NEW ZEALAND ACTIVE ADVENTURE
December 29, 2016 – January 16, 2017
Tour Leaders: Trevor & Julie Roark
Overview
Mount Cook National Park, NZ
Seeking adventure in New Zealand (Aotearoa - Land of the long, white cloud) is a popular bucket list item as it
hosts the adventure capital of the world (Queenstown) and a myriad of incredible adventure activities
throughout. It’s one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, and this tour will capture much of
this adventure and the country’s wonderment. The terrain, ecosystems, wildlife, culture, and activities in New
Zealand (NZ) astonish visitors and inspire many to return year after year. From kayaking/hiking sandy coves and
beaches of Abel Tasman, to hiking the Emerald Lakes within volcanic craters of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, to
canyoning Sleeping God Canyon, to cruising the waterfalls and underwater observatory in Milford Sound, to
imbibing the rich Maori culture and foods, to experiencing world-class mountain bike trails in Queenstown, to
sightseeing the urban settings of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, & Queenstown, there is a lot to
experience on this adventure. This tour will also include a “short” trip through Hobbiton, which is featured in
both The Lord of the Rings trilogy & The Hobbit. As they say in NZ, “Kia ora!” or “be well/healthy”.
Differing from the NZ Cultural & Ecological tour, this NZ Active Adventure includes more physical activity, and
thus travelers should have a healthier fitness level and/or train to prepare for this tour. Some activities will be
optional; however, a willingness to challenge the body and mind is a plus. Your safety and wellness come first,
so please contact the Tour Leaders if you’re not sure if this tour is a good fit for you.
Tour Itinerary
Dec. 29 (Thursday) - 31: Depart from Home
Your adventure takes off with a flight across the Pacific & the International Dateline, skipping a day
ahead (if departing from U.S.). Arrive in amazing Auckland, NZ on Dec. 31st and coach bus transfer
from the airport to the hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, walk the city, and/or catch up on
sleep if needed. In the eve, gather with the group for dinner, brief orientation, and then later to
celebrate New Year’s with exciting Auckland fireworks near the Sky Tower! Overnight in Auckland.
Meals included: Dinner at hotel on Dec. 31st
Jan. 1: Auckland
Auckland, the “City of Sails,” has a mix of many Polynesian cultures from the Pacific
islands. Get a glimpse of Auckland with spectacular views atop Mt. Eden. From
there, the afternoon and evening are yours. You could explore Auckland Domain
(including Winter Gardens), the Auckland Museum, SkyJump, Rangitoto Island
Reserve, Waiheke Island, MOTAT, SCUBA dive or snorkel with Dive Tutukaka, and
more… Overnight in Auckland. Meals included: Breakfast at hotel
Jan. 2: Auckland  Thames / Coromandel Forest Park
Sky Tower
Depart Auckland early morning to head southeast and land in Thames for your first
encounter of New Zealand’s wild forests. Here, you’ll be able to choose
between canyoning (abseiling, sliding, scrambling, & jumping along
canyons/waterfalls) Sleeping God Canyon with Canyonz or hiking up to
Pinnacles Peak. Return to Thames for an overnight. Meals included: Lunch
Jan. 3: Thames  Hobbiton Tour  Rotorua
Depart Thames in the morning and be transported to “Middle Earth” by way of
exploring the land of Hobbiton. Featured in the first movie of LOTR trilogy and
The Hobbit, this homestead movie set still remains for visitors to experience.
Enjoy a group lunch and drinks like hobbits would at the Green Dragon. After
Photo by canyonz
lunch, head to Rotorua and immerse in rich Maori culture or seek out more
adventure. Overnight in Rotorua. Meals included: Hobbiton lunch
Jan. 4: Rotorua (Haka dance & Hangi meal)
Today, take in this Maori epicenter on your own & how you wish!
You could visit Te Puia with erupting geysers, bubbling mud pools,
and host to the National Carving School and National Weaving
School. You could also experience OGO, hike or mountain bike the
Redwoods, go whitewater rafting, kayaking, or sledging, ride
Hobbiton, The Shire
Skyline & luge, relish the downtown cafes, and more… Early eve,
the group will visit Tamaki Maori Village, a journey back in time with cultural legends, traditional
Maori entertainment (Haka dance & song), and a Hangi meal (“lifted from the Earth Oven”). Overnight
in Rotorua. Meals included: Dinner at Tamaki Maori Village
Jan. 5: Rotorua  Tongariro National Park (TNP)
Leave Rotorua very early, take in a quick stop at Huka Falls, and arrive in TNP. The Tongariro Alpine
Crossing is a well-known scenic hike and has become a Dual World Heritage Site. This trek will require
a middle to higher fitness level with 5-7 hours (11.8 mi) of hiking, some steep climbs, trekking along
active volcanos, and navigation from 3,600 ft. up to 6,900 ft. above sea level. In the eve, gather
around dinner to share your adventures. Overnight in Tongariro. Meals included: Dinner at hotel
Jan. 6: TNP  Wellington
A little R&R (sleeping/relaxing on the bus) may be
essential this morning. Dotted with grazing white sheep,
rolling countryside will give way to Wellington, NZ’s
capital city. Take the rest of the day off to explore how
you wish. You could visit the Beehive, the historic St.
Paul’s Church, and the gov’t building (largest wooden
building in the Southern Hemisphere). Or, check out the
Emerald Lakes along the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. National Museum - Te Papa, visit Zealandia - a
nature lover’s sanctuary by the city, take a cruise to Kapiti Island to hike a world
renowned sanctuary for NZ’s most beautiful and endangered native birds, or for
astronomy lovers, there’s the Space Place. Per capita, this city embodies
more cafes, bars, and restaurants than New York City. Plus, the theatre district
spans the entire central city! Overnight in Wellington. Meals included: None
Jan. 7: Wellington  Picton  Abel Tasman
Board the Interislander ferry and cruise across Cook Strait to experience what
Weta Cave, Wellington
Wine Spectator called “the most beautiful ferry ride in the world.” Arrive in
Picton and ride coach along the northern shores of the South Island. It is here where many NZers (and
tourists) go to get away, the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park (I.E. “Paradise”). Enjoy a group
dinner near the beach at Kaiteriteri. Overnight in Kaiteriteri. Meals included: Dinner in Kaiteriteri
Jan. 8: Abel Tasman
Start the day with the sunrise on the beach - it’s a must see! This day is fully yours. A fun optional
extra would be to hike or kayak out to Anchorage Bay w/ Marahau Sea Kayaks, overnight at
Anchorage Hut, and then return kayak or hike (your lodging
would be maintained at Kaiterteri throughout). Or, you can
choose to mountain bike, hike, ride horses, skydive, snorkel, etc.
at your leisure. Pack a lunch or head back to Kaiteriteri for some
local foods. Enjoy more fun kayaking, swimming, cruising,
shopping, relaxing, and/or hiking the rest of the day. It’s up to
you! Overnight in Kaiteriteri. Meals included: None
Kayaking at Abel Tasman NP
Jan. 9: Abel Tasman/Nelson
Stick around to enjoy more adventure (canyoning/kayaking/hiking) in Abel Tasman or head south to
Nelson with part of the group to rent bicycles or walk to explore the area (wine tours, biking trails,
beach cruising, swimming, shopping, kite flying, etc.). Overnight in Kaiteriteri. Meals included: None
Jan. 10: Abel Tasman  Kaikoura  Christchurch
From here, we’ll travel southeast to the marine rich area of Kaikoura.
The group will embark on a boat tour to satisfy marine bird and mammal
enthusiasts, experience stunning geologic features along the seashore,
and enjoy the beauty of the South Pacific. After lunch, we’ll end up in the
popular city of Christchurch, the “World’s gateway to Antarctica” and the
most English of NZ cities. Group dinner and overnight in Christchurch.
Meals included: Dinner in Christchurch
Delicious foods of New Zealand
Jan. 11: Christchurch
Free day in Christchurch. The Antarctic Center and Canterbury Museum are popular, but if you like
cycling, bird watching, farmers’ markets, fishing, kayaking, or scenic flights, Christchurch and the
Canterbury Region has all of these and more adventures. Overnight in Christchurch. Meals included:
None
Jan. 12: Christchurch  Mt. Cook
Onwards to Mt. Cook National Park (Aoraki - the Cloud Piercer), a world heritage landscape where
permanent ice fields and glaciers blanket the ragged peaks and it was here NZer Sir Edmund Hillary
honed his skills before attempting Everest. Scale parts of this mountain, hike challenging treks, or pace
yourself with more undulating terrain. Overnight at Mt. Cook Village. Meals included: None
Jan. 13: Mt. Cook  Twizel  Queenstown
Explore more of the mountain with hiking. After lunch in
Twizel, embrace elegant views southbound. You’ll stop at
Kawarau River suspension bridge, near the LOTR filming
location Pillars of the Kings with optional extra bungee
jumping. Arrive in Queenstown, the adventure capital of
the world! The evening is yours! Overnight in
Queenstown. Meals included: Lunch in Twizel
Mt. Cook (Aoraki) piercing the clouds
Jan. 14: Queenstown (and/or Milford Sound)
Explore Queenstown, seek out other adventures, or join some of the group on the excursion to
Milford Sound (extra). In Milford Sound, you’d embark on a scenic cruise that brings you through the
deep fjord surrounded by sheer mountains rising
almost 4,000 feet and hundreds of waterfalls with a
stop at Discovery Center & Underwater Observatory,
and then return to Queenstown. Overnight in
Queenstown. Meals included: None
Jan. 15: Queenstown
The tour is coming to a close, and this may be your
last chance to enjoy some of the best of NZ; it’s really
Cruise Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park
up to you. Skydiving? NZONE might be your best opp.
Skyline Queenstown features world-class mountain bike trails, and zip-lining with ZipTrek Ecotours will
get your heart racing. In the evening, return to the hotel to share food & drink, tales of adventure, and
photos at the tour’s farewell dinner. Overnight in Queenstown. Meals included: Farewell dinner
Jan. 16 (Monday): Queenstown  Auckland  Home
Morning coach bus transfer to airport. Depart Queenstown and fly to Auckland. Depart Auckland on
Jan. 16th and arrive home on Jan. 16th (if arriving in the U.S.). Meals included: Breakfast at hotel
COST: $3,984.00 pp (USD)
MY OWN ROOM: $950 pp (additional USD)
GROUP SIZE: 12-18 participants
INCLUDED: The cost includes all accommodations (comfortable lodging), all meals listed in itinerary,
all group activities listed in itinerary, all in-country transfers (coach bus & flight from Queenstown to
Auckland), and 1-2 UWSP Adventure Tours Tour Leaders (depending on group size).
NOT INCLUDED: Roundtrip airfare to NZ, extra/non-group activities, meals not included in itinerary,
extra purchases (such as souvenirs, alcoholic beverages, and lodging sundries), coach bus drivers’ &
guides’ tips, extra transfers (taxi, bike rental, etc. on free times), laundry service, and travel insurance.
PLEASE NOTE: The cost is per person with double occupancy accommodations. Single rooms (“my
own room”) are limited. Due to some variables (weather, etc.), some activities/accommodations may
change prior to or during the tour. Plan to spend an extra $300-$600 USD for meals not included. This
tour will accommodate healthier fitness/health levels; however, it is suggested that all participants
maintain a good level of fitness and/or train in preparation. Our goal is to ensure a fun and safe
wellness adventure for everyone aboard.
TOUR LEADERS: Trevor & Julie Roark
CONTACT: Trevor Roark (715-340-8186, adventure.tours@uwsp.edu)
REGISTRATION: Register online with a check or via credit card OR print registration form, complete, &
mail along with $300 (pp) nonrefundable deposit.
WEBSITE: www.uwspadventuretours.com