Pure New Zealand (2012)

Auckland • Rotorua • Arrowtown • Franz Josef Glacier • Greymouth • Wellington
  • 14 days
  • from only:
  • $3795
  • $272 per day
    Land Tour Only
  • 16 days
  • from only:
  • $4945
  • $310 per dayIncludes international airfare and government taxes
IN THIS SECTION:
Detailed Itinerary
Video: Travelers' experiences of Pure New Zealand
NEW-Private Departures
Is this Adventure Right for You?
It's Included
Unique Accommodations
Extend Your Adventure
New Zealand's Bay of Islands
Australia's Great Barrier Reef & Sydney
Optional Tours
Trip Leaders
Grand Circle Foundation
Photos From Our Travelers
Your Travel Handbook
Air information
LearnMore
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Customize your trip

Learn how to customize your adventure, or view standard air routing and travel times. The choice is yours with our True Choice program.

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Customize your trip

With our True Choice Program, you can choose to stay longer before or after your trip on your own, or combine two adventures to maximize your value. Here are more ways to create the OAT adventure that’s right for you:

  • Choose our standard air routing, or work with us to select the airline and routing you prefer
  • Make your own international flight arrangements directly with the airline, applying frequent flyer miles if available
  • Stay overnight in a connecting city before or after your trip
  • Request to arrive a few days early to get a fresh start on your adventure
  • Choose to “break away” before or after your trip, spending additional days or weeks on your own
  • Extend your adventure with our optional pre- and post-trip extensions
  • Combine your choice of OAT adventures to maximize your value
  • Upgrade to business or premium economy class

The air options listed above will involve an additional fee of $100 per person for confirmed requests (as well as incremental airfare costs based on your specific choice). This service fee will be waived for Inner Circle/Sir Edmund Hillary Club members.

Or, when you make your reservation, you can choose our standard air routing, for which approximate travel times are shown below.

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta, Seattle

22hrs

Boston

25hrs

Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix

21hrs

Detroit, Philadelphia

26hrs

Chicago, Newark, New York (JFK), Orlando, Portland, OR

23hrs

Washington, DC (Dulles)

24hrs

Los Angeles

14hrs

San Francisco

20hrs

* Estimated total time, including connection and layover. Actual travel time may vary.

The information above reflects approximate flight times from the gateway cities listed to Auckland, New Zealand. Routing is based on availability and subject to change. You will receive your final air itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure.

REFER and EARN

Earn increasing rewards as a Vacation Ambassador

REFER and EARN as a Vacation Ambassador with
the BEST referral program in the industry

Inspiring new travelers to join the OAT family is a rewarding experience—both for you and your new travelers.

Share your love of travel with others and, for each referral who embarks on an OAT trip, you will earn $100 in CASH or credit. With your 4th referral departing on a 2012 departure, your reward increases to $200 in CASH or credit per person. And once you refer 8 travelers departing in either 2012 or 2013, you'll earn a FREE trip valued up to $4,500 per household—which will bring the total value of your earned rewards up to $5,600.

And you are also passing along savings to your new traveler: We'll instantly deduct $100 off the cost of their reservation when they mention your name and Customer Number while reserving.

To learn more about the benefits of our Vacation Ambassador Referral Program, please call us toll-free at 1-800-955-1925 or click here.

ALSO SEE:
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Solo Friendly Travel
Frequently Asked Questions
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Pre-Trip: New Zealand's Bay of Islands

3 nights from only $1095
T8821

Whet your appetite for Pure New Zealand in the exotic Bay of Islands: the historical crossroads of European and Maori cultures. Explore one of New Zealand’s most unique ecosystems in this subtropical archipelago of nearly 150 islands. Revel in the pristine natural environment and stunning coastal scenery as we cruise along crystal-clear turquoise waters, keeping watch for whales, dolphins, marlins, and penguins.

Single Supplement: FREE.

Please note: Availability and price may vary by departure date. Please call for details.

It's Included

  • Accommodations for 3 nights in the Bay of Islands
  • 5 meals—3 breakfasts and 2 dinners
  • 3 small group activities
  • Services of our own resident OAT Trip Leader
  • All transfers
Day 1
Depart U.S.

You depart today on your flight to New Zealand.
Day 2
Cross International Date Line

You continue your flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, losing one day en route as you cross the International Date Line. You regain this day when you fly back to the U.S. at the end of the trip.
Day 3
Arrive in Paihia

An OAT representative meets you at Auckland airport on New Zealand’s North Island and transfers with you to our hotel, where we'll meet our OAT Trip Leader later. Tonight, we walk to a local restaurant for a Welcome Dinner.
Day 4
Catamaran Cruise to Bay of Islands

After a leisurely breakfast, we walk from our hotel to the wharf. Today we explore the beauty of the Bay of Islands aboard a catamaran. Weather permitting, we make a passage through the naturally sculpted Hole in the Rock. We may spot local marine wildlife including dolphins, which inhabit these waters year-round, as well as seals, penguins, and even whales.

Our cruise will end at the peninsula town of Russell, New Zealand's first capital. Russell, a community with early ties to Europe, boasts many historic buildings such as Christ Church, which is the oldest church in New Zealand. We enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before our return trip on the ferry.
Day 5
Tour Waitangi Treaty House

After breakfast, we take a short ride to the Waitangi Treaty House and tour this historic site. The house was originally built as a simple four-room cottage in 1834 but has been restored and altered several times since then. It was here that representatives of the British Crown and many leading Maori chiefs of the North and South islands signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. The Treaty is seen as the founding document that transformed the homeland the Maori called Aotearoa into the nation of New Zealand. The Treaty Grounds include period homes and a war canoe so large it is capable of carrying more than 80 warriors.

We return to the hotel in time for you to have lunch on your own. You have the afternoon free to continue exploring this delightful seaside area. You can choose to visit a museum, browse a bookstore, or just savor the quiet nature of a local walk. Outdoor activities include kayaking, snorkeling, golf, and swimming in the surf on one of the spectacular beaches. You can also follow one of the many enticing walking trails that lead you to views that will encourage you to linger.

Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 6
Transfer to Auckland

This morning after breakfast we transfer to Auckland and meet our group of travelers on Day 3 of our Pure New Zealand adventure.