Heading South on State Highway 1, you pass through the South Auckland suburbs of Papatoetoe and Manukau before ascending the famous Bombay Hills, separating greater Auckland from the mighty Waikato region. Just before Hamilton, the region’s largest city with a population of 165’00, turn left onto State Highway 39 which leads you into “King Country”, one of the most beautiful and remote parts of New Zealand’s North Island. “King Country” was bastion of independent Maoridom, never conquered by the early European settlers and remained effectively off-limits to Europeans until 1883. King Country is home to the famous Waitomo Caves complex. Waitomo in Te Reo Maori means ‘where water disappears into a hole in the ground’. There are a number of different caves open to the public, each with its own distinctive features. Get exclusive access to Footwhistle Cave, a stunning limestone network on private land beneath the rolling hills of Waitomo. Here you will discover a labyrinth of magnificent, undisturbed glowworm displays. Your private expert guide will lead you down to the entrance of the cave, where you will discover the beauty of the New Zealand Glowworm and learn about the cave formations of Footwhistle Cave, also known as Te Anaroa in Māori. As you journey through the cave, you will be amazed and delighted with the soothing sound of the cave stream flowing in the darkness below. This is a personal, unique and intimate experience.

From Waitomo, head east on scenic State Highways 3 and 5, with State Highway 5 being dubbed adequately the “Thermal Explorer Highway”. Depending on the weather, you will likely smell Rotorua before you arrive. The Rotorua region is rich with geothermal activity releasing hydrogen sulphide, giving the regions its distinctive smell. Rotorua is surrounded by mountains, rivers, native forests and 18 freshwater lakes. Rotorua is also known for bubbling mud pools, shooting geysers and natural hot springs, all due to its unique location within the Pacific Ring of Fire. This part of New Zealand is one of the world’s most concentrated and accessible geothermal areas. There is no better place in New Zealand to experience well and alive Maori culture, hospitality and food – try a hangi feast cooked in the steaming ground and take a tour of an authentic pre-European village. Rotorua is a mountain biking mecca and trout fishing on the lakes and tributary rivers is among the best in the world.

The Tuhourangi people have lived in the shadow of Mount Tarawera for many generations. There was a time in the mid-1800s when a steady stream of visitors from overseas came to visit the magnificent and spectacular Pink and White Terraces at Lake Rotomahana. The guides of the Tuhourangi people became well known as the hosts of the terraces that quickly became known as the 8th Wonder of the Natural Earth – until all this changed when in 1886 Mount Tarawera erupted, taking with it lives, entire villages, and the Pink and White Terraces.

Join a descendant of the Tuhourangi people as she takes you on a journey to experience their unique lifestyle and history. Learn about aspects of Māori culture firsthand, experience Māori kai (food), see how their families live amongst the bubbling hot pools, then experience seeing the ‘sleeping giant’ Mount Tarawera and enjoy bathing in the geothermal waters. This day’s experience is unique and personal and steeped in history and culture and will leave you enthralled and inspired while you walk in the footsteps of the Tuhourangi people.

Today you’ll leave the north island and head south by plane.

Christchurch, dubbed the “Garden City” is New Zealand’s third-largest city and the largest on the South Island. The city is constantly evolving, filled with cutting-edge architecture alongside some of the oldest buildings in New Zealand. Christchurch has almost completed its rebuild after the devastating 2010 and 2011 earthquakes and is now one of the newest cities in the world filled with street art, innovative projects, and a bustling hospitality scene. The city boasts many parks, rivers, and a typically English-style layout of central square and parallel streets. Christchurch is surrounded by mountains, the Canterbury Plains, a beautiful coastline, and the Port Hills, which provide a dramatic backdrop to the city.

Your private guide will meet you in the airport’s arrival hall next for your short Christchurch orientation tour followed by a transfer to your hotel. Christchurch remerges as a fresh and new city after the devastating 2010/11 earthquakes. The destruction of several landmark historic buildings such as the Christchurch Cathedral has led to the development of new city plans like the newly designed Avon River waterfront, a bold public art program, and innovative use of public space. Experience the beauty of Hagley Park, the Avon River and Botanic Gardens, and the recently reopened Regent Street with its distinctive Spanish Mission-style architecture. Time permitting, head to the Port Hills which overlook Christchurch and presents stunning views of the city, Canterbury Plains, Lyttelton Harbor, and the Southern Alps.

Board the spectacular Tranzalpine scenic train at Christchurch’s train station early in the morning. The Tranzalpine is one of the world’s great train journeys covering 223 kilometers (139 miles) one-way, taking just under 5 hours. Your journey will take you west across the rich agricultural belt of the Canterbury Plains, through a spectacular gorge before you make your way to the high mountains of the Southern Alps and Arthur’s Pass.

Today you’ll leave Arthur’s Pass on the scenic State Highway 73 towards Lake Pearson. Travel through the scenic Rakaia Gorge and stop for lunch in quaint Geraldine with its craft shops and one of New Zealand’s best cheeseries. Once you turn in the direction of Lake Tekapo the landscape changes as you ascend towards Mackenzie High Country, home to some of the most evocative hill country in the world. The Mackenzie High Country is different from any other region in New Zealand. Unique weather patterns dry out the soil and grasslands, creating its own desert-like landscape. This is a unique and mystical place of outstanding natural beauty, and breathtaking backcountry wilderness, surrounded by the majestic Southern Alps. Picturesque by day and night, Lake Tekapo is part of a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, making it the perfect spot for stargazing. Lake Tekapo gets its signature turquoise color from fine rock flour, ground by nearby glaciers, which are suspended in the water. The beautiful Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1935 for the pioneer families, frames a perfect view of the Southern Alps. The afternoon is at your leisure in Tekapo. Your private will be available for guided walks or a visit to Mt John Observatory, the heart of the region’s ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ for a coffee.

Today your private guide & car will be available for guided walks and other activities, lunch in a local restaurant included.

After a good night’s sleep, your guide will pick you up after breakfast for another day of breathtaking scenery! From the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo, you will soon spot the distinctive milky blue waters of Lake Pukaki, Sir Peter Jackson chose this part of the Southern Alps as the setting for ‘Lake Town’ in ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ as well as the backdrop for major location scenes in all Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies.

Time permitting, stop at “Peter’s Lookout” for magnificent views of Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain at 3’724 meters. Then as you are heading towards Queenstown, stop at Omarama for a visit to the famous Omarama Clay Cliffs. These otherworldly formations are made up of layers of gravel and silt, originally formed by the flow from ancient glaciers over a million years ago. Descending on the other side of Lindis Pass, you arrive in Central Otago and you will notice a change in scenery and vegetation. Central Otago is known for its vibrant sky colors as well as hot and dry summers and bitter cold winters.

Begin your day with a join-in cruise on the pristine waters of Lake Wanaka to Mou Waho Island Nature Reserve. A guided walk to the spectacular summit reveals the island’s secret – a lake on top of an island! Enjoy ‘high tea’ up close and personal with rare native birds, including weka, wood pigeon and bellbird. Plant a tree as part of this unique eco experience. After lunch in one of Wanaka’s many fine cafés (not included), board a comfortable all-terrain 4WD vehicle and experience a taste of Wanaka’s spectacular lakeside scenery and insight into authentic farming life. West Wanaka Station is a 30’000 acre property, otherwise not accessible to the public, and offers some of the finest scenery in New Zealand with a fascinating history both human and natural. Apart from enjoying the glorious views of the snow-capped peaks and glaciers of Mount Aspiring National Park and Lake Wanaka, you can feed alpacas, sheep, and horses. See Red Deer and Angus in their natural environment while listening to your local guide’s storytelling.

Today you’ll leave Wanaka Lake for the alpine resort of Queenstown is exciting, sophisticated, and fantastically scenic. Queenstown sits on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu, one of the clearest and coldest lakes in the world, captivated by the majestic beauty of the surrounding mountains and rivers. Queenstown has also been dubbed as the Adventure Capital of the world and with this title comes a plethora of adrenaline-inducing, heart-stopping, and hair-raising activities. The region around Queenstown is characterized by jagged mountains, deep canyons, wild cascading rivers, crystal-clear lakes, rainforest, tussock grassland, and fresh mountain air. Central Otago’s scenery is wild and untamed. Barren brown mountains, historic gold mining towns and dry hot summers mixed with frigid winters make Central Otago a commanding forceful land. In the 1860’s this was a place of gold but today that gold is wine. Pinot Noir, the most fickle of grape varieties, excels in these southernmost vineyards and most of the wineries offer tastings and guided tours, some are home to world-class fine dining establishments.

On your final day in New Zealand, enjoy a private full-day sightseeing tour looping from Queenstown, through Arrowtown, Gibbston Valley, Kawarau Gorge, Bannockburn, Cromwell, Wanaka, Cardrona, and back to Queenstown. Experience the stunning variety of this gorgeous region, with its dramatic mountains, alpine lakes, rocky river canyons, vineyards, cherry orchards, and historic buildings. You might choose to stop at the AJ Hackett bungy bridge, take a jet boat sprint at Oxbow, go salmon fishing at Hook, tour the Wanaka Lavender Farm, or go for a short walk along the way (all activities at additional cost). Today’s route and time in each location is flexible. Return to Queenstown via the spectacular alpine Crown Range Road.