Highlights Day 1
Depart Auckland: Travel the main Southern Highway through small rural townships steeped in early pioneer history. Morning tea is served by your host during this sector.
Hamilton City: Pass through this major agricultural centre of New Zealand's largest dairy and sheep farming province, The Waikato.
Waitomo Glow-worm Caves: Join a guided tour through this world famous cave formation, climaxed by drifting silently in a boat through a Glow-worm Cavern lit up with thousands of tiny lights.
Please Note: When underground river is in flood and boats can't operate, Glow-worms are viewed from an observation platform.
Light lunch: Served on board as we make our way to Rotorua through magnificent rural farmland with its vast numbers of grazing animals.
Rotorua: New Zealand's highest city, 1000ft (305 metres) above sea level, located on the rim of a volcanic crater. An area of great geothermal activity. We visit the following attractions.
Rainbow Springs Nature Sanctuary: Crystal clear cold springs, home to thousands of trout. See Kiwis, native birds and other wildlife in a delightful native bush setting. Opportunity for souvenir shopping.
The Rainbow Farm Show: See a flock of sheep mustered by highly trained sheep dogs, along with drenching, a shearing demonstration and the history of dairy milking. Opportunity to milk a cow, feed young animals or to be photographed with a huge bull. An enjoyable one hour show introducing visitors to New Zealand farming, old and new.
Lake Rotorua: Drive through the foreshore park past the hundreds of ducks and swans then through the beautiful, historic Government Gardens.
Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and Maori Arts And Crafts Institute: Rotorua's most famous attraction. See wood-carving, weaving displays, Maori village and the thermal valley with its geysers, fumaroles, colourful silica deposits and boiling mud pools.
Return to Auckland: The coach travels through the beautiful horse breeding country of Matamata and the pastureland of the Hauraki Plains. A light snack is served on this sector.
Hangi and Concert: This evening be entertained at the Rotorua International Plaza Hotel with traditional Maori song and dance, while dining on a sumptuous selection of food prepared by local Maori and cooked in geothermal steam underground.
Highlights Day 2
Lake Taupo: Join the coach departing from Rotorua International Plaza Hotel at 9.30am for a spectacular visit to the lake.
Lady Knox Geyser: View this active geyser and enjoy a walk around the mud pools and silica terraces.
The Huka Falls: Huge volumes of water squeeze through a narrow rock channel exploding out as it continues down the Waikoto River.
Aratiatia Dam: Control gates are opened daily releasing vast volumes of water down a rocky gorge turning it into thunderous rapids.
Wairakei Geothermal Power Station: Natural steam energy is harnessed to generate electricity via a network of pipes and steam pressure vents.
Man Made Forest: On returning to Rotorua travel through one of the world's largest man made Radiata pine forests.
Depart For Auckland via our deluxe coach departing Rotorua International Plaza Hotel at 5.00pm.