SUMMER & FALL 2012 - VOLUME 3 - Senior Tours Canada

TENTATIVE ITINERARY FOR NEW ZEALANDDAY 1DAY 2DAY 3DAY 4DAY 5DAY 6DAY 7DAY 8DAY 9DAY 10DAY 11DEPARTURE. We depart for Auckland, with achange of planes in Vancouver.Crossing the International Date Line.AUCKLAND. We arrive in Auckland and transfer toour hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure until ourWelcome Dinner this evening.BAY OF ISLANDS We travel north to see the KauriTree - one of the world’s tallest at 50 metres, andto visit the Kauri Museum - an interactive culturalexperience. We then visit the historic WaitangiTreaty Grounds, home to New Zealand’s foundingdocument as a nation. We proceed to the beautifulBay of Islands for a 2-night stay.BAY OF ISLANDS. This morning we cruisethrough the scenic waters of the Bay of Islands toCape Brett Lighthouse and through the famous‘Hole in the Rock’ (weather permitting). The rest ofthe day is free to explore this beautiful area.AUCKLAND. Enjoy the scenery as we travel bycoach back to Auckland where we will have a citytour, including the must-see Kelly Tarlton’sUnderwater World. We overnight in Auckland.ROTORUA. We head south through some of NewZealand’s most fertile farmland to Matamata,where we visit the remnants of the originalHobbiton Movie Set from “Lord of the Rings”. Wethen visit an authentic sheep and dairy farm, andindulge in a traditional kiwi barbecue lunch beforeproceeding to Rotorua - heartland of Maori culture.ROTORUA. We begin with a gondola ride toSkyrides Restaurant for a buffet breakfast andspectacular views. We then visit Rainbow SpringsNature Park, a native wildlife park where you canhand feed the trout and have a “Kiwi Encounter”.We continue to see the bubbling mud pools andthermal geyser and meet the local Maori people atthe Te Puia Thermal Village. The afternoon is freeto either soak in the thermal hot springs or exploremore of Rotorua. This evening we enjoy a hangi, atraditional Maori feast prepared in pits the way theirforefathers did centuries ago. Traditional Maorimusic and war dances are part of the fun!OVERLANDER RAIL / WELLINGTON. We travelalong the Thermal Explorer Highway to spectacularHuka Falls. Continue to Lake Taupo for some freetime to enjoy this scenic lakeside town. Later weboard the Overlander Train and travel throughTongariro National Park, where we seesnowcapped peaks, traversing gorges, sprawlingplains and the world famous Raurimu Spiral, beforearriving in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital.WELLINGTON. This morning we visit Te Papa,New Zealand’s national museum, and enjoy a tourof the “best little capital city in the world”. Afternoonat leisure to explore friendly Wellington.FERRY TO SOUTH ISLAND / TRANZCOASTALRAIL / CHRISTCHURCH. We cruise throughpicturesque Marlborough and Queen CharlotteDAY 12DAY 13DAY 14DAY 15DAY 16DAY 17DAY 18Sounds on the inter-island ferry to the South Island.Here we board one of the world's most scenic trainjourneys, the TranzCoastal, and journey through 22tunnels and cross 175 bridges. We travel along thePacific Ocean, through some of New Zealand’sfinest horticultural and farmland areas, and seeamazing wildlife such as dolphins, seals andpenguins from the comfort of our train carriage. Wedisembark and continue by coach to Christchurch.TRANZALPINE RAIL / FRANZ JOSEF. Today’sunforgettable journey is aboard the TranzAlpinerail, a spectacular trip through the fields andfarmlands of the Canterbury Plains, and along theriver valleys of the Waimakariri River into themajestic Southern Alps. We disembark andcontinue to the impressive Franz Josef Glacier foran opportunity to take a scenic helicopter flight withsnow landing (optional / weather permitting).QUEENSTOWN. We travel through sub-tropicalrainforest to view the spectacular Thunder CreekFalls and continue to the small mountain town ofWanaka. We arrive in picturesque Queenstownand our hotel overlooking Lake Wakatipu.QUEENSTOWN. A day at leisure in Queenstown.There are many activities available. This eveningwe board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw andcruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter PeakStation, where we are treated to the best of NewZealand’s high country cuisine and a wine tasting.After dinner we enjoy a short farm tour beforecruising back to Queenstown.MILFORD SOUND CRUISE / TE ANAU. Today wejourney through breathtaking Fjordland NationalPark to Milford Sound for an unforgettable cruise.We see the spectacular Bowen Falls, toweringMitre Peak and enjoy a scrumptious buffet lunch onboard. We overnight in lakeside Te Anau.TAIERI GORGE RAIL / DUNEDIN. This morningwe board Dunedin's prestige tourist train, TaieriGorge Rail, for a journey through the rugged andspectacular Taieri River Gorge, across wrought ironviaducts and through tunnels carved by hand morethan 100 years ago. We arrive at Dunedin and visitLarnach Castle, with its unique architecture andfascinating (and sometimes scandalous!) history.This evening we walk to Speights Brewery fordinner, home of the South Island’s legendary beer.SEASIDER RAILWAY / DUNEDIN. At historicDunedin Station we board the incredibly sceniccoastal Seasider Rail. The views of the PacificOcean are stunning as we travel along the highcliffs of coastal Otago and see the Mihiwaka Tunnelbefore arriving in Palmerston. We continue bycoach to the intriguing Moeraki Boulders andreturn to Dunedin for a Scottish evening with aspecial Haggis Ceremony.HOME. We transfer to the airport for our flighthome, via Vancouver69.