What not to miss in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin?

[Enjoying every moment]

We have half day private tours from 10:00 to 2:00 in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin this February.

What should we not miss? Recommendations highly appreciated!

[Budget Queen]

What kind of "private" tours?? The Antarctica Experience out of Christchurch is excellent, and easy to get to, at a fraction of the cruisetour prices, independently. The Gondola is scenic. Last time we also went to the air museum.

 

Dunedin- train is excellent, but you are tied up part of the day??

[Grumpy100]

Looks like you are tied up for the major part of the day. You could walk around Auckland after your tour and maybe go up to the Tower and see all of Auckland.

Also in Christchurch you could do the punting boats on the Avon River, go to the Botanical Gardens and see the museums. We did the punting boats and got some really nice pictures.

[Enjoying every moment]

Grumpy100 and Budget Queen,

Thank you for your responses! Our private tour is for eight friends traveling together. We can do any recommendations for high points.

We will be dropped off in town to enjoy the area after our tour with driver.

Sue

[Glaciers]

We enjoyed going to the Moeraki Boulders which is about 1 hour north of Dunedin. Also in town we went to Speight’s Brewery, The First Church of Otago and the Dunedin Railway Station.

http://picasaweb.google.com/DelRockAlaska/AustraliaNewZealand#5409749341928462418

[Grumpy100]

We also went to the Moeraki Boulders north of Dunedin with a private tour with Eddie from D-Tours and it was great. Got some great pictures.

[Enjoying every moment]

We enjoyed going to the Moeraki Boulders which is about 1 hour north of Dunedin. Also in town we went to Speight’s Brewery, The First Church of Otago and the Dunedin Railway Station.

http://picasaweb.google.com/DelRockAlaska/AustraliaNewZealand#5409749341928462418

I enjoyed your pictures. Thanks, Sue

[alise007]

We enjoyed the bridge climb in Auckland, boat tour, fun Minus 5 bar--not sure if it is still there. It was located next to the Hilton we stayed in on the pier.

 

Great park overlooking the city with amazing trees, there was a national museum with lots of Maori artifacts

http://www.aucklandnz.com/index.php/content_B/?L1=63&L2=75&L3=&id=160

 

I think it was One Tree Hill

http://www.aucklandnz.com/index.php/content_B/?L1=63&L2=75&L3=&id=558

[Bucky3]

Loved your beautiful pictures. Brought back memories !!

[kuldalai]

Dunedin - Do the Treiri Gorge Railway round trip, one of the Worlds great train trips, very spectacular . Most cruises offer an inclusive excursion with the train departing from wharfside . Tour also goes by coach to Otago Peninsula and Larnach castle.

 

Christchurch - Do the Tranz Alpine train trip half way across the island and back to Arthurs Pass. out by coach and back to shipside by train .

 

Auckland - go out of town on the ships tour to the sensational Waitomo Glo Worm Caves.

[donnaham]

Always check-out the reviews on Tripadvisor.com for the ports you will be visiting. These reviews are from people who have actually done the activities. (This is the link to Auckland).

[omasbabies]

We enjoyed going to the Moeraki Boulders which is about 1 hour north of Dunedin. Also in town we went to Speight’s Brewery, The First Church of Otago and the Dunedin Railway Station.

http://picasaweb.google.com/DelRockAlaska/AustraliaNewZealand#5409749341928462418

Love all your pictures. Did you take a tour to get to Waitkite Valley thermal village or did you drive there yourself? Looks heavenly!

Jill

[Glaciers]

Love all your pictures. Did you take a tour to get to Waitkite Valley thermal village or did you drive there yourself? Looks heavenly!

Jill

 

Thank you. We rented a car in Tauranga and drove up to Rotorua. We were a bit skeptical due to driving on the left but there was very little city driving. After doing it once, we would definitely rent a vehicle again. I watched some YouTube videos of driving on the left prior to going. Wanted to make sure I could navigate a round-a-bout. It’s really all about following that car in front of you and hoping they’re going the same direction!

[Aquarians]

Love all your pictures. Did you take a tour to get to Waitkite Valley thermal village or did you drive there yourself? Looks heavenly!

Jill

Kia ora,

Presume you mean Waikite valley. I was out there for a hot swim/soak last week. It's not actually a thermal village but is out in farm land about 25 minutes drive out of Rotorua. The hot spring which provides the hot water for the pools produces the largest volume of geo-thermal water from a single ngawha (hot water spring) in NZ. It's not normally visited by tour parties (unless private) but isn't far from Wai-o-tapu, one of a number of geo-thermal areas around Rotorua. Wai-o-tapu has some great sites but doesn't have a spa or hot pool.

Aquarians

[Loann]

There are various wildlife tours around Dunedin. We did Elm Wildlife Tour and it was incredible - saw penguins, NZ seal furs and sea lions in natural habitat. It was in the evening. I'm not sure if there are tours offered during the day but worth looking into - www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz.

We had a great afternoon at Moeraki boulders. I also recommend walking up (and down) Baldwin street in Dunedin. It the the steapest street in the world.

[Glaciers]

Kia ora,

Presume you mean Waikite valley. I was out there for a hot swim/soak last week. It's not actually a thermal village but is out in farm land about 25 minutes drive out of Rotorua. The hot spring which provides the hot water for the pools produces the largest volume of geo-thermal water from a single ngawha (hot water spring) in NZ. It's not normally visited by tour parties (unless private) but isn't far from Wai-o-tapu, one of a number of geo-thermal areas around Rotorua. Wai-o-tapu has some great sites but doesn't have a spa or hot pool.

Aquarians

 

Kia ora Aquarians. Your posts prior to us going were very helpful. Thank you.

 

Part of the appeal of the Waitike Valley Thermal Pools was that there were not any tours and it was primarily visited by locals.

[Aquarians]

Kia ora Aquarians. Your posts prior to us going were very helpful. Thank you.

 

Part of the appeal of the Waitike Valley Thermal Pools was that there were not any tours and it was primarily visited by locals.

Kia ora,

Thanks. The short walk along from the pools to the spring outlet is well worth while and I am always amazed when I see ancient plant life surviving around the heat of thermal areas. It gives me an idea what the world looked like when life first appeared on our planet.

Aquarians

[JAMS1]

If you like history, a well done Air Force Museum, you must add the Air Force Museum of New Zealand to your Itinerary!

Besides the all the very well done displays and such, they have a Huge hanger full of all sorts of aircraft in the process of reconstruction. Its their workshop, & you get to walk thru and chat with the guys working on restoring them.

http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/

 

We were there for an hour and both my husband, father & I felt cheated by having to leave with our tour after only an hour there!

We thought of just staying and calling for a cab back to the ship, wish we had.

[omasbabies]

Thanks for the info. I am a little scared to drive on the left side but we will see. Dh is going to golf in Scottland in April Maybe he can practice a little while there and without me screaming in his ear!!

[stingau]

The gorge railway is a must see.. also if you a a chocolate junkie... go see the Cadbury's chocolate factory tour..... free samples as well as watch them pour one ton of chocolate.

 

NZ has the best chocolate in the world ..well almost but far better than our Aussie chocolate....you have to try the Perky Na Na bars

[waltsindickie]

In Auckland I highly recommend the Parnell Village, it is close to the city and there's great shopping;) We have been to Christchurch twice now and really enjoyed the Tranz Alpine train journey, the first hour is pretty uninspiring and then all of a sudden you are crossing huge bridges and the landscape completely changes. In Dunedin look up Back to Nature Tours, we have been with them twice, our second trip was free of charge...enough said. The weather on our last trip to NZ was pretty cold so wrap up because even though its supposed to be summer we felt like we were in Siberia sometimes:eek:

[Izzy'smom]

There are various wildlife tours around Dunedin. We did Elm Wildlife Tour and it was incredible - saw penguins, NZ seal furs and sea lions in natural habitat. It was in the evening. I'm not sure if there are tours offered during the day but worth looking into - www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz.

We had a great afternoon at Moeraki boulders. I also recommend walking up (and down) Baldwin street in Dunedin. It the the steapest street in the world.

 

We just did the Elm Wildlife tour 2 weeks ago - we did this tour during the day, but they tell us the best viewing is in the evening.

 

Brian contracts with a farmer, and has viewing sheds on a sheep grazing property for viewing fur seals (there were tons of pups), and another for yellow eyed penguins (saw only chicks which we were told are as big as the parents). The parents were out fishing all day, and are getting ready to kick the kids out of the nest. They were just standing in the meadow waiting for dinner. We also saw sea lions on the beach - stood about 30 feet away from them, and went to the Royal Albatross center.

 

Our guides were Tony and Ben - and we met Brian at the beach. This was an awesome tour - be ready for lots of hill/stair climbing.

[joyfulone]

We enjoyed going to the Moeraki Boulders which is about 1 hour north of Dunedin. Also in town we went to Speight’s Brewery, The First Church of Otago and the Dunedin Railway Station.

http://picasaweb.google.com/DelRockAlaska/AustraliaNewZealand#5409749341928462418

 

Loved your photos, has helped us make some decisions, thanks very much.

Joy

[rubyted]

If you are going to be in Parnell during your time in Auckland, the Auckland Museum is worth a visit. I would also agree that the sky tower gives you a pretty good view of the city if you are on a strict time limit. There are plenty of boat trips as well that will let you see the city from a different perspective.

 

Can't speak about the trans alpine, but the taori gorge train from Dunedin is a good trip - don't know how it will fit around your 10-2 trips though - as I recall we left the port around 8 and got back after 2.

[milagarcia]

Hi Chilkoot,

 

if you are still checking this board, can you please tell me how you got to the Moeraki Boulders (a tour, private car, etc.).

Your pictures are so amazing they made me want to go there.

Thank you so much.