Paradise Found
Discovering New Zealand
Photo Gallery
| Welcome to Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud, and one of the most beautiful places on earth |
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Our tour begins in |
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| Our adventures begin as we board the TranzAlpine™ Train for a scenic journey . . . |
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| . . . to
the heart of New Zealand’s Southern Alps |
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| Reaching the high country, we take a jetboat excursion on the Waimakariri River . . . |
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| . . . and a four-wheel-drive Tussock Buggy through the back country |
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| The next day sees us traveling towards Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain |
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| We make a quick stop at beautiful Lake Tekapo, a brilliant turquoise lake set in the oft snow-capped hills |
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| On its shores lies the historic Church of the Good Shepherd, seen here at night, its windows framing a spectacular alpine landscape |
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| Mt. Cook gives its name to a beautiful national park of alpine ice, snow, rock, sub-alpine scrub, tussock and riverbed |
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| Take a Glacier Explorer tour to see astounding views of New Zealand’s largest glacier, on a boat journey that brings us close to towering ice cliffs and huge floating icebergs |
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| Drive south through the center of the South Island and over Lindis Pass to the gold mining center called Arrowtown |
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| Here we stop for lunch at one of the region’s well known wineries |
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| This will be Autumn in New Zealand, and the vines may be covered with bird netting to protect their precious bounty |
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| At last we arrive at stunning Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world |
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| Board the classic steamship Earnslaw for a cruise across Lake Wakatipu |
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| Our destination is the Walter Peak Sheep Station, where we enjoy dinner and a show before returning to Queenstown |
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| On a day for optional adventures you might choose a day walk on the Routeburn Track |
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| The lush forest will transport you to Middle Earth and its magical realm (Lord of the Rings was filmed here) |
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| Another adventure option is a thrilling jetboat ride on the Shotover River |
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Or you can do the |
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| The truly fearless can do a bungy jump off the bridge where the entire craze got its start |
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| There are no words to describe the rush of adrenaline triggered by the plunge off this bridge |
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| Our route to fiordland takes us over Wilmot Pass |
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| We arrive at Doubtful Sound, where we board our ship for an overnight cruise |
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| Spend magical hours cruising in an area of startling scenic beauty |
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| There will be opportunities to kayak and, . . . |
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| . . . there is always a good chance that dolphins will join us |
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| Journey over the Crown Range to Lake Wanaka, seen here in autumn splendor |
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| Enjoy a boat trip through the mighty Haast River Valley into the heart of the South West World Heritage Area |
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| The Franz Josef Glacier is the most low-lying glacier of its type in the world |
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| We are outfitted with boots and warm jackets before boarding a helicopter to take us high onto the glacier |
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| Our guide will share with us the beauty of this massive ice flow, exploring caves, crevasses and ice formations |
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| Our journey north takes us over another stunning alpine pass before we return to Christchurch for our Farewell Dinner |
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| North Island Extension | |||
| The historic Bath House in Rotorua, opened in 1908, is undergoing a centennial development to expand it as a museum |
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| After lunch in the clubhouse, we have a coaching session and play a game of traditional lawn bowling on the manicured lawns in front of the Bath House |
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| Rotorua is also the heart of Maori culture in New Zealand, and we attend a cultural show and hangi dinner set in native bush at Mitai Village, where we are greeted by Maori warriors paddling a waka (war canoe) in full battle regalia |
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| Enjoy a performance of traditional songs and dances, . . . |
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| . . . and a Hangi, which is the traditional method of cooking food using steam trapped in an earthen pit |
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| If you are lucky, you might get your photo taken with a Maori warrior |
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| Why is this group of rafters smiling so much? |
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| It is because they have just enjoyed the thrill of rafting down the Kaituna River through 14 rapids, including one heart-stopping drop which, at 7 meters (23 ft), is the highest commercially rafted rapid in the world |
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Visit the Waimangu
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| An eruption formed seven craters that today make up the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, one of the world’s newest and most active geothermal eco-systems |
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| Hurtle down a mountainside as you enjoy the fun of the Skyline Luge |
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| Don’t laugh, since even New Zealand’s Prime Minister enjoys this activity |
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| A previous Toto group prepares to undertake an exciting luge run |
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| Have a brief encounter with the famous Kiwi |
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| One of New Zealand’s most popular attractions is the sheep show at the Rotorua Agrodome |
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| This tour extension ends in the vibrant city of Auckland |
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Here we have |
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| Our Farewell Dinner in the Sky Tower comes with a healthy serving of dazzling city and harbor views |
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| From “veddy” British
towns, to the majesty of fjordland, to awe-inspiring Mt. Cook, to colorful Maori culture— join Toto in paradise, as we discover the wonders of incomparable New Zealand |
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