If you want to explore the best that New Zealand has to offer, whilst doing it at your own pace, then this self-drive holiday is for you. You’ll visit all of New Zealand’s popular towns and cities. You’ll spend time in the magical Rotorua, with its hot pools, exploding geysers, thermal lakes and rich Maori heritage. You’ll have the chance to explore some of New Zealand’s most well-known vineyards, glaciers and fiords, as well as getting time to enjoy its stunning beaches and coastline.
1 / 18
2 / 18
3 / 18
4 / 18
5 / 18
6 / 18
7 / 18
8 / 18
9 / 18
10 / 18
11 / 18
12 / 18
13 / 18
14 / 18
15 / 18
16 / 18
17 / 18
18 / 18
1 / 18
2 / 18
3 / 18
4 / 18
5 / 18
6 / 18
7 / 18
8 / 18
9 / 18
10 / 18
11 / 18
12 / 18
13 / 18
14 / 18
15 / 18
16 / 18
17 / 18
18 / 18
Itinerary
2 Nights – Auckland
2 Nights – Rotorua
1 Night – Napier
1 Night – Wellington
2 Nights – Blenheim
2 Nights – Kaikoura
1 Night – Christchurch
2 Nights – Franz Josef
3 Nights – Queenstown
✈ UK – Auckland (2 Nights): First, you will fly from your chosen UK Airport to Auckland. Base yourself here for 2 nights to enjoy New Zealand’s largest city with its shops, museums and two harbours. From here you could head up to the north and visit the gorgeous Bay of Islands, a tropical beach playground, with fantastic sailing and watersports. Coromandel is also in easy reach with its rainforests and golden beaches.
🚗 Auckland – Rotorua (2 Nights): Then make your way to Rotorua for 2 nights to explore this geologically fascinating area. You can relax in bubbling hot pools, watch the exploding geysers and hike around the bright green thermal lakes. This area is also rich in Maori heritage so take time to meet the local Te Arawa people and have a tour around their village.
🚗 Rotorua – Napier (1 Night): Next, head to the beautiful town of Napier at the southern end of Hawke’s Bay for a night. Famed for its 1930’s art deco architecture, the town enjoys a wonderful Mediterranean climate. Visit the Deco Trust to learn more about this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site and also explore more of Hawke’s Bay. Renowned for its artisan producers, award-winning restaurants and fine wine, Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest wine region and boasts over 100 vineyards and 70 wineries – many of which offer cellar-door tastings and tours.
🚗 Napier – Wellington (1 Night): Drive on to Wellington, at to the southern tip of the North Island, passing through Martinborough en route. Renowned for its boutique wineries, and most famously its Pinot Noir, visit the Martinborough Wine Centre to sample numerous wines under one roof. When you arrive in Wellington, the country’s Capital, enjoy the thriving arts scene and great restaurants along with the picturesque harbour setting.
â›´ Wellington – Blenheim (2 Nights): Take the 3 hour Interislander ferry to the South Island and head straight to Blenheim for 2 nights in the heart of the Marlborough region. Again renowned for its wineries, it is also an ideal base to explore the Marlborough Sounds via the 45-mile Queen Charlotte Track. Passing through lush coastal forests and bays with stunning views, you can either walk or cycle the entire track or simply choose a segment to explore.
🚗 Blenheim – Kaikoura (2 Nights): Drive on south along the coast to Kaikoura, the whale-watching capital of New Zealand. Enjoy a couple of days in this quaint east coast town taking in the abundance of sea life from the fur seals, to the dusky dolphins and little blue penguins. Hike the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway for magnificent coastal views with the snow-capped mountains in the background.
🚗 Kaikoura – Christchurch (1 Night): Only a 2 hour drive away is the attractive city of Christchurch with its gardens and parks. This resilient town that sits between the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Alp’s has much to offer from its Edwardian punts on the River Avon to its pop-up shops and restaurants.
🚗 Christchurch – Franz Josef (2 Nights): Crossing over to the west side of the Island you will come to the Westland National Park and the small town of Franz Josef. Home to one of the world’s steepest and most accessible glaciers, you can take a guided walk into blue ice caves and through narrow crevasses, or for the even more adventurous, take a Heli-hike to explore higher!
🚗 Franz Josef – Queenstown (3 Nights): For your final three nights, make your way to Queenstown to experience the ultimate in adrenaline-fuelled adventures! This is the home of bungee-jumping as well as the place to come for sky-diving, jet-boating and river rafting. However, if adventure activities aren’t your bag then you will still love this city sitting on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. With its dramatic alpine ranges and enthralling scenery, it was the obvious location for ‘Middle Earth’ in the Lord of the Rings films – and the perfect place to end a fantastic holiday.
✈ Queenstown- UK: On your last day you will make your way to the airport for your flight back to the UK.
Why choose eShores?
One to One Service
Our experienced personal travel consultants will ensure you find the most suitable holiday, whilst taking care of every last detail. Everything from start to finish will be effortless.
100% Tailor Made
We can use any hotel, in any destination, so we will craft an itinerary to suit your exact needs. Also, as we can provide any itinerary, the only holiday we'll offer, is the one that's right for you.
Fully Protected
Our ATOL bonding provides you with the financial protection you need and as a member of the Travel Trust Association, you'll have 100% financial protection. Covering you for any eventuality.
Competitive Pricing
As a tour operator & travel agent, we'll search the market to ensure that we find you the best price. Also as an online business, we can ensure our prices are as competitive as possible.
-
AlisonFletcher
Brilliant trip organised by Dave, included Helsinki, Tallin, Vilnius and Riga. (4 different countries) Everything ran smoothly. Dave organised hotels, flights, taxis, ferry and coach. Have used this company a few times and can't recommend highly enough they are fab 😀
Posted 2 days ago -
Sandra
As always, Chris was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. He gave me good advice on my travel plans and booked the holiday on my behalf. I've used eshores a number of times, and will continue to do so.
Posted 5 days ago -
Harrison
We haven’t been on our trip yet but based purely on the experience of booking the trip we are pleased with the result. It started with a bit of a hiccup as we spoke to a member of staff who never came back to us but when we reached back out again we were placed in the hands of Andy who has helped us book a 2 week trip to India including the golden triangle and then a few days on the beach. Andy was very patient with us with our changes to our tailor made holiday, even when we asked him to explore different areas only to revert back to the original plan. He also recommended moving the holiday back one week which created a saving of over £700 which meant we could upgrade the room for our beach stay in Goa. Andy was also available on weekends if we wanted to speak and regularly picked up the phone as opposed to keeping it to purely email dialogue. Hopefully the holiday will be amazing but based on the booking experience I would recommend eShores if you’re looking to book a tailor made holiday
Posted 5 days ago -
Wendy
I spoke to Lynette who was extremely helpful in understanding the trip that myself and my sister in law wanted from Thailand. Myself and my sister in law are both 72years young and we are really looking forward to our trip.
Posted 6 days ago -
Dawn
Excellent service from Matt at eShores. So very helpful and nothing was too much trouble. I booked Mya holiday after all his hard work finding me the perfect holiday that I wanted. Superb service and not pushy all all.
Posted 1 week ago -
Amrik
We have booked two big holidays this year for a group of 8 and a group of 10, Rachel has coordinated our holidays with the utmost excellence, during the consultation we changed countires hotels and even flights but it did not phase Rachel one bit. Exceeds customer expectations by helping advising and supporting throughout the holiday. We are off to Thailand and Dubai in August and then followed by India and Thailand in November, I have rang emailed Rachel many times during the booking and I got very prompt responses even on her days off. Rachel is a credit to EShores and EShores is setting standards regarding customer focus.
Posted 1 week ago -
IainWilliam
I can’t praise Lynette at EShores enough. She has organised my trips perfectly to the point that I wouldn’t use anyone else. She listens to what I want or to the problem I have and comes up with a solution. Nothing is too much trouble. Try them out yourselves and I bet you become a repeater too!
Posted 1 week ago -
Kevin
At short notice, I needed a quote to travel through the USA (July the 20th) I emailed eShores with an idea of what I wanted to do, within a short period of time I had a response from Matthew, After several amendments to my holiday which wasn't any trouble to Matthew, Holiday all booked, now looking forward to travelling through the USA Have to say, the service I had through eShores was fantastic, well done Matthew for working through the changes,
Posted 1 week ago -
Marcus
Dealt with Adam who was great, I went back and forth many times, nothing was a problem for him. We got there in the end and Adam arranged a 3 place holiday to Malaysia and Singapore. We go on 5th August, will if update review when we return. EShores so far brilliant hats of to Adam.
Posted 1 week ago -
Jill
We as a family used eShores last year to go to USA, and they were brilliant, my husband and 1 are going to Italy with them this September and we have just booked again to go back to USA with them next May, very efficient and Matt is lovely to deal with
Posted 1 week ago
Talk To The Experts
Your personal travel consultant will get to know your needs, ensuring they find you the most suitable holiday, at the best price!