Tour Type: Budget Self Drive Tour
Duration: 23 Days
Tour Starts In: Christchurch
Tour Finishes In: Auckland
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from NZ $3332 pp
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23 Day Once Around New Zealand Touring Route:
Tour Inclusions:
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Day
1 |
Arrive Christchurch
"Haere Mai" Welcome to Christchurch - the Garden City. On completion of formalities, pick up your rental car and travel onto your centrally located accommodation. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore what Christchurch has to offer. The city has had 2 earthquakes in the last year, and as a result the central CBD district has been damaged. However many of the activites in and around Christchurch are still operating as normal, and there is still plenty to experience and see. Stay: Antonio's Motor Lodge |
Day
2 |
Christchurch – Mount Cook - Twizel
Cross the broad Canterbury Plains with the Southern Alps to the west. Enter the foothills near Geraldine to the barren MacKenzie Country. View the Church of the Good Shepherd dedicated to the early pioneers of the region. Visit Mt Cook National Park, with time to enjoy the scenic majesty of New Zealand’s highest snow capped peaks before travelling around Lake Pukaki to Twizel and Omarama. Stay: Mountain Chalets, Twizel |
Day
3 |
Mount Cook - Dunedin
Drive south to historic Oamaru and on to Dunedin – "the Edinburgh of the South". An early arrival allows the choice of excellent optional activities. Perhaps a Monarch Harbour Cruise to see the albatross, penguins and seals. Enjoy the historic and scenic Taieri Gorge Train excursion or explore the city only a few minutes walk away. Stay 2 nights in Dunedin. Stay: Adrian Motel (2 nights) |
Day
4 |
At Dunedin
Dunedin is widely regarded as the best preserved Victorian and Edwardian heritage city in the southern hemisphere. It is also home to some of New Zealand's top fashion designers and vibrant cafes and bars. Take time to enjoy the rich historical architecture and abundance of wildlife to be found in this fascinating area. |
Day
5 |
Dunedin - Te Anau
Drive through the rolling hill country of South Otago and Southland. After the farming centre of Gore, cross the Waimea plains towards Fiordland. Visit Lake Manapouri with its rugged bushclad mountains before arriving at the shores of Lake Te Anau. Stay: Aden Motel (2 nights) |
Day
6 |
At Te Anau
A free day to explore the region surrounding Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri. Perhaps take in a cruise across Lake Te Anau to explore the Te Anau Glowworm Caves. Explore a mysterious underground world of rushing water before drifting in silent darkness beneath the luminous shimmer of thousands of glowworms. |
Day
7 |
Te Anau - Milford Sound - Queenstown
Drive through pristine beech forests and the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound. We have included a cruise to enable you to appreciate the majesty of Mitre Peak and Bowen Falls. Return to Te Anau, then turn north, following the dramatic southern shores of Lake Wakatipu to reach Queenstown. Stay: Sherwood Manor Hotel, Queenstown (2 nights)
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Day
8 |
At Queenstown
A day free for you to enjoy this fabulous Alpine resort. There are dozens of optional activities as well, from thrilling jet boat rides to leisurely lake cruises, 4WD safaris, bungy jumping. We recommend the world famous Shotover Jet boat ride, take a Gondola to the Skyline high above, a tour to the gold mining area of Skippers Canyon or for the adventurous – white water rafting. Alternatively browse in the many shops and galleries. |
Day
9 |
Queenstown – Wanaka
Pass picturesque Lake Hayes on to an area steeped in fascinating history relating to early settlement and the goldmining era, to Lake Wanaka, a picture postcard resort on the lakes edge with a spectacular mountain backdrop. Overnight in Wanaka. Stay: Archway Motel |
Day
10 |
Wanaka – Glaciers
Continue north, through dense rain forest broken by rugged coastal vistas, towards the glaciers. A short side trip will take you to view one of these massive rivers of ice. Stay: Glacier View Motel, Franz Josef (2 nights) |
Day
11 |
At the Glaciers
A full day to explore this remote and beautiful area. You can take your own time walking up to the glacier, going to the Okarito Lagoon; or join a guided walk on the glacier, take a heli-hike adventure, or a scenic flight over both glaciers. We also recommend a visit to the colony of the beautiful white heron (Kotuku). |
Day
12 |
Glaciers - Greymouth- Nelson
Continue past Greymouth and the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks. Travel through the Buller Gorge to Nelson, known for it’s gourmet wine and seafood, and the abundance of local artisans and craft people. Stay: Parkside Motel (2 nights) |
Day
13 |
At Nelson
A full day to explore the Nelson area. The nearby Abel Tasman National Park offers opportunities to walk or cruise it’s beautiful coastline. Walking and hiking are the primary reasons to visit Nelson Lakes National Park. Day walkers can follow a network of short tracks, to enjoy lake views, birdsong and native beech forest. A number of kayaking companies run guided tours from Marahau and Kaiteriteri. |
Day
14 |
Nelson – Blenheim
Continue through the Rai Valley to Blenheim, surrounded by vineyards built on rich alluvial plains. Stay: Commodore Court Motel
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Day
15 |
Blenheim – Picton – Wellington
Cross the Cook Strait between the South & North Islands of New Zealand on the Interislander
Ferry, to our capital city, sprawled over the hills surrounding Wellington Harbour. The 92 km journey takes 3 hours & is one of New Zealand's most iconic tourist experiences. Overnight in Wellington. Stay: Capital Gateway Motor Lodge
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Day
16 |
Wellington – Rotorua
Drive north through along the rugged Kapiti coastline then over the Manawatu plains. Cross the volcanic plateau past the cones of Tongariro, Ngaruahoe and Ruapehu to skirt Lake Taupo, then continue through steam clad Wairakei to Rotorua, steeped in Maori culture and history. Stay: Six on Union (2 nights) |
Day
17 |
At Rotorua
Free time to explore Rotorua this today. You may like to visit the Agrodome or take a gondola ride to the top of Mt Ngongotaha for spectacular views of Rotorua. This evening experience Te Po, Te Puia’s cultural experience. It is a feast of cultural storytelling, entertainment and Maori kai (indigenous food). After a formal Maori welcome, relax and enjoy a performance including the beautiful songs, haka and poi dance. After dinner you will be transported by people movers to enjoy the spectacular lighting of the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and hot chocolate. (D) |
Day
18 |
Rotorua - Coromandel
Drive north through the Bay of Plenty to Tauranga and the Coromandel Peninsula. Stay 2 nights in Coromandel Peninsula. Stay: Aotearoa Lodge, Whitianga. (2 nights) |
Day
19 |
At Coromandel
Explore this region, known for its beautiful beachs & coastline, or relax and enjoy the local cafes and shops displaying the wares of local crafts people. This is where New Zealander's hang out during their holidays! |
Day
20 |
Coromandel – Bay of Islands
Drive across the Hauraki Plains towards Auckland and then to the Bay of Islands. We recommend you take a route through Waipoua Forest. In the Bay of Islands you can find thrilling adventure or perfect peace. The unbelievable natural beauty, amazing beaches and a host of islands make for an idyllic aquatic playground and ultimate retreat. The townships of this historic bay are infused with both Maori and European history. Stay: Averill Court Motel (2 nights) |
Day
21 |
In Bay of Islands
Today is at your leisure for optional activities, such as a visit to quaint Russell or the Waitangi National Reserve. Or you may prefer to join a full day coach tour to Cape Reinga or board a cruise to the intriguing Hole in the Rock. |
Day
22 |
Bay of Islands – Auckland
Take the alternative route south to reach the sprawling suburbs of Auckland, then cross the Waitemata Harbour. Overnight in auckland. Stay: Oaktree Motel |
Day
23 |
Depart Auckland
Return your car at the airport in time to catch your onward flight. |
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Note: This self drive tour can be completed in reverse order, the tour cost remains the same. To view tour prices or to make an enquiry, please click on the Tabs at the top of this itinerary. Top |
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from NZ $3,332
23 Day Once Around New Zealand
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23 Day Once Around New Zealand Reviews
Tour reviews from past clients of Relaxing Journeys for the 23 Day Once Around New Zealand. |
The journey around New Zealand was wonderful! One of the best things was having an itinerary with lots of ideas and all the lodging reserved, but yet we could be independent and choose which things we wanted to do. The mountains and beaches are so awesome. Since we love to hike, we added an extra day at Mt. Cook which allowed us to stay right in the park. That was a really good decision and allowed us the time we wanted near the mountain. The hiking there was beautiful. Our favorite motels were: Aden Motel in Te Anau, Archway Motel in Wanaka, Parkside Motel in Nelson, and Aotearoa Lodge in Whitianga (beautiful deck and garden.) All of these places had really nice rooms, very friendly staffs and a quiet environment. Our least favorite were: Sherwood Manor in Queenstown (everything in room was cheaply made - drapes hung down onto floor, big tour groups), and Capital Gateway Motel in Wellington (no cooking facilities except microwave and could only access motel from one direction.) Jarrod did an amazing job working things into our itinerary that were perfect for us. Thanks so much.
William Creel & Kathleen Anderson (United States)
Tour Date 03/02/2011 |
Our holiday in your country was everything we had hoped and planned for - stunning places, scenic drives and very friendly, welcoming people. Your itinerary details were excellent and very useful on our journeys and everything worked well - no hickups anywhere. The trips you arranged (Milford Sound cruise, Hangi evening and Napier Wine tour) could not have gone any better. It was the same for hire car pick-up and Interislander check-in. Accomodation was as we required - generally in good location except perhaps the Sherwood Manor in Queenstown, the Aotearoa Whitianga and Glacier View at Franz Josef which were some way from the town centres. This is purely an observation - not a critism - and didn't affect our enjoyment (we had checked on their websites so knew in advance!). We particularly liked Parkside at Richmond which was extremely well fitted out and the owner was very helpful. At most of the motels the owners/staff were also very helpful and provided local info enabling us to familiarise ourselves with the area very easily. Thanks Jarrod for your help in organising our memorable visit to your country.
David & Anthea Fittall (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 20/01/2011 |
We had a fabulous time in New Zealand. New Zealand is a lovely country full of friendly and helpful people. Everything went according to plan and the voucher system worked fine. We were one voucher short for accommodation but one phone call to your office soon rectified that. The transfers were all punctual and the drivers very helpful. The tours you booked for us all went well and we enjoyed them immensely. The accommodation was generally good and met our expectations for budget prices on the whole. No doubt we paid a bit more for the Hermitage at Mount Cook but we did find this really good and it was well worth it. We would thoroughly recommend to any of your clients the Bella Tuscany on Kennedy at Napier and the Bella Vista at Wanaka was also quite nice. On the negative side however we were a bit disappointed with the Aden Motel at Te Anau. On arrival we were advised that we were being 'upgraded' to a 2 bedroom unit which we found wasn't up to standards that we had so far experienced. We were pleased with the car which suited us fine and the arrangements for pick up and drop off etc worked well. We had a wonderful experience in your country; the scenery, wildlife and activities were great and we would have no hesitation in using your company again. Your services before and during our holiday were excellent and we would not hesitate to recommend Relaxing Journeys to our friends. Thanks for everything.
Helen & Andrew Cross (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 12/11/2010 |
A very good itinerary staying at mainly 3+ star motels which had everything we needed plus friendly informative owners. The drive one day then stay two nights, gave us a good opportunity to see a lot while sampling selected places. Administration from initial enquiry through to customising and extending the itinerary to four weeks, to document collection at the car hire desk was faultless. We chose to do the tour in reverse order, starting at Auckland and ending at Christchurch and we now feel this is the best way because of the south island's mountain and fjord scenery. Had we 'done' the south island first, I think the north island would have been a bit of an anticlimax. Coming from western Europe where 'historical city' means at least 500 years of buildings, I felt New Zealand cities greatly overrated. The scenery on the other hand was superb. One moment you might be in the English Cotswolds, the next in the Black Forest, the next in California (before it gets parched and brown), the next in Alaska in summer ( 50% DEET insect repellant does the trick), the next in nowhere else on earth.
Donald & Marguerite Hopkins (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 09/11/2010 |
We had a great holiday and thought that it was very well organised. Accommodation was generally very good, with the possible exception of Wellington, where the room was small. The inclusion of breakfast at all places was a welcome surprise, as was the variety of accommodation. Driving days were very long and maybe there could have been more detail on getting through some of the larger towns. Roads not always signposted that well, so we sometimes did not know if we were on the right one or not. Thought that our Milford Sound day was, although magnificent, very long. It may be better to return to Te Anau that night and then Queenstown the next day, as there was no time to enjoy anything after the cruise. Also worth mentioning that Pancake Rocks was not mentioned on the itinerary but well worth the stop. Everything went very smoothly with the vouchers and we even got upgraded at some places. This was our first trip outside Australia and it certainly was made easy for us. Thankyou so much to Craig and all concerned at Relaxing Journeys. We have had no hesitation in recommending them to others back home. Looking forward to returning to New Zealand at some stage, as there is still a lot we would like to see.
Greg & Pauline Sceneay (Australia)
Tour Date 23/03/2010 |
Thank you and Relaxing Journeys for putting together a complete tour package. Our trip to New Zealand was wonderful. We really enjoyed seeing the country and meeting the people. We counted ourselves very lucky to see so much of your country, much more than any organized tour that I have seen advertised in the U.S. We did not take a count of the hundreds of sheep, cattle, waterfalls and deer we passed on our three weeks of travel but we did estimate that we saw at least 60 different breeds of birds, counting the pheasant we (unfortunately) hit. My apologies for taking so long to sit down and write this. Time goes by quickly while getting back into the rhythm of everyday (non-travel) life and reviewing the thousand plus photos I took. Again, thanks to you, Relaxing Journeys, and the people of New Zealand for a wonderful trip. I have told people of your vacation options and would be willing to be a reference for others considering a trip like ours.
Phyllis Posner & Sarah Wurdlow (United States)
Tour Date 15/01/2010 |
The holiday was great. We were lucky with the weather and missed most of the rain. We made a change in the itinerary from Queenstown to Milford Sound to Te Anau by switching the Milford Sound trip to the following day and taking in the glow worm caves on the first day at Te Anau. This let us have a relaxed drive to Te Anau without the thought that we needed to drive a long distance in one day. This is something you may consider for future planning. It was fortunate from a weather point of view as well because the first day the road to Milford had snow and would have required chains. The next day was clear and was great. The nature trip on the sound was outstanding. Generally the hotels were good. Some were noisy, some had small rooms and some required us to haul our bags up stairs but overall we found the people very helpful. We wished that we had more time and it did give us an appetite for at least another visit. We loved the relaxed atmosphere and the friendliness of the New Zealand people. Thanks for your help in the organization of the trip.
David & Wendy Law, Roy Ellis & Dianna Collen (Australia)
Tour Date 12/10/2009 |
The tour was absolutely fantastic, all accommodation was good quality and very comfortable except the 1 night stay on the outskirts of Wellington. That 1 place was very unwelcoming and felt like staying in a box, it was only 1 night and didn?t spoil the holiday. The rest was fabulous good space, good food, service with a smile and great views. South island was just great, friendly people and good service with scenery to die for. Lots of adventure trips, helicopter rides, glow worm caves and jet boat rides and a place to return to. North Island was more cultural and felt at times like a different country. Overall about the best holiday we have had and would love to go back.
Danielle & John Edgerton (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 21/03/2009 |
Just to let you know that we had a fantastic holiday that will live with us for a long time. We met some really friendly people, saw some amazing scenery and ate too many gorgeous meals! Thanks for all your help- the arrangements were excellent and all the motels were expecting us, which is always a relief! Shame about the rain but we are used to that! Fortunately the last week in the North Island was warm and sunny- it was weird for us to see all the Christmas decorations out when the sun was shining- you've got it all wrong it should be cold and dreary! Our favourite places- hard to say but Te Anau and the Coromandel region stick out- but then again the Glaciers were awesome. We would recommend your organisation to anyone wishing a relaxing holiday.
Amanda and Denis Horlor (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 17/11/2006 |
Tour Prices
All tour prices are per person, twin share. |
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| Compact Car |
NZ $3,332 |
NZ $3,613 |
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| Intermediate Car |
NZ $3,403 |
NZ $3,683 |
NZ $2,295 |
| Full Size Car |
NZ $3,543 |
NZ $3,824 |
NZ $2,364 |
| Mid Size 4WD |
NZ $3,739 |
NZ $4,020 |
NZ $2,463 |
| People Mover (MPV) |
NZ $3,949 |
NZ $4,231 |
NZ $2,568 |
* 1 & 2 Bedroom motel units are all self catering.
** 2 Bedroom motel prices based on 4 adults travelling.
EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL OFFER
2012 Season Sale! Save 5% off the prices shown on our website, for all 2012 departures. Deposit this month to qualify!
Valid for bookings made with Relaxing Journeys between 1 February 2012 and 29 February 2012
. Subject to availability at time of booking. |
*Terms & Conditions apply to any discounts and/or specials above. Your designated tour consultant will apply the appropriate discounts automatically to your quote and detail any currently applicable 'Exclusive Specials'. |
Self Drive Tour Notes
Prices above are per person & valid till September 2012. |
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- Frequently Asked Questions.
- 2 Bedroom motel prices above are based on 4 adults travelling.
- Some motel studios may not have full self catering facilities. If self catering is required then please request a 1 or 2 bedroom room.
- If a property listed on our itinerary is unavailable at the time of booking we will replace it with a equivalent accommodation, and let you know, to ensure it is to your satisfaction.
- Please note this itinerary was updated 5 July 2011.
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