Welcome to the world’s most exciting playground.
During this two-week journey we will show you New Zealand’s most stunning scenery, from the geothermal wonders of Rotorua to the White Island volcano and the vast shimmering waters of Lake Taupo. You will go jet boating and glacier hiking, ride horses through the hills and try your hand at paragliding. And because even the most resolute adventure seekers need a rest sometimes, we have also booked in wine tastings, spa treatments and plenty of chilled out family time.
Alongside all of this, we have woven in experiences and meetings with some of the country’s most fascinating people. You will feast on a traditional hangi dinner and watch a Maori culture show. Fly over the White Island with your own private volcanologist, and get up-close and personal with the endangered kiwi bird, and the conservationists intent on ensuring its survival.
If there’s anything else that takes your fancy, we can probably arrange that too. What about perusing Auckland’s galleries with a local artist? Meeting an ex-All Black? Or mountain biking with the New Zealand champion? We will make your dreams come true in this fantastical land, where anything can happen.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
- Experience New Zealand’s majestic landscapes
- Hike, mountain bike, sail and ride horses through stunning scenery
- Take a helicopter flight over Lord of the Rings country
- Sleep in some of the finest lodges and hotels around
- Soar over White Island with an expert volcanologist
- Get under the skin of the Maori culture and conservation of the kiwi bird
Need to Know
- Best time to travel: October to May
- Number of nights: Fourteen
- For active families with older children or groups of friends
Embark on this thrilling family adventure through Middle Earth to witness New Zealand’s breath-taking landscapes and geothermal wonders by mountain bike, jet boat, helicopter, horseback or even paraglider.
DAY ONE
DAY TWO
DAY THREE
DAY FOUR
DAY FIVE
DAY SIX
DAY SEVEN
DAY EIGHT
DAY NINE
DAY TEN
DAY ELEVEN
DAY TWELVE
DAY THIRTEEN
DAY FOURTEEN
DAY FIFTEEN
DAY SIXTEEN
DAY ONE
day one
- Touch down in Auckland, where you will be met our Niquesa representative
- Private transfer to your city centre hotel, home for the next two nights
DAY TWO
day TWO
- Morning sailing at Waitemata Harbour on Americas Cup Yachts
- VIP lunch at the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron
- Private tour of the Member’s Club including viewing of America’s Cup trophy
- Dinner at Peter Gordon’s The Sugar Club in the Sky Tower
DAY THREE
day THREE
- Private transfer by car or helicopter to Rotorua, an area famous for geothermal activity and indigenous culture
- Stop off to explore the Waitomo Caves, which are illuminated by thousands of resident glow worms
- Visit Hobbiton, the setting for The Lord of the
- Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, where you will be taken on a private tour
DAY FOUR
day FOUR
- Explore an 800-year-old native forest and hear about the ancient Maori of the area
- Enjoy the drama and history of a traditional Maori concert, performed by the local school children
- Spend time in an authentic marae with a local tribe
- Feast on an authentic hangi dinner and watch a spine-tingling Maori Haka
DAY FIVE
day FIVE
- Meet your guide for the day, a local Maori legend who will enlighten you on the area’s folklore
- Visit Te Puia Geothermal Valley with its geysers & boiling mud
- Traverse the forests of Waipa on mountain bikes or on foot, with your guide sharing stories along the way
- Private afternoon cruise on the lake
- Immerse yourselves in the healing waters of Rotorua’s hot springs and pools
DAY SIX
day SIX
- Take a helicopter flight to the stunning island of Whakatane
- Talk through the region’s amazing geography during your private meeting with a volcanologist
- Fly to the White Island to tour the inner crater of New Zealand’s most active volcano
- Enjoy a restful night at the lakeside retreat, Huka Lodge
DAY SEVEN
day SEVEN
- Take a private boat out onto Lake Taupo for trout fishing
- Option to go horse riding in the surrounding hills
- Leisure time to spend at Huka Lodge
DAY EIGHT
day EIGHT
- Private transfer to Napier, a coastal city on New Zealand’s North Island
- Enjoy a private guided sight-seeing tour around the historic Art Deco city centre
- Check in to The Farm in Cape Kidnappers, a glorious rural setting where you will stay for four
- nights
- Five-course dinner at the hotel, where all the produce is sourced from the surrounding gardens
- and farmland
DAY NINE
day NINE
- Feast on local delicacies at the Hawkes Bay farmers market (Sundays only)
- Enjoy a day of gastronomy in this famous foodie region, including wine tastings and lunch at a local vineyard
DAY TEN
day TEN
- Get up close to rare kiwi birds and pre-historic tuatara
- Meet the conservationists working to protect them
- Enjoy a sumptuous picnic lunch in stunning surroundings
DAY ELEVEN
day ELEVEN
- Fly to Queenstown, the home of bungee jumping
- Explore the city’s galleries, cafes and shops
- Check in to the lakeside Eichardts Private Hotel, where you will stay for three nights
DAY TWELVE
day TWELVE
- Get your adrenaline fix by bungee jumping or paragliding with the experts
- Option to ride on an exhilarating state-of-the-art white-water jet boat
- Enjoy lunch and wine tasting at Amisfield vineyard
- Visit three more of the region’s wineries, where you will meet the producers and sample their finest wines
DAY THIRTEEN
day THIRTEEN
- Explore the spectacular natural scenery of Milford Sound, one of the world’s most beautiful and diverse natural landscapes
- Take a scenic helicopter flight over the mountains and fiords of this Lord of the Rings country
DAY FOURTEEN
day FOURTEEN
- Attempt a hole-in-one at New Zealand’s most picturesque golf tee – 4,500 feet above sea level
- Fly by helicopter to Minaret Station, an exclusive mountainside Alpine lodge
- Spend the afternoon hiking in the valley
DAY FIFTEEN
day FIFTEEN
- Go on a heli-skiing adventure in the mountains (season dependant)
- Otherwise explore the varied landscapes on mountain bikes
- Hike through the lush valley on routes of varying degrees of difficulty
DAY SIXTEEN
day SIXTEEN
- Private helicopter transfer to Queenstown Airport
- VIP airport assistance before your flight home