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 Qantas flight 26 departing 8.30pm and
lose Wednesday to the International Date Line.
Thursday
Qantas 6.10am arrival in Auckland where your Kiwi Guide will
meet you in the arrivals hall, where the trip begins.
Load our van and drive 50 miles north to Waipu where you can
sleep and catch up on jet lag at a beautiful country lodge.
Lunch and 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. 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 drive into Christchurch - the most
English city outside of England! Visit the Cathedral and
the Suffragette Memorial (women’s right to vote was
the first in the world!) Shop at the Arts Center. Farewell
lunch at a great vegetarian restaurant. Transfer to
Christchurch airport where the tour ends. You
are responsible for your flight to Auckland. Once at
Auckland Airport catch the free bus to the International
Terminal for your return flight to LAX – QF25 departing
7.40pm.
Thursday
STILL! Arrive LAX. 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.
