Highlights in the North Island

• Beautiful Coromandel Peninsula

• Cultural activities in Rotorua

• Volcanic area of Lake Taupo

• Farmstay on the Whanganui River

      Highlights in the South Island

• Mount Cook National Park

• Queenstown - The Adventure Capital of the World

• Dart River and Mt Aspiring National Park

• Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound

All travellers using Amazing New Zealand services are personally met at the airport by our friendly professional representative.

You will receive at the airport a comprehensive Deluxe Travel Pack. The pack contains the prepaid service vouchers, maps, discount vouchers and brochures to local attractions, plus a detailed daily explanation of driving routes, including suggested stops en route. You will also receive a portable DVD player to compare actual film locations with the finished product in our famous New Zealand made films.

The representative will then take you to your accommodation in Auckland, stopping en route on the extinct volcano Mount Eden to point out the city's many geographical features and attractions. Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city, straddling two enormous harbours and dotted with 48 extinct volcanic cones. We recommend at least one day here to recover from your jet-lag.

Suggested activities:-  

• The Waterfront is where you can find the extremely informative Maritime Museum - the displays are chronological, so you begin with the Maori migration across the seas then step back in time on board a European immigrant's ship and finally appreciate New Zealand's proud yachting history including the Whitbread Round the World race and of course the America's Cup.

• Wander up to the Sky Tower - admire the view, climb the mast, bungee jump from the tower or just have dinner in the revolving restaurant.

• The trendy shops of Parnell are housed in some of Auckland’s oldest latticed fronted buildings on tiny brick-paved lanes.

• Kelly Tarlton was the inventor of the undersea walkway where you can view the fish from below without getting wet - the Antarctic Encounter and Penguin Encounter here are worth visiting on their own.

• Hire bikes from in front of the Maritime Museum and cycle your way to Kelly Tarlton's along the picturesque and safe Tamaki Drive

Today I suggest a day-trip around the outskirts of Auckland - it is possible to have your very own Amazing New Zealand chauffeur to guide you to our favourite spots. Head north over the Harbour Bridge to pretty Orewa Beach and Wenderholm Regional Park on the tranquil east coast, followed by morning tea in the original Bohemian settlement of Puhoi. You then drive inland past wineries and orchards to the wild black-sand beaches of the west coast. The gannet colony at Muriwai is a must see as not only will the cute chicks and the flying skills of the adults keep you mesmerized, but the sweeping views along the surfing beaches north will certainly blow any jet-lag away.

Heading south again lunch can be enjoyed at the Bees Online cafe where many honey orientated products are on sale, or wine lovers should take advantage of having a chauffeur and dine in a restaurant under the vines of a world class winery. After lunch I recommend a walk in the lush bush of the Waitakere Ranges to a secluded waterfall or along a deserted beach, such as the one made famous in Jane Campion's movie The Piano.

Return to Auckland along the Scenic Drive and take a ferry ride to the old suburb of Devonport - Auckland is known as the City of Sails, so a venture out onto the water is an essential part of visiting this city. Wander up North Head for awesome views of the city and our youngest dormant volcano Rangitoto Island. For a late afternoon swim in our clean, clear and safe harbour you can wander down the steps to beautiful Cheltenham Beach. On your return to the Ferry Building enjoy the sunset and dinner on the Waterfront.

Alternatively you can catch the ferry to Tiritiri Island - a bird sanctuary slowly regenerating with native bush. You can also visit Rangitoto Island - either by kayak or by ferry. Once there you can wander up the volcanic rock-strewn path to the summit.

113kms – Turn left towards Thames – the gateway to Coromandel Peninsula. In the late 1800's this was a thriving gold mining and Kauri logging centre. Follow the signs into the town centre. Just after the bridge at the northern end of town, you’ll find Soja Café on the right, for the best coffee in town. If you have time, you could visit the Gold Mine and Stamper Battery at the northern end of town. They offer regular tours showing the impressive ore-crushing stamper plus various tunnels with an informative commentary about the history of gold mining. Alternatively, there is another gold mine to visit in Coromandel.

Continue north direction Coromandel Town. The excellent Orchid and Butterfly House at the Dixon Holiday Park just north of Thames is worth a stop. You are now skirting the Firth of Thames, the road follows the dramatic and winding coast, so please take it easy. But most importantly, please remember that the locals are not on vacation and are quite often in a hurry to get somewhere. So if someone is pressuring you from behind, just pull over and allow them to pass. You will enjoy the driving much much more, and the locals will in turn be much more friendlier when you do eventually cruise to your destination at your own pace!

171kms – Turnoff for the 309 Road.

• 4.8kms up this road is the Waiau Waterways Garden and café, where whimsical wonders are worked by water. $10 Adults/$5 Child - the café is a good option for lunch. There are plenty of whacky contraptions to entertain the young and young at heart. There is swimming in the river and free onsite BBQs - bring your own sausages. They also provide umbrellas, plus toilets (a `long-drop` old style toilet – a rarity these days around New Zealand).
• 7.3kms - The small but delightful Waiau Falls – best viewed from below in the bush glade where there is also a swimming hole in the river under the falls.
• 7.9kms - Continue another ½ kilometre to the Kauri Grove parking. This stop is excellent, giving you a real taste for the New Zealand bush without much effort. The bush walk is an easy 10 minute stroll on a level path to 600 year old Kauri trees. These trees are magnificent, with native bush wonderfully lush and cool and peaceful. Continue past the first lookout for a lovely circuit past the Siamese Kauri and to the Kauri Grove. The Kauris are endemic to the northern part of New Zealand’s North Island and can live for 4000 years and grow to twice the height of these ones! They are the largest trees in the world if calculating volume of usable timber. No wonder they call them the giants of the forest and were almost wiped out by the colonials for their timber. The cutting down of a Kauri is now banned as they are protected, so thankfully now we are seeing a comeback of these giants to our forests.

Return to SH25, Coromandel Town is another 5 kilometres from here. The main street is an old world delight, full of cafés and craft shops. The best beaches for swimming at this evening are Long Bay Beach or Wyuna Bay, both are safe for swimming.

This morning you could head to the popular Driving Creek Railway, for a unique ride at 10:15am on a narrow gauge train (reservations necessary). It winds its way up a zigzagging track that was first built to bring firewood and clay down for the potteries below. There is a great view over Coromandel from the “Eye Full Tower” at the top.

Later you could also pan for gold at the 100 year old Goldfields Centre and Stamper Battery. Adults $6 Child $3 panning for gold $5. After your visit, drive south 400m and turn left towards Whitianga – at the top of the hill there is a lookout point with views all the way back to Auckland.

41kms – You are now arriving in Whitianga, a safe harbour full of holiday homes favoured by Aucklanders. Continue straight, following the beach to where the ferry departs from. This is where all the activity is, including some good cafés. One of the best places for a coffee is on the other side at the Ferry Landing Café, just a short stroll up the hill. Continue south, following signs for Tairua and SH25.

72kms – Turn left to Hahei. After 5 kilometres turn right for Hot Water Beach. It is a lovely beach, but more importantly hot water rises to the surface here from a geothermal reservoir under the seabed. You need to dig a hole below the high water mark, 2 hours either side. After low tide is best so you may then get to use an abandoned hole instead of having to dig one for yourself! Dig on the northern end of the beach, then sit back and soak in your very own private spa. Look for the sulphur bubbling to the surface of the sand. You may prefer to check-in at your accommodation in Hahei first then walk here along the coast.

Return to the Hahei road and continue north another 4 kilometres to your destination for this evening. Hahei`s main attraction is Cathedral Cove, a gorgeous beach nearby hidden within a dramatic coastline. There are 4 ways of reaching it :-

• Walk the coastal track which starts on the northern end of Hahei Beach. The views are excellent, it will take you about 1 hour to reach the cove itself.
• Drive up to the car-park via Grange Road, then walk 45 minutes to the cove.
• Take the Hahei sight seeing boat, departing 10am (no time at the beach).
• Or my recommendation is to join a sea kayaking tour departing at 9am tomorrow. This is a 3 hour true kiwi experience, includes top quality kayaks, life jackets and gear, tuition, and even a hot chocolate or coffee brewed for you on the beach while you take a swim. You can order which ever style – Cappuccino, Mochachino, even an L Baccino (long black). Sea kayaking is a `must do` in New Zealand, and this is one of the most beautiful places to try it.

Today there is a long drive to Rotorua. Actual driving time is 4 hours without suggested stops. One mistake visitors to New Zealand make is under estimating how long it takes to drive – 300kms in New Zealand is not the same as driving 300kms on motorways in Europe! Our roads are not straight, as you have probably already noticed. There is time this morning to do the sea-kayaking tour to Cathedral Cove.

0km – After your morning tour (if any) depart from Hahei Beach car-park, return to the SH25 intersection and go left towards Tairua. Immediately on your left you will notice some vines, they are kiwifruit. You will see many orchards and vineyards today as you travel through what is known as the fruit-bowl of New Zealand.

Whangamata Beach is over 4 kilometres long and is popular for surfing. Drive through town which is less winding than the main road, plus you may wish to stop for coffee here.

100kms – Waihi once had 1200 mines producing half of the country’s gold. There is only one mine left now, the massive Martha’s Mine – a huge open cut mine right in the middle of town. Follow the signs right to Town Centre, then left at the top of the hill. At the second roundabout go right onto Moresby Ave, the Waihi Gold Mine lookout is on the right 300m along. The lookout is truly impressive and the Golden Legacy Centre has an informative 20 minute video about the mine. Return to town and follow signs to Tauranga.

160kms - On the expressway, keep left and follow the signs to Mt Maunganui. It was once an island with a Maori Pa (fortified village), but it is now joined to the mainland and marks the entrance to the Tauranga Harbour. In Maori Tauranga means `sheltered anchorage`, today the harbour has become a huge port catering for massive cruise liners and container ships filled with lamb, kiwifruit and timber heading for Asia and Europe. The Mount is now a congested suburb of Tauranga, with the beach becoming a popular holiday destination for the wealthy and the not so wealthy surfing crowd alike.

167kms - At the end of the expressway, continue straight, then at the roundabout you go right and follow Mt Maunganui via Bridge. Turn left at the second roundabout and head towards the Mount. At the end you will find plenty of (expensive) cafés to choose from. If you left Hahei early, you may like to try your hand at wave riding? The Ministry of Surf near the end of the road rents out boogy and surf boards. Then again, you may just prefer to just sit and watch.

Leaving the Mount, continue east along Marine Parade to Paparoa, where you then follow the signs for Te Puke. At the ' T ' intersection turn left to resume your journey on State Highway 2.

Te Puke is the original kiwifruit growing region, watch out for the giant kiwifruit on the left at 205 kilometres. If you’d like to know more about the fruit then you can stop for a tour of the orchard, or just visit their café and souvenir shop where they offer tastings of the original green kiwifruit, Kiwi Gold and the new Baby Kiwi, plus lots of fruit wine and yummy liqueurs. A few kilometres further, change to SH33, direction Rotorua.

As you come into Rotorua, follow the city centre signs around the lake. You may smell Rotorua before seeing it, as the area is still very active with sulphur escaping from the earth’s crust (think rotten eggs). Don’t worry, you will get used to the smell. The city lies on a beautiful lake, actually a flooded volcanic crater - the surrounding hills are the remains of the rim of the giant volcano. Rotorua sits squarely on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so volcanic activity is part of the city’s past and present. The area has become New Zealand’s second largest tourist centre – so there are no shortages of establishments willing to take some cash away from you and, quite frankly many of them are a bit of a rip-off. But if you’d like to make the most of what Rotorua has to offer and all that is thermal, here are some of my suggestions:- 

• Kuirua Park has the largest display of steam and mud pools….and it’s free! An eruption took place here as recently as January 26^th, 2001 when mud, steam and debris were thrown 200m into the air. Springs regularly just appear, resulting in families being forced to move and the land having to be given back to nature.
•  Wander around the original Maori settlement at Ohinemutu. The church is worth a look at, as is the Marae (Maori meeting house) across the courtyard. Wander the tiny streets where everyone has their own private hot-water bore to fill their bath in the out-shed….just follow the steam and, stay on the paths!
• Walk from the Polynesian Spa to town on the Lakeside Walk via the bird sanctuary at Sulphur Bay. You will also see the remains of the first ever public bath – here Hydrogen Sulphide mixes with Carbon Dioxide to create a mixture similar to the dentist’s laughing gas!
• Join the excellent Tamaki Brothers cultural show followed by a traditional Hangi (earthen cooked meal). Pick-ups are from your accommodation by a waka (war canoe) cleverly disguised as a bus, followed by a fun evening superbly hosted and entertained by local Maori.

 If you have time, soak in the reputedly therapeutic thermal pools at the Polynesian Spa, a delightful but busy public pool. The spa is less crowded mornings - it is a wonderful way to start the day, relaxing with serene views across the lake before being picked up for your rafting trip.

Today I recommend the “Scenic White Water Rafting Trip” down the sedate part of the beautiful Rangitaiki River. Pick-up is from the information centre at 10.30am, returning around 4.30pm. Tuition and life jackets are of course given. Suitable for persons 5 years and up – a picnic lunch is also included alongside the river.

On your return, take the Skyline Gondola up Mount Ngongotaha to take in the awesome views. Before dinner, you could ride the down hill “luge” – it is sooooo much fun that the kids will be screaming for more. There is a scenic track (to begin with) then they’ll be off to the fast track! The free two-seater chairlift takes riders and luge carts back to the top to do it all again, because once is never enough! It's safe too. You're in full control! A unique braking and steering system on your three-wheeled luge cart means you can alter course and speed at will. Go fast, go slow, stop to take photos, you decide. NB:- Height Restrictions apply, so this may influence your decision as to how many “rides” you will need between you all.

Ø      Scenic Track - children under 110cm must ride in tandem with an adult - between 110cm and 135cm, children can ride unaccompanied.

Ø      Advanced Track - Children over 135cm can ride unaccompanied.

This evening enjoy a buffet dinner in the Skyline Restaurant. Wow, what a day!

This morning you may like to check out the Agrodome - the principle attraction here is the Sheep Show, a highly entertaining explanation of sheep and, the caring of said sheep – the mainstay of New Zealand’s exports. Other attractions invented by enterprising New Zealanders on site include Zorbing (rolling down a hill in a giant plastic ball….the teenagers will love this!), Swooping (a glorified swing), bungee jumping (jump from a massive height with an elastic cord tied to your ankles), plus there is a farm tour by tractor.

From Rotorua continue south along Fenton Street on SH5 to Taupo. There are many more thermal attractions to visit today between Rotorua and Taupo.

29kms - Turn left at the Wai-o-tapu Tavern and 400m further left again onto the Loop Road and take a look at the thermal Mud Pools (free). Don’t forget to lock your car - the bubbling mud can keep you mesmerized for hours!

Follow the Loop Road to the main attraction Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland, the best thermal reserve in the area. It really is a wonderland of orange, green, yellow, blue, white and black pools, the highlights being the exquisitely coloured Champagne Pool, Oyster Pool and the Devil’s Bath - you’ll be amazed how nature can conjure up such colours. There are 3 self guided walks, the short, the medium and the long – the latter takes about 2 hours which I recommend as it takes you all the way to the green lake of Ngakoro, with great views en route of the blue lake Whangi-o-terangi, meaning `colour of the sky’. The track is uneven at times so you need walking shoes.

Afterwards, take a dip where the hot and cold rivers merge, 300 meters further along the Loop Road, by the bridge. Great in hot or cold weather, and it’s free! Follow the shingle path down to enter on the right, the left side can be a bit hot at times. Continue on this road back to SH5 and turn left.

78kms – Turn left for the mighty Huka Falls, Volcanic Activity Centre and Prawn Park.

• If you first go left, you will come to the freshwater Prawn Park, apparently the world’s only geothermal prawn farm. Informative tours leaves every 30 minutes. Look out for Horse, he measures a whopping 70 centimetres, making him the largest prawn to be raised. After the tour you are encouraged to munch out in the Riverside Restaurant. The restaurant's lawn sweeps down to the river, from which the children can feed the ducks and watch the jet-boats doing their 360° spins.
• The Activity Centre is well worth a stop. You are in the middle of one of the most active volcanic spots in the world, so it’s good to know what lies beneath your feet. There are hands on interpretive displays of local volcanoes, up to the second earthquake Richter scale readings, even a room where you can experience a simulated earthquake.
• The Huka Falls are not very high, but are certainly spectacular (free). Here the sedate Waikato River is forced between a 15 metre gap before roaring over a 7 metre drop. There is a lookout just past the Helistar Helicopters, but the falls are much more impressive from below, where there is a walkway across the river.
• There is another free attraction called the Craters of the Moon volcanic reserve, that is if you’re not all ‘thermalled out’ yet. To reach the reserve after visiting the falls, return up the hill to highway intersection and cross straight over. Follow the road for 1½ kilometres to the car-park. From here a 40 minute stroll along a boardwalk will take you through steamy billowing clouds and hissing escaping gases – you really do feel as if you’re walking on the moon.

Return to SH1/SH5, go right to Taupo. After 4 kilometres turn left for the lookout over the huge Lake Taupo. It was created in one giant explosion and is the world’s largest volcanic crater. The ash cloud floated all over the world - ice samples from as far apart as Antarctica and Alaska have determined the explosion to have occurred in 186AD. The effects of the ash were even recorded in China and Rome. You can gather your own free volcanic souvenir from the shoreline in the form of very light pumice stones (great for cleaning off rough skin) which were spewed out in that eruption. Just about everywhere you look in the Lake Taupo region, you'll see a volcano. The mountains to the south of the lake are popular for skiing in the winter and walking in the summer. Return to the highway and go left into Taupo where you will find most of the eating establishments – I suggest dinner here before continuing on to Turangi at the southern end of the lake.

There is also the possibility to try tandem skydiving this afternoon – Taupo is the best place in New Zealand to try this as the mountain air is so clear that you can see for miles!

There is another 15-minute walk I'd like to recommend if you have time, departing from the Tokaanu Mud Pools, 5 kilometres northwest of Turangi. The track wanders along spongy paths with plopping mud-pools and swirling steam to accompany you through this mysterious geological world. The Maori have used these springs for cooking and bathing in the curative warm waters for more than 500 years.

Allow at least 1 ½ hours to get to the jet-boat meeting point. Continue south on SH1 along what we call the Desert Road. The road crosses a high plateau which experiences mountainous weather conditions as it skirts the three volcanoes of Mount Tongariro, Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu. The three make up the Tongariro National Park - Peter Jackson used the area extensively as Middle Earth scenery, with Mount Ruapehu as Mt Doom, surrounded by the rocky grounds of Mordor. It doesn’t usually steam, but it did erupt as recently as 1995.

62kms - Waiouru is home of the QEll Army Memorial Museum, turn right onto SH49 to Ohakune, where you need to stay on SH49 (left) to Raetihi.

100kms - In Raetihi, cross over the highway and follow the road leading to the Whanganui River Road – the last 16 kilometres before you hit the river is unsealed, so you can’t drive very fast. Once you reach Pipiriki, continue straight through the village – follow the coffee signs to the end. For security reasons this is where you should park.

Wander down to the wharf where the yellow/blue Bridge to Nowhere Jet-boat will pick you up anywhere between 10:30am and 11am. Joe will be along shortly to transport you to his farm further upstream deep (deep, deep) into the Whanganui National Park. There aren’t any roads, so the river is the only means of transport. The river has the title of 'longest navigatable river' in New Zealand - I would like to bestow it with the title of 'most beautiful river' in New Zealand as well! The steep sided gorges are just awe-inspiring to say the least, with rapids and bush clad hills to make the trip incredible. Additional stops include all the film locations of the recently released River Queen.

After dropping your bags off at the farmhouse (Bridge to Nowhere Lodge), he will take you further upstream for a 40 minute easy bush walk into the Valley of Abandoned Dreams where you eventually emerge onto the Bridge to Nowhere (hence the name). There is also the opportunity to kayak back to the lodge after your walk. This is a farm-stay experience with a difference far away from civilization in a farmhouse with wrap around decks, offering fabulous views of bush clad hills and the stunning river.

The jet-boat will return you to Pipiriki around 11am – return to Raetihi and turn left onto SH4 north to National Park Village - the gateway to the Tongariro National Park. It was gifted to the New Zealand people in 1887 by the Ngati Tuwaretoa tribe and is now a classified World Heritage Area.

If you'd like a walk, there is a short diversion I'd like to recommend. Turn right onto SH47 and then take the side road towards the Whakapapa ski-field. After another 4 kilometres there is a 20 minute walk to the Tawhai Falls, where the tree-lined river tumbles over a ledge of lava into a rock pool below. Return to National Park and turn right to Taumaranui.

The Tongariro Crossing is one of New Zealand’s top full day walks (if you have an extra day) and the 42 Traverse is a popular mountain bike trail. The track winds its way between the 3 majestic volcanic cones of Tongariro, Ruapehu and the steaming Ngauruhoe, via aptly named features such as the Red Crater, Blue Lake, Soda Springs and Emerald Lakes. The "walk" is 16 kilometres long - transport is provided from your accommodation to the start and they then pick you up 9 hours later at the other end.

177kms - Turn right onto SH3 to Te Kuiti, the shearing capital of the world, proudly depicted in the statue as you come into town. The town comes alive in April when the annual sheep shearing championships take place.

On the main street in Te Kuiti, opposite the Mobil petrol station, there are beautiful statues of the Mahoenui Giant Weta, the world’s largest insect, but unfortunately also one of the most endangered species in the world. They only live in one 180ha area of gorse near here – the only legally protected gorse in New Zealand. Everywhere else the introduced gorse is an agricultural pest. Giant Weta are closely related to grasshoppers and crickets and are the peaceful giants of the insect world. They are nocturnal, eating mainly plant matter and the occasional insects and they DO NOT bite.

Your adventure takes you through farmland to a secret opening in the ground. Descending is not difficult, but it is an adventure that will leave you Spellbound. Floating silently in a boat in pitch darkness under thousands of glow worms – it really is quite a surreal experience and the best glow worm display I have seen in the world. The Waitomo Caves are part of a karst system that was once the seabed 30 million years ago. The caves’ stalactites and stalagmites are also impressive.

After your caves tour, head east again to SH3. Turn left (north) direction Hamilton.

Otorohanga is a pretty country town, proud to display everything that is uniquely New Zealand – this is the place to try pavlova, kiwifruit jam and carrot cake. Otorohanga is also famous for its Kiwi House. If you haven’t seen a live cute fluffy Kiwi yet, then take the Kiwi House Tourist Drive just through the village centre. The loop road will bring you to the car-park after 1.5kms. The Kiwi House has the nocturnal birds on display in the night room, plus there is an interesting ½ hour walk, which includes a "walk through aviary" full of native birds, plus the rare endemic Tuatara lizard. Continue on the loop road back to Otorohanga village, turn left onto SH1 to Hamilton and Auckland.

I hope you enjoyed your whirlwind tour of our North Island - if you'd like to visit the South Island as well then drive directly to Auckland Domestic Airport and catch an internal flight to Christchurch.

If you are just arriving in New Zealand and using Amazing New Zealand services, you will be personally met at the airport by our friendly professional representative and taken to your accommodation in Christchurch (see Day 1 of the North Island).

Arriving by air gives you a wonderful overview of the area - sea to the east, a carefully laid out city bordered by the Port Hills to the south-east, then an expanse of patch-work fields ringed by perfectly manicured wind-breaks that stretch all the way to the Southern Alps.....ask for a window seat on the right side of the plane!

Christchurch is New Zealand's second largest city which sprawls across the Canterbury Plains towards the Southern Alps. The main attractions here are the 748 English style gardens and parks. The city even has its very own Avon River on which one can punt. It has an English colonial feel to the city with school children in formal blazers and straw hats, plus fine architecture and heritage sites evident everywhere. The best way to see the city is on the tour aboard a beautifully restored tram which provides commentary about the various sites along the way.

Other attractions in Christchurch worth considering over the coming days are:-

• Taking the Port Hills Gondola for stunning views from the Gondola Restaurant or Cafe. Return by gondola, walk on the Bridle Path, or descend by mountain bike
• Visit the Canterbury Museum (free) for their informative Antarctic display and impressive Maori collection
• The excellent International Antarctic Centre near the airport is where you can experience all there is to know about the icy continent
• Mona Vale is a beautiful Edwardian-style homestead set amongst 5 ½ ha. of beautiful gardens.
• Take a leisurely bicycle tour of the city – not a hill to be found

0kms – Take the SH75 to Akaroa, (1 hour driving without suggested stops).

50kms - Turn right to Birdlings Flat and Kaitorete Spit. I used to frequent this beach as a child to collect beautiful and rare gemstones polished smooth by the pounding waves, in every colour you can imagine. The beach is windswept and littered with driftwood – please take extreme caution as the beach is very steep with an incredible undertow so stay well above the high water mark and strictly NO swimming.

Possible stops en route include Little River Craft and Gallery (56 kilometres) and Barry's Bay Cheese Factory (73 kilometres) for cheese tastings. Lunch at French Farm is also highly recommended, depending on what time you left.

68kms - The Top of the Hill Cafe at the summit is a must before you make your way down to the harbour, if only to stop and look at the view.

From here it is another 20 kilometres to Akaroa. In 1835 French whaler Jean Langlois established a whaling station in the harbour at French Bay and bought some land from the Maori. Once he had secured the deal he returned to France to organize a group of settlers to come and establish a community. Unfortunately the English had placed the whole of New Zealand under British sovereignty only 13 days before, so the French settlers were forced to sell their claims. They did however stay, bringing both their rich French character and their culture to this far flung outpost of France. Akaroa’s other attraction are of course the tiny and very rare Hector’s Dolphin. These are the only dolphins endemic to New Zealand, with the majority of them using this sheltered harbour as their home. It is a beautiful and privileged experience to be able to swim with these friendly and inquisitive mammals.

I can recommend the scenic route back to Christchurch via the beautiful but winding road along the crater rim, offering stunning views along the way – access to the Summit Road is one kilometre back, direction Eastern Bays. This Tourist Drive has to be THE most scenic route in the whole world, the views down both sides really are spectacular!

122kms - Back at the Top of the Hill Cafe turn right and head back towards Christchurch for 37 kilometres. At the Blue Duck Cafe you have the opportunity to turn right to return to Christchurch via the Lyttleton Harbour - the second of the craters that make up the Banks Peninsula. After passing over the Gebbies Pass, turn left to Governors Bay and Lyttleton.

184kms - At the roundabout, you can either return to Christchurch via the Lyttleton Tunnel, or my recommendation is to go straight. If you think you can handle just a little more awesome scenery then continue to the shops, go left and take the first right onto the Sumner Road. This will take you over the even more dramatic (low) Evan's Pass to Sumner. This is one of Christchurch's best beaches - how about fish&chips wrapped in paper (New Zealand style) on the beach watching the sunset? Or a gourmet pizza at the Duck Cafe followed by a film in the little local cinema, before returning to the city via the pretty Heathcote Estuary. Or, head for Nicholson Park on Taylors Mistake Road where the swings have the best view in the world!

0kms - Follow SH1 south, direction Ashburton and Timaru. You have time to visit more of Christchurch's attractions first before you depart.

121kms - Soon after passing over the Rangitata River, turn right onto SH79, direction Geraldine and Fairlie. Geraldine is a great place for a coffee and has a few attractions worth stopping for. You can choose from:-

• A larger than fair smattering of arts and crafts galleries
• The Vintage Car Club and Machinery Museum has a sizable collection of cars, tractors and aircraft.
• Chocolate Fellmann create Swiss-style Florentines and chocolates at prices that ensure their freshness
• The Giant Jersey has, you guessed it, the largest jersey in the world, plus lots of woolly stuff on sale.
• Barker's Berry Barn is a specialty shop, where you'll find a huge range of fruity liqueurs and wines, plus unique gift and gourmet items.
• Kiwi Country is purpose built for the tourist buses and is full of the usual souvenirs. However it does have excellent coffees and toilet facilities.

182kms - In Fairlie, turn right onto SH8 to Lake Tekapo. The scenery dramatically changes as you cross over Burke's Pass. You are now entering the McKenzie Basin, a flat expanse of tussock grasslands and home to New Zealand’s highest mountain Aoraki (or Mt Cook as it is known in English) and sparkling turquoise glacial lakes below the Southern Alps - and it bears little resemblance to anywhere else in New Zealand.

225kms - The village at Lake Tekapo is small - their claim to fame being that it has the cleanest and clearest air in New Zealand. There is not much to hold you here beyond taking a snapshot of the much photographed Church of the Good Shepherd and the Sheepdog and grabbing a coffee. The gorgeous turquoise-blue lake derives its colour from fine glacial particles suspended in the water.

240kms - Turn off the highway and take the scenic route to Twizel along the huge man-made Tekapo Canal constructed for the Upper Waitake hydroelectric scheme, a significant source of our country’s electricity. En route you can buy fresh fish or sashimi from the salmon farm and stop for spectacular photos of Mt Aoraki across the opaque coloured Lake Pukaki.

285kms - At the turnoff to Mount Cook/Aoraki, continue in the direction of Twizel – your destination for this evening. One of the reasons to visit this region is to view the site of the massive Battle of the Pelennor Fields on the grassy fields behind your lodgings. Tonight and tomorrow night’s accommodation is at a farm with stunning views of Mt Aoraki.                                                                                                                                        Back to Top

From your accommodation it is an easy drive to Mount Cook Village. The scenic drive to the base of Mt Aoraki and the Tasman and Hooker Glaciers encompasses world-class scenery at its best where your excitement grows in parallel with the vista before you as you enter this world heritage site known as the Mount Cook National Park.

Suggested activities while in the area:-  

• Several different alpine walks with wonderful views.
• Scenic flights either by ski plane or helicopter over Aoraki, with views of the West Coast and Franz Joseph Glacier.
• The Glacier Explorer Trip involves walking to Tasman Lake and then taking an informative boat ride to the face of the advancing glacier.
• Eat, drink and just relax in the Hermitage while enjoying the incredible views that lie before you
• Join the Pelennor Fields tour on a private high-country farm, with the added bonus of interesting insights into farming in such a harsh environment.
• Hang out in Twizel talking to the locals who were probably Rohirrim or Gondorian in the largest LOTR battle-scene. 
• Heli-bike is the specialty in Twizel with trips that combine the excitement of a helicopter flight with the adventure of a mountain-bike ride down high-country farm tracks
• Try your hand at Golfcross, an entertaining game invented by Kiwis that combines golf with rugby where the aim is to hit oval shaped golf sized balls around the sheep farm and then through the upright posts, with spectacular scenery as your backdrop
• I can recommend the Hooker Valley Track - This is one of the most popular short walks in the Mount Cook National Park. Start at the White Horse Hill camping and follow the Hooker River. There are massive views of Mt Sefton and the shrunken Mueller Glacier, past an Alpine Memorial and over two swing-bridges until the final destination of the terminal lake at the bottom of the Hooker Glacier. Here Mount Aoraki looms ahead with great walls of ice up on the left and buttresses of rock towering over the foaming river to the right. The walk takes approximately 2 hours one way – so walk as far as you can handle. This is New Zealand at its very best. Please note appropriate clothing should be taken - storms and snow can be upon you within a few hours, even in the summer, so always be prepared.

0kms – Departing from Twizel tourist office, head south on SH8 via the scenic Lindis Pass. Consider stopping at Omarama for petrol and to view Norman Sinclair’s brilliantly painted landscapes next door. The pass was first used by the Maori walking to Lake Wanaka for summer fishing.

116kms – After Tarras, continue towards Cromwell for another 6 kilometres, then turn right onto the unsealed Maori Point Road. Two kilometres further along you are in the pine forests where they filmed Arwen and Frodo fleeing on horseback along the Great East Road. Continue along this road, following the Clutha River. It is the largest river in New Zealand – its volume is almost twice that of the slightly longer Waikato in the North Island. The beautiful views across the river are towards the section of the Southern Alps used as the Misty Mountains in the LOTR trilogy.

At the end turn left to Wanaka, it lies on a tranquil lake with picture-perfect mountains as a backdrop and it is one of my favourite places in New Zealand! There are also several options available here:-

• How about a 4x4 quad bike tour on a sheep farm with great views.
• Play golf-cross after your visit to the Rippon winery.
• Mountain-bike along the lakefront - there is also an excellent adventure play ground there.
• Visit the incredible Puzzling Maze, fun for young and old!
• Glendhu Bay is a sheltered and picturesque bay for postcard perfect photos of the mountains behind. Look for the swing down by the water's edge
• Just beyond is a road leading to a popular swimming area in the spectacular Motatapu Gorge.
• The NZ Fighter Pilots Museum has an impressive collection of World War II planes, including Spitfire, Hurricane and Mustang, plus the rare Polikarpov. Try the simulator while you're there.
• One of the best short walks in this country is to the Rob Roy Glacier, and its FREE. The walk will take you up through beautiful rain forest to a hidden valley, right up to the face of the glacier. For a shorter walk, try the 2½ hour Roaring Meg's Pack Track.  

Opposite you'll see signs to the Back Country Saddles - they offer horse-back treks up the beautiful Cardrona Valley on Appaloosas.

The views from the top of the pass are world class. Take your time coming down the zigzagging road! At the bottom you can either go right to Queenstown, or left to the Kawarau Gorge. The Kawarau River Bridge is home to A.J. Hackett's very first bungee jumping platform - this is where you get to tie a huge elastic band to your ankles and jump out into space over the river, if you dare. A few more kilometres along the gorge you will find the excellent winery and restaurant at Gibbston Valley Wines.

Back track to Queenstown - the Adventure Capital of the World! The beautiful resort was originally named as 'fit for a Queen'. The sheer breadth of tourist activities available here is impossible to list, however the ' in-thing' at the moment are tours that have anything to do with the numerous Lord of the Rings filming locations. One of the most spectacular and affordable scenic flights in the world is the 2½ hour Trilogy Trail, with plenty of commentary and behind the scenes 'anecdotes' along the way.

This evening ride the Skyline Gondola to take in the awesome views - best viewed at sunset when the Remarkables Range on the other side of Lake Wakatipu glows in golden light. In winter the view is even better with the mountains covered in snow!

Before your buffet dinner you must ride the down hill “luge” – it is sooooo much fun. There is a scenic track (to begin with) then you’ll be off to the fast track! The free two-seater chairlift takes riders and luge carts back to the top to do it all again, because once is never enough! It's safe too. You're in full control! A unique braking and steering system on your three-wheeled luge cart means you can alter course and speed at will. Go fast, go slow, stop to take photos, you decide.

After your morning thrill up the Dart River, head back to Queenstown to enjoy a little more of what is on offer there. Stop at Bob's Cove where there is a short loop track along a nature trail through native forest full of bellbirds, thrushes and fantails to the lakeside where you can observe the strange seiches phenomenon - this is an unusual rhythmic rise and fall of 12cm in its water level every five minutes due to variations in atmospheric pressure. A Maori myth says it is the beating of a monster's heart lying in the depths of Lake Wakatipu! In Queenstown you could :-

• Take the plunge and try a bungee jump, or just have fun watching others do it
• Learn to fly-fish in the trout infested lakes and rivers
• Play golf on one of the most magically located courses in the world
• Eat at McNeill’s Cottage Brewery where there is a nice mix of heritage and atmosphere, plus fine home brewed ales.
• Play Frisbee-Golf in the Queenstown Gardens.
• Visit a vineyard and try their w