30 Oct - 18 Nov 2010 (20 days) New Zealand North &
South Island
Cost Rm6,600 (per pax for Group of 12 pax), Rm6,400 (per pax for Group of 13 up to 16 pax)
Update 28 July 2010 - We are FULL with 16 pax confirmed for revised dates. We now use Brunei Airlines cost Rm2200 plus taxes Rm695, compared to Singapore Airlines now Rm3080 plus taxes Rm872. Trip longer by 2 days for better flight connections. There are 13 pax who purchase promo online ticket at substantially lower Rm1588 and their cost of trip will be Rm600 less i.e. at Rm5800 per pax as the Group now is 16 pax. Since we purchase online ticket for later members, another Rm2900 is collected on top of the Rm1110 deposit. Take note that the airfare Auckland Christchurch Auckland was purchased at NZ$142 or Rm340 per pax. This option (Brunei Air) is lower by Rm850 when compared to Singapore Airlines.
Update 7 July 2010. This trip will be led by Yong Lee Min, who has been to NZ on five occassions. Cost is based on Group fares of Rm2570 plus taxes Rm840 on Singapore Airlines (if available). Cost above excludes flight Auckland to Christchurch which cost NZ$59 (without luggage) as at today. Please check the terms and conditions at the bottom for full details of exclusions.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
This is meant to be a "free and easy" budget trip. Participants should be relatively fit, with a good sense of humour, and above all, have the right attitude for close travel with others through possibly some trying times. Most definitely, this is not a trip for prudes, whiners, fuss-pots, and other similiarly assorted types! Although every effort will be made to stick to the given itinerary, ground conditions may change and cause some disruption and/or deviation from the norm. Otherwise, have fun!
We start in North Island covering Rotorua, Bay of Islands
and Auckland for 5 days. We then fly into Christchurch and do a loop starting
in Kaikoura, then moving westwards to Greymouth, then south to the land of
glaciers before returning to Queenstown. We proceed on to Te Anau, Milford
Sound, Invercargill, Dunedin and Mount Cook before returning to Christchurch.
Please pay carefull attention the following remarks. We hire vehicles and self-drive. We stay in motels with cooking facilities. To economise, we'll prepare our
breakfasts and dinners. The group is expected to help in meals preparation,
cleaning up, driving and carry own luggage. A group fund of Rm500 is collected from each participant to pay for provisions and fuel for the vehicles. Excess will be returned and if insufficient, members will have to top up.
Day 1 KLIA:
Meet in KLIA at 4PM 30 Oct 2010 Saturday and fly to Brunei departing 600PM arriving 820PM (2:20hr). Then connect to Auckland departing 905PM arriving 1105AM next day (9:00hr). Overnight Plane.
Day 2 Rotorua:
Arrive 1105AM and we move on to Rotorua 235km/3.5hr. We'll go for an evening walk in
the Redwood forest area. Stay Rotorua.
Day 3 Sat Rotorua:
We'll visit Waiotapu Thermal Area and Skyline Gondola Rides. In the evening
we'll attend a Maori concert and traditional hangi feast. Stay Rotorua.
Day 4 Sun Bay of Islands: A long drive on the "twin
scenice route" to Dargaville 454/6:45hr and the Kauri Forest Museum. Then we
visit the Waipoua Kauri Forest Reserve and the two tallest trees in NZ. Expect
to arrive in Paihia on the Bay of Islands late. Stay Paihia.
Day 5 Russel then Auckland: We ferry accross Paihia
to pretty Russel town and do a short walk up to the viewpoint. After lunch
we head towards Auckland 219km/3.22hr. Stay Auckland.
Day 6 Auckland: Full day City visit including Mt
Eden volcanic cone with great views of the city. We also visit the touristic
Victoria Park Market and local market haunt in Newmarket. Stay Auckland.
Day 7 Kaikoura:
Proceed to the airport for the 640AM flight to Christchurch arriving 8AM (1:20hr). We proceed on to Kaikora
188km/2.46hr. Things to do include whale watching, lavender farm and the Peninsular
Cliff Walk in Kaikoura to catch the sunset. Stay Kaikora.
Day 8 Greymouth: We leave early for a
soak in the thermal springs of Maruia Springs before proceeding on to the
pancake rocks and blowholes of Punakaiki 374km/5:25hr on our way
to our night-stop in Greymouth 44/0:38hr.
Day 9 Glaciers:
Our first stop for the day would be in Hokitika 44km/0:38hr, known for its greenstones
or jade. Later we proceed to Fox Glacier 159km/2:18 for an optional guided 3.5hrs walk
on the Glacier. We go onto Lake Matheson for a view of Mount Cook before going
on to the Haast 117km/1:42hr for the night.
Day 10 Sat Queenstown:
We drive through UNESCO listed Mt Aspiring National Park on our way to Wanaka's
Puzzle World, famed for it's first 3-D maze in the world. There are numerous
photo stops namely at Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka. Our final destination
is the popular town of Queenstown 215km/3:06hr.
Day 11 Sun Queenstown: We spend a whole day in this town doing the various sites including the
skyline gondolo ride, Kiwi & Birdlife Park, Arrowtown, bungy jump-site
at Kuwarau and the jet-boating at the Shotover River. Stay Queenstown.
Day 12 Te Anau: We leave for Te Anau 174km/2:32hr
on our way to Milford Sound 120km/1.5hr. There are numerous photo stops
on this very popular route. Those interested can also go the famed Milford
Cruise. We stay in pretty Te Anau.
Day 13 Invercargill: We go on the less
visited "Southern Scenic Route" all the way to Invercargill 159km/2:19hr, the least developed town in New Zealand with its many quaint old
buildings and residential houses. We visit Bluff, nearest point to Australia
and drive along the wild southern coast. Overnight Invercargill.second largest
city of the South Island and was founded by Scottish settlers.
Day 14 Dunedin: Early departure for Dunedin 290km/4hrs, named
after Dunedin in Scotland. This is the second largest city of the South
Island and was founded by Scottish settlers. On the way, we visit the many
sights of the beautiful wind-swept area of Catlins.Overnight Dunedin.
Day 15 Dunedin: In the morning we'll
visit the hilly Peninsular area with its birds and seal colonies. For the rest of the day, we visit the Cadbury Chocolate factory, Speights Beer Brewery and the World's Steepest Street.. Overnight
Dunedin.
Day 16 Mount Cook National Park: We start early for Mt
Cook National Park 334km/4:50hr with a stop to see Maruaki Boulder's Beach. Mt Cook is the highest mountain in NZ. We'll
do the Hooker Valley walk with vista views of snow-capped mountains including
Mount Cook. Overnight Mount Cook.
Day 17 Christchurch: If there are participants
for white water rafting, we will drop by Peel Forest and the grade 5 rapids
on the Rangitata River. Other stops on the way to Christchurch 263km 5hrs
would be Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepard. Stay Christchurch.
Day 18 Christchurch: Full day in Christchurch to visit the sights. These include the Catheral Square and the Banks of the Avon. Stay Christchurch.
Day 19 Plane: We have half the morning free. After lunch we drive to the Antartica Center next to the Christchurch Airport. We spent a couple of hours there before our flight at 635PM to Auckland arriving 755PM to connect to our flight home.
Day 20 Go Home: Depart Auckland at 255AM arriving in Brunei at 715AM (9:20hr). Connect to KLIA flight at 245PM arriving 505PM 18 November 2010 Thursday (2:20hr).
