9-Nights Tailor Made New Zealand: An Active Adventure - Luxury Tailor Made Travel from $24,995

Itinerary Details

Abercrombie & Kent: Tailor Made New Zealand: An Active Adventure

Day 1 Auckland, New Zealand

Upon arrival into Auckland, you are met by an A&K representative and transferred to your luxurious hotel, with your room ready for immediate check in. Later, meet your A&K driver-guide to admire city highlights, including the city’s gardens; vibrant Viaduct Harbour waterfront; and Tamaki Paenga Hira (Auckland Museum), a world-renowned institution celebrated for its unique collection of Maori and Pacific Island treasures.

Leave Auckland in the morning and travel to the town of Rotorua, stopping at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, one of New Zealand’s most inspiring natural attractions. Embark on a boat tour through the caves’ ancient limestone chambers and passages, gliding quietly along as thousands of glowworms cast their bioluminescence on the ceiling. After your enchanting ride, continue to your accommodations in Rotorua.

Begin your day with a visit to Rainbow Springs Nature Park’s National Kiwi Hatchery, an Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy-sponsored organization committed to preserving this iconic native species. Enjoy insider access to the facility’s hatchery, feeding room, nursery, and outdoor enclosures, gaining expert insights into the plight and preservation of this embattled species. Next, visit Te Puia, situated in the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and home to the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, Pohutu geyser and more than 500 geothermal wonders. Immerse yourself in the traditions of the indigenous Maori people and witness nature’s geothermal might as geysers spout and mud pools boil. Cap off your day with a restorative visit to Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, enjoying treatments inspired by traditional Ngati Whakaue practices and culture.

Begin your day of adventure with a mountain bike ride through the pines, twisting and turning along some of the world’s finest trails. After lunch back at the lodge, embark on a shared helicopter flight over the northern lakes on your way to the Pacific Ocean. Witness spectacular craters and domes formed by the largest eruptions in New Zealand’s known history. Begin with a flight over the active crater of Whakaari (White Island) before landing on the spectacular summit of the dormant Mount Tarawera. Your flight continues south past the steaming cliffs and hot lakes of the Waimangu Volcanic Valley to complete the volcanic experience of a lifetime. After dinner at the lodge, your adventure continues into the night with a lantern-lit experience at the Redwoods Treewalk, home to a 765-yard network of 28 suspension bridges spanning the forest canopy.

Fly to Nelson, an adventure mecca fronting the arcing coastline of the South Island’s northwest corner. Nelson’s alpine lodges dot this mountain wilderness punctuated by rivers, forests, limestone outcrops, rocky coasts, and legendary sandy beaches. Upon arrival, you are met by an A&K representative and transferred to your lodge.

This morning, set off on a private heli-kayak adventure into the Abel Tasman National Park. Fly up the coastline and land at Awaroa Bay, where you sea kayak amid granite sea cliffs, golden sand beaches and crystal clear waters. After a picnic lunch and paddle through the majestic Awaroa Lagoon, return to the lodge via helicopter.

Fly to Queenstown, located on the southern end of New Zealand's South Island. Once a Maori settlement and, later, a gold mining outpost, Queenstown has transformed in recent decades to become a frontier resort town renowned as an adventure destination. Upon arrival, you are met by an A&K representative and transferred to your lodge.

Today, board a helicopter for a shared flight spanning secluded alpine lakes, lush rainforest, and rugged mountain peaks of the Southern Alps. Land in Milford Sound and board a shared vessel for the Mitre Peak nature cruise. View cascading waterfalls, towering rocks, and unique wildlife as you voyage out to the Tasman Sea. After a picnic lunch, takeoff on a helicopter flight with a glacier ice landing, making for the ultimate Fiordland National Park experience. Afterward, delve into a vast native beech forest as you embark on a hike along Glenorchy Road to historic Twelve Mile Creek, a former gold mining area. Your scenic hike affords superb views of both Lake Wakatipu and Lake Dispute.

Head to the Dart River for a full-day shared jet-boat and kayak adventure deep into the heart of the world-renowned Mt. Aspiring National Park. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of this stunning area at your own pace as you float downstream past rock pools and dramatic chasms. After a picnic lunch, continue to Glenorchy. Then, travel a back-country route passing locations used to represent Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

This morning after breakfast, you are transferred to the airport for your international departure.