Self Drive Holidays 16 Day New Zealand Icons Self Drive

Welcome to New Zealand's North Island! Collect your car rental on arrival from the Hertz rental car office, located at the airport terminal. Make your way to the city and check into your accommodation for tonight. This evening is at your leisure to explore the city of Auckland. Take a trip up Auckland's Skytower, and afterwards you could do some shopping in Queen Street, or dine in one of the many restaurants and cafes on the Auckland Harbour.

Travel south to Rotorua, perhaps via Waitomo Caves, where a highlight of the day is a tour through the magical grotto lit by thousands of tiny glowworms. Alternatively drive through Matamata and take a Hobbiton Movie Set Tour. Then it is on to Rotorua, steeped in Maori culture and history. 

Today you are free to explore some of Rotorua's many attractions. Visit the Agrodome this morning and see a fun, informative sheep show and shearing demonstration. Afterwards you could visit Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland and see the brilliant colours of the Champagne Pool, and Artist's Palette, as well as the once a day eruption of Lady Knox Geyser; before travelling back to town to relax at the Polynesian Spa. 

Tonight enjoy a night of traditional culture and entertainment, before experiencing a Maori hangi (feast), with a selection of foods cooked the traditional Maori way underground, amongst the surroundings of an authentic village.

Travel across the central plateau via Lake Taupo, stopping at the Huka Falls along the way. Then, continue on to the Hawkes Bay region. Explore Napier, New Zealand's Art Deco capital, with options to join an Art Deco guided walking tour or vintage car tour.

Spend the morning exploring Napier, before traveling through Hastings and the rural landscape of Hawke's Bay. Just south of Masterton is the township of Martinborough, where you can taste and purchase exquisite Pinot Noir before continuing on to Wellington, compact, cultured and full of character. Nestled between the harbour and the hills, the downtown area is ideal for explorations on foot. Enjoy cafes, restaurants, museums, theatre and all kinds of shops.

Drop your car off in Picton, then sit back, relax and soak in the scenery as you cruise across Cook Strait and the gorgeous Marlborough Sounds on your Interislander Ferry journey to Picton, the gateway to the marine, forest and island attractions of the Marlborough Sounds.

Pick up your rental vehicle and then continue along the coastal road to reach the coastal town of Kaikoura.  Join an optional tour to view the whales, or go swimming with the dolphins.

This morning drive south along the coast and crossing the Canterbury Plains past Christchurch to Lake Tekapo. This afternoon is at leisure - visit the Dark Sky Project Observatory, take a scenic flight over Mt Cook, or visit the Church Of The Good Shepherd & Collie Dog Memorial. 

Depart Lake Tekapo this morning and drive along the shores of Lake Pukaki to Mt Cook. Take a short walk in the area or join one of the sightseeing activities at the Hermitage Hotel. Choose from boat cruises on the Tasman Lake to see the Tasman Glacier, ski plane flights, helicopter flights, or spend some time exploring the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. Afterwards travel south to Omarama and historic Oamaru, home of the Little Blue Penguins. Be sure to check out the unique geological formations known as the Moeraki Boulders located 70km's north of Dunedin "the Edinburgh of the South". Dunedin is memorable for its historical architecture. 

Today you have a full day to explore Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, famous for it's eco tourism and wildlife and there are a variety of tours and cruises showing all the best of the Dunedin region. Start your morning with a tour of Cadbury World and discover how Cadbury chocolates are made in their Dunedin factory. Then drive out to the Otago Peninsula and visit the Royal Albatross Centre, enjoy an argo adventure at Natures Wonders or go on a guided tour of the Yellow Eyed Penguin reserve. 

Take time to explore Larnach Castle and learn about its scandalous history. You might also want to visit Baldwin Street, the world's steepest residential address. End the day with a tour of the 125 year old Speights Brewery, finishing with a tasting of their range of world class beers. Dunedin is memorable for its historical architecture. 

Travel across the lush green farmlands of South Otago and Southland, at Balclutha cross the mighty Clutha River and on to Gore. From here you travel across river plains, and onto Te Anau located on the shores of beautiful Lake Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park.

Experience the beauty of the Fiordland Region at the Shadowlands Cinema for a 35 minute breath taking journey. This evening you could take an evening cruise across the lake to visit the incredible limestone caves that shimmer with thousands of glow worms.

You have the morning to enjoy in Te Anau and maybe take a drive down to view Lake Manapouri. This morning drive one of New Zealand’s most scenic routes to Milford Sound. Upon arrival at Milford Sound, check in for your 11.00 am cruise Depart on your cruise of the full length of Milford Sound to the Tasman Sea.  The vessel stops at various points and plenty of time is available to view waterfalls, rain forest, mountains and wildlife.  The cruise is leisurely and is accompanied by comprehensive commentaries.  A choice of lunch menus and a well stocked bar are available.

Tea and coffee are supplied complimentary.  Duration is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.

After your cruise, drive back out from Milford Sound to Te Anau and on to Kingston. The rest of your journey clings scenically to the edge of Lake Wakatipu as you make your way to Queenstown.

This evening, for a night to remember you could take a ride up the Skyline Gondola to a view that will take your breath away before sitting down a sumptuous buffet dinner.

Option:

Reduce the amount of driving today, by adding in an extra night in Te Anau; and driving through to Queenstown the following morning.

Today is at your leisure to explore the adventure capital of New Zealand. It's the place to source almost any kind of adventure, including bungy, taking a Shotover Jet ride, horse trekking, rafting and river surfing. It's also a destination for luxury experiences - gourmet food and wine, spa treatments and leisurely games of golf. Nearby is the former gold mining town of Arrowtown is a living, historic holiday destination, nestled beside the Arrow River.

Enjoy a second day at leisure to explore the Queenstown region. If you are travelling between late June & early October, be sure to check out the ski fields within the region - there are 5 ski fields within an hour of Queenstown. This evening, for a night to remember take a ride up the Skyline Gondola to a view that will take your breath away before sitting down a sumptuous buffet dinner.

The shortest route to Wanaka is over the Crown Range Road. It's a challenging drive, but the views are amazing and you'll probably encounter friendly keas (mountain parrots). More conservative drivers can take the route that runs beside the Shotover River, Lake Dunstan and the Clutha River. The vineyards of the Gibbston area and bungy jumpers at the Kawarau River Bridge are interesting distractions along the way. Leaving Wanaka, Lake Hawea is the first scenic highlight, followed closely by the northern end of Lake Wanaka. The famous ‘bra fence' is impossible to miss - it started as a joke, but it's become a local legend.

At the wilderness town of Makarora you can fuel up and refresh before you take on the dramatic twists and turns of the Haast Pass  to the wild West Coast. At pretty Lake Paringa you can enjoy a delicious meal of salmon at the salmon farm.

Options: Take a half day helihike to Fox Glacier, or see the glaciers from the air onboard a helicopter flight. Fox and Franz Josef Glacier are unique relics of the last ice age. Mighty rivers of solid white, tumbling down ice-hewn rock valleys, they are classically beautiful in the glacial sense. Afterwards you could relax at the Glacier Hot Pools in Franz Josef.

This morning you drive north passing Hokitika, which is the centre for fine greenstone jewellery. Drop your rental car off at Greymouth, where you board the world famous TranzAlpine train for your journey through Arthurs Pass, the highest of the three passes through the Southern Alps, back to Christchurch.

Today you are free to explore Christchurch before being transferred to Christchurch Airport for your flight home.