Thursday, January 24, 2008

Itinerary for New Zealand

Feb. 23 Depart GSP for LAX, Overnight Marriott Hotel at airport
Feb. 24 Depart LAX 9:30 p.m. for Auckland via NZ Air
Feb. 26 Arrive Auckland, 7:15 a.m. Depart for Queenstown, South Island 10:15 a.m. NZ Air
Overnight Queenstown, Blue Peaks Lodge (2 nights)
Cruise Lake Wakaitipu on TSS Earnislaw vintage steamer for sheep shearing show, and afternoon tea at Colonel's Homestead
Feb. 27 Queenstown Skyline Skyride aerial gondola up Bob's Peak and luge ride down
Feb. 28 Rental car - visit wineries in Queenstown area, Peregrine, Gibbstown, Chard Farm, Amisfield (lunch) Drive to Te Anau, overnight Radfords Motel (3 nights)
Feb. 29 Milford Sound Day Excursion
Mar. 1 Milford Track, one day hike
Mar. 2 Drive to Alexandra in Central Otago Visit The Big Picture wine experience, wineries
Overnight Rocky Range (2 nights)
Mar. 3 Wineries in Central Otago, Wooing Tree, Akarua, Felton Road, Mt. Difficulty (lunch),
Mar. 4 1:10 flight to Christchurch, Copthorne Durham Hotel (3 night)
Mar. 5 All day tour across Canterbury Plains, jet boat trip, 4WD vehicle travel through Torhesse Station, through Arthur's Pass National Park to join Tranz Alpine train for trip back to Christ Church
Mar 6 Day free to explore city of Christchurch
Mar. 7 Drive from Christchurch to Blenheim via Pegasus Winery and Kaikoura for whale watching. Overnight (3 nights) Vintners Hotel in Marlborough wine region
Mar. 8-9 Visit Marlborough wineries, Montana Brancott, Spy Valley, Staete Landt, Cloudy Bay, Villa Maria, etc.
Mar. 10 Drive from Blenheim to Nelson wine region Overnight Ruby Bay Lodge and Vineyard (4 nights, self-catering cottage in the vineyard)
Mar. 11 Abel Tasman day excursion, hiking, sea kayaking, swimming
Mar. 12 Day at leisure to explore wineries and Moutere Olive Farm
Mar. 13 Day at leisure to explore Nelson artists' studios and shops
Mar. 14 Fly from Nelson to Hawk's Bay, Napier, North Island, arriving 11:15, Lunch Sileni Estate, Overnight Fairhall Estate (3 nights)
Mar. 15 Art deco tour of Napier, visit wineries, Te Mata, Clearview Estate, Kim Crawford
Mar. 16 Hawkes Bay Farmers Market, Craggy Range, lunch
Mar. 17 8:10 a.m. flight from Napier to Kerikeri in Bay of Islands, Lunch Marsden Estates
Overnight Edgewater Palms apartment (4 nights)
Mar. 18 Maori waka (canoe) up Waitangi River to Haruru Falls
Cruise from Pahia Wharf into Bay for dolphin watch and through Hole in the Rock
Russell for dinner
Mar. 19 Salt Air flight up western coast line to Ninety Mile Beach
Mar. 20 Waitangi Treaty house and reserve tour, folkloric show in evening
Mar. 21 Drive from Bay of Islands to Auckland via Kauri Museum and lunch at Cooper's Creek, visit Matua Valley
Mar. 22 Auckland Mercure Hotel (3 nights) Day free in Auckland
Mar. 23 Ferry to Waiheki Island Visit wineries, Mudbrick, Te Whau, Lunch at Stonyridge
Mar. 24 Depart Auckland 11:25 a.m. for Cook Islands
Mar. 23 Arrive Cook Islands after gaining a day crossing the International Dateline

Cook Islands Itinerary in Future Posting

All hotels and special tours listed above have websites if you are interested in visiting them.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Itinerary for New Zealand

We have received our final itinerary and will be posting it soon. It looks good with lots of different activities and days of rest in between.

I will post it within the next two -three days. Comments and recommendations are welcome.