The Classic Canterbury Drive

Your private transfer will be waiting upon arrival at Auckland International Airport, where a concierge will assist with your luggage and see you safely to your hotel in the heart of the city. We recommend taking the rest of the afternoon to settle in - the journey ahead will keep.

Once you've had a chance to rest, cross into Viaduct Harbour, the maritime heart of the City of Sails. An easy, unhurried walk along the water is the gentlest possible introduction to Auckland, and to the pace of the days ahead.

This evening we invite you to join your trip host for a welcome cocktail reception, with New Zealand canapés and a chance to meet your fellow travellers before the group sets off together tomorrow.

Dinner this evening is reserved at Viaduct Harbour, a fitting toast to the beginning of your journey along the Classic Canterbury Drive.

We begin the day at the beautiful Mission Bay esplanade, the volcanic cone of Rangitoto rising across the water - a wonderful setting for a morning walk before the day's exploration begins.

Our morning is spent at the Auckland Museum, home to one of the world's finest collections of Māori and Pacific taonga. Your guide will lead you through the outstanding galleries, bringing the heritage and traditions of Aotearoa vividly to life.

As golden hour approaches, we ascend to the observation deck of the iconic Sky Tower - 328 metres above the city - for sweeping views over the Waitematā and Manukau harbours as the sun begins to set.

Dinner this evening has been reserved at one of Auckland's finest restaurants, a memorable close to your time in the City of Sails.

After an early breakfast we head south into the Waikato, arriving at the celebrated Hamilton Gardens - a world-class collection of themed garden rooms set along the banks of the Waikato River. Your guide will walk you through the highlights before we continue south.

We continue to one of New Zealand's most extraordinary natural wonders - the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Deep beneath the limestone hills, thousands of tiny glowworms illuminate the cave ceiling like a constellation of stars, and you'll glide beneath them by boat in near silence.

For those seeking a touch of adventure on arrival into the Taupō region, we have arranged the option of a scenic helicopter flight over Huka Falls, where the Waikato River thunders through a narrow gorge at extraordinary force.

Dinner this evening is at a lakeside restaurant in Taupō, with views across the water to the volcanic peaks beyond - a peaceful end to a day spent underground and on the road.

We begin the morning at an easy pace along the shores of Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake, before continuing on to Rotorua.

In Rotorua we walk through Whakarewarewa, where geysers erupt on their own schedule and mineral terraces steam in the open air, before an afternoon at one of the oldest continuously inhabited Māori villages in the country, complete with a guided cultural performance.

As the afternoon eases into evening, we take a gentle walk along the shores of Lake Rotorua - a quiet contrast to the geothermal energy of the day.

Dinner is at Rotorua's Eat Street, a lively strip of restaurants and bars - your tour host can help you choose a table to suit the evening.

This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight south to Christchurch, the gateway to New Zealand's South Island. All flights have been arranged and ticketed as part of your journey.

On arrival, we ride the heritage tram as it loops past Cathedral Square, the Botanic Gardens, and the arts precinct - a relaxed introduction to a city with an entirely different rhythm from the geothermal north.

We continue on foot through the city's story of earthquake, rebuild, and renewal, taking in the striking Cardboard Cathedral and the Re:START Mall, before settling into a classic English pub for dinner - a fitting toast to a city that still carries its colonial roots with pride.

We cross the Canterbury Plains as the Southern Alps rise ahead, stopping in Geraldine, a small heritage town of artisan boutiques, for a tasting of local preserves worth slowing down for.

We climb into the alpine basin around Lake Tekapo, glacier-fed and turquoise, framed by the Church of the Good Shepherd. The afternoon is yours at leisure to take in the lakefront at your own pace.

Dinner this evening is at a restaurant overlooking the lake, the alpine light fading slowly behind the peaks.

After dark, we head up to the Mount John University Observatory, inside the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve, for a guided look at the southern sky with resident astronomers - one of the clearest, darkest skies on earth.

We climb through the Lindis Pass, the road cutting through golden tussock beneath open sky, pausing at Lake Pukaki for the still, ice-blue reflection of Aoraki / Mount Cook. From there we wander the gold-rush-era streets of Arrowtown, its stone cottages and heritage shopfronts beautifully preserved.

We arrive into Queenstown as the sun catches The Remarkables, with check-in at your hotel and the afternoon free to take in your first views of Lake Wakatipu.

We take the gondola up for wide views over the lake and surrounding peaks, ahead of a buffet dinner at the top with the whole of Queenstown spread out below.

Dinner this evening is included as part of the Skyline experience, taken with sweeping views over Queenstown and the lake below as darkness falls.

We begin the day along one of New Zealand's most scenic roads - the route to Glenorchy, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Richardson and Humboldt mountain ranges, and immortalised as a filming location for The Lord of the Rings.

For the adventurous in your group, we have arranged access to the Shotover Jet - racing through the narrow rock walls of the Shotover River canyon at high speed, with breathtaking 360-degree spins.

We ease into the afternoon with a long lunch at a Central Otago winery, a relaxed and indulgent pause between the morning's adventure and the evening ahead.

As the light softens, we take a leisurely stroll along the Queenstown waterfront, the peaks of The Remarkables catching the last of the sun across the lake.

The evening closes with dessert at one of Queenstown's favourite chocolate and ice cream spots - a sweet, unhurried finish to a day full of thrills.

We depart early to make the most of the extraordinary journey along the Milford Road, passing through beech forest and beneath waterfalls cascading from sheer cliff faces - regarded as one of the most scenic drives in the world.

We board our vessel for a cruise through the heart of Milford Sound - Piopiotahi. Cliffs rise up to 1,200 metres straight out of the fiord as we glide past Mitre Peak toward the Tasman Sea, the scale and silence overwhelming in the most magnificent way.

This evening's dinner has been reserved in Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland, a well-earned toast after a day spent in the great silence of Milford Sound.

Your private vehicle will be waiting for the transfer to Queenstown Airport. We thank you for ensuring an early night ahead of this departure.

Your domestic flight to Auckland has been ticketed and confirmed, with an international connection onward. As you depart New Zealand's shores, we trust this drive through the Classic Canterbury has left you with memories to last a lifetime - the glowworm-lit dark of Waitomo, the stargazing skies above Tekapo, the drama of Milford Sound and the warmth of the Māori welcome. Safe travels and a wonderful journey home.