New
Zealand is Lord of Rings country - home to some of the most
beautiful scenery on earth. Throw in the friendliest, most
welcoming people you could ever meet plus great activities and you
have the classic lifetime trip. Highlights include walking on a
glacier that tumbles into a rain forest, sea-kayaking turquoise
waters to golden sand beaches, sailing in the Bay of Islands and
jet boating through the Southern Alps World Heritage area. However
nothing is more memorable than our stay on the Maori tribal
homeland. We are greeted with ceremony and warmth, treated with
generosity and kindness and we leave as family. New Zealanders
will open their homes and their hearts to you. Canyon Calling
ensures you experience all of New
Zealand including the beauty of the volcanoes, beaches, geysers
and Alps. A trip to “Godzone” with Canyon Calling and your New
Zealand Guide is the most special of experiences.
Tuesday
Fly from Los Angeles on Air Pacific Flight 811 departing 10.30pm
and lose Wednesday to the International Date Line.
Thursday
Arrive Nadi, Fiji 5:15am, connect with Air Pacific Flight 411
departing 8:45am, arriving in Auckland 12:55pm where your Kiwi
Guide will meet you in the arrivals hall, where the trip
begins. Load our van and drive 80 miles north to
Waipu where you can sleep and catch up on jet lag at a beautiful
country lodge. Dinner at the lodge.
Friday
Enjoy a wonderfully relaxing sail in the Bay of Islands
on a 50’ yacht. You can take the helm or
sit back and relax. We’ll lunch at an unspoiled anchorage
and swim in crystal clear waters. Maybe we’ll see
dolphins. Stop in at the tiny community of Russell, New
Zealand’s first town. Gravestones and musket holes in
historic buildings tell tales of less tranquil times in New
Zealand history. Visit the park where the Treaty of
Waitangi was signed between the Maori people and European
settlers. Check into our lodging for a two-night stay.
Dinner in Paihia.
Saturday
Journey to the top of New Zealand! At Cape
Reinga we’ll see the broiling waters where the two oceans meet.
Traveling in an air-conditioned dune-rider we’ll travel 90-Mile
Beach taking a break to toboggan down sand dunes and
stroll on the beach. A cool forest walk will bring us to giant
Kauri trees and our evening meal will be at an ocean-side
fresh fish restaurant.
Sunday
Pakiri Beach is our morning destination for horse riding.
We’ll ride through the dunes and pohutukawa glades to this
gorgeous, deserted coast. Riding along the beach and into
the shallows is an exhilarating experience. After lunch
we’ll drive through Auckland then east to the beautiful
Coromandel Peninsula and stay in the seaside town of Tairua.
Monday
Morning takes us on a short drive up the coast and a hike down to Cathedral
Cove for swimming and relaxing on this
beautiful beach. Drive south through coastal communities and
past kiwi-fruit farms to Omarumutu Marae, a Maori
homeland near Opotiki. We are welcomed onto the marae in a
moving, traditional ceremony. We sleep comfortably and communally
in the whare. Children may dance and sing for us. Our stay
on the marae is a highlight of the tour.
Tuesday
A short drive this morning to the Rangitaki River for a wonderful white
water rafting trip on mostly grade 3 rapids with a float
section through idyllic native forest. After lunch see
boiling mud pools and at a thermal reserve, walk to small geysers
and silica terraces. Then onto Lake Taupo with a stop at
thundering Huka Falls on our way
to thermal hot pools for a pre-dinner soak.
Enjoy a BBQ dinner poolside then a short drive to our motel in
Turangi for a two-night stay.
Wednesday
Early start for a short hop to the trailhead of the Tongariro
Crossing. Known as “the finest one-day
hike in NZ” this 8–10 hour hike takes us around the
conical volcano Ngauruhoe and across craters of extinct Mt.
Tongariro. Look upon amazing views of emerald lakes and
gaping vents from previous eruptions. The hike is
challenging but the views are so spectacular you’ll find the
challenge worth the effort – promise! Soak in our hot pool
while dinner is prepared.
Thursday
Drive south to the capital city of Wellington
which may remind you of San Francisco with a scenic harbor and
houses clinging to steep hills. Lunch in a New
Zealand home. Short tour of Wellington and explore
Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand.
Catch the Inter-Island Ferry to the South Island,
a scenic trip through the Marlborough Sounds. Dinner on your
own on the ferry. Overnight in the sea-side town of Picton.
Friday
An early start today for a scenic drive across to Nelson then onto
Marehau. This is our day for sea-kayaking
the emerald seas and golden beaches of Abel Tasman
National Park. Kayak on crystal clear water
around the shoreline and across to islands. Relax on the
beach and swim while lunch is prepared. If there’s an
afternoon sea breeze, we’ll hoist our sails and take the easy
way back! There’s time for showers before driving to
Murchison for dinner then through the Buller Gorge
to Westport.
Saturday
Our road south is squeezed between the Southern Alps and a
stunning coastline, often compared with California’s Big Sur.
At Punakiki we’ll walk out to the limestone pancake
formations and if we’re in luck, the sea will send
blowholes into the air. Further down the coast is Hokitika,
re-known for the best greenstone in NZ. Nowhere
in the world at this latitude have glaciers advanced so close to
the sea. At 3pm we’ll climb the fast-moving and
ever-changing Franz Josef Glacier. See incredible
ice formations and walk beside walls of blue ice. Dinner is
“Blue Ice” pizza! A short drive brings us to the town of
Fox near sunset for lodging with views of Mt Cook, New Zealand’s
highest mountain.
Sunday
Lake Matheson at 6am has a stunning
reflection of Mount Cook and anyone up for an early start
will be treated to great photos. Breakfast near the lake. After
lunch we’ll travel over the Alps through Haast Pass and lunch
beside Lake Wanaka. Then it’s a short hop over the spectacular
Crown Range to Queenstown, New Zealand’s most beautiful
city. After checking into our Motor Lodge for a
three-night stay there’ll be time to make bookings for
activities you have planned for your day off tomorrow. Late
afternoon we’ll sail on the historic steam ship
Earnslaw across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Farm
where we’ll see a sheep-dog round-up a flock of sheep
and also a shearing demonstration. After a wonderful
dinner at the historic homestead, join in a piano sing-a-long on
our way back to Queenstown.
Monday
Day off!! Queenstown is the launching point for
trips to world re-known Milford Sound by bus or plane.
Queenstown has a host of activities for travelers – tandem
paragliding, horse riding, wine tours, historic Arrowtown, Lake Te
Anu to see glowworm caves, gondola ride, luging and you can even
jump off Kawerau bridge, the original bungy site! Dinner on
your own this evening.
Tuesday
Our all day expedition begins with a scenic ride
to Glenorchy where we’re outfitted for our expedition. We
board a jet boat and experience a thrilling
and very scenic ride up the Dart River.
The views of the Alps and glaciers in this World Heritage site
will long be remembered. We inflate our kayaks then paddle
in twos down the river until we get to Rock Burn Chasm,
just off the main river. You may remember this turquoise
water from Lord of the Rings. Paddling through this
wonderland is a tour highlight. Eat dinner at a pub in
Queenstown.
Wednesday
An early start for our drive through Mackenzie Country
to Christchurch. The highlight will hopefully be views
of Mt Cook (Aoraki) across the glacial waters of Lake
Pukaki. We’ll lunch at Lake Tekapo, visit the Church of
the Good Shepherd and see the beloved memorial to the high county
sheep dog. As we drive into Christchurch - the most English
city outside of England, we'll visit the Cathedral and the
Suffragette Memorial (women’s right to vote was the first in the
world!) Tonight we have a comfy historic home all to
ourselves. It’s a perfect place to relax and
reflect on our journey through Aotearoa. Our hosts prepare a
beautiful meal for our final dinner together.
Thursday
After a hearty breakfast we'll transfer to Christchurch airport where
the tour ends. You are responsible for your flight to
Auckland - suggest Air New Zealand Flight 510 at 11:00am, arriving
Aukland 12:20pm. Once at Auckland Airport catch the
free bus to the International Terminal for your return flights:
Air Pacific 410 departing Auckland 1:50pm arriving Nadi 3:55pm.
Layover at Nadi Airport until connecting with Air Pacific Flight
810 departing 10:50pm.
Thursday
STILL! Arrive LAX at 1:05pm. This is the day you lost on the
flight over! Allow two hours to clear through immigration,
baggage claim and customs when booking connecting flights to your
hometown.
