Tour Dates	Duration	Price	Highlights
25th February - 12th March 2012	17 Days	€3759pps	Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Lake Taupo, Queenstown, Franz Joseph and Christchurch

• Return flights from Dublin to Auckland with Cathay Pacific including flight / airport taxes & charges
• Return flights from North Island to Sourth Island with Air New Zealand including flight / airport taxes & charges
• Professional tour guides and executive coach transfers
• 1 night in 4* hotel in centre of Hong Kong including breakfast
• 12 nights in Superior Hotels in the North & South Islands including Auckland, Hamilton, Lake Taupo, Rotorua, Ashburton, Queenstown and Franz Joseph Glacier including breakfast
• 7 meals served in quality restaurants including evening cruise on Lake Taupo, hangi dinner with indigenous cultural performance, evening dinner in Skyline restaurant overlooking Lake Wakatipu and evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu for dinner at Walter Peak High Country Station.
• Guided city tours of Hong Kong, Auckland and Queenstown
• Visit to Te Puia Maori Arts & Crafts Institute, Whakarewarewa Themal Reserve and Waitomo Caves
• Travel by Tranz Alpine train through the Southern Alps
• Free time for independent shopping and sightseeing

Flight Times - Cathay Pacific:

25 Feb 2012 Depart Dublin 0745, Arrive London 0910
25 Feb 2012 Depart London 1125, Arrive Hong Kong 0700 *1
27 Feb 2012 Depart Hong Kong 2125, Arrive Auckland 1305 *1
11 Mar 2012 Depart Auckland 1440, Arrive Hong Kong 2040
12 Mar 2012 Depart Hong Kong 0105, Arrive London 0620
12 Mar 2012 Depart London 0850, Arrive Dublin 1005.


Itinerary:

Day 1
Meet your GTI representative during check-in at Dublin Airport and check-in for your flight from Dublin to Hong Kong flying with Cathay Pacific via Londonl

Day 2
Arrive Hong Kong International Airport. You will be met by our GTI representative at the airport. Transfer to your hotel by executive coach. Free time and dinner at own expense.

Day 3
Buffet Breakfast at your hotel followed by guided tour. Day at leisure & free time for shopping or independent sight-seeing. Early evening depart by coach from your hotel for transfer back to Hong Kong airport for your onward flight to Auckland.

Day 4
Arrive Auckland International Airport. You will be met at the airport by our GTI tour manager. Transfer to the hotel by executive coach. Check into your hotel for 2 nights accommodation.

Day 5
Enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Auckland, known as the ‘City of Sails’. Visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum, trendy Parnell Village, some of Auckland’s best residential areas and the lovely Waterfront Drive.
Afternoon at leisure.

Day 6
Travel from Auckland through the Bombay Hills and the rich farmland ofthe Waikato Valley to Waitomo. Join a guided tour of the Ruakuri Cave to discover an ancient underground labyrinth of limestone caves and grottos. See the fascinating limestone formations of stalagmites, stalactites and columns that have formed over thousands of years and view glow worms Afterwards travel through picturesque farmland to Rotorua. Check into your hotel in Rotorua for 2 nights.

Day 7
This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Rotorua. Visit the thermal area of Wai-o-tapu, one of the world’s most colourful thermal areas. Visit the Agrodome to learn about how sheep and wool are one of New Zealand’s premier exports. Afternoon free. This evening journey back in time to a pre-European lifestyle experience of customs and traditions at a Maori Village. The evening commences with a traditional welcome, concert of Maori song and dance and is followed by a hangi dinner. Enjoy the night’s festivities as you are treated to a Maori feast cooked the traditional Maori way in an earth oven, discover the marae as it comes alive to the sound and activities of tribal songs, myths, legends and dance including the vigorous haka.

Day 8
Transfer to the Airport for flight from Rotorua to Christchurch. On arrival board your coach and travel south to Ashburton for overnight.

Day 9
Full day tour by coach travelling south across the sheep and crop farming Canterbury Plains the over Burkes Pass to Tekapo, where a stop will be made to view the quaint Church of the Good Shepherd and the monument to the working dog. Continue past glacially formed Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. On a fine day there are excellent views of the Southern Alps including Mt Cook, which is New Zealand’s tallest mountain. Cross the MacKenzie Basin and descend through Lindis Pass to the Central Otago sheep and cattle raising area. Pass Lake Dunstan and the Central Otago wine area around Cromwell and drive through the Kawarau Gorge and Gibbston valley wine area into Queenstown.
Check into your hotel in Queenstown for 4 nights.

Day 10
Morning sightseeing of Queenstown includes a drive out past the famous Shotover River to historic Arrowtown, which was the site of a major 1860s gold rush. Some of the scenes for the award winning Lord of the Rings film trilogy were also filmed near here. Free afternoon. This evening ride the gondola to Skyline Restaurant for dinner overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains.


Day 11
Free day for your choice of activities in Queenstown. This evening board the TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Station and enjoy dinner in the Colonels Homestead.

Day 12
Free day to enjoy delightful Queenstown.

Day 13
Full day tour by coach travelling through the Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell and on past Lake Dunstan through sheep and cattle farming country to Wanaka. Wanaka is a popular lakeside resort. From Wanaka drive around glacial Lakes Wanaka and Hawea and cross the Haast Pass through the Southern Alps - the scenery is stunning with high snow topped mountains all around. Descend following the Haast River towards the coast and drive north through magnificent native rainforest and past pretty bush fringed lakes to Fox Township and Franz Josef for 2 nights accommodation.

Day 14
Enjoy a half day guided walk onto the snow and ice of Franz Josef Glacier (payable locally). The glacier descends from high in the Southern Alps to approximately 300 metres above sea level where it contrasts with the surrounding temperate rain forest. Boots, socks and ice sticks are provided for your walk to the rugged terminal face of the glacier. Spend 1 to 1½ hours exploring the lower reaches of the glacier travelling through spectacular icefall terrain, normally only seen by experienced mountaineers. A medium level of fitness is required.

Day 15
Travel north through forests and farmlands with the Southern Alps rising sharply to the east and vistas of the Tasman Sea to the west. Visit a greenstone factory at Hokitika, where a local jade stone is crafted into jewellery and ornaments of both modern and traditional design before driving up the western side of the Southern Alps to Arthur’s Pass. Depart Arthur’s Pass on the popular Tranz Alpine train and travel down the Waimakiriri Valley to Christchurch. Arrive in Christchurch and transfer to your hotel for 1 nights accommodation. Final night dinner in the hotel with New Zealand beers and wines included.


Day 16
Depart Christchurch for your flight to Auckland and then on to London.

Day 17
Arrive Dublin