Overview
Itinerary
Welcome to the land of the long white cloud: New Zealand! Time to meet your Contiki crew and get ready for the adventures on the horizon. We'll cross Auckland's Harbour Bridge admiring the 'City of Sails' harbour before starting our journey north to Paihia. But first, a stop off at the stunning yacht marina in Whangarei. Here we'll check out the weird and wonderful Huderwassert art centre, a unique architectural project dedicated to the ecological activist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. After lunch we'll hit the road again onwards to the Bay of Islands.
On arrival to the Bay of Islands we're starting off with a dose of Kiwi history on a guided tour at Waitangi Treaty grounds where in 1840 New Zealand officially became a nation of two communities. And because we like to give you that something extra, how about a free admission at the Treaty museum, in case you seek a bit more detail on Kiwi history.
Tonight we'll feast like the locals as we enjoy a true Kiwiana fish'n'chips as we overlook the glittering Bay of Islands. (D) Stay: Bounty Motel (or similar)
Whether it's parasailing or a fast boat ride - today's (idyllic) list of optionals reads like a who's who of adventure. This area is filled with natural beauty and is sure to inspire your inner wild child. Make the most of the Free Time Add-On experiences on offer - tomorrow we head back to the big city vibes. (B)
Laters Auckland! Today we drive through the lush farmlands of Waikato, an area that produces many of New Zealand's best Rugby players for the All Blacks, on route to Rotorua. When you catch your first whiff of that .. 'unusual' sulphur smell, you'll know we've arrived in Rotorua. Famed for its spurting geysers, boiling mud pools & hot springs, gondola and speeding luge rides, Rotorua is a natural wonderland, and then some.
We'll stop off at the New Zealand Kiwi Hatchery, the largest conservation project for the kiwi bird in the world. Watch these adorable little birds roam around, stand in a human-sized kiwi burrow, and visit the incubation centre, where over 2100 kiwi chicks have been born. Who knows, maybe you'll see a newly-hatched kiwi chick! Tonight the culture will sky rocket with a traditional Māori hāngi dinner & cultural performance, and perhaps best of all, the chance to get involved in the world-famous HAKA. (B/D) Stay: Sudima Lake Rotorua (or similar)
The day is yours to roam free in this geothermal paradise. Soak in a hot spring, go white water rafting or hike up a volcano. The options are limitless and the decisions are yours. We recommend the Rotorua Dawn Canopy Tour, exclusive to Contiki, where you'll watch the sun rise, eat some breakfast and drink coffee up in the towering trees as the birds make start their morning calls. Then, you'll get to soar 1200m through the forest on the ultimate zipline adventure. (B)
Just as we were acclimatising to that funky smell, it's time to leave Rotorua, taking one last look at the bubbling geothermic mud pools before we flee. Arriving into Auckland marks the time to say goodbye to the wolf pack (sob). NZ - you've been real. (B)
Welcome to the land of the long white cloud: New Zealand! Time to meet your Contiki crew and get ready for the adventures on the horizon. We'll cross Auckland's Harbour Bridge admiring the 'City of Sails' harbour before starting our journey north to Paihia. But first, a stop off at the stunning yacht marina in Whangarei. Here we'll check out the weird and wonderful Huderwassert art centre, a unique architectural project dedicated to the ecological activist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. After lunch we'll hit the road again onwards to the Bay of Islands.
On arrival to the Bay of Islands we're starting off with a dose of Kiwi history on a guided tour at Waitangi Treaty grounds where in 1840 New Zealand officially became a nation of two communities. And because we like to give you that something extra, how about a free admission at the Treaty museum, in case you seek a bit more detail on Kiwi history.
Tonight we'll feast like the locals as we enjoy a true Kiwiana fish'n'chips as we overlook the glittering Bay of Islands. (D) Stay: Bounty Motel (or similar)
Whether it's parasailing or a fast boat ride - today's (idyllic) list of optionals reads like a who's who of adventure. This area is filled with natural beauty and is sure to inspire your inner wild child. Make the most of the Free Time Add-On experiences on offer - tomorrow we head back to the big city vibes. (B)
Laters Auckland! Today we drive through the lush farmlands of Waikato, an area that produces many of New Zealand's best Rugby players for the All Blacks, on route to Rotorua. When you catch your first whiff of that .. 'unusual' sulphur smell, you'll know we've arrived in Rotorua. Famed for its spurting geysers, boiling mud pools & hot springs, gondola and speeding luge rides, Rotorua is a natural wonderland, and then some.
We'll stop off at the New Zealand Kiwi Hatchery, the largest conservation project for the kiwi bird in the world. Watch these adorable little birds roam around, stand in a human-sized kiwi burrow, and visit the incubation centre, where over 2100 kiwi chicks have been born. Who knows, maybe you'll see a newly-hatched kiwi chick! Tonight the culture will sky rocket with a traditional Māori hāngi dinner & cultural performance, and perhaps best of all, the chance to get involved in the world-famous HAKA. (B/D) Stay: Sudima Lake Rotorua (or similar)
The day is yours to roam free in this geothermal paradise. Soak in a hot spring, go white water rafting or hike up a volcano. The options are limitless and the decisions are yours. We recommend the Rotorua Dawn Canopy Tour, exclusive to Contiki, where you'll watch the sun rise, eat some breakfast and drink coffee up in the towering trees as the birds make start their morning calls. Then, you'll get to soar 1200m through the forest on the ultimate zipline adventure. (B)
Just as we were acclimatising to that funky smell, it's time to leave Rotorua, taking one last look at the bubbling geothermic mud pools before we flee. Arriving into Auckland marks the time to say goodbye to the wolf pack (sob). NZ - you've been real. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Cross Aucklands Harbour Bridge
- See the City of Sails harbour made famous by the Americas Cup
- Tuck into a true Kiwiana fish'n'chips dinner overlooking the Bay of Islands in Paihia
- Experience a traditional Maori cultural performance and feast on a ground-smoked hangi dinner
- Visit the New Zealand Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs near Rotorua and hear about their efforts to save New Zealand's adorable national bird
- View Huderwassert Art Center
- See (and smell) Rotorua's bubbling geothermic mud pools
- 5 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners
- 5 nights in Hotels
- Throughout your trip you’ll be getting your beauty sleep in comfy beds in cosy multi-share rooms. Your accommodation will always be located in the heart of the action, with communal areas for you and your new best friends to relax and socialise.
- A highly trained Trip Manager who brings your adventure to life. An expert driver who knows foreign roads better than Google Maps. Local Guides who make tourist traps a thing of the past. This is your team. Smart, friendly, fun, and integral to everything we do.
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
- Cross Aucklands Harbour Bridge
- See the City of Sails harbour made famous by the Americas Cup
- Tuck into a true Kiwiana fish'n'chips dinner overlooking the Bay of Islands in Paihia
- Experience a traditional Maori cultural performance and feast on a ground-smoked hangi dinner
- Visit the New Zealand Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs near Rotorua and hear about their efforts to save New Zealand's adorable national bird
- View Huderwassert Art Center
- See (and smell) Rotorua's bubbling geothermic mud pools
- 5 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners
- 5 nights in Hotels
- Throughout your trip you’ll be getting your beauty sleep in comfy beds in cosy multi-share rooms. Your accommodation will always be located in the heart of the action, with communal areas for you and your new best friends to relax and socialise.
- A highly trained Trip Manager who brings your adventure to life. An expert driver who knows foreign roads better than Google Maps. Local Guides who make tourist traps a thing of the past. This is your team. Smart, friendly, fun, and integral to everything we do.
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
Brochure
Contiki Worldwide (2023-24)
Brochure
Contiki Worldwide (2024-25)
Availability
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in Australia. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Prices and trip information are correct at the time at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Contiki. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Contiki. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
