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18-Nights The Long White Cloud from $11,921
Luxury Gold
OFFER ID 1504321
The Long White Cloud
See the wonders of New Zealand on this 19-day guided tour. Explore the Southern Alps and see Franz Josef Glacier up close with a Local Expert. On your way to Queenstown, stop by idyllic Arrowtown, where you can choose to take a scenic bike ride along its river, or join a boutique wine tour. Journey through rainforests and meadows to Milford Sound; here, board a catamaran and sail past towering cliffs and gushing waterfalls. See spectacular volcanic craters at Waimangu Volcanic Valley, then travel to Rotorua for a Maori Hangi feast - a flavourful meal cooked underground with geothermal steam. Descend the caves of Waitomo during a exclusive guided experience: see the caverns illuminated by the bioluminescent species. Toast to your travels at a luxurious dinner with a former New Zealand All Black rugby player.The Activity Level of this tour is Leisurely, meaning there is 1 to 2 miles of walking per day on primarily flat surfaces with some stairs.
Dining Summary
- 17 Breakfast (B)
- 11 Dinner (D)
- 2 Lunch (L)
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Queenstown: Ride the scenic Lake trail, visit hidden gems of the area and learn local history.
- Queenstown: Embark on a boutique wine tasting tour in the heart of the Central Otago wine region.
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Wellington: Discover the stunning waterfront and the hidden laneways in the bohemian area of the heritage Cuba Street precinct. Once dimly lit back alleys, these newly rejuvenated laneways are now home to some of the country’s funkiest bars, boutiques, and breweries. Admire panoramic views of the city from the Wellington cable car.
- Wellington: Zealandia is the world’s first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary, with an extraordinary vision to restore a Wellington valley’s forest and freshwater ecosystems as closely as possible to their pre-human state. The 500+ acre ecosanctuary is a groundbreaking conservation project that has reintroduced 18 species of native wildlife back into the area. Take a 2-hour walking tour with a passionate expert guide.
- Enjoy seamless personal assistance throughout your journey. From securing exclusive reservations, to organising transportation, your Travel Concierge ensures every aspect of your travel is tailored to your tastes and preferences.
- In select destinations, our network of Local Expert Guides will illuminate your journey on a deeper level.
- Included at all hotels.
- Hotel taxes, porterage and tips, as well as tips for included dining experiences, are included.
- Enjoy breakfast every morning, and an array of incredible dining options throughout your journey, infused with discovery and adventure.
- On days where a Relaxed Start (RS) is indicated, you can select to indulge in breakfast in bed.
- Enjoy complimentary hotel Wi-Fi. And, on select coaches, onboard Wi-Fi may also be available.
- Transfers are included on your journey start and end dates, and where additional accommodation has been booked in advance through Luxury Gold. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city as the itinerary, may be requested.
- Dunedin: Step into Parcels Restaurant at the Distinction Dunedin and taste their exquisite modern twist on traditional local dishes. Sip delicious wines as you look across to the First Church of Otago from the old post office building which houses the hotel.
- Christchurch: Say farewell to Christchurch with a final dinner. Let your tastebuds be delighted with a delicious meal and raise a glass to the health of your companions and your unforgettable journey.
- Hawke's Bay: Indulge in wine tasting and an intimate dinner at the award-winning restaurant of Craggy Range Winery. Feast on local produce as you sit in the shade of Te Mata Peak and drink wines from one of the region’s world-famous vineyards.
- Rotorua: Tonight, visit Te Pa Tu Maori Experience. Tu Te Ra is a celebration of the abundant harvest of this season, and explores concepts, rituals, and stories of ancient Maori warfare and peace in a feast of culture and cuisine. Enjoy a forest kai horotai (seasonal canapés), complimentary chef choice aperitif, and a seasonal three-course dinner.
- Auckland: Raise a glass to your unforgettable journey as you enjoy your Celebration Dinner with a former member of the All Blacks rugby team. Hear stories of the world’s leading rugby team, his personal victories and how passionate Kiwis are about their national sport.
- Franz Josef: Surrounded by pristine wilderness, Te Waonui Forest Retreat is a five-star haven of relaxation and impeccable luxury. With a natural, earthy ambience and attentive service, there’s no better place to take a deep breath and simply unwind.
- Hawke's Bay: Porters Boutique Hotel is a privately owned, boutique hotel that delivers a luxurious experience. Elegantly appointed guest rooms are fitted with plush, classic furnishings and local artwork, all moments away from the charming village of Havelock North.
- Dunedin: On this a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, sample exquisite botanical spirits made from surplus bread and bakery products in an effort to reduce landfill waste. Witness how owners, Jenny McDonald and Sue Stockwell, do it as they take you through the process of turning bread into spirits.
- Napier: Brace yourself for a journey that takes you from coast to cape, to the world’s largest and most accessible Gannet colony in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay. Discover the mesmerising birds in an almost face to face experience and take in the stunning vista of the area.Your participation on Gannet Overland Safaris
18 nights from $11,921 per person
Luxury Gold: The Long White Cloud
Day 1 - Welcome to Christchurch
Your New Zealand luxury tour begins by private car to your boutique hotel located in the heart of Christchurch and just minutes from North Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens. Pay a visit to the blooms at the Botanic Gardens or ride the Christchurch Tram before meeting your Travel Concierge where you’ll raise a glass to a grand journey.
Accommodations: Hotel Montreal, Christchurch.
Day 2 - Christchurch to Franz Josef
Embark on one of the world's greatest scenic railway journeys aboard the TranzAlpine train to the small village of Arthur's Pass. In Franz Josef, your eco-friendly retreat nestled in the wilderness welcomes.
Accommodations: Te Waonui Forest Retreat, Franz Josef.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - The Mighty Franz Josef Glacier
Explore Franz Josef, where a Local Expert reveals the glacier's impressive history.
Accommodations: Te Waonui Forest Retreat, Franz Josef.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 - Travel from Franz Josef to Queenstown
Cruise down the Haast River in a jet boat basking in the beauty of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area. Visit the historic gold-mining village of Arrowtown before arriving at your hotel in Queenstown, offering expansive views across Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables.
Accommodations: Edgewater Wanaka Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Explore Queenstown
Take a scenic bike ride on the Arrow River Trail or sample the Central Otago region's best Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc on a boutique wine tour.
Accommodations: The Rees Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Queenstown at Leisure
Queenstown’s adventure culture is yours to experience. Take a Locally Available Experience jet boat ride down the mighty Shotover River, or whitewater raft down the Kawarau River. In the evening, dine at one of Queenstown’s exclusive restaurants.
Accommodations: The Rees Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Queenstown to Milford Sound
Journey to Milford Sound through Fiordland National Park. View Mirror Lakes, the hand-hewn Homer Tunnel and Cleddau Valley en route to the dramatic Chasm.
Accommodations: Milford Sound Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Milford Track Walk and Milford Sound Cruise
Take a guided walk on Milford Track through pristine lakes, sky-scraping mountain peaks, glaciers and deep valleys. Bask in the spectacular scenery of Milford Sound aboard a catamaran before dining at Pio Pio Restaurant.
Accommodations: Milford Sound Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 - Milford Sound to Dunedin
Take a scenic journey from Fiordland National Park through rolling green pastures before arriving in Dunedin. Your heritage hotel welcomes you with a cosy atmosphere in the city center. Dine on favourites such as surf and turf, braised lamb, catch of the day, or other modern twists on traditional local dishes at Parcels Restaurant.
Accommodations: Distinction Dunedin Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Distillery Tour and Dunedin at Leisure
Enjoy a relaxed start this morning before taking a guided tour at Dunedin Craft Distillers, the first distillery in Aotearoa New Zealand and one of only a handful worldwide, to produce botanical spirits from surplus bread and bakery products that would otherwise go to landfill. Discover on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, how owners, Jenny McDonald and Sue Stockwell do it in a ‘Bread to Bottle Tour’ which takes you through the process used to turn bread into spirits. Venture just next door for a special Chocolate tasting journey at OCHO Chocolate covering the history of chocolate in Dunedin, OCHO's genesis, how 'real' chocolate is made and a 10-sample bean to bar tasting. Relax or continue exploring Dunedin as you wish. Perhaps take a wildlife cruise of the Otago Peninsula or visit the iconic Larnach Castle.
Accommodations: Distinction Dunedin Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11 - Dunedin to Christchurch
Travel up the coast though the towns of Oamaru and Timaru to Christchurch to uncover the city’s highlights on a fascinating sightseeing tour. Sample the best of the city over dinner at Polo Bar and Restaurant.
Accommodations: Hotel Montreal, Christchurch.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12 - Christchurch to Wellington
Travel the dramatic rugged coastline to the whale-watching hub of Kaikoura and onto the seaside town of Picton. Cruise on Queen Charlotte Sound and across Cook Strait to Wellington where you’ll get acquainted with the city on an illuminating tour. Unwind this evening with a drink in your hotel’s Lobby Lounge, admiring its famous art collection.
Accommodations: QT Wellington.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13 - Wellington Sightseeing
Today personalise your day. Choose from the the urban eco-sanctuary of Zealandia/Te Mara a Tane or discover the stunning waterfront and hidden lanes of Wellington with a local expert.
Accommodations: QT Wellington.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14 - Wellington to Hawke's Bay
Wind your way through the pastoral dairy farming land of Manawatu to Napier in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand’s Art Deco capital and world-renowned wine country. This evening, savour a tasting and dinner at family-owned Craggy Range Winery in the shadow of Te Mata Peak.
Accommodations: Porters Boutique Hotel, Hawke's Bay.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 15 - Exploring Napier
Partake in a Gannet safari. Your participation on Gannet Overland Safaris contributes to our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® initiative: TTC makes a donation on behalf of each guest to the Cape Sanctuary. Their amazing team is made up of over 300 volunteers that are giving their time to restore our beautiful land and replant grasses and natives to support the return of our wildlife. Take in Napier’s art deco architecture with a Local Expert in a vintage car.
Accommodations: Porters Boutique Hotel, Hawke's Bay.
Day 16 - Geothermal Rotorua
Continue your journey to Rotorua, where this afternoon, armed with a packed lunch, you'll join a local guide for a cultural walking eco-tour to discover the Jurassic Whirinaki Forest, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
Accommodations: Pullman Rotorua.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 17 - The Sights of Rotorua
Unveil the Californian Coastal Redwoods of Whakarewarewa Forest and go behind the scenes on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at a kiwi bird nursery and hatchery. Tonight, an evening of culture, history and scrumptious food awaits you at Te Pa Tu.
Accommodations: Pullman Rotorua.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 18 - Waitomo and Auckland
Enjoy a private walk through Footwhistle Cave lit up by glow worms. Dine with one of New Zealand’s famous former All Black rugby players.
Accommodations: QT Auckland.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 19 - Farewell Auckland
After one final breakfast, say farewell to your Christchurch to Auckland luxury tour as you are chauffeured to Auckland Airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
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Kathleen Stahl Travel Services
529 36th Street
Des Moine, IA 50312
USA
(515) 271-8091