Grand Tour of New Zealand

We meet at London Heathrow and begin our flight to New Zealand, flying overnight to Singapore.

Arriving in Singapore, we join our connecting flight to Auckland.

We arrive in Auckland in the morning and check into our hotel. You're free for the rest of the day to settle in. You could relax at the hotel, or head into the city for your first taste of life in New Zealand. Maybe visit a local café or restaurant to sample 'Kiwi' cuisine, such as delicious seafood. Or try a traditional Māori dish, like hāngī - meat and vegetables, slow-cooked in an underground oven. Tonight you enjoy your first meal at the hotel.

We travel north on today, through scenic farmland on our way to Paihia. On the way, we stop at the Kawiti Glow Worm Caves, magical underground caverns illuminated by these mysterious creatures. We stay in Paihia for two nights. Next, we continue to the Waitangi Treaty House, where, in 1840, the Māori and the British made a historic agreement that marked the birth of New Zealand as we know it.

We take to the waters, enjoying a cruise around the spectacular Bay of Islands to rugged Cape Brett. Relax and enjoy the sights enroute, including Cape Brett Lighthouse, Motukokako Island, and the famous Hole in the Rock. We drop anchor on Russell Island, the first permanent European settlement in New Zealand which also has a deep indigenous history. We have free time here before catching the local ferry back to Paihia.

This morning we drive back to Auckland. Auckland is the country's largest city first inhabited by the Māori people in around 1350. Today it's a buzzing metropolis, with an exciting arts and culture scene.

We take a sightseeing tour, experiencing incredible coastal views from Bastion Point, before stopping at quaint Parnell Village, Auckland's oldest suburb. We continue to the vibrant Viaduct Harbour area where there's free time to explore at leisure. There's a great choice of places to eat and a number of museums and galleries to visit.

We take a nostalgic ride on the Glenbrook Vintage Railway today. This 1922 line transports us through the lush Bombay Hills at the boundary of the Auckland and Waikato regions. We wind through the Waikato Valley before arriving in Rotorua, the spiritual home of the Māori and our base for the next two nights. This afternoon, we visit Hamilton Gardens. A peaceful oasis on the banks of the Waikato River, the gardens are award-winning due to their tranquil beauty. Amongst the displays here is Te Parapara - New Zealand's first traditional Māori garden.

We take a morning sightseeing tour of Rotorua. We continue for a walk in the wondrous Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest, then head to the Blue and Green Lakes and Lake Tarawera. After an afternoon at leisure, we visit Te Puia for a guided tour and a Māori culture experience and are introduced to the geothermal activity in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Here we see boiling mud pools, steaming silica terraces, hot springs and geysers including the famous Pohutu Geyser which erupts up to 30 metres high. We visit the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute where young Māori are learning the traditional carving and weaving skills of their ancestors. We then enjoy a sumptuous buffet dinner including food from the hangi (traditional Māori method of cooking) and a performance of waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka. Our evening ends with hot chocolate and steamed pudding served in the geothermal valley, bathed in coloured light.

Transferring to Hamilton across the Mamaku Mountain Ranges, we board the Northern Explorer for a rail journey through King Country. We soak up spectacular scenery from the panoramic windows, including the peaks of Tongariro National Park, the famous Raurimu Spiral - a railway spiral that allows the train to overcome a height of 139 metres - and the scenic Kapiti Coast.

We get to know Wellington. The capital of New Zealand, Wellington, is a stunning and cosmopolitan harbour city that sits at the southernmost point of the North Island. We visit the wonderful Te Papa National Museum, meaning 'the Treasure Box' in Māori language, which offers an insight into all things New Zealand - from natural history and Māori culture to European immigration. After our visit to the museum, we continue to Wellington Botanical Gardens. Perched on the side of a hill, this is a lush oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and you have some free time to enjoy the surroundings before using your included cable car ticket to make the return journey to our hotel.

Today we take the Interislander ferry across Cook Strait, a stretch of ocean that serves as a passageway between New Zealand's North and South Islands. We arrive in Picton where we have a little free time to explore and grab lunch in one of the many waterfront cafés. We continue to Blenheim, where we spend the night. Blenheim is in the verdant Marlborough wine-growing region, and is one of the sunniest towns in New Zealand. This afternoon we visit one of the excellent local wine estates for a wine tasting and a tour.

Enjoy a free morning in pretty Blenheim, before we join the Coastal Pacific Train for our journey to Christchurch. With incredible views of the Marlborough region and the farmlands of the North Canterbury Plains, we travel along a stretch of track where the ocean stretches out on one side and mountains rise towards the sky on the other. We arrive in Christchurch, where we spend the night.

Leaving Christchurch, we continue by coach for a beautifully scenic journey to Twizel, in Mount Cook National Park. Our journey takes us through Fairlie, an attractive rural town, before crossing the mountainous Burkes Pass. We arrive in the lakeside town of Tekapo, where we visit the quaint Church of the Good Shepherd, which is set against a striking mountain backdrop on the shores of the lake. We also see Lake Pukaki, a beautiful alpine lake with striking, icy blue waters.

We arrive in Mount Cook National Park, a land of ice and rock, in the form of immense glaciers and soaring mountains, including the highest alpine peak in Australasia. We spend the night here in Twizel, a charming town nestled in stunning surroundings.

We leave Twizel and make our way to Te Anau. Known as the gateway to New Zealand's Fiordland - a gorgeous destination with many natural wonders.

Our full-day excursion today starts with a drive through the world-acclaimed Fiordland National Park. One of New Zealand's most dramatic areas of natural beauty, this is a wild landscape of ancient fjords, towering forests, and craggy mountains. We make a scenic stop at Mirror Lakes, two deep blue lakes framed by a striking mountain backdrop, before continuing through the valleys. We arrive at Milford Sound, the most famous of the ancient glacier-carved fjords in this area. Here, lush rainforest valleys send waterfalls cascading over sheer granite cliffs to the sea below; an incredible sight to witness. We enjoy a peaceful cruise across the waters before our journey by road to Queenstown, a popular destination with more magnificent scenery.

After a free morning, we take a sightseeing tour of the area surrounding Queenstown. We visit historic Arrowtown, the site of a gold rush in the 1860s and a 'Lord of the Rings' filming location. We continue to the Gibbston Valley Winery, where we take a look around the cellars before a tasting of the local wines. Next, we board a vintage steamship, TSS Earnshaw, for a cruise across the stunning azure waters of Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand's longest lake. Mooring up at the Colonel's Homestead, we sit down to a BBQ dinner and watch a sheep shearing demonstration before our night-time return sailing.

You have a full day free to explore Queenstown at your own pace. Known as New Zealand's adventure capital, you could take the gondola up to Bob's peak, a towering ridge with great views across the town and for miles around. Or visit the tranquil Queenstown Gardens, a peaceful retreat from the busy town.

We travel by coach to the Franz Josef Glacier, on a scenic journey through Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell. We pause at Jones Family Fruit Stall, known for its excellent goods. There's free time here, maybe to buy some fresh produce, honey, preserves or gifts, or indulge in a delicious real fruit ice cream. You could also walk through the orchards and see the lovely rose and dahlia gardens. We continue, passing Lake Dunstan and Lake Wanaka before arriving in Franz Josef, also known as Waiau, a small town close to the Franz Josef Glacier. We stay here overnight, within sight of the dramatic glacier.

We visit Hokitika, the centre for New Zealand jade. We visit Hokitika Greenstone Factory, where the local stone is crafted into stunning jewellery and ornaments. After lunch, we travel to Arthur's Pass, in a mountainous National Park for a highlight of our holiday.

We board the TranzAlpine for our rail journey back to Christchurch, a route the most scenic railway line in New Zealand. We travel through the country's Southern Alps and across the Canterbury Plains, experiencing awe-inspiring views of striking natural mountainous landscapes along the way.

On our final day in New Zealand, we have a free morning to relax at our hotel, or to explore Christchurch independently. You could visit the International Antarctic Centre, where visitors can learn how explorers have survived in such harsh environs over the centuries, and see some indigenous blue penguins.

Later, we transfer to the airport for our flight to London Heathrow, via Singapore.

We arrive back in the UK and your holiday comes to an end.