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Auckland – Stamford Plaza (1 night) In the heart of Auckland, voted the world’s friendliest city, The
Stamford Plaza Auckland is New Zealand’s leading hotel, just a block
from famous Waitemata Harbor. Elegant warm guest rooms and suites are
enhanced with native timbers, sumptuous fabrics, and beautiful objets d’art.
Rotorua – Millennium Rotorua (2)
The warm style of this impressive hotel invites
guests to linger and enjoy timeless surroundings in a world-class
environment. This Deluxe property is perfectly situated in the heart of
the city, by the lake front, and adjacent to the famous Polynesian Spa.
Mt. Cook – Hermitage (1)
Nestled beneath the towering peaks of the mighty Southern Alps, The
Hermitage Hotel is a gateway to an extraordinary alpine wonderland, the
Mount Cook (Aoraki) National Park, a world Heritage Park.
Te Anau – Takaro Resort (2)
Set in a remote river valley, surrounded by thousands of acres of
untouched national forest and bordered by Fiordland National Park,
Takaro is a uniquely private and peaceful location. You stay in luxury
chalet suits, designed with Feng Shui to relax and to unwind.
Queenstown – Outrigger at the Beacon (2)
Stunning resort and stunning location. Located on Lake Esplande this new
luxury resort offers a contemporary alpine design and sets new standards
in style, comfort and facilities.
Christchurch – The George Hotel, (1),
Enjoy luxury boutique hospitality in this elegant English style garden
city. All rooms enjoying picturesque views over expansive Hagley
Park and the Avon River. |
Day
1 and Day 2 (Tuesday and Wednesday)
USA – Auckland
Depart the States on the beginning of your
journey to New Zealand. You lose one day traveling westward across the
International Date Line.
Day 3 (Thursday) Auckland,
North Island
Upon your arrival at the Auckland airport,
you are brought by private car to your hotel – the Stamford Plaza.
In the center of town, close to shopping, it is one of the city’s
pre-eminent hotels. This sleek, elegant property features a glass and
granite three-story lobby adorned with oxidized copper sculpture and
glorious floral arrangements. Private accommodations are decorated with
native tawa wood furniture.
 Called the "City of Sails" or the
"Queen City" by natives, you begin your city sightseeing with a
visit to Mount Eden, Auckland’s highest point, from which you have a
360-degree panorama of the region. To the west is the Tasman Sea; to the
east is the Pacific Ocean. Auckland is an isthmus bounded by the Waitemata
Harbor and the Manukau Harbor. Just beyond Waitemata is Hauraki Gulf with
23 offshore islands; it is the locals’ most favorite place to sail.
Auckland has the greatest number of pleasure boats per capita of any
coastal city in the world.
This evening, join your tour manager and
travel companions for cocktails and à la carte dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 4 (Friday) Auckland
– Rotorua
Your journey continues today as you drive
past green pastures, forests, and crystal clear lakes. You come to a
fascinating landscape, where reminders of Rotorua’s volcanic history are
everywhere. Clouds of steam around the city give the atmosphere a
fascinating "otherworldly" feel.
 Rotorua is also renowned for its thermal
waters, considered by many to have miraculous healing properties; and the
first sanatorium here was built in 1880. The sulphurous waters are
regarded by some to be beneficial in the treatment of arthritis and
rheumatism; others enjoy the water as a pleasant form of relaxation.
Your hotel is the Millennium Rotorua,
at the edge of the lake, a few blocks from the center of town and Bath
House Museum. The expansive lobby has gray and white marble, natural wood,
lovely stone flooring, and Maori art; and there is a lovely terrace fresh
with banana trees, philodendron, and trays of flowers, overlooking the
pool.
Dine this evening in the Nikau
restaurant at the hotel, decorated with its namesake palms, Paunga ferns,
and tapestries. You make your à la carte selections from a delicious
offering of fine food in the elegant, yet relaxed, setting. (B,L,D)
Day 5 (Saturday) Rotorua
After your breakfast buffet this morning,
you visit Whakarewarewa, one of Rotorua’s most active thermal areas. You
see the lively Pohutu Geyser, which erupts about 20 times a day and gushes
to a height of more than 100 feet. Here at "Whaka", there are
also hot mud pools, hot springs, and a Maori pa (fortified
settlement to which the Maori would retreat when under attack).
Nearby is the Maori Arts and Crafts
Institute, where skilled Maori carvers and flax weavers can be seen at
work. At a Maori settlement, you pass thermal waters that tribal people
have used for generations for cooking, washing, and heating. (B,L,D)
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