21-Day Classic New Zealand

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This morning, you'll pick up your rental car and then spend the day exploring Auckland. Sandy beaches, native bush and lush rainforests give way to a vibrant urban culture, humming with life. Spend time in the Viaduct Harbour, try your hand at sailing an America’s Cup yacht, or take the ferry to nearby Waiheke Island for a gourmet food and wine experience. From the top of Auckland's highest volcano, Mt Eden, take in soaring views of the gulf, or lose yourself in one of the national parks.

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Today, you'll drive south past the Bombay Hills and into the rolling farmland and pastures of Waikato. You’ll soon go through the town of Matamata where you can visit the fully intact Hobbiton film set used in the shooting of the Lord of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies. Continuing on, you’ll pass several small farming communities before telltale signs of steam and other geothermal activity signals your arrival into Rotorua.

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Peppered with natural hot springs, boiling mud pools and steaming geysers, Rotorua sits within one of the worlds most active volcanic regions. Home to several prominent Maori tribes, a visit to one of the Maori Villages should be high on your agenda. You can spike your adrenaline at Velocity Valley Adventure Park on stomach-dropping attractions such as static skydiving. Alternatively, you can head up the Rotorua Gondola for soaring lake views and ride the luge at night for an extra thrill.

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This drive will take you through the thermal region south of Rotorua. Home to a plethora of unique geothermal attractions including boiling mud pits, natural hot springs and steaming geysers. You'll then continue on to Taupo and marvel at the lake - a giant crater formed following a volcanic eruption in the year 180 CE. As you approach the city, be sure to stop at Huka Falls. In Hawke's Bay, you have the option to head out on a half-day wine tour and visit some of the most famous wineries.

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The rolling countryside of Hawke's Bay leads you into some of New Zealand's richest farmland, located around the Manawatu region. Passing along the Manawatu Gorge, the Wairarapa welcomes you. Masterton is home to the golden shears sheep shearing competition whilst just south, Greytown boasts the largest concentration of historic wooden buildings in the country. The route takes you over the Rimutaka Range and along the magnificent natural harbour that the capital city of Wellington sits upon.

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Today you'll cross the Cook Strait on the Interislander Ferry. Approaching Picton, you'll cruise through the spectacular Marlborough Sounds. The journey between Wellington and Picton takes around three hours and has been described as 'one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world'. Enjoy spectacular views of the Kaikoura Ranges and the stunning Marlborough Sounds. You'll then travel to your luxury bed and breakfast and have the rest of the day free to relax.

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Today, you'll cross the 'dry hills' of Marlborough and head towards one of the most spectacular coastlines of the South Island, the Kaikoura Coast. The road hugs the shore for around 50 kilometres and offers many chances to view native wildlife. Kaikoura Township is a bustling little place with many cafes, restaurants and shops - but the main reason for visiting here is the wildlife - and it's one of the only places in New Zealand you can see whales year-round.

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Today, you'll begin the day with an optional whale watching tour. Then, you'll travel down the coast before heading inland through the North Canterbury wine region. If you have time on your hands, it is recommended that you take a detour to Hanmer Springs for a relaxing dip in its thermal pools. Arriving into Christchurch, you'll see a new and improved city, steadily rising from the ruins of the 2011 earthquake.

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You'll have the day free to spend as you wish, exploring Christchurch. You can make use of the Hop On Hop Off Christchurch Sightseeing bus to explore the key attractions of the city and its surrounds. Alternatively, you can head to the International Antarctic Centre or even head out on a Christchurch Grand Tour on a luxury coach with an interactive guide. If you prefer to explore on your own, then taking the Christchurch Gondola for a brilliant view of the city won't disappoint.

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This morning, you'll drive to Mount Cook National Park. On arrival, you'll check into your hotel and have the rest of the day free to spend as you wish. A great suggested activity is a rugged back road 4WD adventure accessing awe-inspiring views over the Tasman Glacier and its gigantic moraine wall. You will get to stop at several vantage points and have the opportunity to walk up to the top of the Tasman Glacier moraine wall for some impressive views.

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Leaving the MacKenzie Country today, you'll follow the Waitaki River to the coast, where you'll turn south for Dunedin. Today you'll leave Mt Cook National Park and travel past Twizel, one of the locations for the Lord of the Rings films. Driving through the Waitaki Valley, you'll head towards the east coast. Continue south down the coast to Moeraki. As you arrive in Dunedin, take in the city’s Edwardian and Scottish heritage reflected in the buildings around the city centre - The Octagon.

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Known as the Edinburgh of the South, Dunedin city has a heavy Scottish influence. Renowned for its Flemish Baroque-inspired ‘gingerbread house’ Railway Station, this university town is bustling with life. Head to the Saturday farmers market held in the aforementioned railway grounds for a taste of organic produce, handmade crepes and local honey. You may want to take a half-day tour of the Otago Peninsula and its unique wildlife including a cruise through Dunedin Harbour.

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The drive from Dunedin to Te Anau takes you through classic Southland farmland scenery but if you want to spend the whole day exploring a little off the beaten path, taking the Southern Scenic Route through The Catlins is highly recommended. Upon arrival, you'll have the option to head to the Te Anau Glowworm Caves for a cruise through the inner caves to admire the incredible scene of millions of glowworms lighting up the cavity.

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Today, you'll make the beautifully scenic journey to Milford Sound. You'll get up close and personal with Milford Sound on a leisurely two-hour cruise of this spectacular fiord. From thundering waterfalls to sky-high mountains to lush rainforests, Milford has it all. Experience the spray of a waterfall as you cruise close to sheer rock faces. Informative, participative and relaxed, this is the perfect way to experience Milford Sound to the fullest.

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Today, you'll cross vast tussock lands on your way to Queenstown. You'll pass through Mossburn, the deer capital of the nation. You'll then continue on through the Southland countryside where the road begins to hug the lake edge and the Remarkables Mountain Range towers over your approach into the adventure capital of New Zealand, Queenstown. You'll spend the day exploring Queenstown and its surrounds and in the evening, you'll have the option to head out on the TSS Earnslaw Cruise with dinner.

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Although celebrated as New Zealand's ‘adventure capital’, Queenstown offers far more than a fast-paced action-packed holiday. Settled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu beneath a soaring panorama of the Remarkables Mountain Range, this alpine town is surrounded by a plethora of historic, gastronomic and scenic wonders. Go on a wine tour, have lunch in a Michelin-star restaurant, take a hike or get an adrenaline surge with the Shotover Jet, Nevis Bungy, canyon swingor zipline activities on offer.

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From Queenstown, you'll cross the Crown Range –the highest sealed road in New Zealand– to the Alpine town of Wanaka. Skirting the shores of Lake Wanaka and Hawea, you will enter Makarora. Stop at Blue Pools for a one-hour walk through native beech forest to a glacier-fed swimming hole. Then through the remote settlement of Haast before heading up the West Coast, a 600-kilometre stretch of bush and rainforest. Fox Glacier welcomes you first, then comes your destination - Franz Josef township.

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Franz Josef is a small but lively town in the heart of the West Coast, known for its 12-kilometre long glacier. Surrounded by lush rainforest-clad mountains the township has a vibrant and bustling atmosphere. To see the ice from a viewpoint you can walk along the valley floor to the terminal face without a guide. However, to go on the glacier itself you must take a licensed helicopter tour.

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Your drive today takes you north through the historic gold mining region of Hokitika, a seaside town dating back to the 1860s. Take in the sea views before moving on to Greymouth, the largest town on the West Coast and the starting point of the next leg of your journey. You'll drop your rental car at Greymouth Station and board one of the most spectacular trains in the world to Christchurch, the TranzAlpine Scenic Train. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to your accommodation.