NZ Intro 17

ARRIVE AND MEET YOUR GROUP – AUCKLAND * DEPARTURES FROM 5TH JANUARY ONWARDS WILL BE TAKING A NEW ITINERARY. PLEASE REFER TO YOUR TRAVEL AGENT FOR MORE DETAILS * Kia ora! Landing in Auckland, we'll meet you at the airport and take you to our hostel to settle in and refresh. Tonight you'll meet up with the rest of your travel crew and get excited for all the adventures yet to come in New Zealand. _Departures from 5th January onwards will be taking a new itinerary - please refer to your travel agent for details._

CITY ORIENTATION & WORK ESSENTIALS SET UP – AUCKLAND Today we'll get oriented with the beautiful city of Auckland. After doing some life admin and getting your local essentials set up, we'll then catch a ferry and travel to the beautiful Waiheke Island. This evening we see what Auckland's all about after dark! Don't forget to listen out for the local Kiwi accent to see if it lives up to its title as the ??World's Sexiest'.

GLOWWORM CAVES & HOBBITON - WAITOMO Leaving Auckland, we're off to discover the best of the beautiful North Island. Our first stop is Waitomo, home to the world-famous glowworm caves. We'll explore this surreal, subterranean landscape by boat, watching in awe as glow worms light up the darkness in front of our eyes. Next we're heading to Hobbiton, the real-life movie set featured in The Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies. After strolling through the enchanting village on a guided tour, we'll enjoy a drink at the Green Dragon Inn before departing for Rotorua.

EXPLORE ROTORUA – ROTORUA Waking up to the whiff of sulphur, today you'll definitely know you're in Rotorua! We'll head to the naturally heated waters of Kerosene Creek where you'll get to take a dip, as well as one of New Zealand's most magnificent geothermal wonderlands - Wai o Tapu, featuring dramatic geysers & bubbling mud.

MAORI EXPERIENCE - ROTORUA Today we're off to check out Kuirau Park, an area full of natural hot springs, bubbling mud pools and thermal ??foot spas' for you to indulge in. In the evening we'll go to the Mitai Maori village for an authentic introduction to Maori culture. It doesn't get more authentic than this.

TAUPO & SAILING – TAUPO Get your cameras out as we head to Taupo, a lakefront town right in the heart of the North. Tonight we've got something special lined up - a sail across the lake. The majestic scenery will wow us, NZ, you're breathtakingly beautiful!

WATERFALLS & ADRENALINE – TAUPO This morning we'll check out the epic Huka Falls, a spine-tingling torrent of icy water thundering down from the Waikato River. After witnessing this feat of nature, you'll then have some free time when you can do a skydive or the world's highest bungee jump.

CHILL OUT IN AUCKLAND – AUCKLAND Today we'll head back to where it all started in Auckland! Spend the afternoon relaxing, checking out the sights, and getting ready for the trip down south tomorrow.

FLY TO QUEENSTOWN – QUEENSTOWN Catch a short flight to Queenstown and we'll meet you at the airport and take you to our hostel in the city. We'll head out for dinner tonight and get excited for our new adventure in the South Island!

QUEENSTOWN AND JET BAOTING Today we'll get all your local essentials set up before showing you around Queenstown, a backpacker hub that's known as the adventure capital of New Zealand. The good news is that our first jolt of adrenaline isn't far off, as this afternoon we'll be zipping on a jet boat going over 80 km/h.

MILFORD SOUND CRUISE Leaving Queenstown, today we're heading to the majestic Milford Sound. We'll hop on a boat to cruise around the fjord, feeling tiny amongst sheer cliff faces, ancient forests, and plunging waterfalls. We might even spot some fur seals lazing about! This evening we'll get cosy in Te Anau, a charming town in the heart of Fiordland.

TRAVEL TO WANAKA After soaking up the Tolkien-esque vistas and taking thousands of photos we'll arrive in Wanaka, a dreamy resort town on sapphire lakeside shores. For the Lord of the rings fans - we'll be checking out some iconic filming locations!

DISCOVER WANAKA Today we check out all Wanaka has to offer, including going kayaking on the beautiful Lake Wanaka. We'll then head off hiking up Mt Iron, taking in the beautiful 360 degree landscape.

AORAKI/MT COOK NATIONAL PARK Saying goodbye to Wanaka, we'll enjoy a scenic drive through the southern alps towards Tekapo. Famed for its milky turquoise lake, Lake Tekapo is alpine in the purest sense - boasting sky scraping peaks, enormous glaciers and purple lupins - so have your camera at the ready! On the way we'll stretch our legs on the iconic Hooker Valley Hike, this track will wind us through the valley to give us awe-inspiring views of Aoraki/Mt Cook, aka the tallest mountain in New Zealand.

LAKE TEKAPO Today we will hike up Mount John where we'll get 360-degree views of the Southern Alps. After the walk we'll soak our tired muscles in some hot pools, nourishing both body and soul! New Zealand truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

WORK & ONWARD TRAVEL PLANNING After travelling back to buzzing Queenstown, we'll help sort out your onward travel for your trip in New Zealand. If you've got questions, we've got answers! Eager to book a skydive, bunny jump, or ski pass? We've got you covered. Tonight we'll get the gang together one more time, dressing sharp for our farewell dinner and night out on the town. Sweet as, bro.

CHECK OUT This morning your unforgettable 17 day adventure comes to an end. Check out and journey home, stay in Queenstown, or continue the next leg of your travels with the new friends you've made! Whatever your plans, we'll be there to help every step of the way.