Day 1 - Beijing - Auckland

Departure from Beijing Capital Airport Terminal and arrival at Auckland Airport in the morning of the second day; private transfer to your hotel. Also known as The City of Sails, Auckland is with 1 million inhabitants (a third of the total population of New-Zealand), the biggest city in New Zealand. The quality of life is very good and the city is very spread-out. Auckland also has a big cultural and sport heritage; do not forget that Auckland was the host of the Americas Cups in 1999 and 2003.

Hotel: Option 1 - Auckland City Hotel (3*+)– Standard Room Option 2 - Sky City Hotel (4*+) – Premium Room

Day 2 - Auckland (B)

Cooked breakfast at the hotel. 9.00 am: please make your way to Hertz’ office in the city center to pick up your rental car. Free day in Auckland and the surroundings. Suggestions: visit of the city beaches and residential areas, colonial village of Parnell, Ponsonby, Auckland Domain and its Museum with introduction to Maori & Polynesian culture, Mt Eden (volcanic cone with panoramic views over the city), Sky Tower (highest tower in the Southern Hemisphere), America’s Cup village, ferry ride to the islands of Rangitoto or Waiheke in the Waitemata Harbour

Hotel: Option 1 - Auckland City Hotel (3*+)– Standard Room Option 2 - Sky City Hotel (4*+) – Premium Room

Day 3 - Auckland – Rotorua 233 Km – 3.10h (B)

Cooked breakfast at the hotel. Today, make your way to Rotorua. Rotorua and its surroundings is probably the most famous part of the North Island. This town is well-known for its geothermal phenomenon, its lake, many tourist activities and its omnipresent sulphur smell. Rotorua is also the heart of the Maori culture, tourist can share a Hangi dinner and cultural performance while in Rotorua.

Hotel: Option 1 – Sudima Hotel (3+*) – Superior room, Rotorua Option 2 - Princes Gate Hotel (4*) – Standard room, Rotorua

Day 4 - Rotorua (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. In the morning, visit of Te Puia Thermal park (incl). Suggestions: Discovery of the old Rotorua, stop by Rotorua’s lake walk in the Government Gardens where you will also find Rotorua’s Museum. Visit of Whakarewarewa village, Te Puia thermal park (boiling mud, geyser). Visit of the geothermal parks of Wai-O-Tapu or Orakei Korako. Entry to the Polynesian Spa Rainbow Springs and Kiwi Encounter for an insight on New Zealand’s flora and fauna. Scenic flight by floatplane over Rotorua and its surroundings to admire the geothermal and volcanic activity of the region.

Hotel: Option 1 – Sudima Hotel (3+*) – Superior room, Rotorua Option 2 - Princes Gate Hotel (4*) – Standard room, Rotorua

Day 5 - Rotorua – Whakapapa Village (Tongariro) 194 Km - 2.35h (B)

The Mt Ruapehu is an active volcano and the tallest mountain in the North Island attracting many skiers and snowboarders during the winter months. This area includes the mountains of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.

Hotel: Option 1: Powderhorn Chateau (4*) – Standard room, Ohakune Option 2: Bayview Chateau Tongariro (4*) – ROH, Whakapapa Village

Day 6 - Whakapapa - Martinborough 340 Km – 4.40h (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. Today you will make your way to Martinborough. Martinborough is a small town in the Whakapapa region (quite close to Wellington). This area is well known for its quality wines and many vineyards.

Hotel: Option 1 – The Claremont Motel (4*) – 1 bedroom motel unit, Martinborough Option 2 - The Claremont Motel (4*) – Executive unit, Martinborough

Day 7 - Martinborough – Wellington 81.1 Km – 1.20h (B)

Continental Breakfast at your accommodation. Drive to the capital city: Wellington. Capital city of New Zealand, Wellington has been built in the shape of an amphitheatre facing the bay and the Cooks straight. Wellington is also the cultural capital of the country and the hometown of the most famous New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfield. Suggestions: Visit of Te Papa’s museum visit of the city and its Victorian style houses, take the cable car to the botanical gardens overlooking the city.

Hotel: Option 1 – Travelodge Hotel (3*) – Standard room, Wellington Option 2 - Museum Hotel (4*) – Standard room, Wellington

Day 8 - Wellington – Picton - Kaiteriteri 3h ferry + 172 Km – 2.40h (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. In the morning please make your way to Wellington ferry terminal to check into the ferry and return your car. 3 hours ferry crossing. Possibility of upgrade to Kaitaki Plus for an extra NZD 29.00 per person (not incl). Kaiktaki Plus class has a private lounge with refreshments and is also less subject to motion as it is situated on the centre of the boat (not suitable for children). Arrival in Picton, collection of your second rental car and drive to Nelson, gateway of the Abel Tasman national park. Marlborough Sounds and the Nelson region, at the top of the South Island has a wide variety of natural ressources and is really popular with tourists. There you can relax, do some tramping or mountain biking or any water activity.

Hotel: Option 1 – Kimi Ora Spa (4*) – Studio, Kaiteriteri Option 2 - Kimi Ora Spa (4*) – Spa room, Kaiteriteri

Day 9 - Kaiteriteri – Abel Tasman (B)

Continental breakfast at your accommodation. Today free day to explore Abel Tasman national park. Suggestions: walks guided sea kayak cruise to enter the park swimming and relaxation.

Hotel: Option 1 – Kimi Ora Spa (4*) – Studio, Kaiteriteri Option 2 - Kimi Ora Spa (4*) – Spa room, Kaiteriteri

Day 10 - Abel Tasman - Punakaiki 285 Km – 3.50h (B)

Continental breakfast at your accommodation. Drive to Punakaiki via Westport where you will see the Cape Foulwind seal colony. In Punakaiki, short walk to the Pancake Rocks, geological formation shaped as a pile of pancakes.

Hotel: Option 1 - Punakaiki Resort (3*+) – Standard room, Punakaiki Option 2 - Punakaiki Resort (3*+) – Eco room (Standard room - base 3 pax), Punakaiki

Day 11 - Punakaiki – Franz Josef 218 Km – 3.00h (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. Drive to Franz Josef via Hokitika. Hokitika is a small town on the West coast where few craftsmen still carve the New Zealand greenstown (Pouanamu in Maori). Hokitika was during the colonisation period the capital of the Westland province. Today you will discover the Glacier country. In the Southern Alps you can find some 360 glaciers, most of them are found in the Mt Cook region. Two of the biggest glaciers are the glaciers of Franz Josef (11 kms) and Fox (13.50 kms). Only in New Zealand and Argentina you will find glaciers coming down to temperate zone, so close to the ocean and rainforests. Suggestions: Half day or full day walk on the glacier Scenic helicopter flight over the glacier with snow landing. In the evening, enjoy the relaxing “Glacier Hot Pools”

Hotel: Option 1 - Rainforest Retreat (3*) – Studio Motel, Franz Josef Option 2 - Westwood Lodge (4*+) – Main House Suite or Coach House Suite, Franz Josef

Day 12 - Franz Josef - Queenstown 354 Km – 4.30h (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. Drive to Queenstown on this beautiful road passing between clear water lakes and mountains. On your way you can stop on Wanaka, small town well known for winter sports and Arrotown (home of a gold rush in the 1800).

Hotel: Option 1 - Kingsgate Hotel Terraces (3*) – Standard room, Queenstown Option 2 - St Moritz Hotel (4*+) – Lakeview room, Queenstown

Day 13 - Queenstown (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. Free day in Queenstown. Suggestions: Many activities are available in Queenstown visit of the vineyards, tramping, extreme sports, bungy jumping, skydiving, rafting, jet boat, cruise, horse ridding, gondola to the top of Bob’s peak for a panoramic view of the city and surroundings

Hotel: Option 1 - Kingsgate Hotel Terraces (3*) – Standard room, Queenstown Option 2 - St Moritz Hotel (4*+) – Chambre Lakeview, Queenstown

Day 14 - Queenstown - Milford Sound 286 Km- 3.40h - Te Anau 117 Km – 1.25h (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. This morning you will be driving towards Fiordland national park, New Zealand’s biggest national park. Fiordland is the home of many endangered native species (takahe, kea, kaka, brown kiwi), thick rainforest and dozen of peaks quite often wrapped in snow make it a must see for all nature’s lovers. 1.15pm (time to be reconfirmed): departure of your cruise on Milford Sound (incl). After the cruise, you will be driving back to Te Anau. Suggestions: visit of the Te Anau glowworm caves.

Hotel: Option 1 - Distinction Luxmore Hotel (3*) – Standard room, Te Anau Option 2 - Te Anau Lodge (4*) – Standard room, Te Anau

Day 15 - Te Anau - Dunedin 390 Km – 3.55h (B)

Cooked breakfast at your accommodation. Today, drive to Dunedin. Dunedin has a strong Scottish heritage and is also a University town. The region’s history is fascinating: fight between rival Maori tribes, arrival of the European colons and gold rush. Dunedin the main city is quite unique with its 19th century architecture and its big university.

Hotel: Option 1 - Mercure Leisure Lodge (3*) (10 mins from Center)– Standard room, Dunedin Option 2 - Dunedin City Hotel (4*) – Standard room, Te Anau

Day 16 - Dunedin - Christchurch 359 Km – 5.22h (B)

Breakfast at your accommodation Way to Christchurch where you will spend the last night of your holidays. Christchurch, the garden city is the biggest city of the South Island and 2nd biggest in New Zealand. The city is known for its cathedral, many parks, museums, restaurants and nightlife. Suggestions: On the way stop at the town of Oamaru & Moeraki to «study» the Boulders on the beach.

Hotel: Option 1 - Latimer Hotel (4*) – Standard room, Christchurch Option 2 - Off The Square Hotel (4*) – Superior room, Christchurch

Day 17 - Christchurch (B)

Breakfast at your accommodation Free day in Christchurch. Suggestions: Discover the garden city, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrement, International Antarctic centre (Christchurch is still the point of departure of many expeditions to Antarctica), Art centre, new art gallery, Drive to Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula (1.20 h) Kaikoura to take a whale watching tour (2.35 h).

Hotel: Option 1 - Latimer Hotel (4*) – Standard room, Christchurch Option 2 - Off The Square Hotel (4*) – Superior room, Christchurch

Day 18 - Christchurch - Beijing (B)

Breakfast at your accommodation. Please make your way to Christchurch International Airport in order to return your rental car and take your flight back.