New Zealand 2027

DAY 1

SATURDAY 6TH MARCH 2027 ALBURY / MELBOURNE
Welcome aboard Martins Touring Coach for your special New Zealand Discover Tour. Depart Lavington Shopping Centre Griffth Rd 11.00am, Albury Railway Station 11.15am, Wodonga Plaza Smythe Street 11.30am and Wangaratta Coles Perry Street Bus Stop12.25pm, stopping enroute at Euroa for a comfort stop. On arrival at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, we will check into our overnight accommodation in readiness for tomorrow mornings flight with Air New Zealand.
Accommodation: Parkroyal Melbourne Airport Hotel
Ph: (03) 8347 2000

DAY 2

SUNDAY 7TH MARCHARRIVE CHRISTCHURCH
It will be an early start this morning as we check out of our hotel and make our way to the International Terminal in preparation for your 9.05am flight with Air New Zealand.
Kia Ora & Welcome to New Zealand! Upon arrival at 2.30pm (local NZ time), collect luggage and meet your coach and driver then embark on an orientation tour of Christchurch before checking into your accommodation. Enjoy a relaxed welcome dinner in the comfort of your hotel this evening.
Accommodation: Hotel Elms Christchurch Ph: +64 3 355 3577

DAY 3

MONDAY 8TH MARCH CHRISTCHURCH / DUNEDIN
Head south today, crossing the sheep and cropping areas of the fertile Canterbury Plains and pass through Timaru. The snow-capped Southern Alps can be seen to the East for much of the journey. Stop in Oamaru, famous for its well-preserved Victorian architecture made from local limestone and its quirky Steampunk culture. At Moeraki see the fascinating giant marble like boulders on the beach, before travelling across the Otago Hills into Dunedin.
The city was established by settlers from the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in the 1840's and is proud of its Scottish heritage. Dunedin is set on hills at the head of Otago Peninsula harbour and is renowned for its educational facilities including Otago University, New Zealand's first university. This evening, dinner is in the comfort of your hotel with a special Haggis Ceremony at the hotel with the traditional 'Address to the Haggis' (poem by Robbie Burns) and the presentation and cutting of a haggis itself.
Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Dunedin City (2 nights) Ph: +64 3 470 1470

DAY 4

TUESDAY 9TH MARCH DUNEDIN
Today, venture out to the Otago Peninsula. Flanking the southern edge of Dunedin's extensive harbour, Otago Peninsula is high and rugged on the ocean side; warm and sheltered on the harbour side. Volcanic in origin, the peninsula is part of the crater wall of a large, long-extinct volcano. Enjoy a guided tour of Larnach Castle, high on the hills above Otago Harbour, built in 1871 with a unique collection of New Zealand antiques and furniture. Climb the tower for unique panoramic views over Otago Harbour, Dunedin City and Taiaroa Heads, and explore the vast grounds and picturesque gardens at leisure. Also included here is a Victorian High Tea for you to enjoy.Afterwards, visit the Royal Albatross Centre, at the world's only mainland Royal Albatross breeding colony, where you can enjoy a 60 minute fully guided tour, short film, presentation on the albatross breeding cycle and an albatross viewing from the exclusive glassed observatory in the nature reserve, a short walk up the hillside.Dinner is at your own leisure this evening.

DAY 5

WEDNESDAY 10TH MARCH DUNEDIN / TE ANAU
Travel through the southern suburbs of Dunedin and on to the fertile Taieri Plains where sheep and dairying are the primary industries. You will pass Lake Waihola and the fast-flowing Clutha River at Balclutha before reaching the town of Gore (country music capital of New Zealand). Travel over tussock covered hills before approaching Te Anau where the mountains of Fiordland National Park are easily seen in the distance. Dinner at your hotel this evening.
Accommodation: Distinction Luxmore, Te Anau Ph: +64 3 249 7526

DAY 6

THURSDAY 11TH MARCHTE ANAU / MILFORD SOUND / QUEENSTOWN
Travel into Fiordland National Park and enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Eglinton Valley formed by an ancient glacier. View rivers, lakes, tussock flats, beech forests and everywhere precipitous mountains surround the traveller. Pass by the Hollyford Valley then the road climbs to the Homer Tunnel hewn out of a solid rock wall. Drive through the tunnel and out into the Cleddau Valley that descends to majestic Milford Sound. There are magnificent snow-capped peaks to be viewed en-route to Milford Sound. At Milford Sound, depart on a cruise of the Sound on a comfortable boat. The Sound is dominated by mountains the most famous being Mitre Peak which rises a mile high out of the Sound. The cruise will take you past magnificent waterfalls to the Tasman Sea. Seals and dolphins are often seen in the clear waters of the fiord. Picnic lunch included on board. At the conclusion of the cruise, board the coach for the return journey to Te Anau and then on to Queenstown, through the glacial formed valley that is now farmland and along the shores of Lake Wakatipu with magnificent views of the lake and mountains. Travel time today approximately 7 hours + stops.
Dinner is included at your hotel this evening.
Accommodation: Millennium Queenstown Ph: +64 3 450 0150

DAY 7

FRIDAY 12TH MARCH QUEENSTOWN
This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Queenstown, including a ride up the scenic aerial gondola to Bob's Peak rising 450m/1500ft high above Queenstown. From here, the panoramic views of Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountain ranges including The Remarkables are breathtakingly spectacular.
Afterwards, venture out to Arrowtown, a quaint village set on the banks of the Arrow River which was once a rip-roaring gold rush town. Time here to sample some of the cafés (Maybe try a chunky steak pie), galleries and boutiques or you may wish to take a walk to the historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
The remainder of the day and meals are at leisure giving you a chance to explore one of Queenstown's many great establishments.

DAY 8

SATURDAY 13TH MARCHQUEENSTOWN / FRANZ JOSEF
Travel across the fruit-growing Central Otago region, around the shores of glacial Lakes Wanaka and Hawea then into the rugged beauty of the Haast Pass as you travel through the Southern Alps. Continue up the West Coast past wild beaches, over mountain streams, through native rainforest and past bush-fringed lakes to Franz Josef Glacier.
This evening, enjoy dinner in the comfort of your hotel.
Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier (2 nights) Ph: +64 3 752 0729

DAY 9

SUNDAY 14TH MARCHFRANZ JOSEF (BD)
Today, cruise across the mirror-like waters of Lake Mapourika, nestled within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before stepping ashore into an untouched Jurassic rainforest. Your expert guide will lead you along a hand-built trail winding through the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary, beneath towering kahikatea and rimu trees in one of New Zealand's few predator-free coastal sanctuaries. Keep watch for native bush birds and the rare white heron (k?tuku) along the shoreline.
Your Group will be split into smaller groups throughout day for this activity and below activities, if chosen, will be scheduled around this activity.

Optional activities for remainder of the day include the following:

* Take a 20-minute helicopter flight, the perfect opportunity to get up close to a glacier and touch snow. You'll be captivated as you lift off and fly up and over the dramatic expanse of the Franz Josef and experience the solitude of a snow landing in this wonderful natural alpine environment (optional tour - NZD$395.00 which must be pre-booked & pre-paid).
* Visit the West Coast Wildlife Centre, an incredible wildlife attraction is home to the official hatching facility for the world's two rarest kiwis - the Rowi and Haast Tokoeka. See live kiwi during the day inside the nocturnal house. It is also a sanctuary for Little Blue Penguins, providing visitors with a remarkable opportunity to connect with these wonderful native birds while inspiring a commitment to community-wide conservation. The Tuatara Encounter is an incredible world-class facility that offers the opportunity to see the last living descendants of ancient reptiles (optional tour - NZD$63.00 which must be pre-booked & pre-paid)
Dinner is included again at the hotel restaurant this evening.

DAY 10

MONDAY 15TH MARCH FRANZ JOSEF / TRANZ ALPINE / CHRISTCHURCH
Travel north along the West Coast with the Tasman Sea to the west and the Southern Alps rising steeply to the east to the town of Hokitika, home to a wide variety of artists, sculptors, jade carvers, craft artists, jewellers and painters. Enjoy a leg stretch here before continuing to Greymouth, where you head inland for a scenic journey through the mighty Southern Alps into Arthurs Pass. At Arthur's Pass, board the TranzAlpine train for a scenic rail journey, crossing viaducts and through rugged gorges before leaving the Southern Alps for the flat Canterbury Plains.
Arrive into Christchurch, where dinner is included at your centrally located hotel.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Christchurch (2 nights) Ph: +64 3 741 2800

DAY 11

TUESDAY 16TH MARCH CHRISTCHURCH
Enjoy a late start this morning before enjoying a punting (boat) ride from the historic Antigua Boatsheds landing. Your Edwardian styled Punter will guide you quietly past trailing willows, woodlands, leafy banks and flower gardens as you absorb the beauty of Christchurch's Hagley Park. After this, a lovely lunch will be served at the Curators House, situated in a heritage building in the lovely Botanic Gardens. With its own kitchen garden, fresh regional produce is served, with a Spanish influence. The afternoon and evening are at your leisure, whether you wish to stroll the Botanic Gardens and back along the banks of the meandering Avon River, visit the Arts Centre, the Canterbury Museum and the Christchurch Art Gallery (Admission costs are at your own expense).
You have an All-Day Pass on the restored heritage Christchurch Tram included so you can enjoy a journey in style through the changing face of Christchurch's city centre, your ticket allowing you to get on and off the tram as often as you please. The tram visits the appropriate stops for the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Cathedral Junction, Gothic-style Arts Centre and New Regent Street amongst others. Knowledgeable drivers will inform you about the city, its landmarks and local sights if you wish to stay onboard and see these from the tram or you can get on and off with your ticket throughout the afternoon. The trams run approximately every 15-20 minutes.

DAY 12

WEDNESDAY 17TH MARCH CHRISTCHURCH / COASTAL PACIFIC / WELLINGTON
Transfer to Christchurch Railway Station this morning to board the Coastal Pacific train, which travels across the fertile farmlands of the North Canterbury Plains and Waipara wine district before passing through coastal town of Kaikoura, popular for whale watching. Continue along a thin ledge of land pinned between the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and the rugged Kaikoura Ranges, then pass through the grape growing region of Marlborough before arriving in Picton, situated at the head of picturesque Queen Charlotte Sound. Upon arrival in Picton, walk from the Picton Railway Station to the ferry terminal, where you board the Interislander Ferry for a ferry crossing across Cook Strait to Wellington, in the North Island. The 92km voyage takes approximately three and a half hours. On arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel. Dinner is at the hotel this evening.
Travel time today approximately 9.5 hours + stops.
Accommodation: James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor Wellington Ph: +64 4 499 9500

DAY 13

THURSDAY 18TH MARCH WELLINGTON
This morning, take a historic trip on the Wellington Cable Car. For over a hundred years, passengers have enjoyed the dramatic views of the growing cityscape and the surrounding hills that define Wellington's harbour. It offers a charming escape from the busy city streets to the tree lined walkways of the Botanic Gardens. After enjoying the views and surroundings from the top of the Cable Car, meet your coach to continue the sightseeing tour of Wellington. Then visit Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand, where you will join a guided tour for an overview of the key exhibits, exploring the diverse natural environment, M?ori culture and taonga, art and colonial history. After the tour concludes, you have the afternoon at leisure, whether you choose to explore the museum further at leisure, stroll the waterfront or visit one of the quirky cafes or boutiques.Later this evening, dinner is at a local restaurant.

DAY 14

FRIDAY 19TH MARCHWELLINGTON / ROTORUA
Leaving Wellington, travel along the pretty Kapiti Coast then cross the fertile Manawatu Plains through the Mangaweka Hills to reach the Tongariro Volcanic Plateau and drive over the Desert Road with spectacular views of the volcanoes of Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe. Travel around the shores of Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake to the resort town of Taupo. Stop to see the magnificent Huka Falls on the Waikato River and see the fascinating geothermal borefield at Wairakei before travelling through vast pine forests to Rotorua in the heart of New Zealand's famous geothermal region. Dinner at the hotel this evening.
Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Rotorua (2 nights) Ph: +64 7 347 1234

DAY 15

SATURDAY 20TH MARCH ROTORUA
This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour onboard your coach of Rotorua and the surrounding area, including some of the many magnificent lakes in the region, as well as a stop at the Whakarewarewa Redwood forest. As part of the tour, visit The Buried Village, New Zealand's most visited Archaeological Site, where stories of the 1886 Mt Tarawera Eruption come to life. This eruption was one of New Zealand's worst natural disasters, burying the peaceful village of Te Wairoa, and claiming more than 150 lives in the region. Today, at the Buried Village, enjoy a guided tour, where you will encounter the Museum of Te Wairoa and explore the archaeological sites that once housed the people of Te Wairoa and take the Waterfall Trail that showcases the stunning Te Wairoa Falls.In the late afternoon visit Te Puia for a guided tour followed by the Te Po (the night) experience - an immersive feast of indigenous cultural storytelling, entertainment and food. Your guided tour provides a premier M?ori culture experience combined with an introduction to the magnificent geothermal activity in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Whilst in the valley, see the boiling mud pools, steaming silica terraces, hot springs and geysers including the famous Pohutu Geyser which can erupt up to 30 metres high, depending on its mood. Visit the New Zealand M?ori Arts and Crafts Institute where young M?ori are learning the traditional carving and weaving skills of their ancestors. Your evening experience will commence with a sumptuous buffet dinner including food from the hangi (traditional M?ori method of cooking) served in the Pataka Kai Restaurant. After dinner, enjoy a cultural performance in the fully carved Te Aronui-a-Rua meeting house where highlights include waiata (song), m?teatea (traditional chant) poi and haka. Transfer back to your hotel by Te Puia coach.

DAY 16

SUNDAY 21ST MARCH ROTORUA / WAITOMO / AUCKLAND
Travel over the bush-clad Mamaku Ranges then across the picturesque countryside to Waitomo - home to the famous Waitomo Caves. Famous for their fascinating limestone formations of stalagmites, stalactites and columns that have formed over thousands of years and their glow worms that light the caves up like a starry wonderland. Here, join a guided tour to see these fascinating limestone formations then enjoy a silent boat ride on an underground river into the starry wonderland of the magnificent Glow-worm Grotto. From Waitomo, continue north through the rural townships of Otorohanga and Te Awamutu then the city of Hamilton following the Waikato River and over the Bombay Hills to Auckland.
Accommodation: Grand Millennium Hotel Auckland Ph: +64 9 366 3000

DAY 17

MONDAY 22ND MARCHAUCKLAND / BAY OF ISLANDS
Today travel north through Auckland City, over the Harbour Bridge, through the North Shore suburbs and seaside resorts of the Hibiscus Coast, making a stop at the Matakohe Kauri Museum, which records the timber milling and gum digging pioneering days of the Northland region. Here, view lifelike displays showing a collection of Kauri products, the story of the area's history, and the Kauri's more practical uses by pioneers. Afterwards, continue through the city of Whangarei to the township of Paihia, popular for its convenient location in the Bay of Islands and vicinity to the Bay's historical and scenic sights.
Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands (2 nights) Ph: +64 9 402 7826

DAY 18

TUESDAY 23RD MARCH BAY OF ISLANDS
This morning, cruise out through the Bay's pristine islands and along the Cape Brett Peninsula. See the historic Cape Brett lighthouse and majestic Motuk?kako, the Hole in the Rock. The Bay of Islands is home to a host of marine mammals, wildlife and native birds so keep an eye out throughout your cruise and stop off at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island also. This afternoon, take a tour of the Waitangi Treaty House and Grounds with a local guide for a unique insight into this special and spiritual place. Learn about the treaty agreement between M?ori and British representatives in 1840 which created the nation of New Zealand. Explore the Treaty House, see the traditional wharenui (meeting house) with its intricate M?ori carvings and marvel at the scale of Ngatokimatawhaorua, one of the world's largest carved war canoes (waka taua). Enjoy dinner this evening at a local restaurant.

DAY 19

WEDNESDAY 24TH MARCH BAY OF ISLANDS / AUCKLAND
Depart Paihia and travel south through undulating farmlands and the small settlements of Kawakawa and Hikurangi to the city of Whangarei. Continue south through the rural townships of Warkworth and Wellsford then pass the delightful beaches of the Hibiscus Coast before arriving in Auckland, New Zealand's largest and most cosmopolitan city. A farewell dinner at your hotel this evening with fellow travellers.
Accommodation: Grand Millennium Hotel Auckland Ph: +64 9 366 3000

DAY 20

THURSDAY 25TH MARCHDEPART AUCKLAND
After breakfast you will have time to a explore this beautiful city before your coach transfer to the Auckland International Airport for your afternoon flight with Air New Zealand departing at 3.30pm.
On arrival at Melbourne Tullamarine 5.40pm, we meet our Martins Albury Coach for transfer back to your home destination.

TOUR COST

$12,785.00 Per Person Twin / Double
$16,270.00 Single Supplement (numbers limited)

INCLUDES

Luxury touring coach from Albury to Melbourne and return
Air New Zealand Economy Class Flights - Melbourne / Christchurch and Auckland to Melbourne
Accommodation as per itinerary
Meals as indicated on itinerary
Entrances to attractions as per itinerary

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner