hills. The boutique city’s downtown area is ideal for explorations on foot - shopping, cafés, transport, accommodation and the major tourist attractions are compressed into an area that’s conveniently walkable.
Cuba Street is great for quirky markets, local fashion and trendy cafés. The area offers a great day out, with buskers and street performers keeping the atmosphere buzzing.
An hour northeast of Wellington is the famous wine region of Martinborough in the Wairarapa region. There are 25 boutique wineries within the region, many within walking distance of the town square.
After a 2½ hour cruise through the Marlborough Sounds, you will arrive at Marlborough, another celebrated wine region. However, it is also a popular fishing region, and the town is dominated by the snow-capped peaks of Kaikoura.
Nelson is home to the unique World of Wearable Arts. This portside town is also a popular place to dine for superb seafood and shop for arts and crafts.
Mid South Island – Christchurch, Canterbury and the West Coast
New Zealand is a land of extremes and nowhere is this more obvious than in the middle of the South Island.
On one coast is the ‘garden city’ of Christchurch, which lives up to its name with many luscious parks and green gardens, including Orana Park, the country’s largest wildlife reserve. Ride a punt on the Avon River or travel up the Christchurch Gondola, a cable car which allows you 360 degree views of Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains and Lyttelton Harbor, 1640 feet above sea level.
Glide over the Canterbury Plains in a hot air balloon, or visit the stunning Botanic Gardens. You can head north to Kaikoura to see giant sperm whales, dusky dolphins, fur seals and other wildlife.
Get to know the country’s indigenous people at Nga Hau E Wha Marae, the Maori Cultural Centre. Experience a spellbinding night of drama, with a traditional Maori welcome followed by a concert and dinner cooked in an earth oven.
The West Coast’s World Heritage area offers some of nature’s true miracles with its glaciers, rainforests, blowholes and Pancake Rocks. For a trip you will never forget, take the TranzAlpine train across the Southern Alps, which is considered one of the world’s greatest train journeys.
Queenstown and Fiordland
Queenstown is an adventure seekers paradise! With a massive selection of extreme sports available, Queenstown will always keep you busy. Go skydiving, bungy jump off the famous Kawarau Bridge, take a flying fox through the iconic forest of Ben Lomond Hill or try out the world’s highest rope swing, Shotover Canyon. Or try hot-air ballooning and see Queenstown and its surround from above.
Around Queenstown, Lakes Wakatipu and Te Anau are picturesque places to kayak, jetboat and sail. Enjoy the adventure scene and try a jetboat ride, a hot air balloon trip or scenic flight. To get to Milford Sound, hike the Milford Track and prepare yourself for plenty of breathtaking scenery.
