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North Island : Craters, Coast and Culture continued
Days 6 and 7
Rotorua
Days 10 and 11
Wellington
Rotorua is a primeval soup kitchen of bubbling cauldrons and wild stinky geysers, a world still in the making. It's also a hub of Maori culture with regular performances of costumed song, dance and the famous
Wellington has the buzz of a cosmopolitan, lifestyle city yet the intimacy of a small town, all tightly packaged in a prime waterfront location with a horseshoe of green hills as its backdrop. The number one family sight has to be the Te Papa museum, a bold work of architecture full of national treasures. You can explore on a guided tour that includes the museum (£53), or one that takes you to the home of Peter Jackson - outside glimpse only and the film studios, as well as outdoor locations used in the film (£119 for a full day). Home base will be the new apartments of the Museum Hotel de Wheels opposite Te Papa.
Details and prices
Your accommodation
· 2 nights in Auckland at Quay West Suites · 3 nights on the Coromandel at Biba Holiday Home · 2 nights in Rotorua at Marama Apartments · 2 nights in Tongariro National Park at Bayview Chateau Tongariro · 2 nights in Wellington at the Museum Hotel de Wheels
haka used to intimidate all visiting rugby teams. You can combine two Maori experiences - a concert with story telling and a traditional hangi feast cooked in an underground oven (£40). You can also test your nerve on a range of heart-thumping activities, including such lesser known pursuits as `zorbing' (rolling down hills inside transparent spheres) and `luging' (careering down a winding track on a cart). Your two nights are spent at Marama Apartments, an ideal base with plenty of facilities for families, although you could upgrade to your own private house at Pukeko Landing or Te Kowhai in Taupo (see page 55).
Auckland
Coromandel Peninsula Rotorua
Day 12
Homeward bound
Tongariro NP
You could, of course, continue your New Zealand journey by taking the ferry across Cook Strait and stepping straight into Day 3 of the South Island itinerary featured on the next page, making a three-week trip in all. Or, if you just want to add a few days, we would suggest flying or driving from Auckland up to the Bay of Islands, home to Ninety Mile Beach, the old whaling town of Russell and the historic Waitangi Treaty grounds. · Let us know if you want us to tailor a similar itinerary to your particular interests.
Wellington
Days 8 and 9
Tongariro
What's included
Accommodation as above, room only, arrival transfers in Auckland, eight days' car hire. Tours are optional at approximate prices shown.
This unique volcanic landscape is a World Heritage Site, steeped in Maori legend and famous for its starring performances as Mordor and Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings. You'll stay at Bayview Chateau Tongariro, nestled at the foot of Mount Ruapehu. Opened in 1929, it has been brought caringly into the 21st century. It's an excellent base for exploring the region, by foot, plane or raft.
Guideline price per person, based on four sharing
Low season (Apr - Sep) High season (Oct - Mar) £471 £548
Ask your consultant for prices if there are fewer or more people in your family.
Mount Ruapehu
Bubbling mud, Rotorua
Te Papa
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