Coast to Coast

Auckland to Christchurch - Christchurch to Auckland

This tour starts with sightseeing in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. From here we travel north on steep winding roads through the Kauri forests with its gigantic trees.

At Cape Reinga, the northern most tip of the North Island, the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean, a very spectacular sight when the seas are rough. In Maori beliefs it is here the spirit leaves the land. The day ends with a ride down Ninety Mile Beach to Kaitaia. A special experience in itself to ride this almost endless beach.

We visit historical grounds in Waitangi, the country's first capital, but today just a small village. It was here the British signed the treaty with the Maori tribes. Further south, at the coast by Whangarei, we take a boat trip for the day to the Poor Knights Islands marine reserve, where we can scuba dive, snorkel and kayak or simply have a lazy day on the boat.

From here the tour takes us along the coastal roads of the Coromandel peninsula, an historic goldmining area with dense forest and beautiful beaches. After a visit to Hot Water Beach we then continue through the Bay of Plenty to Rotorua.

In Rotorua, the Maori capital, we have a longer stop to learn more about their culture and way of life. Rotorua is also the largest geothermal area in the country and offers many interesting sights and activities.

The tour continues to Lake Taupo and its surrounding volcanoes in the Tongariro National Park.

On remote roads that take us back in time we then head west on the heritage trail to Stratford at the foot of Mt Taranaki.

From here we ride to Wellington, the country’s capital and catch a ferry that takes us through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton and the South Island.

Our first destination in the South Island is Kaikoura where we visit the seal colony and have the opportunity to go whale watching and swim with dolphins.

We then continue southwards to Dunedin and the Otago peninsula where yet again we have a chance to see wildlife at close range as albatrosses, sea-lions and penguins inhabit the region. Leaving civilisation behind, we head for the worlds southern most rainforest, Fiordland National Park.

Our next stop is Queenstown, a beautifully situated town by lake Wakatipu. This old goldmining town is today a Mecca for action sports. It was here the Bungy Jump was invented.

Other things to experience are jet boating, paragliding, skydiving and white water rafting to name just a few. Queenstown also offers less strenuous activities such as steamboat rides on the lake or a visit to Arrowtown, a well preserved gold mining village.

We continue to Westland National Park passing through Wanaka and Haast Pass. On the west coast we visit Franz Josef and Fox glaciers. The tour then goes past wild beaches full of drift wood and through the rain forest of the Southern Alps to Hokitika, where we turn inland to cross the majestic Arthur's Pass.

Upon reaching Christchurch, we have a days sightseeing and a celebration to conclude the tour.