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Wildlife and Wilderness
Drive just about anywhere and you see what the fuss is about. Not only is the scenery outrageous, but with only four million people in a country the same size as ours, the roads are also wonderfully empty.
Days 1, 2 and 3 Days 6 and 7 Tongariro
National Park
To Tongariro, the heart of volcano country and your first encounter with LOTR's Middle Earth, in the shape of the trio of volcanoes in the world's second oldest national park (after Yellowstone in the US). Your accommodation will be at Chateau Tongariro. Built in 1929, and still retaining many of its original features, this is the only hotel located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site. There's an abundance of things to do in the area; in particular, we would suggest taking a scenic flight that includes the huge steaming hot crater lake of Mount Ruapehu and its glacier (£81), or either a full-day (£75) or half-day (£54) guided hike.
The Coromandel
It starts with a drive through the magical Wai-O-Tapu thermal wonderland and the famous Lady Knox geyser before entering the awesome Waimangu Volcanic Valley (some background: in 1886, Mount Tarawera erupted, creating a ten mile incision in the earth, expanding Lake Rotomahana to 20 times its original size and forming the seven craters that today make up the Waimangu Volcanic Valley). After close encounters with hot springs, thermal pools and geysers and a cruise on the lake, the tour continues to Lake Tarawera for lunch at the beautiful Landing restaurant. You'll stop at the Blue and Green Lake on your way back to Rotorua and your accommodation at the new Accolades, a boutique guest house overlooking Lake Rotorua. We would also recommend an amazing helicopter flight, landing on the crater of the active volcano Tarawera (£136), or a further jaunt to White Island, an active volcano in the sea off the Bay of Plenty (£299).
After touching down at Auckland you'll collect a car at the airport, turn your back on the city and drive - around two hours to the Coromandel Peninsula. It's a wonderful region of high contours and deep green valleys, in parts as tropically lush as the Caribbean, in others more like natural parklands that could pass as Capability Brown creations. The beaches, too, are superb, from the surfing seaside of Whangamata to Hot Water Beach, where you can rent a spade and, at low tide, dig a hole in the sands and dunk yourself in your own private casserole of thermal waters. We offer a choice of accommodation, either the remote beachside Kuaotunu Bay Lodge or the more central Colleith Lodge in Tairua. We would also recommend booking a Kiwi Dundee Wilderness Adventure tour of the Peninsula, visiting beaches, rainforest, historic gold caves and Maori heritage sites, with either a picnic or café lunch (£89).
Days 8 and 9
Wellington
Most cities in the world would be out of place in an itinerary themed around scenery. Not Wellington. The country's seat of government is positioned in a handsome horseshoe of hills, the slopes tumbling with woods, the ridge lines polished by scurrying clouds. You'll be staying at Lambton Heights, a large heritage home with sweeping views of the city and harbour. We can book a number of Wellington tours, including a half day devoted to Maori art, crafts and customs (£89), and a full-day `Wild Wellington' tour of the city's extraordinary natural features, laced with tales of legends and illuminated by native birds (£119, including a bistro lunch). An alternative to staying in the city, which would appeal to lovers of wildlife, would be to spend the two nights on the nearby Kapiti coast, staying at luxurious Greenmantle Estate, with a visit to Kapiti island, home to some of the world's rarest birds,
Days 4 and 5
Rotorua
Although more famous for its bubbling cauldrons of hot mud and salvoes of spouting geysers, the town is also the epicentre of Maori culture. We think the best way to experience both is on a full-day tour with New Zealand Wild Escapes (£123).
White Island
for a supplement of £150 (for 2 nights).
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