Pre-tour - February 4th - Arrive into Auckland International Airport and then make your way to our accommodation and take the day to rest up and get adjusted to the time change. We will meet at here the following morning to start the tour. Overnight Auckland.

Day 1 February 5th - Today will be spent in Auckland, the biggest Polynesian City in the world starting with Sunday Brunch. Auckland's cultural influence is reflected in many different aspects of city life. The city stretches over volcanic hills, sitting between the twin Waitemata and Manukau Harbours. Often known as The City of Sails, Auckland has more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world. With so many bays, beaches and islands, glistening waters seem to beckon from every point. The iconic Sky Tower has views of Viaduct Harbour, which is full of superyachts and lined with bars and cafés. Auckland Domain, the city’s oldest park, is based around an extinct volcano and home to the formal Wintergardens. Near Downtown, Mission Bay Beach has a seaside promenade. We will join an Auckland City Tour and then you can enjoy the city at leisure until we meet up for a late High Tea Welcoming Dinner followed by a Private Auckland Harbour Sunset Cruise. This unique sailing experience aboard a Classic Sailing Yacht on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour allows you to simply sit back and relax while Auckland city slowly drifts by. Dinner and Overnight Auckland. (B,D)

Day 2 - February 6th - Leaving the big city behind we head to the Coromandel Peninsula and make our way to Whitianga which is the main town on the peninsula. We will make a few stops along the way as we make our way through the Mamamauar Forrest and along the Firth of Thames. We will stop for lunch before we travel up the coast with the Firth of Thames on one side and the Coromandel Forest Park on the other. Just north of Coromandel we find Driving Creek Railway where we climb aboard for a captivating one-hour and fifteen minute railway journey and be inspired by the story of one man’s lifetime passion to bring Art, Conservation and Engineering together to create Driving Creek. Our train driver will entertain us with the story of Barry Brickell and how this amazing place came to be, as your tram winds its way up to the EyeFull Tower lookout, traveling through a native forest of regenerating kauri, rimu and ferns. We will hear how pottery has played an important role in creating Driving Creek as we travel over large viaducts, through tunnels and reversing points. Spy hidden gems along the way, unique pottery sculptures and artworks. We then get checked into our accommodation at Whitianga before we gather for dinner. Dinner and Overnight Whitianga. (B,L,D)

Day 3 - February 7th. This morning we will have a late start after our very long day yesterday. You can have breakfast and then explore Whitianga which is the main settlement of the Mercury Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula. Whitianga has been continuously occupied for more than a thousand years since Maori explorer Kupe's tribe settled here after his visit in about 950 A.D. This afternoon we grab our picnic lunch and then take a Caves, Coves and Coastline Cruise with Cathedral Cove Scenic Cruises. Some of the favourite stops include Shakespear Cliff, Cooks Beach and of course Cathedral Cove. At the top of the Shakespear Cliff is is a plaque commemorating Captain Cook observing the transit of Mercury in 1769. Cooks Beach is the beautiful crescent shaped white sandy beach that caught Captain Cook's eye. The Marine Reserve is a the spectacular volcanic coastline around Champagne Bay and swimming and snorkelling with the fish in the Marine Reserve is a fantastic experience for all ages. We will also visit the magnificent Orua Sea Cave often claimed to be more spectacular than Cathedral Cove. It is one of the largest in NZ and only accessible by boat. Dinner on your own. Overnight Whitianga. (B,L)

Day 4 - February 8th - This morning we head south down the Coromandel Peninsula to the Gateway at Paeroa and the Bullswool Farm Heritage Park. Home to three generations of the family, the farm has a diverse and interesting array of Rarebreed Farm Animals, Working Farm Museums and an award-winning Native Bird Reserve. There is so much to see, do, explore and learn on a farm that offers an authentic taste of Kiwi Farm Life, and is one of New Zealand's most beloved and iconic rural experiences. The friendly animals of Bullswool Farm include miniature horses, emus, goats, alpacas, llamas, deer, paint horses, kune-kune pigs, miniature cattle, rabbits, rare breed chickens, ducks, pheasants, coloured sheep and donkeys. We will stop in Paeroa for lunch before we continue our journey to Hobbiton Village. We will have a private event with a Fully Guided Tour of the Movie Set. We will be immersed in the natural beauty of Middle-Earth's famous movie sets as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies movies. Our guide will escort us around the set, showing us the intricate detailing, pointing out the most famous locations and explaining how the movie magic was made. We will be taken around the set, past Hobbit Holes, the Mill and finally into the famous Green Dragon Inn, where you can indulge in exclusive, specially brewed beverages offering a taste of Middle-Earth. Dinner and Overnight Tauranga on the Bay of Plenty. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - February 9th - This morning we will get a later start as we will have a very full day in and around Rotorua. We will make our way to Rotorua Caldera with a first stop at Hamurana Springs Nature Reserve for a guided, nature and Māori culture tour as we explore the natural beauty of the reserve while our knowledgeable local guide uncovers the traditional Māori practices and sites of significance to the Iwi of Ngāti Rangiwewehi. We will stop somewhere along the way for lunch as we make our way to Rotorua where much of the work in Rotorua’s Art Galleries and Boutiques is inspired by the area’s rich local Maori culture and history. Rotorua is also known for its locally sourced beauty products – the geothermal elements of the region work wonders in face masks and skincare. We then visit the Whakarewarewathe Living Māori Village where we experience the warmth of Māori Culture on a Guided Village Tour. After our tour we make our way just a short ways to Mitai Maori Village where we join a Mitai Maori Cultural Experience with Dinner. Enter the world of Mitai, and learn about the history of this area which was once flourished in villages. See the fierce warriors in traditional dress paddle an ancient warrior canoe (waka) down the Wai-o-whiro stream and then be captivated by songs, dances and games of the Maori a rich powerful entertaining cultural concert, complete with the fiery “Haka” Maori war dance along with an authentic hangi dinner. Dinner and Overnight Tauranga. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - February 10th - This morning we will join a half day Wildlife and Dolphin Cruise. The cruise begins as we’re welcomed aboard the Bay Explorer at Tauranga waterfront jetty. We will spend the cruise exploring the pristine Bay of Plenty coastline and islands, where they will showcase the amazing diversity of Tauranga’s marine wildlife. With dolphins swimming alongside the vessel, it’s the best way to see dolphins in Tauranga. Watch seasonal seabirds, penguins, seals, whales, sunfish, school fish, sharks, orca… even turtles! The captain and experienced crew are passionate about sharing their marine knowledge and will provide fascinating commentary throughout the trip. We will bring along a packed picnic lunch to have while on the journey. Cold beer and chilled regional wines along with non-alcoholic beverages are available from the bar all throughout the cruise. You will then have the afternoon free in Tauranga which has several historically significant areas to view during a scenic walk around the area including the Strand waterfront area. Across the road on the water’s edge, tidal stairs bring the harbour literally to your feet and you can take in the Hairy Maclary Bronze Sculptures – a story-book scene featuring the beloved characters from Tauranga author Dame Lynley Dodd’s famous children’s books. Dinner on your own in Tauranga tonight. Overnight Tauranga. (B,L)

Day 7 - February 11th - This morning we leave Tauranga behind and take in more of the coast along the Bay of Plenty with several coastal stops along the bay. Our final stop on the bay will be Whakatane which is the Kiwi Capitol of the World! Whakatane is also the Sunshine Capitol of New Zealand making Ōhope Beach a wonderful place for a stroll! From here we turn inland and head toward Lake Taupō, in the Caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand. On the way we will stop for lunch and then make our way to Waimangu for a Lake Rotomahana Boat Cruise exploring this amazing, natural environment that has been unaltered by man since its creation in 1886 and is the youngest of New Zealand's large, naturally formed lakes and also one of its deepest. It is protected as a wildlife refuge, and large numbers of birds live here all year round. Beautiful geothermal springs and geysers display along the south west shoreline. On our cruise we will learn about the history and eruption of Mt Tarawera that formed Waimangu Volcanic Valley and see the site of the World Famous Pink & White Terraces that were covered by the eruption in 1886. From here it is just a short distance to our accommodation to get checked in before dinner. Dinner and Overnight Taupō. (B,L,D)

Day 8 - February 12th - We will spend the day making a circuitous route around Lake Taupō today from our accommodation in Taupō. We will explore the lake thoroughly from on land and from the water with a boat tour around the scenic Western Bays of Lake Taupō to see the huge Māori Rock Carving at Mine Bay. In the late 1970s master carver Matahi Whakataka- Brightwell carved a likeness of Ngatoroirangi, a Visionary Māori Navigator who guided the Tūwharetoa and Te Arawa Tribes to the Taupō area over a thousand years ago. He also carved two smaller figures of Celtic Design, which depict the South Wind and Ngatoroirangi stopping the south wind from freezing him. Several individual carvings each have their own story and meaning. We will Lunch in Taupō before visiting Huka Falls, a thunderous waterfall where nearly a quarter of a million litres of water bursts through a natural gorge. The giant torrent of blue water is a testament to the power of nature. We will visit the falls via a short walking track to a viewing platform. We then continue our journey down the west side of the lake to Turangi where we will stop before continuing up the east side and back to Taupō where you can find some dinner on your own. Overnight Taupō. (B,L)

Day 9 - February 13th - This morning we start our journey to Napier driving through the Kaweka Forest Park. Along the way we will stop at Waipunga Falls alongside Waiarua Falls, two of the more dramatic waterfalls located on the Waipunga River. We then continue to Hawke's Bay, the Oldest Wine Region in New Zealand and the second largest. The climate is maritime and similar to Bordeaux making it New Zealand's leading producer of full-bodied red wines. The area also specializes in rich, complex Chardonnays. We will make some great stops along the way to the Eskdale where we stop at Linden Estate Winery. We will have Lunch in the Restaurant before wine tasting. The winery was established in 1971 by the Van der Linden Family and is the first winery as you arrive into Hawke's Bay making it the ideal place to begin any wine tasting experience. Their cellar door is elevated above the surrounding vines, providing a wonderful vista across the valley floor to the wooded hills in the background. The afternoon will end with taking a moment to relax on the sunny balcony deck overlooking the valley and enjoy a glass of one of their truly exquisite Hawke's Bay Wines! After taking in all the delights of the winery, we continue the short drive into Napier where we get settled in before dinner. Dinner and Overnight Napier. (B,L,D)

Day 10 - February 14th - Today will be a down day and completely on your own to discover Napier on Hawke’s Bay which is loved for its Fabulous Art Deco Architecture, Lush Wineries, Award-Winning Food, Beautiful Beaches, Sheltered Coastal Plains and a mild, sunny climate make this a must-visit corner of New Zealand. This English Seaside Resort has street after street of stunning and beautifully-restored Art Deco Buildings that have made Napier famous as one of the most complete collections of Art Deco Buildings in the World! We have arranged for you to take a Napier Art Deco Vintage & Classic Car Tours while in the city. You’ll be met your driver, in Art Deco costume, who will provide a fascinating commentary as you are driven in style, through Napier and surrounding areas. You’ll learn about the earthquake that destroyed the city, hear stories of the people that led the rebuild, and discover the Art Deco style. En route you will stop at the majestic Napier Municipal Theatre - a unique experience available through Art Deco Trust only, where you will get to have a look inside the beautiful interior. Then on to Ahuriri where you will visit one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand, the National Tobacco Company building. Then get rested up for the second half of the tour. Overnight Napier. (B)

Day 11 - February 15th - Today is all about Great Scenic Viewpoints combined with great tastes of Cider and Wine in and around Napier. Our first adventure will be a drive up Bluff Hill Lookout, formerly the site of an artillery battery with a sweeping vantage point surveying the area's coastal scenery. Upon reaching the top we'll be rewarded with a panorama over Hawke's Bay, the surrounding hills, and the city's working port-one of the country's busiest. We then journey south past Hastings and Haveloch North to Te Mata Peak, a must see when visiting Hawke's Bay and Napier. Once at the peak, you will be able to get out and enjoy one of the best views you will see in the North Island! We are then off to Askerne Winery for a Gourmet Picnic with Wine Pairings. As cider has become very popular in New Zealand we would be very remiss not to visit Zeffer Cider where we can try everything from their original Crisp Apple Cider and classic Apple Crumble Cider to limited seasonal releases like Guava & Lime Infused Cider. We then return to Napier before we are out to dinner. Dinner and Overnight Napier. (B,L,D)

Day 12 - February 16th - This morning we head south along the coast from Napier to Te Awanga to take an Overland Gannet Safari Tour to Cape Kidnappers. On our tour we will journey from coast to cape, to the world’s largest most accessible Gannet Colony in beautiful Hawke’s Bay New Zealand where we will watch champion seabirds soar, swoop, dance and dive right before our eyes! An adventure in itself, we will safari in style and comfort over picturesque Cape Kidnappers Station traversing riverbeds, broad rolling pastures, steep gullies and the most breathtaking views of Hawke’s Bay and beyond taking in an untouched paradise for wildlife including gannets and a predator free space for kiwi birds and other rare birds to roam. We then stop for Afternoon Tea at Oruawharo Homestead and Gardens. Taking tea at Oruawharo is the opportunity to participate in the gentry lifestyle of founders Sydney and Sophia Johnston and the busy social life that characterised the homestead in their day. After tea we will explore the 40 acres of Gardens, Parkland, Trees and Fields, much of it bearing the legacy of original owner Sydney Johnston. An avid arborist, he replicated the parklike landscape he’d seen around Stately English Homes, planting thousands of trees in a woodland behind the house. We then make our way to Palmerston North to get checked into our accommodation before dinner. Dinner and Overnight Palmerston North. (B,L,D)

Day 13 - February 17th - This morning we are off to the Capitol of New Zealand, Wellington. Our first stop will be the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, an unfenced 2300 acre forest sanctuary for native wildlife home to the Wild Kōkako and Kākā, Here their aviaries breed endangered birds that are then released all across New Zealand. We will have a Tour of the Sanctuary with a Ranger on gentle tracks through the towering bush, viewing a variety of New Zealand wildlife. After some time to wander on your own, you will have some time to find some lunch at the Kākā Café. This afternoon we visit Stonehenge Aoteroa, New Zealand's unique open air astronomical observatory, built following ancient knowledge of the stone circles and adapted to the conditions of New Zealand. Here we learn about the cycles of nature, movements of celestial bodies and archeoastronomy: how our ancestors have understood the phenomena in the sky, how they used these phenomena and what role the sky played in their cultures. We are then off to Wellington to get checked into our accommodation Dinner and Overnight Wellington. (B,D)

Day 14 - February 18th - Surrounded by nature and fuelled by creative energy, Wellington is a compact city with a powerful mix of culture, history, nature and cuisine that includes strong coffee and world-class craft beer. Wellingtonians are masters of casual dining, with plenty of great restaurants, night markets and food trucks. So the best way to experience some of what Wellington has to offer is on a Taste of Wellington Food and Spice Odyssey Tour. We will discover the wonders of the Finest Foods, Spices and Cocktails on offer around this beautiful and cultural city. Our expert guide will take us off the beaten track to experience a variety of taste sensations, where we will discover the hidden gems usually only experienced by the locals in Wellington. A special treat of being taken around the nooks and crannies of specialty food and spice stores and quirky cocktail bars. After our tour we join a Weta Cave Workshop Tour. On our tour we will discover how Weta Workshop brings imaginary worlds to life through physical effects and movie-making magic from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit to Avatar and District 9. We will learn about props, costumes and creatures created for your favourite films and interact with cool stuff from their creative departments and catch an artist at work on the tour stage. you will have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the city and the evening free to take in one of the many eateries we learned about today. Overnight Wellington. (B,L)

Day 15 - February 19th - This morning we enjoy the best views in Wellington and experience its hidden charms with a 5-minute Cable Car ride from the heart of the city centre, up through the hillside terraced houses of Kelburn, to the lookout perched high above the city. Once we have taken in the views you can visit the fragrance emporium Fragrifert with its unique Victorian décor and perfume distillery before we take a short shuttle to enjoy all the sights and sounds of ZEALANDIA, a lush forest that is home to over 40 rare species of native wildlife. Our expert guide will lead us through the picturesque sanctuary to witness the native wildlife that is once again living on mainland New Zealand. We will soak up the beautiful scenery while learning more about this unique ecological history. After our tour we will have lunch and then make our way back to the Cable Car and down into the center of Wellington where we walk to the Wellington Chocolate Factory for a tour. Dinner and Overnight Wellington. (B,L,D)

Day 16 - February 20th - We leave Wellington behind this morning as we travel up the west coast to Whanganui for a beach day! Today will be mostly about scenery as we travel the Coastal Route with Cook Strait on one side of us with its many beautiful beaches and viewpoints, and the lush forests of Akatarawa and Tararua on the other side of us. We will stop at Paraparaumu Beach, a sunny coastal town with lots to see and do. From here you can see across to Kapiti Island, home to a nature reserve. Other beaches along this coastline are Peka Peka, Te Horo, Otaki, Hokio, Waitarere and Himatangi and we will explore them at our leisure. We will through some retail therapy in as well as there are wonderful shopping experiences along the way including Levana Merino Knit Fabrics, Orenjehof Dutch Village in Foxton, Yard Art and the Wee Village of Bulls with its choice of upmarket shops and cafés, arts, giftware, antiques & unique shops. You will be able to get lunch along the way at the Dutch Oven or Millside Café when we stop in Foxton. We then continue our northward journey to our accommodation to get checked in before dinner. Dinner and Overnight Whanganui. (B,D)

Day 17 - February 21st - Today will be spent in the Taranaki, a coastal and mountainous region on the western side of the island. With its Picture Perfect Mount Taranaki and the enchanting sea, there are ample opportunities to explore, discover and experience. Our first experience will be Puketarata Garden, a Garden of International Significance. The Large Country Garden is sensitively contoured across a hillside with a backdrop if Mount Taranaki and inland views including the adjacent 400 year old Puketarata Pa, a fortified settlements with palisades and defensive terraces. Skilled blending of a diverse range of native and exotic plants is a particular focus through the various garden rooms creating a garden which sits well in the landscape. We will stop in New Plymouth for Lunch before driving through the Goblin Forest on Mount Taranaki's middle slopes. It takes its name from the gnarled shape of the trees and the thick swathes of trailing moss you encounter before reaching the Viewing Platform where you can really take in the glorious sight of New Zealand's most perfectly formed volcano! The symmetrical volcanic cone rises from sea level to 8,260 feet. After thoroughly exploring the mountain we return to New Plymouth to check into our accommodation before dinner. Dinner and Overnight New Plymouth. (B,L,D)

Day 18 - February 22nd - We are up early this morning for a full day as our adventure continues in Waitomo and the Waitomo District of the Waikato. We will stop to take the Omaru Falls Walk, a gentle half hour walk taking in bush surrounds home to native ferns and rimu, and crosses farmland before reaching the stunning 140 feet cascading Omaru Waterfall. We then make our way to Waitomo Village where you will have some time to explore and find some lunch on your own before we visit the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, known as one of New Zealand’s best natural attraction. We will take a boat ride through the Glow Worm Grotto, marvel at thousands of magical glowworms and become part of over 130 years of cultural and natural history while marveling at Mother Nature’s Light Display as we glide silently through the starry wonderland of the Glowworm Grotto. We then make our way to Kiwi House, the home of New Zealand’s iconic national bird and an important part of their unique natural heritage. Kiwis are feisty, intelligent and inquisitve birds which is why New Zealanders like to call themselves 'Kiwis'. The house holds over twenty brown kiwi on site as part of a nationwide captive breeding programme for brown kiwi. They are also a pre-release conditioning site for brown kiwi preparing to be released into the wild. We then make our way to Cambridge to get checked into our accommodation before dinner. Dinner and Overnight Cambridge. (B,D)

Day 19 - February 23rd - This morning explore Cambridge before making our way to Hamilton. Cambridge is 'the town of trees and champions'. It's memorable for its leafy streets, heritage buildings, antique shops and thoroughbred horse studs. The city of Hamilton is located on the banks of the mighty Waikato River, which is best appreciated from one of the scenic riverside walks or boat cruise. So we will do just that as we experience the beauty and tranquil water of the Waikato River on the Waikato River Explorer. We will have a lovely River Lunch Cruise through the city of Hamilton with it’s Riverside Art, Riverside Homes, Century- Old Bridges and alongside landing sites for both Māori and Early European Settlement of the region in the 1860s. After our lunch cruise we visit Hamilton Gardens. Visitors are guided on a journey of discovery along paths delivering mysterious surprises: step from a peaceful Sung Dynasty Chinese Scholar’s Garden into an Italian Renaissance Garden, before being enthralled by the grandeur of the Indian Char Bagh (four quartered) Garden. There is also and English Flower Garden, Modernist Garden, Japanese Garden of Contemplation and a Herb and Kitchen Garden. After exploring Hamilton at your leisure you will have the evening free in Cambridge to find dinner on your own. Overnight Cambridge. (B,L)

Day 20 - February 24th - Today we will explore the Sunshine Coast on our way back to Auckland. Our first stop will be the Glenbrook Vintage Railway where we take a 10 mile nostalgic trip back in time through beautiful rural countryside to the historic town of Waiuku on the Manukau Harbour aboard a steam train and experience the authentic recreation of a bygone era in a luxury First Class Parlour Car. After our train excursion we will explore more of Waiuku, a country town nestled on the tidal Waiuku River that flows into the large Manukau Harbour. We will Stop for Lunch at the Kentish Hotel, New Zealand's longest continuously licensed pub before we will drive to the far end where we visit to the 140 Year Old Historical Manukau Heads Lighthouse, jutting out from the tip of the Awhitu Peninsula. The lighthouse is one of only a few in New Zealand that are open to the public and has amazing views over Manukau Harbor. We then make our way to our accommodation to get checked in before we gather for the last time together at a Farewell Dinner. Dinner and Overnight Near Auckland Airport. (B,L,D)

Day 21 - February 25th - This morning we return you to the Auckland International Airport for the journey home.