16 Day Affordable Highlights
This tour includes return international airfares. See the Fine Print section for further details.
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
This tour is fully escorted by a dedicated tour leader who will accompany you throughout the tour. If your tour includes multiple countries, you will be met by a new tour leader in each country and any internal flights included will be unescorted.
✓ Return Flights included
✓ Travel with Grand Pacific Tours
✓ Return airport transfers in New Zealand with personalised meet and greet on arrival
✓ Professional Coach Captain and highly skilled tour leader
✓ 15 nights 3.5 star accommodation including all hotel porterage
✓ 4 two-night stays for a more leisurely holiday.
✓ 1 classic rail journey
✓ 4 stunning cruises
✓ All sightseeing and prepaid attractions plus extensive optional activities
✓ 15 cooked breakfasts including a specialty breakfast: Stratosfare Restaurant, Rotorua
✓ 12 sumptuous dinners including 3 specialty dinners - Haggis Ceremony, Walter Peak Homestead, Mãori Hãngi and Concert
✓ 1 picnic lunch on your Milford Sound Cruise
✓ 1 delicious Devonshire Tea at Larnach Castle
✓ Enjoy GPT Hotel Wine Time (discounted drinks)
✓ Classic Documentation Pack
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
On arrival into Christchurch, you will be met by a Grand Pacific Tours representative and transferred to your hotel. This evening meet your Tour Leader and travelling companions.
After an introductory city sights tour depart Christchurch and travel through the southern Canterbury Plains to Lake Tekapo. See the brilliant turquoise water, The Church of the Good Shepherd and the Sheep Dog Statue. Marvel at the spectacular mountain ranges including Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak.
The opportunity is available (time and weather permitting, optional) to enjoy a scenic flight over the Southern Alps before travelling to Omarama.
Depart Omarama and see Lake Benmore, before following the Waitaki River to Oamaru, famous for its limestone. Continue south to Dunedin and enjoy a city sights tour followed by some free time. Tonight, a Scottish evening will be presented comprising of bagpipes, great food, special Haggis Ceremony and gift.
This morning travel out along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle where you hear of the tragic and scandalous history on a guided tour. Enjoy time to wander around this Garden of International Significance followed by a delicious Devonshire Tea.
Farewell Dunedin and travel through Balclutha and Gore to Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland and your overnight stay.
Depart Te Anau for a fascinating drive to Milford Sound where you board your launch for a cruise on this magnificent fiord. See the spectacular Bowen Falls and towering Mitre Peak as you enjoy a picnic lunch.
This afternoon travel to Queenstown, overlooking magical Lake Wakatipu. Spend the next two nights at this year-round resort which offers a wide range of activities and attractions.
This evening is free, you may choose to dine at one of the many fine restaurants.
Today is a free day for you to explore Queenstown at leisure. Your Coach Captain and Tour Leader are available to assist with the many optional activities available, including the thrill of a jet boat ride, a heritage tour to Skippers Canyon or to get up close to a Kiwi bird.
This evening board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Sit back, relax and enjoy a delicious gourmet barbecue dinner featuring a menu of seasonal, fresh and locally sourced food at the Colonel’s Homestead.
After dinner enjoy a short farm tour then reboard the TSS Earnslaw for a sing along by the piano as you cruise back to Queenstown.
Travel to Arrowtown and visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue via the Haast Pass to the mighty West Coast, an area of stunning beauty. See the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel north to the township of Fox Glacier. Time is available (weather permitting, optional) to experience a scenic flight over the spectacular glaciers.
Travel to Hokitika and visit the Greenstone Factory. Continue into Arthur’s Pass and board the TranzAlpine, renowned as one of the great train journeys of the world. View rivers and valleys as you travel through the Waimakariri Basin, over massive viaducts and through the patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains.
On arrival into the elegant city of Christchurch, your coach will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.
Travel along the East Coast to the seaside village of Kaikōura. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you travel through Marlborough Country, famous for its food and wine.
Continue to Picton, where you will board the Interislander Ferry for your journey through the Marlborough Sounds and across Cook Strait to Wellington.
A highlight this morning will be time to explore Gallipoli: A Scale of War exhibition at Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum. Cutting edge technology brings these stories to life through the eyes of New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Reboard your coach for an extensive city tour which showcases the history and culture on show. Enjoy free time this afternoon and this evening is also free to choose your own dining arrangements.
Depart Wellington and view the snow-capped peaks of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro as you travel to Lake Taupo. Visit the spectacular Huka Falls then travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua.
Today begins with a gondola ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua. There is also time for a thrilling luge ride! Next stop is Agrodome for an action-packed hour of farming entertainment and education that’s unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Visit Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome geysers that Rotorua is famous for. Enjoy some free time this afternoon. This evening experience an entertaining Mãori Hãngi and Concert.
This morning depart Rotorua and travel north via Auckland. Continue via Whangarei to Paihia, situated in the heart of the beautiful Bay of Islands. Enjoy an introduction to the Bay of Islands, location of the signing of the treaty between the Mãori tribes and the British.
Today you will explore the scenic beauty of the Bay of Islands aboard a luxury catamaran. Cruise to Cape Brett and the famous Hole in the Rock, keep an eye out for dolphins and other marine life. Return to Paihia for a free afternoon where a range of optional activities are available or you may choose to relax and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the waterfront.
Depart the Bay of Islands this morning and travel via Whangarei and Dargaville to Matakohe. Enjoy a visit and informative talk at the Kauri Museum before continuing to Auckland for a city sights tour.
This evening enjoy a final dinner with your new found friends.
Time to say goodbye. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight home after a memorable New Zealand holiday.
We offer two payment options – the choice is yours. Our advertised price is based on our 'Pay in Full' option, which includes a discount by making full payment at the time of booking. Alternatively, choose our 'Installment Payment Plan' option for the flexibility of incremental payments, beginning with a low deposit.
Please click 'Book Now' and proceed to the payment page to select your preferred option under the heading ‘Choose how to pay’. The total due will be reflected accordingly.
Pay In Full Option:
Installment Payment Plan Option:
Booking Process
Booking On Request
COVID-19
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be effected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard.
Airport Transfers
Airport transfers in New Zealand are included on the first and last day of your tour. This includes any pre or post tour accommodation directly linked with the tour hotel. Transfer vehicles will wait up to 1 hour after the flight lands in New Zealand.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $1,650.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not Available
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.
Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.
Visa & Passport Information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
Visa's may be required.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Group Size
Group size varies from package to package. Depending on the services provided, the group size might range from private 2 person experiences up to coaches of 50 people depending on your selected holiday.
Tour Type - Independent
On these packages you will travel from city to city on your own, exploring at your own pace. We have arranged transportation in most cases and day tours for you to see the destination. Enjoy the time and flexibility to linger longer or pick up the pace and see as much as possible. The choice is yours.
Children
Children must share a room with parents at all times and are charged the same price as adults.
Please refer to conditions below, which are agreed to at time of purchase.
Can I extend my stay pre- and/or post-tour?
This depends on the package you are booking.
Where available, extensions must be added at time of purchase and cannot be added post-purchase unless inside the 7-day cooling off period.
We can assist in arranging your airfares to accommodate an extension; however, you must also book the additional nights’ accommodation through us at time of booking (where available as an add-on):
When adding additional nights to your booking, the cost of the extra nights’ accommodation will be reflected on your invoice and payable with the final balance.
Airfare surcharges may apply if extending due to airfare seasonal changes and possible fare differences. These are payable at the time of selecting your desired airfare.
The second installment of your booking must be made before airfares can be booked.
Outside of extending your stay you must select Land Only if:
If you are interested in one of the above options, please select LAND ONLY at time of check-out and you will need to arrange your own airfares. Inspiring Vacations will not be accountable for flight delays or missed tour components due to late arrival or airline changes.
Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:
Seat Selection & Frequent Flyer Points
Inspiring Vacations do not arrange seat selection. It is important to highlight that some airlines do not allow pre-selected seats or they may charge a fee to do so. We strongly suggest you contact the airline directly with seating allocation requirements and or arrive at the airport earlier to arrange your seating. While we do not add frequent flyer member details to bookings, you can do this directly with the airline once you have your flight information. Frequent flyer point accrual is at the discretion of the airlines and may not be available on fare types booked.
Online check-in
Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre and post-tour accommodation
Please specify in the 'Special Request' field when making your purchase your preferred travel arrangements and if you would like our team to book additional nights' accommodation. The additional cost for these land arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
The TranzAlpine schedule is yet to be advised for the 2023 season, including any scheduled track maintenance days. Grand Pacific Tours has compiled the tour dates on the expected schedules and should the rail journey not operate on the day of your tour, you will be eligible for a reduction of $140 per person from your tour price.
The Coastal Pacific schedule has been released and may not operate on some tour dates.
Should your tour be affected, your train journey will be replaced by a coach journey.
Please note that your tour is operated by Grand Pacific Tours and documentation is provided via delivery to your residential address approximately 14 days prior to departure.
In order to ensure a smooth process for delivery of your documents, you will receive a phone call directly from Grand Pacific Tours leading up to the delivery dispatch date to confirm your delivery address details.
Please ensure you answer this call and provide accurate details to the supplier. In the event that an incorrect address is provided there may be additional costs to redirect the delivery to the correct address.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above please do not hesitate to contact us.