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$10,000 $8,999
Per Person
$10,000 $8,999
Per Person

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    • August 2021
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    New Zealand

    Trending
    16 days
    Age 11+
    All Months
    Availability 30

    A shocking scene and wonderful climate all year, New Zealand has something to offer each guest. New Zealand is a little nation comprised of 2 islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The scene is specked with volcanoes, mountains, fountains, hot springs and surging waterways. There are numerous stupendous climbs to take all through New Zealand including Mt. Victoria and the South Islands’ Fiordland, which were included in Peter Jackson’s “Ruler of the Rings” motion pictures. The capital, Wellington, otherwise called ‘Breezy Wellington’ has a delightful waterfront promenade, shorelines, and the national historical center, Te Papa Tongarewa.

    Day 1 – 2: Depart USA

      Board your independent flight to New Zealand. Lose a day crossing the International Date Line.

    Day 3: Dunedin, New Zealand

    In and around Dunedin

    Arrive in Dunedin and transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

    Day 4: Dunedin / Embark Caledonian Sky

      Today, choose one of two local discovery options: Take a drive to Taiaroa Head to visit the world-famous northern royal albatross colony; then, observe and photograph yellow-eyed penguins at close range. Or, enjoy a scenic train ride on the Taieri Gorge Railway, then join a local historian for a walk through the heart of enchanting Dunedin, viewing the distinct Edwardian and Victorian architectural styles of First Church and St. Paul Cathedral. Board the Caledonian Sky this afternoon.

    Day 5: At Sea

      Join naturalists for lectures and on deck to look for royal, shy, and Buller’s albatross, plus a host of southern ocean petrels as we cruise to Enderby Island.

    Day 6: Enderby, Auckland Islands

      Today nature walks lead you through lush vegetation and rata forests to visit nesting southern royal albatross. Station yourself near a beach covered with Hooker’s sea lions to watch yellow-eyed penguins, one of the rarest penguins in the world, as they return to their nesting sites. In the elfin forest, search for bellbirds, tomtits, and red-crowned parakeets.

    Ocean shot: The harsh environment of the remote Auckland Islands has thwarted previous attempts to settle there. Credit: Professor John Montgomery Supplied 7 FEB 2014

    Day 7: At Sea

      Our lecture series continues with recaps on Enderby and briefings on our next sub-Antarctic landings.

    Day 8 – 9: Macquarie Island, Australia

      Spend two days exploring Macquarie Island. Though tides and weather will determine our landings, we hope to visit a king penguin colony as well as colonies of royal and gentoo penguins. A variety of birds, as well as elephant and fur seals, can be found set against a background of mountains and tussock-covered headlands. Several species of albatross breed here, as well as Macquarie Island cormorants, and northern and southern giant petrels.

    Day 10: At Sea

      Spend a relaxing and educational day at sea as our lecture series continues.

    Day 11: Campbell Island, New Zealand

      Campbell Island is home to a multitude of seabirds, marine mammals, and unique sub-Antarctic megaherbs. Photographic opportunities include frame-filling encounters with southern royal albatross, as well as Hooker’s sea lions. Birders search for the endemic Campbell teal and Campbell snipe; both species were previously believed to be extinct.

    Day 12: The Snares Islands

      Board Zodiacs for a cruise around The Snares Islands. This nature reserve is home to millions of breeding sooty shearwaters, as well as Buller’s albatross, Cape petrels, and endemic Snares crested penguins.

    Day 13: Stewart Island / Ulva Island

      Peaceful Stewart Island is home to fewer than 500 inhabitants. Explore the coastline before anchoring near Oban. Local guides lend insight into the island’s unique environment and Maori history. Nearby Ulva Island is a predator-free sanctuary with lush temperate rainforest. It is a wonderful place to view the South Island robin, South Island saddleback, yellowhead, and the curious weka, a flightless rail.

    Day 14: Dusky & Breaksea Sounds, Fiordland National Park

      Today is devoted to Fiordland National Park, a nearly uninhabited wilderness with breathtakingly beautiful fjords filled with wildlife. Part of Te Wahipounamu Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fiordland National Park is famed for spectacular glacier-carved waterways and unique flora and fauna. In Dusky Sound explore by Zodiacs to discover rainforest luxuriant with tree ferns, mosses, and lichens and visit Astronomer’s Point, the site of a temporary observatory established during Captain Cook’s 1773 voyage. The forests and waterways are home to many birds—bellbirds, tuis, fantails, and the kereru, a large native wood pigeon.

    Day 15: Doubtful Sound

      Keep your binoculars ready as the ship slowly cruises Doubtful Sound, inspecting the coves where rare Fiordland crested penguins are sometimes found.

    Day 16: Milford Sound / Disembark / Queenstown

    In and around Queenstown

    Be on deck this morning to watch the panorama of Milford’s sheer cliff faces, which rise thousands of feet almost vertically from the water’s edge, as well as the crashing waters of Bowen and Stirling Falls and the stunning mile-high Mitre Peak. Disembark for a short drive to the picturesque town of Te Anau for lunch. Continue to Queenstown, with dinner and overnight at our hotel.

    Day 17: Queenstown

      Today choose one of two excursion options, designed to highlight Queenstown’s natural and cultural attributes. Journey through the dramatic Lord of the Rings landscapes of Central Otago and meet the winemakers of the world’s southernmost wine-producing region. Or, take a thrilling jet boat ride amongst stunning scenery, then ride the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak. Alternatively, you may choose to explore Queenstown on your own, browsing the private studios, gardens, and galleries of internationally renowned artists. Return to the hotel for a farewell dinner and overnight.

    Day 18: Queenstown / USA

      After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your independent homeward flight, arriving in the USA the same day.

    • Departure
      USA
    • Departure Time
      10 Am
    • Return Time
      11 pm
    • Included
      Meals Included
    • Not Included

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    New Zealand