New Zealand Panorama

Kia Ora and welcome to Queenstown (Tāhuna). After checking in to your hotel the rest of the afternoon is yours to start discovering why Queenstown is best known as the adventure capital of the world.

Tonight you'll meet up with the rest of the crew, no doubt swapping notes on which thrill seeking activity to tick off first. Let the adventure commence...

Today is yours to get acquainted with Queenstown and spend some time mulling over the activities up for grabs in the next two days. First, we'll visit the legendary Kawarau Bungy Bridge (AKA the home of the world home of the bungy!) for your morning adrenaline hit.

Later, we'll stroll around this beautiful city. Please Note: The Free Time Add-Ons which take place in Queenstown can be booked for any day you are there. Just let your Trip Manager know, and they'll arrange this for you.

It's times like this that you really start to work out what sort of traveller you are. And human for that matter. You might be the one trailing through wine country and exploring wine cellars and caves, or you may be that one that crams in a bungy jump and ziplining & still craves more. It's your holiday - run wild as you see fit.

With our last day in adrenalin city edging closer, this is the time to conquer those niggling fears. For those who did their dash yesterday, a day staying mellow and enjoying this beautiful region will prove more than sufficient.

Tonight you can choose to jump on a gondola and to wine & dine atop of the highest restaurant in Queenstown, Skyline. What a way to end our time here!

Time to return our adrenalin levels to normal and make tracks to the wild (and often wet) West Coast and it's towering glaciers. Enjoying our scenic drive we'll stop for lunch in Wānaka, a pretty ski resort town situated on a lake front and dwarfed by mountains. This town is fast becoming one of NZ's most popular spots, and a trip to the 'Dough Bin' for a luscious pie should be high on the list today.

Our first piece of NZ eye-candy comes in the form of Haast Pass (Tioripatea), beautified by ancient rainforests, small glaciers and waterfalls. Note how the scenery changes as we roll away from Queenstown through the Southern Alps. Playing host tonight is the town of Franz Josef (Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere), home to some of NZ's finest natural beauty with bushlands and glaciers that almost reach the sea. Tomorrow we'll be out and about making the most of it - who's excited?

This morning will be another big ol' tick off the list as we take to the ice of Franz Josef Glacier. We've got a heli ride over the glacier up for grabs, or the opportunity to carve your own Pounamu (jade) pendant, under the tuition of a Māori mastercraftsman. Pounamu is sacred to the Māori people, and this is a great way to learn about its cultural significance, while also creating a beautiful please of jewellery.

Armed with a new found appreciation for frozen water, we hop back on the coach & start making our way back to Christchurch (Ōtautahi). In the gold rush town of Hokitika we'll watch authentic carvers get to work on green jade and take a look at traditional Maori art.

Back on the coach we're coastline bound to one of the islands most jaw-droppingly beautiful spots... Take in the beautiful scenery as we wind our way across the highest and most spectacular mountain pass across the Southern Alps.

Tonight we'll sleep well in Christchurch, drifting off to the pleasant memories of NZ's natural beauty that seasoned our day.

We'll set off on an inspiring tour of Christchurch this morning, the city that was totally rebuilt after the Christchurch earthquake. Look out for the Cardboard Cathedral, which is the only cathedral in the world to be built mostly from plain old cardboard! After that, it's another jaw-dropping drive up to the top of the South Island. The coach cuts across the Canterbury Plains to Kaikoura.

We'll arrive in Kaikōura, known for whales & dolphins, so have those cameras at the ready as we roll around the coast. We'll visit Kaikōura Wildlife Rescue to meet a local wildlife biologist, Sabrina Leucht, who has been working to build a dedicated wildlife hospital. We'll learn about the wildlife we might encounter here, the threats they face, and what we can do to make a difference.

After a busy day, we'll check into our seafront hotel, then head out for dinner. Did you know that Kaikōura literally translates into 'eat (kai) crayfish (koura)'? So, no prizes for guessing what type of cuisine we'll be trying!

We all love a free day - especially one spent in beautiful Kaikōura! We recommend taking a dolphin watching tour, where you'll have the opportunity to see (or swim with) dusky dolphins. Or even kayaking across the coastline! We'll stay another night in Kaikōura after an action-packed day, before heading to Wellington tomorrow morning.

After breakfast, we'll head back on the Contiki coach and head to our next destination. We'll stop at a seal colony, where you'll struggle not to break into a collective 'cuuuute' as you watch these guys sunning themselves on the rocks.

Afterwards we'll continue on to Wellington, the capital of NZ since 1865, when it replaced Auckland. Almost thirty years later, Wellington parliament was the first in the world to allow women the right to vote. A pretty cool city all in all. By the afternoon, we'll have reached Wellington (Te Whanganui a Tara), just in time for a tour of the city. After an orientation through the narrow streets of Wellington, and a chance to explore the great food scene, a night on the town will be on the cards.

Ready to explore Wellington in all its glory? Today, why not head to a local cafe and try the famed flat white coffee in its city of origin (sorry Australians). Caffeinated and refreshed, you can opt to take a trip to Zealandia, a 225-hectare (basically massive) eco-sanctuary that protects over 40 rare native wildlife species. Because Zealandia is fully fenced, you'll be able to walk alongside incredibly rare birds like the hihi and the takahē. Look out for the tuatara, a prehistoric reptile known as a 'living fossil', which can only be found in New Zealand!

We wave goodbye to Wellington and its beautiful scenery and we prepare ourselves for our next adventure – and trust us, this one is bucket-list worthy. Known as the après-ski capital of the North island, Ohakune is a tranquil town with stupendous view. Today you have the option to go mountain biking along one of NZ's most picturesque track, "Te Mangawhero Trail".

Tonight, snuggle down in our Special Stay ski lodge, located in prime position at the base of Mount Ruapehu (Ruapehu).

Wake up in the spectacular surroundings of Mt. Ruapehu with epic views of the volcano. Today we head off to Lake Taupō! Here we are in Lake Taupō (Taupō Nui a Tia). Don't be fooled by the seemingly still scenery - a skydive is on the menu if that adrenaline itch needs scratching.

This evening we jump on a lake cruise to watch the sunset, go fishing and enjoy some eats with our Contiki fam.

As we leave Lake Taupō keep an eye out for even more recognisable ‘The Lord of the Rings' backdrops. 220,000 litres (58 000 gallons) of water gush over Huka Falls per second. Just let that sink in for a minute. Wild, right? When you catch your first whiff of that… ‘unusual' sulphur smell, you'll know we've arrived in Rotorua.

Upon arrival in Rotorua we get to learn some fascinating info on NZ's national birds, as well as watch new lives hatch right in front of our eyes! How impressed are you right now? Soak in a hotspring, go skydiving or take a canopy tour - there's plenty of time for you to make the best of this town.

Tonight we enjoy a Māori cultural performance and feast on a Hāngi dinner that is sweetly roasted in the ground.

Today is yours to roam free in this geothermal paradise. Soak in a hot spring, go rafting or hike up a volcano. Opt for the Rotorua Dawn Canopy Tour (exclusive to Contiki) and watch the sunrise, enjoy breakfast and coffee up in the trees as the birds make their morning calls. Then, soar 1200m through the forest on the ultimate zipline adventure.

Just as we were acclimatising to that funky smell, it's time to leave Rotorua. Take one last look at the bubbling geothermic mud pools before we flee. Arriving into Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau), we'll say goodbye to the wolf pack (sob). NZ - you've been real.