Make the most of your visit to New Zealand's unique geothermal area with its Maori culture.
Rich in natural history and Maori tradition.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Day One - Auckland / Waitomo / Rotorua
- DEPART AUCKLAND:
Travel the main Southern Highway through small rural townships steeped in early pioneer history. Your host serves morning tea during this sector.
- WAIKATO:
Travel through New Zealand's largest dairy and sheep farming province. Travel the outskirts of Hamilton City via the small farming settlements towards the King Country, birthplace of the Maori Monarchy.
- WAITOMO GLOW-WORM CAVES:
Join a guided tour through this world-famous cave formation, climaxed by drifting silently in a boat through a glow-worm cavern lit up with thousands of tiny glow worm lights.
- LIGHT LUNCH:
Served on-board as we make our way to Rotorua through magnificent rural farmland with its vast numbers of grazing animals.*
- ROTORUA:
New Zealand's highest city, 305 meters (1000 feet) above sea level, located inside the rim of a volcanic crater. An area of great geothermal activity. We visit the following attractions:
- AGRODOME FARM TOUR:
An introduction to New Zealand farming, with a 45-minute tour of an authentic working farm in all-weather, all-terrain vehicles. Watch a sheep being shorn, hand-feed the animals and finish with a sheep dog trial.
- ROTORUA LAKE FRONT:
Drive through the foreshore park past the hundreds of ducks and swans. Then through the beautiful and historic Government Gardens.
- TE PUIA CULTURAL PERFORMANCE
A 45 minute show of Maori song and dance inside Te Puia's sacred meeting house.
- TE PUIA INSTITUTE (MAORI ARTS & CRAFTS AND WHAKAREWAREWA THERMAL RESERVE):
One of Rotorua's most famous attractions. See woodcarving, weaving displays, Maori village and the thermal valley with the famous Pohutu Geyser, fumaroles, colourful silica deposits and boiling mud pools.
- BUFFET DINNER / HANGI AND CONCERT:
Tonight you have the choice of a buffet dinner at the Heritage Hotel or you may wish to relive today's Maori cultural performance by being entertained with a traditional Maori Concert while dining on a sumptuous selection of food perpared by local Maori and cooked in geothermal steam underground Hangi. Please specify which option you would prefer at the time of booking.
Day Two - Allow time to enjoy the wonders of Rotorua with free time.
- SUGGESTED OPTIONS:
Polynesian spa pools, gondola, trout fishing, lake cruises, mountain biking (all at own expense). Gray Line or the Heritage Hotel Concierge can arrange these and other activities for you.
- DEPART FOR AUCKLAND
Via our deluxe coach. Departing Heritage Hotel at 5:00 pm (approximately).