19 Day Ultimate Showcase
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
✓ Professional Coach Captain
✓ 18 nights 4.5 star accommodation
✓ 4 two night stays
✓ Hotel porterage
✓ 1 rail journey
✓ 4 cruises
✓ All sightseeing and prepaid attractions
✓ Extensive Optional Tours Programme
✓ Deluxe Documentation Pack
✓ 18 cooked breakfasts including a specialty breakfast: Stratosfare Restaurant, Rotorua
✓ 15 sumptuous dinners including Complimentary pre-dinner drink at the Welcome Dinner and 3 specialty dinners: Mãori Hãngi and Concert, Rotorua; Walter Peak Homestead, Queenstown; Intimate Farewell Dinner, selected beverages, Christchurch
✓ 2 lunches including a Shire’s buffet lunch: Hobbiton™
✓ 1 Ultimate High Tea: Larnach Castle
✓ Airport transfers included on the first and last day of tour
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 Auckland you will be met by a Grand Pacific Tours representative and transferred to your hotel. This evening enjoy a complimentary pre-dinner drink as you meet your travelling companions.
Board the luxurious Ultimate Coach, depart Auckland and travel to the Parry Kauri Park to see a magnificent example of a Kauri Tree. Enjoy a visit and informative talk at the Kauri Museum in Matakohe, then travel via Whangarei to Paihia, situated in the heart of the beautiful Bay of Islands.
Enjoy a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the location of the signing of the treaty between the Mãori tribes and the British.
Today is a free day. Choose from the many optional activities available, including the Cape Reinga coach trip via Ninety Mile Beach or a spectacular scenic flight. This evening is also free, you may like to enjoy a relaxing dinner cruise (optional).
This morning 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.
On return to Paihia travel south via Whangarei before returning to Auckland.
This morning enjoy a city sights tour including a visit to Sky Tower, one of New Zealand’s most spectacular attractions. Continue through the picturesque countryside to Hobbiton™ for a buffet lunch.
This is followed by a guided tour of the Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Your guide will recount details of how this beautiful piece of farmland was transformed into The Shire from Middle-earth.
Today begins with a gondola ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua, where spectacular views are on offer. There is also time for a thrilling luge ride! Next stop is Agrodome for an action-packed hour of farming entertainment and education that is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Enjoy some free time this afternoon before travelling to Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome geysers that Rotorua is famous for. This evening experience an entertaining Mãori Hãngi and Concert.
Depart Rotorua and travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to Huka Falls and Lake Taupo. Continue to Napier known as ‘The Art Deco Capital’, where the most comprehensive collection of art deco buildings in the world can be found. Hear informative commentary of the city’s fascinating history.
Travel south this morning into Wellington for a city tour of the nation’s capital which will highlight the history and culture on show here.
At Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum, there is time to explore Gallipoli: A Scale of War exhibition. Cutting edge technology brings these stories to life through the eyes of New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances.
This morning board the Interislander Ferry and enjoy the scenery as you travel through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton.
Board your Ultimate Coach for the short journey to Blenheim, where you will experience a unique wine and cheese tasting set amongst the wine barrels at Cloudy Bay Estate, one of the original winemakers in the Marlborough region. Continue south to Kaikõura.
This morning enjoy a leisurely start in this seaside village, where the mountains meet the sea. Kaikōura is renowned as one of the best places to see Sperm whales and other marine mammals.
There is an opportunity to take a scenic flight to view the year-round population of Sperm whales (optional, weather permitting). Continue onto the garden city of Christchurch.
This morning board the TranzAlpine, renowned as one of the great train journeys of the world. Travel over massive viaducts, river valleys and spectacular gorges as you ascend to Arthur’s Pass located in the centre of the Southern Alps.
Board your Ultimate Coach and travel to Hokitika, famous for its Greenstone before continuing via Franz Josef to the township of Fox Glacier where time is available to experience a scenic flight (optional, weather permitting) over the spectacular glaciers.
See the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel south along the West Coast. Continue via the Haast Pass, an area of stunning beauty before arriving into picturesque Queenstown, a year-round resort situated on the shores of magical Lake Wakatipu.
This evening is at leisure, you may choose to dine out at one of the many fine restaurants.
Today is a free day for you to explore Queenstown with many optional activities available. You may wish to enjoy the thrill of a jet boat ride, a heritage tour of scenic Skippers Canyon or 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.
Enjoy a leisurely start this morning before travelling to Arrowtown, an old gold mining village where you visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue to Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland.
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 onboard.
This afternoon return to Te Anau where some free time is available.
Travel via Gore and Balclutha to Dunedin known as the ‘Edinburgh of the South’. Enjoy a city tour followed by some free time at leisure.
Travel along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle, hear the tragic and scandalous stories on a guided tour with time to wander around this Garden of International Significance. This is followed by an Ultimate High Tea served in the Grand Ballroom.
Farewell Dunedin and travel to Oamaru famous for its limestone. Follow the Waitaki River and see Lake Benmore as you travel to Mt Cook.
This morning marvel at Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak. The opportunity is available to enjoy a scenic flight (optional, weather permitting) over the Southern Alps. Continue to Lake Tekapo and view the brilliant turquoise water, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Sheep Dog Statue before arriving in Christchurch.
This evening enjoy a farewell dinner including selected beverages 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 $2,970.00 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
Maximum of 20 travellers
Tour Type
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
Children
On Ultimate Small Group Touring and Signature Mid-Size Group Touring, children under 16 years are not permitted.
This package includes international airfares or has the option of adding international airfares to your booking when selecting your departure city.
If international airfares are included this will be stated in the ‘Inclusions’ section
Alternatively, if international airfares can be added to your booking you will be able to select your departure city after clicking ‘Book Now’ and a cost will be stated next to your selected departure city. This cost will then be added to your booking and flights will be added to your booking.
Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:
Baggage
Included baggage differs based on your country of origin. Included baggage will be as per the following:
Country of Origin |
Carry-on Baggage |
Checked Baggage |
Australia |
7kgs |
20kgs |
New Zealand |
7kgs |
20kgs |
United States of America |
15lbs |
45lbs |
Canada |
15lbs |
45lbs |
India |
7kgs |
20kgs |
United Kingdom |
7kgs |
20kgs |
Baggage allowances provided by the airline might differ to the values stated above. However limitations are required due to transport storage restrictions on your selected tour or package.
Flight requests, amendments or preferences
We understand customers may wish to request changes to their included airfares. If you wish to fly with a certain airline, land at a certain time or change your flight in other ways we will gladly provide you with a personalised quote tailored to your specific requirements.
To make a flight request, please click ‘Book Now’ and select Would you like us to contact you around our flight service? By selecting this option you will be sent a request form after completing your purchase to make your request.
We would be more than happy to provide you with a quote for the following requests:
We are currently unable to provide a quote for the following requests:
If we can’t fulfill your request and you still wish to proceed with the booking, please select Land Only (excluding UK customers). This will allow you to travel on the land portion of the package without the included airfares. You will then be able to arrange your own flights separately.
FAQs
For more frequently asked questions please view our FAQs section.
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, adding a stopover package en-route or booking a tour extension. 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.
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.