The Long White Cloud

Your complimentary, private transfer takes you to your local departure airport. On arrival at Christchurch Airport you'll be driven by private car to your hotel. Spend some time at leisure to relax or explore on your own. Perhaps visit the Christchurch Botanic Gardens or take a ride on the Christchurch Tram. In the evening meet your traveling concierge for a welcome reception.

It's all aboard the TranzAlpine train. Rated as one of the world's great scenic railway journeys, you'll travel in comfort across the Canterbury Plains through the Southern Alps. From Arthur's Pass, visit the small town of Hokitika, the heritage and cultural center of the West Coast, to learn the importance of Pounamu, better known as jade or greenstone. Continue to Franz Josef where your eco-friendly accommodation is set amid native bush and has an emphasis on relaxation and rejuvenation. This evening, enjoy Franz Josef's local geothermal hot pools or perhaps a massage.

During a Glacier Valley Walk, explore the area with a local guide who will explain the history behind the surrounding fascinating landscape.

This morning it's time for an adventure as you journey down the Haast River in a purpose-built, fully enclosed, river jet boat. After a lunch stop at Makarora travel to Arrowtown where there is time to stop and explore this historic gold-mining village on the Arrow River. Continue to Queenstown for an orientation tour.

Experience Queenstown at leisure. Join an optional wine tour or view The Lord of the Rings film locations. Tonight you can dine at one of the local restaurants along the waterfront in town or simply relax at your hotel.

Make the most of your extended stay in Queenstown. Take an optional jet boat ride down the mighty Shotover River or get wet white water rafting down the Kawarau River. In the evening, enjoy a highlight dinner at one of Queenstown's exclusive restaurants.

Take the scenic journey through rainforests, flats and meadows of Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound. Stop at Mirror Lakes, where the stunning mountain scenery is perfectly reflected in the waters, then on to the hand-hewn Homer Tunnel, and after, to one of the world's most dramatic alpine drives, down through the Cleddau Valley and its impressive Chasm.

Explore the famous Milford Track on an easy-going half-day guided walk. This is a place steeped in rich history and stories; and the flora and fauna is unique and special. Enjoy the best of both worlds as you listen to a Specialist Nature Guide while relaxing onboard a modern catamaran. Your guide will introduce you to the natural wonders of Milford Sound.

We leave the majestic Fiordland National Park for the fertile sheep-dotted pastures of South Otago. Travel through Te Anau and on to the country music town of Gore before continuing to Dunedin, New Zealand's southernmost city. Enjoy dinner and wine at Parcels Restaurant.

Take a guided tour and sample the tasty craft beer at Emerson's Brewery before an afternoon at your leisure - relax or continue exploring as you wish. Perhaps take a train ride or wildlife cruise.

Travel up the east coast of the South Island via Oamrau and Timaru. On arrival in Christchurch embark on an in-depth sightseeing tour of the city.

Travel along the rugged Pacific Ocean coast to Kaikoura, famous for its whales. Continue your journey to the seaside town of Picton. Cruise on Queen Charlotte Sound and across Cook Strait to reach Wellington for a city orientation tour.

Explore Wellington at leisure. Perhaps visit Weta Workshop, home of the creative wizards behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies or learn about New Zealand's history and culture on a visit to Te Papa, New Zealand's incredible national museum and art gallery.

Travel through the dairy farming land of Manawatu to Napier in Hawke's Bay. In the evening, enjoy a wine tasting and dinner at Craggy Range Winery, one of the region's world-famous wineries.

Enjoy a relaxed start before venturing out to explore the surrounding area. Join a local guide for a vintage car tour of the city and see the varying Art Deco architecture, the style in which Napier was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1931.

Travel past Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, then it's on to Rotorua where on arrival a sightseeing tour offers the chance to take in views of Lake Rotorua. At Waimangu Volcanic Valley, you'll experience spectacular volcanic craters, hot water springs, beautiful geothermal features, rare and unusual plant life, brilliantly colored micro biology and a wide array of birds.

Your first stop is Redwoods Treewalk, which consists of 21 suspension bridges traversing between 22 Californian Coastal Redwoods. It provides a unique view of the native undergrowth below from up to 20 meters above the ground, and with a 553-meter-long walk there is plenty of time to appreciate the beauty of the forest. Continue to Rainbow Springs Nature Park, where you'll discover the native beauty around the crystal clear mineral water springs. Take a behind-the-scenes tour through a working kiwi nursery and hatchery dedicated to the conservation of the national icon. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to continue exploring at your leisure or perhaps relax at your state-of-the-art hotel. This evening, savor the unique flavors of a Maori HangI feast, a meal cooked in the ground using geothermal steam, followed by a traditional concert, at the Tamaki Maori Village.

Begin your day with a dazzling show during an exclusive Eco Glowworm experience at Caveworld, Waitomo. During your exclusively guided, Eco Glowworm experience, admire the magical subterranean world of Waitomo Cave. Later in New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, embark on an afternoon sightseeing tour before having the rest of the day at your leisure to enjoy the city as you wish. Toast your travels at your celebration dinner in the company of a former New Zealand All Blacks rugby player.

After breakfast, transfer to Auckland Airport for your onward flight. On arrival at your home airport, your driver will greet and escort you to your waiting car for your private transfer home.