Essential New Zealand

Arrive in Auckland and get your bearings with an ascent of the 328 metre-high Sky Tower, giving you far reaching views across the city and beyond. If you prefer the outdoors, perhaps take the ferry to peaceful Waiheke Island, where you’ll find pristine beaches and pretty vineyards just 35 minutes by boat from Auckland. Alternatively, drive down to the suburb of Titirangi, dotted with art galleries, cafés and parks.

4* Avani Metropolis Auckland Residences

Glorious golden sand beaches await in your next stop Coromandel, a forested, hilly and coastal peninsula with some wonderfully bucolic scenery. While Coromandel itself offers a number of gift shops and cute cafés, it’s the area around town that you’ll want to explore the most. Hit the hiking trails at Coromandel Forest Park for unbeatable views over the region or kayak Cathedral Cove to admire the rugged cliffs that plunge into bright blue waters.

4* Harbour View Motel Coromandel

Fly to the North Island and discover Rotorua, a geothermal playground of geysers, steam vents and hot springs. Rotorua is also at the heart of New Zealand’s Maori culture so is the perfect place to learn more about local traditions and legends. 

4* Rydges Rotorua

Explore the leafy city of Christchurch, the largest settlement on the South Island. Here you can while away the days in the cafés and restaurants, shop ‘til you drop in the boutiques or sample a cocktail or two in the bars. Be sure to take a look at the quirky Cardboard Cathedral, a temporary replacement for the one that fell in the 2011 earthquake, and explore the greener side of the city with a punting trip on the pretty River Avon. Later, hop on board the TranzAlpine Railway, taking you through some of New Zealand’s most spectacular landscapes to Greymouth.

5* Sudima Christchurch City

Head on to Franz Josef, home to the eponymous glacier. Perhaps add a helicopter tour onto your package to see the glacier’s icy face in all its glory with a thrilling ride over the top of the creeping ice, with a walk on its surface, visiting the ice caves, pools and pinnacles of this other-worldly place, glittering in various shades of blue and white.

4* Bella Vista Motel Franz Josef Glacier

Start your Journey with a bang in fun-filled Queenstown, where adventurous activities abound. Perhaps try jetboating on the Shotover River, or skydive over the beautiful Lake Wakatipu. Once you’ve got your breath back, set sail on a relaxing cruise on the still waters of Milford Sound. Get your camera ready and look out for dolphins as you sail among the towering cliffs, plunging waterfalls and pretty forests.

4* BreakFree The Point