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19 Day Signature Rail, Cruise and Coach



Map Image for 19 Day Signature Rail, Cruise and Coach

Combining rail, coach and breathtaking cruises including Milford Sound overnight cruise

TOUR CODE: SGPR19

DURATION: 19 days

STARTS: Auckland

FINISHES: Christchurch

STYLE: Signature Mid-Size Group Tours

COACH: 32 seat Premium Economy

ACCOMMODATION: 4 Star

 

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Prepaid Attractions

  • Kauri Museum i
  • Waitangi Treaty Grounds i
  • Hole in the Rock Dolphin Cruise i
  • Glenbrook Vintage Railway i
  • Skyline Rotorua Gondola and Luge Ride i
  • Agrodome i
  • Thermal mud pools and geysers i
  • Te Puia traditional Māori Hāngi and Concert i
  • Te Papa, NZ's National Museum i
  • Cruise on the Interislander Ferry i
  • Coastal Pacific Rail Journey i
  • International Antarctic Centre i
  • Christchurch Tram i
  • TranzAlpine Rail Journey i
  • Cruise Lake Wakatipu on the TSS Earnslaw i
  • Lakes District Museum i
  • HIGHLIGHT Milford Sound Overnight Cruise i
  • Speights Brewery Tour and Tasting i
  • Larnach Castle and Devonshire Tea i
  • Olveston Historic Home i
  • Auckland City Sights Tour i
  • Wellington City Sights Tour i
  • Christchurch City Sights Tour i
  • Dunedin City Sights Tour i

Coach Features

  • 32 Premium Economy Comfort seats on a full-size coach
  • 2 door access; seat back tray table; cup holder
  • Restroom; daily onboard Wi-Fi allowance

Experience

  • Personalised Meet and Greet on arrival
  • Return airport transfers in New Zealand
  • Professional Coach Captain
  • Tour Leader
  • 17 nights 4 star accommodation
  • Milford Sound Overnight Cruise
  • 6 two night stays
  • Hotel porterage
  • 3 rail journeys 
  • 4 cruises
  • All sightseeing and prepaid attractions
  • Extensive Optional Activities
  • Signature Documentation Pack

Meals

  • 18 cooked breakfasts including a specialty breakfast: Stratosfare Restaurant, Rotorua
  • 14 sumptuous dinners including complimentary pre-dinner drink at the Welcome Dinner and 4 specialty dinners: Māori Hāngi and Concert, Rotorua; Walter Peak Homestead, Queenstown; Speights Ale House, Dunedin; Farewell Dinner including pre-dinner drink, Christchurch
  • 2 delicious morning teas
  • Enjoy GPT Hotel Wine Time (discounted drinks) 
Day 1: Dinner not included for anyone arriving later than 8pm.

Tour Highlight: Milford Sound Overnight Cruise

THE MILFORD MARINER
For a majestic experience, spend the night on board the Milford Mariner. Cruise the full length of Milford Sound with commentary by a specialist nature guide. View the fiord’s spectacular waterfalls, rainforest, mountains and wildlife. You are bound to encounter seals, maybe dolphins and penguins. There are opportunities to explore the shoreline by tender boat or kayak (swimwear required) - or to simply relax on board. As evening falls, enjoy a delicious carvery buffet, prepared by an onboard chef. Relax in the company of your fellow travellers or take in some stargazing before retiring to your cabin. Next morning, indulge in a hearty breakfast before heading back out to the Tasman Sea (weather permitting) and exploring more of the breathtaking fiord.

Day-by-day Itinerary

(B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (SL) Specialty Lunch (D) Dinner (SD) Specialty Dinner

1

Arrive Auckland (D)

On arrival into Auckland, you will be met by a Grand Pacific Tours representative and transferred to your hotel. This evening enjoy a complimentary pre-dinner drink when you meet your Tour Leader and travelling companions for dinner.

Hotel Sudima Auckland City i

2

Auckland - Bay of Islands (B,D)

Enjoy a city tour of Auckland, dubbed the ‘City of Sails’, before travelling to Matakohe to enjoy a visit and informative talk at the Kauri Museum. Travel via Whangarei to Paihia, situated in the heart of the beautiful Bay of Islands. Enjoy a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the location of the signing of the treaty between the Māori tribes and the British.

Hotel Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands (2 nights) i

3

Bay of Islands (Free Day) (B)

Today is a free day. Choose from the many optional activities available, including the Cape Reinga coach trip via Ninety Mile Beach or a spectacular scenic flight. This evening is also free, you may like to enjoy a relaxing dinner cruise (optional).

Hotel Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands i

4

Bay of Islands - Auckland (B,D)

This morning cruise through the beautiful Bay of Islands aboard a luxury catamaran to Cape Brett, where a historic lighthouse keeps watch over Piercy Island, or as it is popularly known, the ‘Hole in the Rock’. Keep an eye out for dolphins and other marine life. Upon return to Paihia, travel south via Whangarei, call into the Parry Kauri Park to see a magnificent example of a Kauri Tree before returning to Auckland.

Hotel Sudima Auckland City i

5

Auckland - Rotorua (B,D)

This morning travel to Glenbrook Vintage Railway for a nostalgic 15 kilometre trip back in time on a beautifully restored vintage steam train. Visit the restoration workshop followed by a delightful morning tea. Depart Glenbrook and travel through magnificent countryside of rolling hills and green pastures famous for dairying. Continue to Rotorua renowned for its geothermal activity and Māori culture.

Hotel Pullman Rotorua (City View Room) (2 nights) i

6

Rotorua (B,SD)

Today begins with a gondola ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua. There is also time for a thrilling luge ride! Next stop is the Agrodome for an action-packed hour of farming entertainment and education that is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Enjoy some free time this afternoon before travelling to Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome geysers that Rotorua is famous for. This evening experience an entertaining Māori Hāngi and Concert.

Hotel Pullman Rotorua (City View Room) i

7

Rotorua - Wellington (B,D)

Travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to the spectacular Huka Falls. Continue to Lake Taupo for some free time to enjoy this scenic lakeside town. Travel via the Tongariro National Park and continue south to New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington.

Hotel James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor (Executive Room) (2 nights) i

8

Wellington (B)

A highlight this morning will be time to explore Gallipoli: A Scale of War exhibition at Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum. Cutting edge technology brings these stories to life through the eyes of New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Reboard your coach for an extensive city tour. Enjoy time at leisure this afternoon and this evening is also free to explore Wellington’s lively food scene.

Hotel James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor (Executive Room) i

9

Wellington - Kaikōura - Christchurch (B,D)

This morning board the Interislander Ferry, cross the Cook Strait and enjoy the scenery as you travel through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton. Join the Coastal Pacific, a truly spectacular rail journey that follows a thin wedge of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Kaikōura Ranges. Meet your coach in the fishing village of Kaikōura for the journey to the garden city of Christchurch.

Hotel Distinction Christchurch Hotel (2 nights) i

10

Christchurch (B)

Today visit the International Antarctic Centre, designed to provide an informative account of life in Antarctica. This is followed by an introductory city tour of Christchurch. This afternoon includes a journey on board the Christchurch Tram at leisure. This evening is free to explore the local cuisine.

Hotel Distinction Christchurch Hotel i

11

Christchurch - Arthur’s Pass - Franz Josef (B,D)

This morning board the TranzAlpine, renowned as one of the great train journeys of the world. Travel over massive viaducts, river valleys and spectacular gorges as you ascend to Arthur’s Pass located in the centre of the Southern Alps. Board your coach and travel to Hokitika, famous for its Greenstone before arriving at the township of Franz Josef where time is available to experience a scenic flight (optional, weather permitting) over the spectacular glaciers.

Hotel Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier (Douglas Wing) i

12

Franz Josef - Queenstown (B)

See the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel south via the Haast Pass, an area of stunning beauty before arriving into picturesque Queenstown, a year-round resort situated on the shores of magical Lake Wakatipu. This evening is free to dine at one of the many fine restaurants.

Hotel Millennium Hotel Queenstown (2 nights) i

13

Queenstown (Free Day) (B,SD)

Today is a free day to explore Queenstown. Your Coach Captain and Tour Leader will assist with the many optional activities available. This evening board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Sit back, relax and enjoy a delicious gourmet barbecue dinner featuring a menu of seasonal, fresh and locally sourced food at the Colonel’s Homestead. After dinner enjoy a short farm tour then reboard the TSS Earnslaw for a sing along by the piano as you cruise back to Queenstown.

Hotel Millennium Hotel Queenstown i

14

Queenstown - Milford Sound Overnight Cruise (B,D)

This morning travel to Arrowtown and visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue via Te Anau to Milford Sound and board the Milford Mariner for your amazing overnight cruise. There is plenty of time to view the fiord’s spectacular waterfalls, rainforest, mountains and wildlife - you’re bound to encounter seals and if you’re lucky maybe dolphins and penguins. There are opportunities to explore the shoreline by tender boat or kayak (swimwear required) - or to simply relax on board. As evening falls enjoy a delicious carvery buffet prepared freshly by the onboard chef.

Overnight Milford Mariner i

15

Milford Sound - Te Anau (B,D)

Start the day with a hearty breakfast before heading back out to the Tasman Sea (weather permitting) to explore more of the fiord. Return to the wharf to meet your coach and enjoy the scenic drive to Te Anau where you will enjoy an afternoon at leisure. You may like to visit the Te Anau Glowworm Caves (optional).

Hotel Distinction Luxmore Hotel Lake Te Anau (Deluxe Room) i

16

Te Anau - Dunedin (B,SD)

Travel via Gore and Balclutha to Dunedin, famous for its stunning Edwardian and Victorian architecture dating back to the gold rush of the 1800s. Today Dunedin is New Zealand’s oldest university city. This afternoon enjoy a city tour followed by a visit to Speight’s Brewery, a Dunedin icon, for an informative and interactive tour through this working brewery. The tasting session will be followed by a delicious dinner at the Ale House restaurant.

Hotel Scenic Hotel Southern Cross (2 nights) i

17

Dunedin (B,D)

This morning travel along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle where you hear of the tragic and scandalous history on a guided tour. Enjoy time to wander around this Garden of International Significance followed by a delicious Devonshire Tea. Return to Dunedin for some free time. Optional activities you might be interested in, include the chance to see wildlife in their natural habitat.

Hotel Scenic Hotel Southern Cross i

18

Dunedin - Christchurch (B,SD)

This morning visit Olveston Historic Home, a prosperous merchants’ home from the turn of the century before travelling to Oamaru, famous for its limestone. This evening enjoy a pre-dinner drink and reminisce on memories shared with your new friends at the farewell dinner.

Hotel Distinction Christchurch Hotel i

19

Depart Christchurch (B)

Time to say goodbye. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight home after a memorable New Zealand holiday.

Pricing and Departure Dates

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Saturday
30-Mar-24
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18-Apr-24
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24-Apr-24
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Pre & Post Stays


Auckland$180 pp, twin share$360 single
Christchurch$150 pp, twin share$300 single

Optional Activities


Whilst your tour package includes an extensive range of pre-paid attractions and sightseeing, the Optional Activities outlined are available to enjoy during your free time. They will provide the ‘icing on the cake’ experience that will hold memories for a lifetime. Optional Activities will be booked with your Crew once on tour.


> VIEW ALL   Optional Activities for this tour.


Traveller Reviews > VIEW ALL


10
April 2023

There was not a lot that we did not see in the 19 days. A very broad overview of both North and South Islands. Culture in the North – excellent, scenery in the South – superb. 

The coach was very comfortable, always clean inside and out and I liked the seat rotation system. The coach captain was informative and knowledgeable and made the tour interesting and come alive. 

M.H. Australia


10
April 2023

Exceeded my expectations.

J.P. Australia


10
April 2023

We don’t normally travel on coach tours; however Grand Pacific Tours came highly recommended by several acquaintances. Hotels were very good quality; meals were much better than we expected. The standard was very high, and variety was very good. 

The included activities were excellent, varied, interesting, fun, and probably more comprehensive than if we had done this holiday on our own. Very informative.

P.C. & A.T. Australia


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Port of Departure


To enable us to present you with the best Tour Pricing and Bonus Offers please select your intended Port of Departure and Accommodation Room Type. If you do not require an air inclusive package, please select LAND ONLY.

All prices are in Australian Dollars. For air inclusive package pricing, airline taxes are subject to change. Exact amounts will be confirmed by your Travel Agent at the time of booking.