TOUR 1025
Full Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Hawke’s Bay to Wellington
We make our way to Wellington via the beautiful Wairarapa stopping for a superb lunch at the glorious White Swan Hotel in Greytown before resuming our drive to the Capital and our stay at the Copthorne Hotel overlooking Oriental Bay.
Day 2: Board the Northern Explorer Train
This is our day on rail as we make an early start from the grandeur of Wellington’s Railway Station aboard the Northern Explorer train. The wispy mists and sparkling wintery vistas of the Manawatu and Rangitikei gradually climb to the epic highs of the Central Plateau with its snow-covered mountains and frosted tussock. Descending the legendary Raurimu Spiral leads to the lush, rolling landscapes and springtime wildflower meadows of the King Country and hedgerow-lined greenery of South Waikato. On our afternoon arrival at Hamilton our coach will be waiting to whisk us off to the Novotel Tainui Hotel for a delicious dinner and, no doubt, a blissful night’s sleep.
Day 3: Hobbiton & the Avantidome in Cambridge
This morning we enter the fantasyland of Hobbiton for a tour of this remarkable movie set followed by a visit to ‘The Green Dragon Inn’ for lunch. This afternoon we are hosted at the home of NZ’s Olympic track cycling team, the Avantidome in Cambridge. A guided tour of this remarkable facility may also allow a chance encounter with our recently returned Olympic Games cyclists. Dinner back in Hamilton this evening is at the restaurant of the mysterious Madam Woo.
Day 4: Zeelong Tea Estate High Tea & Hamilton Gardens
Tea lovers will be thrilled with our first port of call today with a tour of the tea plantation at Zealong Tea Estate followed by High Tea. This afternoon we visit the breath- taking Hamilton Gardens where newly opened additions to their ‘Themed Gardens’ collection include the Surrealist Garden and Picturesque Garden. Truly a destination of International Significance.
Day 5: Hamilton to Taupō
We have a nice leisurely start this morning before stopping for a Picnic lunch on our way to Taupō, where our sylish accommodation Hilton Lake Taupō awaits us.
Day 6: Taupō to Hawke's Bay
Today we enjoy a late checkout from our hotel before spending a little time in Taupō itself for shopping and a spot of lunch before heading home.