BEST OF NEW ZEALAND
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- Why this is the best escorted tour to New Zealand
- Inclusions & Features
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HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME
- Holidays of a Lifetime
- Online Brochure
- FAQ's for Holidays of a Lifetime
- Tour Directors
- Companion Books
- Not All Escorted Tours Are Created Equal (PDF)
- Waltzing Matilda
- The Best of Oz
- The Best of New Zealand
- Magic of Africa
- Middle East Treasures
- Splendours of China and Tibet
- Splendours of India
- Splendours of South America
- Magical Ecuador and Peru
OUR PROMISE
We specialize in travel to the beautiful South Pacific and have been operating fully escorted tours for over 20 years. The tours presented on this page are so special, we officially designate them HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME
These trips are also unusual, original and very competitively priced.
UNIQUE FUN THEMES
All Goway Waltzing Matilda departures have a designated "fun theme" adding a particular "flavour" to each tour. Emphasis is on:
• Animal and Plant Life
• Food and Wine
• Geography and History
• Lifestyles and Native Cultures
* Pre Holiday Shopping
Enjoy a "pie floater" in Sydney or indulge in a "lamington". Learn more about the unique Australian Aboriginals and their culture of over 40,000 years. Or endeavour to break Goway's record for viewing animals and plants Downunder.
On every departure, you will experience all aspects of a true Australia holiday but by including the above fun themes, Goway gives you more!
GET A FREE TRAVEL QUOTE
ATTENTION SINGLES! TWIN-SHARE GUARANTEE
If you are travelling alone and do not wish to pay the single supplement, Goway will match you up with another single traveller of the same gender. If a room-mate is unavailable, you will enjoy a single room at no extra cost.
Please note:
To qualify for this offer, you must be willing not to smoke in your hotel rooms and accept that compatibility with your room-mate cannot be guaranteed.
Click here to see why this is the best escorted tour to the fabulous lands Downunder
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ALL INCLUSIVE FIRST CLASS TOURING
The Best Of New Zealand
10 days
This is one of only nine ideas that we have designated HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME. This is a very special inclusive and exclusive vacation.
Goway provides a professional escort who takes care of all the day to day details...all the way. Virtually everything is included from North America back to North America. Don't expect just another escorted tour ...you will be on "the best escorted tour".
YOUR ITINERARY
Day 1. Depart your hometown.to our recommended departure cities of Los Angeles, Vancouver or Toronto. F
Day 2. Cross International Dateline. We lose a day which will be regained on our return trip.
Day 3. Arrive Auckland. Haere mai - welcome to New Zealand. We arrive this morning in Auckland, the City of Sails. On arrival, you will be met by your actual Goway Tour Director who will be with you for the next 20 days and will transfer you to your hotel. An afternoon tour of Auckland includes the bustling downtown and waterfront areas, a 360° panorama of the city from the summit of Mt Eden, quaint Parnell village and the pretty North Shore via the Harbour Bridge. Tonight a Goway "Welcome to New Zealand" dinner cruise on Auckland's spectacular harbour.
Heritage Hotel. D
Day 4. Auckland to Rotorua. Today we travel south to Waitomo and enjoy a guided underground excursion to the world famous Glow Worm Grotto. Afterwards we continue through rich farming country across the Waikato River to Rotorua. Tonight a local Maori will transfer us to a Marae where we will enjoy a traditional Maori Hangi feast and concert.
Novotel Rotorua Lakeside (2 nights). BD
Day 5. Rotorua sightseeing. This morning we visit the Thermal Reserve and see the renowned geothermal activity including boiling mud pools, gentle hot springs and violent geysers. See a sheep demonstration followed by a visit to Rainbow Springs to experience the new Kiwi Encounter. This afternoon is at your leisure. BD
FREE OPTION (must be pre-booked): You can choose to be guests of a "Kiwi" family tonight. Your hosts will meet you and take you to their home for a traditional home-cooked meal. After a hearty breakfast the next morning, you will rejoin our group.
Day 6. Rotorua to Queenstown. We leave the thermal wonderland and fly south to the exciting alpine resort town of Queenstown. Tonight we'll ride the gondola to Bob's Peak for a breathtaking view of the snow-capped mountains and Lake Wakatipu including a delicious dinner at the Skyline Restaurant.
Heritage Queenstown (3 nights). BD
Day 7. Milford Sound. We begin our trip to Te Anau and Milford Sound by travelling along the shores of New Zealand's prettiest lake, Lake Wakatipu. We arrive into Fiordland National Park, one of the world's largest national parks with spectacular hanging valleys, towering precipices and raging torrents. The road continues through the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound which was once described as the "eighth wonder of the world". Our cruise takes us past mile-high Mitre Peak, majestic mountains, ancient rainforests and thundering waterfalls before returning to Queenstown. BL
Day 8. Queenstown at leisure. A full day to relax or take part in the incredible variety of activities Queenstown has to offer. B
Important - Due to the recent acts of nature which affected Christchurch, we have substituted Lake Tekapo until further notice.
Day 9. Queenstown to Lake Tekapo. As we leave Queenstown our first stop is in historic gold mining town of Arrowtown where we have time to stroll down the main street with its heritage shops reminiscent of a bygone era. From Arrowtown, we continue through the picturesque wine area of the Gibbston Valley through Cromwell, Omarama and Twizel en route to Mt Cook for stunning views of New Zealand's highest mountain. Our final stop is at the quaint Church of the Good Shepherd before arrving at our hotel in the late afternoon. Tonight we will enjoy a group dinner at our hotel.
Peppers Bluewaters Resort. BD
Day 10. Lake Tekapo/Christchurch/North America. This morning, we cross the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch airport for our flight home arriving in North America the same day. BF
PRICES:
YEAR: 2012/2013 CURRENCY: Canadian Dollars |
|||||
| Prices from Vancouver | Land Only Prices | ||||
| Departure Dates ex North America |
Twin |
Single |
Land Arrangements Commence |
Twin |
Single |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar '12 | $ 5,714 | $ 6,723 | 10 Mar '12 | $ 3,389 | $ 4,398 |
| 10 May '12 | $ 5,554 | $ 6,553 | 12 May '12 | $ 3,389 | $ 4,398 |
| 5 Jul '12 | $ 5,714 | $ 6,723 | 7 Jul '12 | $ 3,389 | $ 4,398 |
| 11 Oct '12 | $ 5,984 | $ 7,023 | 13 Oct '12 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 8 Nov '12 | $ 5,984 | $ 7,023 | 10 Nov '12 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 24 Jan ’13 | $ 6,394 | $ 7,283 | 26 Jan ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 7 Feb ’13 | $ 6,084 | $ 6,963 | 9 Feb ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 6 Mar ’13 | $ 6,084 | $ 6,963 | 8 Mar ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 8 May ’13 | $ 5,884 | $ 6,763 | 10 May ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 3 Jul ’13 | $ 6,084 | $ 6,963 | 5 Jul ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
YEAR: 2012/2013 CURRENCY: US Dollars |
|||||
| Prices from Los Angeles | Land Only Prices | ||||
| Departure Dates ex North America |
Twin |
Single |
Land Arrangements Commence |
Twin |
Single |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar '12 | $ 5,469 | $ 6,478 | 10 Mar '12 | $ 3,389 | $ 4,398 |
| 10 May '12 | $ 5,269 | $ 6,278 | 12 May '12 | $ 3,389 | $ 4,398 |
| 5 Jul '12 | $ 5,469 | $ 6,478 | 7 Jul '12 | $ 3,389 | $ 4,398 |
| 11 Oct '12 | $ 5,799 | $ 6,688 | 13 Oct '12 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 8 Nov '12 | $ 5,799 | $ 6,688 | 10 Nov '12 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 24 Jan ’13 | $ 6,159 | $ 7,048 | 26 Jan ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 7 Feb ’13 | $ 5,799 | $ 6,688 | 9 Feb ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 6 Mar ’13 | $ 5,799 | $ 6,688 | 8 Mar ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 8 May ’13 | $ 5,559 | $ 6,448 | 10 May ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
| 3 Jul ’13 | $ 5,799 | $ 6,688 | 5 Jul ’13 | $ 3,499 | $ 4,378 |
Prices Includes
Prices include International and regional airfares plus all departure taxes (if choosing prices from North America - land only prices do not include any airfares or departure taxes), first class and deluxe accommodation, meals as indicated (B = breakfast, L= lunch and D = dinner), sightseeing, transfers, porterage, tipping, quality travel companion book, overnight bag and neck pillow.
NOT INCLUDED:
International airfares and flights within New Zealand, taxes, fees and surcharges for land only, Insurance, optional excursions, items of a personal nature such as laundry, dry cleaning, phone calls, drinks, excess baggage charges.
INCLUSIONS:
(See "INCLUSIONS AND FEATURES" page for full details).
| DEPARTURES - 2012/2013 ITINERARY |
THEMES |
|---|---|
| 8 Mar, 8 Nov 2012, 8 May 2013 | A |
| 26 Jan, 5 Jul 2012, 7 Feb 2013 | G |
| 10 May 2012, 24 Jan, 3 Jul 2013 | F |
| 9 Feb, 11 Oct 2012, 6 Mar 2013 | L |
| 8 Nov 2012 | X |
A (Animal and Plant Life), F (Food and Wine), G (Geography and History), L (Lifestyles and Native Cultures), X (Pre-Holiday Shopping) are Fun Themes
NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare taxes, fees and surcharges, Insurance, optional excursions, items of a personal nature such as laundry, dry cleaning, phone calls, drinks, excess baggage charges.

