New Zealand: Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Queenstown
Includes airfare
During your trip, you will have the opportunity to join optional tours to further your discoveries—all of which are noted below. Most of these tours can only be reserved onsite with your Trip Experience Leader, however due to limited space and other special requirements, some optional tours must be reserved before your departure from the U.S. If this trip has optional tours that need to be purchased in advance, they will be noted with a disclaimer below.
Day 15 | $205 per person
Day 15 | $205 per person
On this half-day optional excursion, we’ll explore the Dart River on an unforgettable jet-boat adventure in Mount Aspiring National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We travel overland along Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy, a frontier town at the base of the Southern Alps where we board a jet-boat for a journey across the lake, featuring huge snowcapped mountain backdrops made famous by movies such as The Lord of the Rings. On the return trip to Glenorchy, our driver will demonstrate how the jet-ski can make high-speed precision turns and 360-degree spins. Jet-boats were invented in New Zealand for shallow rivers like the Dart, and this is a thrilling way to view spectacular alpine scenery. From Glenorchy, we ride back to Queenstown.
Day 8 | $110 per person
Day 8 | $110 per person
Today, we explore Waimangu Volcanic Valley. This relatively young geothermal site was created by nearby Mount Tarawera's last eruption in 1886. We take a light 1-hour hike alongside a local guide who will provide us with their insider knowledge of the landscape as we descend into the lush valley of green vegetation, pink silica terraces, and blue waters. We'll discover the Inferno Crater, filled with brilliant turquoise water, and Frying Pan Lake, the world's largest hot spring. Our small group will also embark on a 45-minute cruise of Lake Rotomahana, where our captain explains more about the history of Rotorua and shows us more geothermal sites that aren't accessible by land. Lunch is included.