Discover New Zealand: Walking Clean and Green

After claiming your luggage, wait inside the Arrivals area and meet our Group Leaders who will be holding a Road Scholar sign. When everyone has arrived, we will board a bus for the ride south from Auckland to Rotorua, with a stop-off at Hamilton Gardens for our Welcome Lunch.

At Hamilton Gardens Café

We will wander at our leisure around the Hamilton Gardens, exploring a variety of themes. These include the Indian Char Bagh, Italian Renaissance, Japanese Contemplation, Chinese Scholars’, English Flower, Modernists, Tudor and Chinoiserie gardens. Also, themes such as fantasy, tropical, sustainable, herb, kitchen and the Te Parapara garden – New Zealand’s only traditional Maori heritage productive garden showcasing traditional practices, materials and ceremonies related to food production and storage. We continue our journey south by coach, arriving at our hotel in Rotorua, where we will stay for the first three nights. Rotorua is New Zealand’s own geothermal paradise. This good-looking city is big on Maori culture and hospitality, where you can stand on active volcanoes, peer into massive craters and view boiling mud and erupting geysers. There is time to freshen up after check-in before gathering for our Orientation session. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will pre-order some meals so as to make the most of our time. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At the hotel

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel

Board the coach for a walking field trip on historic Hongi’s Track at Lake Rotoiti, including a short introduction in the field on New Zealand’s native rainforest and bush flora.

Packed lunch during field trip

Boarding the coach, we travel back to Rotorua to The Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest for a walking field trip through one of the many forest paths. Enjoy the eclectic mix of towering exotic Redwood trees, familiar to all Americans, side-by-side with impressive endemic New Zealand tree ferns.

At a local craft beer bar and restaurant

At leisure

At the hotel

We will travel by coach to the start of a walking field trip at Blue Lake (Tikitapu). This pleasant stroll almost circumnavigates this small lake, framed by pretty native bush and forestry. A collapsed volcanic crater, from above, the lake can look quite blue/aqua/turquoise in colour. This is due to a pumice and rhyolite bottom which the sun reflects up. If time permits following, travel by coach to the Mt Tarawera Lookout for local Maori legend interpretation.

Packed lunch during field trip

We board our coach for the short drive to Te Puia (Whakarewarewa), one of New Zealand’s premier Maori cultural and geothermal visitors’ centres. A local expert will lead us through the area, with commentary, describing early Maori life in the region, followed by a traditional Maori cultural performance. Visiting the recently-completed New Zealand Maori Art and Crafts Institute, we can observe students at work learning traditional arts, such as wood and bone carving and weaving, under the tutelage and guidance of master craftspeople.

At a local restaurant

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel

After check-out, we board the coach for an all-day drive to Wellington. Visit Waiotapu mud pools and spectacular Huka Falls. The drive south passes Lake Taupo (the largest lake in NZ), then traverses the famous Desert Road with spectacular views, if the weather permits, of the still-active volcanoes – Mts Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.

Packed lunch en route

Continue by coach to Wellington, travelling south through the central part of the North Island, eventually reaching, and following, the western coastline and the Tasman Sea for the last hour or so, before entering the outskirts of the city. Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand and was chosen for its central location. One of the many enticing aspects of this exciting “little” city is its compact CBD – you can walk from one side to the other in 20 minutes. The waterfront is lined with immaculate parks, heritage buildings and museums. Wellington is dubbed the “creative and cultural capital of New Zealand” and in 2018, for the second year in a row, Wellington topped Deutsche Bank’s list of 50 cities with the best quality of life, beating Zurich, Copenhagen, Edinburgh and Vienna. On arrival we will settle in to our central city hotel.

At the hotel

At leisure

At the hotel

We take a walking field trip with our Group Leaders along the picturesque Wellington waterfront, in the heart of the city, stopping off at Old St Pauls, a small heritage cathedral built from native timbers and rich in history. We'll also visit New Zealand’s Parliament Buildings for an expert-led commentary and exploration.

Own choice

Free time to explore Wellington. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Recommended, is a visit to Te Papa Tongarewa (National Museum and Art Gallery of New Zealand). Te Papa, situated right on the waterfront, is dedicated to preserving and presenting the taonga (treasures) of New Zealand’s peoples and to interpreting the country’s heritage for national and international audiences. Before dinner we will gather in the hotel for a lecture from a noted political scientist on New Zealand's government and parliamentary system.

At the hotel

At leisure

At the hotel

Departing from the hotel, we walk to the Wellington Cable Car for a short ride uphill to Kelburn. From there, we walk to Zealandia (Karori Wildlife Sanctuary) for an expert-led exploration. Minutes from downtown Wellington, Zealandia is a safe haven for endangered native birds and other wildlife. The sanctuary is surrounded by a predator-proof fence, protecting wildlife within the forest as it gradually regenerates to its pre-human state, estimated to take 500 years!

At Rata Café within Zealandia

We take a shuttle bus, then walk down through Wellington Botanic Gardens and Bolton Street Memorial Park to the city and back to the hotel. There is time to freshen up before an early dinner at a nearby restaurant.

At a local restaurant

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer early in the morning.

Cash will be provided for you to purchase your breakfast on the ferry.

We will check-out by 7.00 a.m. and transfer by shuttle bus to the ferry terminal, then take the scheduled ferry passenger service to Picton via Cook Strait and the Marlborough Sounds. The crossing from the North to the South Island is picturesque, featuring panoramic views of Wellington City and Harbour as we depart, dramatic rocky coastal shorelines and, once across Cook Strait, stunning, bush-clad hills and bays as we meander through the labyrinthine waterways of the Marlborough Sounds. There is plenty of opportunity to observe some of New Zealand’s many seabird species and look out for dolphins and whales. The Group Leaders will provide commentary and points of interest along the way. Picton, in the Queen Charlotte Sound of the Marlborough Sounds, is an important port town serving as the South Island terminal for the busy inter-island ferry service. Picton, and nearby Blenheim, are the major towns in the Marlborough region that is notable for the production of world-renowned Sauvignon Blanc wine and other varietals, as well as green-lipped mussels and high sunshine hours.

At a café in Picton

We board a vessel for the short hop across to Kaipupu Point Sanctuary for a loop walk in this mainland island predator-free zone, through regenerating native forest vegetation and with glorious views out to the ocean and back towards Picton. Later in the afternoon, we will settle into our Picton motel with time to freshen up before dinner.

At a local restaurant

At leisure

At a local café

We wander down to the waterfront in time to board a vessel for a scheduled run that will take us on a full-day study cruise and walking field trip in the Marlborough Sounds with our Group Leaders. Our vessel will drop us off at Punga Cove, where we begin our hike on the lush native bush-clad trail of the Queen Charlotte Track.

Packed lunch during field trip

We continue our hike on the Queen Charlotte Track with tantalising glimpses of the stunning Marlborough Sound’s waterways with its myriad of coves, inlets and bays. Continuing our walk onto Furneaux Lodge, we are then met by Sounds locals, Dr John and his wife Judy Hellstrom. Once there you can relax with a beverage while John, a retired veterinarian and noted biosecurity specialist, will provide a lecture on the history and geology of the Marlborough Sounds. Following the lecture we are picked up by the mail-boat on its scenic route back to Picton.

Own choice

At leisure

At a local café

We meet our bus driver and board the coach for the short half-hour drive through to Blenheim, the main town in the Marlborough region. Our first stop is at the Marlborough Research Centre for a lecture by Richard Hunter, respected Maori elder, on the Treaty of Waitangi and Waitangi Tribunal. Following, we visit the Omaka Aviation Heritage Museum for a docent-led commentary of its impressive exhibitions. “Knights of the Sky” presents the personal World War I collection of Sir Peter Jackson, Director of the “Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy, that includes aircraft, memorabilia, dioramas, and mannequins. “Dangerous Skies” is a World War II exhibition focusing on the war on the Eastern Front, the world’s only female flying aces, and the 588th Night Bombers, a Russian women’s regiment. It also includes aircraft as well as a stunning recreation of the Stalingrad experience produced by CGI graphics, lasers, lighting and sound effects. Next, we head west for the half-hour drive to visit a farm near Havelock.

Packed lunch during farm visit

By coach, to a nearby working family sheep and cattle farm for an informative, in-depth talk by the farming couple on their various livestock practices. We will see a sheep-shearing demonstration, be impressed by working dogs displaying their skills herding sheep in obedience to a complex array of whistle signals and commands. This visit is usually a program highlight. Next, we drive back towards Blenheim, stopping at a local Winery and vineyard for an organic wine growing education session. Following this session we will head down the road to be hosted by a couple for dinner in their private home.

Hosted in a Private Home

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At a local café

After checking-out, we board the coach for an all-day trip south-west to Greymouth on the West Coast. We stop for a short break at St Arnaud, Lake Rotoiti, with magnificent mountain and lake views and sightings of New Zealand’s endemic long-finned eel. We continue on to historic Reefton, a quaint little town, charmingly redolent of its gold-mining past.

At a local café in Reefton

After lunch, a short walk through the town, learning, amongst other things, that it was the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to switch on electricity. Continuing by coach, we arrive in Greymouth, named for its location at the mouth of the Grey River. It is the West Coast’s largest town, renowned for its gold and coal-mining past, and we settle into our motel.

At a local restaurant

At leisure

At a local café

Board the coach for the scenic coastal drive north to Punakaiki for a walking field trip to view the unusual and spectacular coastal geological formations of the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Then we wander down a short track through lush sub-tropical native bush to a viewpoint overlooking a rugged and dramatic West Coast beach.

Packed lunch during field trip

We board the coach again to the start of a walking field trip which meanders along the edge of the Pororari River, through groves of stunning nikau (the only palm tree indigenous to New Zealand) and keeping a look out for sightings of the rare blue duck (whio) in the swiftly-flowing current. There is an option to return the same way or to cross over a low saddle and follow the Punakaiki River down and back to the coach.

At a local restaurant

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At a local café

After check-out, we board the coach for the drive south to Fox Glacier/Weheka with a stop en route at Hokitika. This small town, also rich in gold-mining history, is renowned for its pounamu (the Maori name for New Zealand’s own greenstone or jade), sourced from the headwaters of nearby rivers. We will have an opportunity to visit workshops and watch master craftspeople creating exquisite jewellery and carvings from this beautiful stone. Before lunch, we visit Treetops where, as we traverse an aerial walkway, we can view the native rainforest in a unique way by looking down on it from above.

At Treetops

We continue our journey following the coastline south to Fox Glacier/Weheka and settle into our local motel. Fox Glacier/Weheka and Franz Josef/Waiau (14 mi north-east) are each named for their nearby glaciers that descend from the top of the Southern Alps, cutting through dramatic glacial valleys into rainforest close to sea level. A New Zealand World Heritage area, Westland National Park has some of New Zealand’s highest peaks including the highest, Aoraki/Mt Cook. A unique and spectacularly scenic spot, this town is the perfect base for a myriad of adventures, entertainment and sightseeing attractions.

At a local restaurant

At leisure. Optional walk after dark to view glow-worms in their natural environment. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At a local café

Starting from outside our breakfast venue, we embark on a walking field trip, either to the jetty and back or the full circuit of the lake. Lake Matheson is world-famous for its stunning mirrored reflections of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman, on a clear windless day. We will also travel by coach to the best viewpoint of the dramatic Fox Glacier descending out of the mountain range in the distance.

At a café en route

We resume our journey south, through native beech forests and past small lakes. Traversing the Haast Pass (Main Divide of the Southern Alps), we observe the vegetation changing dramatically as we enter the drier and more open countryside of the province of Otago, passing Lake Hawea to Wanaka, where we settle into our hotel. Wanaka, on the shores of New Zealand’s fourth largest lake (of the same name) is a popular holiday playground in both summer and winter and particularly noted for its glorious autumn colours and lake and mountain vistas.

At the hotel

At leisure

At the hotel

We take the coach to the start of our walking field trip on Mt Iron, where we are rewarded with 360-degree panoramic views of Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountain ranges. Following a short time to freshen up back at the hotel, we board the coach again for the drive around the lake to Glendhu Bay for lunch at the private home on a working sheep station. Prior to lunch, we enjoy a stroll around the mature English-style garden with our host providing commentary.

At a private home

Our coach drops us off to wander, at our own pace, along the shoreline of Lake Wanaka and back to the township. For the rest of the afternoon, we enjoy some free time to further explore this pretty little lakeside town.

At a local restaurant

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel

Following check-out, we board the coach for our drive to Te Anau. Our journey follows the Clutha River and passes Lake Dunstan and the relocated town of Cromwell, through the Kawarau Gorge to Queenstown. Here, for the rest of the morning and over lunchtime, there is free time to explore what interests us most in New Zealand’s most famous tourist town. There’s also an opportunity to visit the Kiwi Birdlife Park (optional, additional cost) to see our iconic nocturnal bird, the kiwi, and other species endemic to New Zealand, up close.

At Queenstown - own choice

Farewelling Queenstown, situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by The Remarkables and other majestic mountain ranges, we continue our journey south along the lake shore into the rich farming province of Southland to Te Anau, also located beside a lake (of the same name), and settle into our motel. The economy of Te Anau, a town with a small resident population, revolves around a thriving tourism and accommodation industry, as it is the gateway to the world-famous Milford Sound.

At a local restaurant

At leisure

At a local café

We are dropped off by coach to the start of our walks on the Kepler Track, either in one direction or the other. The trails follow the lake shore through mountain and red beech forest, with mosses and ground ferns providing an airy magical atmosphere, and with stunning glimpses of Lakes Manapouri or Te Anau, and the surrounding mountain ranges.

Packed lunch during field trip

Our return walk is by the same route and, on our arrival back in Te Anau, we have free time enjoying rest and relaxation or further exploration of the town for the remainder of the afternoon and evening. Recommended is a wander along the lake edge to visit the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary to view the rare flightless takahe and other endangered species, and the Fiordland National Park Visitors Centre is well worth a visit for the informative displays. You may choose to take an optional Lake Te Anau boat trip excursion to Te Ana-au Glow-worm Caves (additional cost).

Own choice

At leisure

At a local café

After an early breakfast, we board the coach for an all-day field trip to Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, with short walks en route. Later in the morning, we embark on a cruise, with commentary, by a scheduled service on the world-famous Milford Sound. Known for the towering Mitre Peak, plus rainforests and waterfalls like the Stirling and Bowen Falls, which plummet down its sheer sides, the fiord is home to fur seal colonies, penguins and dolphins.

Boxed lunch onboard the vessel

On our return journey back to Te Anau, we stop for a short walk in the Lake Gunn Nature Reserve, where we enjoy the ancient red beech forest with weird moss-covered stumps and ground ferns. Pre-dinner, we gather up for a short film at the local cinema “Atu Whenua - Shadowlands”, a panoramic journey, taken from the air, portraying the majesty and splendour of immense and isolated Fiordland, over all four seasons.

At a local restaurant

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At a local café

After check-out and before departing Te Anau, we have a lecture by a local expert about the unusual geology of the area, which contains New Zealand’s oldest known plutonic (igneous) rocks. There are also large areas of metamorphosed sedimentary rocks that are closely related to the rocks of Northwest Nelson. Following, we board our coach for the drive to Balclutha.

At a café en route

Continue by coach to Balclutha with a stop in Gore to visit the Hokonui Museum and learn about “moonshine”, harking back to earlier, less law-abiding times, or the Eastern Southland Gallery, a major provincial art gallery with an eclectic and significant collection of exhibits from across the world. We arrive in Balclutha and settle into our Lodge. Balclutha, a small rural town off the beaten tourist track, is a fishing paradise for brown trout and salmon in the Clutha River, and is the gateway to the increasingly popular Catlins Coast.

At the lodge

At leisure

At the lodge

We depart by coach for an all-day field trip in the Catlins, an area on the south-east coast, where we pass through rural heartland to ancient podocarp forests, overlook rugged and dramatic coastlines and walk along native bush tracks to hidden lakes and waterfalls.

Packed lunch during field trip

We take a short walk to Nugget Point/Tokata Lighthouse (one of New Zealand’s oldest – 1869) on a dramatic headland with soaring rugged Pacific Ocean views, and sightings of fur seals and seabirds. Before dinner, we gather for an informal time of program review and feedback, recalling the highlights of our time together.

Farewell Dinner at the lodge

At leisure. Final pack and prepare for check-out in the morning and our flights home or continuation of personal travel plans.

At the lodge

After check-out, we board the coach for our drive north to Dunedin, where we explore the central city on foot with a local expert, who will share his extensive knowledge of one of the best-preserved Victorian and Edwardian heritage cities in the Southern Hemisphere and its strong Scottish Presbyterian history. Our program concludes at 12.00 pm at the end of this walk.

Own choice

Free afternoon to explore Dunedin city at your leisure. At 1.00 p.m. we will transfer by coach from the central city to Dunedin Airport for international check-in. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!