NEW ZEALAND: NORTHERN CHOICE – NORTHBOUND

Christchurch:

• Welcome to Christchurch (Ōtautahi)! Contiki crew, are you ready?! We’ll board the coach, travelling through South Island to reach Kaikōura by lunch.

Kaikōura:

• We’ll stop off at a seal colony on the seafront to get our daily fix of cuteness, before heading to Kaikōura Wildlife Rescue to meet a local wildlife biologist, Sabrina Leucht.
• She has been working to build a dedicated wildlife hospital in Kaikōura and Contiki has been helping with the fundraising! We’ll learn about the types of wildlife we might encounter here, which threats they face, and what we can all do to make a difference – locally and in our own hometowns.
• After a busy day of wildlife wonders, we’ll check into our seafront hotel, before heading out for a spot of dinner.
• Did you know that Kaikōura literally translates into ‘eat (kai) crayfish (koura)’? So, no prizes for guessing what type of local cuisine we’ll be trying!

Included Experience:

• Visit Kaikōura Wildlife Rescue MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Kaikōura:

• We all love a free day – especially one spent in beautiful Kaikōura! We recommend taking a dolphin watching tour, where you’ll have the opportunity to see (or swim with) dusky dolphins.
• Or even kayaking across the coastline! We’ll stay another night in Kaikōura after an action-packed day, before heading to Wellington tomorrow morning.

Optional Experience:

• See or Swim with Wild Dolphins in Kaikōura
• Go Whale Watching in Kaikōura
• View Whales from the Air
• Take the Drive of your Life

Kaikōura:

• After breakfast, we’ll head back on the Contiki coach and head to our next destination.
• We’ll stop at a seal colony, where you’ll struggle not to break into a collective ‘cuuuute’ as you watch these guys sunning themselves on the rocks.
• Afterwards we’ll continue on to Wellington, the capital of NZ since 1865, when it replaced Auckland. Almost thirty years later, Wellington parliament was the first in the world to allow women the right to vote. A pretty cool city all in all.

Picton:

• Aaaand, it’s time to hit the North Island. So, hop on to the ferry!

Wellington:

• By the afternoon, we’ll have reached Wellington (Te Whanganui a Tara), just in time for a tour of the city. After an orientation through the narrow streets of Wellington, and a chance to explore the great food scene, a night on the town will be on the cards.

Included Experience:

• See Marlborough Sounds from a Ferry
• See Seals IRL

Wellington:

• Ready to explore Wellington in all its glory? Today, why not head to a local cafe and try the famed flat white coffee in its city of origin (sorry Australians).
• Caffeinated and refreshed, you can opt to take a trip to Zealandia, a 225-hectare (basically massive) eco-sanctuary that protects over 40 rare native wildlife species.
• Because Zealandia is fully fenced, you’ll be able to walk alongside incredibly rare birds like the hihi and the takahē. Look out for the tuatara, a prehistoric reptile known as a ‘living fossil’, which can only be found in New Zealand!

Optional Experience:

• Meet NZ’s Amazing Wildlife MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Wellington:

• We wave goodbye to Wellington and its beautiful scenery and we prepare ourselves for our next adventure – and trust us, this one is bucket-list worthy.

Mount Ruapehu:

• Known as the après-ski capital of the North island, Ohakune is a tranquil town with stupendous view.
• Today you have the option to go mountain biking along one of NZ’s most picturesque track, “Te Mangawhero Trail”. Tonight, snuggle down in our Special Stay ski lodge, located in prime position at the base of Mount Ruapehu (Ruapehu).

Included Experience:

• Stay at Kings Hotel Ohakune
• Check out the World’s Biggest Carrot
• See an Active Stratovolcano

Optional Experience:

• Bike, Beers and Eclairs

Mount Ruapehu:

• Wake up in the spectacular surroundings of Mt. Ruapehu with epic views of the volcano. Today we head off to Lake Taupō!

Taupō:

• Here we are in Lake Taupō (Taupō Nui a Tia). Don’t be fooled by the seemingly still scenery – a skydive is on the menu if that adrenaline itch needs scratching.
• This evening we jump on a lake cruise to watch the sunset, go fishing and enjoy some eats with our Contiki fam.

Included Experience:

• Check out some LOTR Filming Spots

Optional Experience:

• Take a Huka Jet Ride Along the Waikato River
• Take a Cruise on Lake Taupō
• Skydive Above the Southern Hemisphere’s Largest Lake

Taupō:

• As we leave Lake Taupō keep an eye out for even more recognisable ‘The Lord of the Rings’ backdrops.

Huka Falls:

• 220,000 litres (58 000 gallons) of water gush over Huka Falls per second. Just let that sink in for a minute. Wild, right?

Rotorua:

• When you catch your first whiff of that… ‘unusual’ sulphur smell, you’ll know we’ve arrived in Rotorua.
• Upon arrival in Rotorua we get to learn some fascinating info on NZ’s national birds, as well as watch new lives hatch right in front of our eyes!
• How impressed are you right now? Soak in a hotspring, go skydiving or take a canopy tour – there’s plenty of time for you to make the best of this town.
• Tonight we enjoy a Māori cultural performance and feast on a Hāngi dinner that is sweetly roasted in the ground.

Included Experience:

• Feel the Power of Huka Falls
• See Mud Pools in Rotorua
• Visit the New Zealand Kiwi Hatchery MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience
• Watch a Traditional Māori Cultural Performance

Optional Experience:

• Go Zorbing

Rotorua:

• Today is yours to roam free in this geothermal paradise. Soak in a hot spring, go rafting or hike up a volcano.
• Opt for the Rotorua Dawn Canopy Tour (exclusive to Contiki) and watch the sunrise, enjoy breakfast and coffee up in the trees as the birds make their morning calls. Then, soar 1200m through the forest on the ultimate zipline adventure.

Optional Experience:

• Go White Water Rafting in Kaituna
• Take a Hike in Mt Tarawera
• Take the Rotorua Ultimate Canopy Tour
• Tour the Hobbiton Movie Set

Rotorua:

• Ma-Te-Wa, Rotorua! We’re headed to Auckland, where there’s an array of awesome Free-Time Add-Ons to choose from.

Auckland:

• Welcome to Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau)! Adrenaline junkies, get ready for a bungee jump, climb over the iconic harbour bridge or sky jump off the Skywalk.
• For those who prefer to keep two feet on the ground, why not get your taste buds tingling with a multi-sensory ice cream experience at Giapo?

Optional Experience:

• Climb Harbour Bridge with a Local Guide
• Bungy Jump off Harbour Bridge
• Climb & Bungy Jump off the Harbour Bridge
• Go Behind the Scenes at Giapo’s
• Join the All Blacks Experience of Rugby
• Take a Sky Walk Around the Sky Tower
• Try New Zealand’s Highest Jump
• Sky Walk (and Jump) from the Sky Tower

Auckland:

• We’ll cross Aucklands Harbour Bridge admiring the ‘City of Sails’ harbour before starting our journey north to Paihia.

Whangārei:

• We’ll stop off at the stunning yacht marina in Whangārei to check out the quirky exterior of the weird and wonderful Hunderwassert art centre, a unique architectural project dedicated to the ecological activist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. After lunch we’ll hit the road again onwards to the Bay of Islands.

Paihia:

• We’ll start off with a dose of Kiwi history on a guided tour at Waitangi Treaty grounds where in 1840 New Zealand officially became a nation of two communities.
• And because we like to give you that something extra, how about included admission to the Treaty museum for more detail on Kiwi history.
• Tonight we’ll feast like the locals and enjoy a true Kiwiana fish’n’chips as we overlook the glittering Bay of Islands.

Included Experience:

• Cross Auckland’s Harbour Bridge
• See the Iconic ‘City of Sails’ Harbour
• View the Hundertwasser Art Center
• Discover the Waitangi Treaty Grounds with a Local Guide
• Eat Fish and Chips Kiwi Style in Paihia
• Parasail Over the Bay of Islands

Paihia:

• Whether it’s parasailing or a catamaran cruise – today’s (idyllic) list of optionals reads like a who’s who of adventure. This area is filled with natural beauty and is sure to inspire your inner wild child. Make the most of the Free Time Add-On experiences on offer – tomorrow we head back to the big city vibes.

Optional Experience:

• Discover NZ’s Northernmost Point
• Set Sail in Carino
• Discover the Bay of Islands
• Parasail Over the Bay of Islands
• Tour the Breathtaking Cape Reinga
• Ride on a Helicopter over the Famous Hole in the Rock

Paihia:

• Feeling salty and sun-kissed we’ll wave goodbye to beautiful Paihia and sashay our way back down NZ in the direction of Auckland.

Auckland:

• Our adventure comes to an end in Auckland today. Make sure you swap contact deets and start planning the next adventure. Anyone for ‘Straya?