New Zealand Uncovered

On arrival, transfer to your hotel. Maybe explore the waterfront precincts or simply rest before dinner. The next day, peek behind the scenes of maritime racing history on the New Zealand Maritime Museum’s America’s Cup Tour. Your Travel Director then takes you around the city, pausing at Bastion Point for epic photo opportunities.

Drive into the countryside for an exclusive lunch on a working dairy farm before continuing to Rotorua and visit Te Puia to see and support Mãori artisans, before seeing the steamy Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve - a staggering valley where geysers pop and thermal springs soar skywards. At Te Pa Tu Maori Experience, delve into Maori tradition, art and music.

First up on day 7 are the raging rapids of the massive Huka Falls. Your outlook then unfolds into the dreamy landscape of Lake Taupo before travelling on to Wellington. Head out on a city sights tour to take in the iconic cable car, parliament and Mt Victoria. Finish at Te Papa, the national Museum of New Zealand, where you may wish to visit the groundbreaking exhibitions. Later, explore as you choose or, Lord of the Rings fans will love a special tour and visit to Weta Workshop.

Cruise the Cook Strait into tranquil Queen Charlotte Sound and continue to Kaikoura, a marine life haven. On arrival be treated to a biodiversity talk at Kaikōura Wildlife Centre Trust, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.

Relax this morning or opt for one of several local wildlife experiences including a scenic flight or, getting up close to dolphins by boat or kayak (both at extra expense). Later, follow the coast and Canterbury Plains to Christchurch.

From its cardboard-crafted cathedral to its gold-clad central library, Christchurch has well and truly rebuilt itself since the 2010/11 earthquakes. Travel on for an afternoon tea on the edge of picturesque Lake Tekapo. Explore Oamarus shops, galleries and traditional crafts within some of the Southern Hemisphere's most complete Victorian streetscapes, before reaching Dunedin.

Venture into Fiordland National Park for the lakeside town of Te Anau. Experience the thrill of jet boating on scenic Lake Manapouri, home to Pomona Island, where native birds are under threat - which this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience helps towards protecting them.

Traverse native rainforest, alluvial flats and meadows, seeing mirrored lakes, thundering waterfalls, dramatic rocky ranges and millennia-old valleys. At Milford Sound, cruise through this wild expanse before driving to Queenstown.

Options include a tour of the gorges of Skippers Canyon, or maybe join a Central Otago wine tour (both at extra expense). The day ends with a cruise across Lake Wakatipu, landing at Walter Peak High Country Farm for dinner. From Arrowtown's tree-lined avenues to Central Otago's gleaming lakes, nature rules.

At Franz Josef, maybe book a helicopter flight (at extra expense). Explore small but lively Franz Josef/Waiau village before heading to Hokitika. Next up are the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes of Punakaiki, both humbling and awe-inspiring.

Venture into the Ponaumu Pathway for a unique self-guided journey. After lunch, it's all aboard for the scenic TranzAlpine train back to Christchurch, through tunnels and over viaducts, with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, beech forests, gorges and river valleys

This epic tour concludes with a transfer to the airport.