New Zealand Coach Tours - Christian Fellowship Tours

"...and the sheep hear His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out."

BOOKINGS CLOSED

Departed:

5 March 2008

Cost:

DAY 1 Wednesday 5th March 2008

Arrive Auckland (D)

Meet and greet on arrival at Auckland airport before being transferred to your accommodation.

DAY 2 Thursday 6th March 2008

Departing Auckland we travel north over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to first of all visit the Parry Kauri Park. Here we view some fine examples of Giant Kauri Trees which once dominated the landscape. We then visit the Matakohe Kauri Museum, at Otamatea. Here we have an insight to the early New Zealand Pioneer History, which helped form the New Zealand that we see today. On route we visit the Mission House and Waimate North, a historic church. This afternoon we reach Paihia in the beautiful Bay of Islands where we visit the Waitangi Treaty House, where New Zealand’s history began.

DAY 3 Friday 7th March 2008

Today is a day of leisure. The Bay of Islands has so many options for you to discover - perhaps a day trip to the light house at Cape Reinga the most northern tip of New Zealand, followed by a safari along 90 Mile Beach on the way home. Maybe deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, dolphin watching or just take time out to relax within Paihia or Russell - New Zealand’s first Capital.

This morning we begin to travel south via Whangarei and the Hibiscus Coast before travelling through to Auckland. Here we enjoy a tour of the highlights of Auckland, the City of Sails, exploring the lively waterfront area and the base of New Zealand’s America’s Cup Challenge. Enjoy the relaxing views along Tamaki Drive, which runs east past peaceful sheltered bays to Auckland's most expensive real estate. View a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of Auckland from Mt Eden, an extinct volcano.

We then travel south across the Bombay hills to Hamilton and on to visit the famous Waitomo Caves, Here a guide will take us underground to these amazing limestone caves featuring stalagmites and stalactites, which have taken centuries to form. Soon to follow we continue to walk down to an underground stream to board a small boat to view the glow-worm grotto – an underground cavern featuring millions of glow-worms. We then continue through New Zealand’s Waikato region, which is world famous for dairy farming. This afternoon we visit Rainbow Springs, specialising in New Zealand flora and fauna including Kiwi Tuatara Rainbow & Brown Trout.

DAY 6 Monday 10th March 2008

ROTORUA (BD)

Today is at your leisure. Rotorua has many options for visitors to New Zealand, or perhaps you’d just like to relax. Your Coach Captain will have suggestions on how to spend your time. Tonight we will be treated to a traditional Hangi (feast) and Maori concert.

This morning we visit Te Puia – The New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley featuring the famous Pohutu Geyser. Departing Rotorua we travel via New Zealand’s largest pine tree forests to Taupo. En-route, we make a visit to the Wairakei Geothermal Steam Field. This was a world first generating electricity by tapping a natural steam field then channelling the steam to a nearby power generation plant. Continuing we view the mighty Huka Falls. Huka in Maori translates to “snow” as the water here has the appearance of snow falling as it is forced along from Lake Taupo through the falls on its journey along the Waikato River. This afternoon we continue to the ‘Fruit Bowl’ of New Zealand, Hawkes Bay – Napier.

DAY 8 Wednesday 12th March 2008

Before we depart Napier we take a city sights tour, featuring beautiful Art Deco buildings to give us an insight of why Napier is known as the Art Deco capital of the world. Departing the Hawkes Bay we travel through, the ‘Fruit Bowl’ of New Zealand before proceeding south to Wellington. This afternoon we continue to New Zealand’s Capital City, Wellington. We spend the rest of the day enjoying an informative sightseeing tour, including a visit to Te Papa, the world’s newest national museum, followed by a visit to the Wellington Botanical Gardens and Old St Paul.

DAY 9 Thursday 13th March 2008

WELLINGTON – CHRISTCHURCH (BD)

Departing Wellington on the Interislander ferry, we journey across the Cook Strait heading for the South Island. We enter the South Island through Tory Channel into the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, to arrive in Picton. We travel along the rugged coastline through Kaikoura – a chance to view the seals basking in the sun. We then move along to Christchurch where a sightseeing tour shows you the highlights of the “Garden City”.

A day for spectacular sights as we farewell Christchurch and travel through Ashburton, Geraldine and Fairlie, over Burke’s Pass into the vast Mackenzie Basin to the magnificent blue waters of Lake Tekapo where we visit the Church of the good Shepherd and the statue of the Collie Dog. Continue to Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain. Time is available to enjoy an optional scenic flight over the ancient rivers of ice and the West Coast Glaciers, (a highly recommended option) before continuing on to Omarama for your overnight stay.

Today we head through Sailor’s Cutting, Otematata and Benmore to Oamaru. Here we have time to look at the ‘White Stone City’. The old buildings have been constructed with local limestone. It was from Oamaru that New Zealand’s first frozen meat was shipped in 1882 taking over three months to reach England, and thus began New Zealand’s most important export industry. Travelling south we will view the extraordinary spherical Moeraki Boulders, shaped rather like giant marbles, then onto “The Edinburgh of the South – Dunedin”. Upon arrival into Dunedin, we board the Taieri Gorge Train Excursion, which will take us some sixty kilometres from Dunedin viewing impressive scenery and engineering feats.

This morning before departing we take a tour of this old Scottish city beginning with visiting Olveston House an impressive turn-of-the-century house that is still home to all the lavish furnishings and art collections that have been collected from all corners of the world, then viewing the Scottish influence on the architecture around Dunedin. As we depart Dunedin we travel through Balclutha and Gore to Te Anau

Southwest New Zealand is one of the great wilderness areas of the Southern Hemisphere. It is an area where snow-capped mountains, rivers of ice, deep lakes, unbroken forests and tussock grasslands produce a landscape of exceptional beauty. Recognition of the outstanding natural values of the area was granted by UNESCO in December 1990, with the formation of the Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area. This area incorporates Aoraki/ Mt Cook, Westland/ Tai Poutini, Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks, and covers 2.6 million hectares or 10% of New Zealand's land area Glacier carved hanging valleys, thick native forest, spectacular waterfalls and sheer precipices tower over the fiord. Go further, see more and let Real Journeys Cruises take you on a voyage of discovery you will never forget. Milford Sound is a spectacular fiord nestled at the most northern and accessible end of Fiordland National Park. Here we cruise the sounds by launch and get close up views of the magnificent scenery that this World Heritage Area has to offer. Be inspired as mountain peaks soar overhead and waterfalls tumble hundreds of metres into the sea below. We then travel beneath the towering Remarkable’s Range to Queenstown

DAY 14 Tuesday 18th March 2008

Today is at leisure. Visit the Remarkable’s or Coronet Peak, thrill to the excitement of a jet-boat ride along the Shotover or Kawerau rivers, try bungy jumping or white water rafting, maybe just browse in the many shops and galleries, its up to you. This evening we take a cruise across Lake Wakatipu on the steamer TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Station to dine at the Colonel’s Homestead.

Today we follow the Kawerau Gorge road to Cromwell, continuing on to popular Lake Wanaka, the starting point of the mighty Clutha River. From here we travel past Lake Hawea before following the upper reaches of Lake Wanaka to Makaroa and traversing the rugged Haast Pass into Westland National Park, the home of Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. On arrival, time is available for optional scenic flights or walks to the Glacier.

Departing Fox Glacier, we travel north to Hokitika where a visit is made to the Greenstone and Glass Blowing factories. Continuing to Kumara Junction we wind our way through the beautiful Southern Alps and across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. As an option today some may choose to travel from Arthurs Pass to Christchurch aboard the Tranz Alpine Scenic Train Journey. From Arthur’s Pass we travel, from the lush mountain beech rain forest, through gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River, and over the fields of the Canterbury Plains and farmland. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel.

This morning you will be transferred to Christchurch Airport to connect with your outward bound flight.

Discover New Zealand - 17 Days