Itinerary

Middle Earth Vacation

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Queenstown (11 November 2016) 

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa

5:00am – Depart home for Sydney Airport

5:30am – Check-in for flight

6:00am to 8:45am – Koru Lounge  

8:45am to 1:45pm – Virgin Australia Flight VA110 Sydney to Queenstown

1:45pm – Hire car pick up

2:30pm – Queenstown Hill Lookout

3:30pm to 4:00pm – Glenorchy

5:00pm – Check in Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa

5:30pm to 6:00pm Explore Steamer Wharf and enjoy a coffee at Pier 19

6:00pm to 10pm – TSS Earnslaw Cruise, Farm Experience and Dinner Barbeque

Day 2: Day in Queenstown (12 November 2016)

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa

7:00am to 8:00am – Buffet Breakfast Sofitel Queenstown

8:00am to 8:45am – Drive to Glenorchy

8:45am to 9:15am – See Glenorchy

9:15am to 10:30am – Drive to Kawarau Canyon Suspension Bridge

10:30am to 10:40am – Kawarau Canyon Suspension Bridge 

10:40am to 11:10am – Gibbston Valley Winery

11:10am to 11:20pm – Drive to Arrowtown

11:20pm to 12:00pm –Lunch in Arrowtown Bakery

12:00pm to 1:00pm – Sights in Arrowtown

1:00pm to 1:30pm – Drive to Goldfields Mining Centre

1:30pm to 2:30pm – Touring Goldfields Mining Centre

2:30pm to 3:30pm – Cromwell Heritage Precinct

3:30pm to 4:30pm – Drive back to Hotel

4:30pm to 8:00pm – Relax at hotel room 

8:30pm to 10:00pm –Dinner at Rata Restaurant

Day 3: Drive from Queenstown to Franz Josef (13 November 2016)

Franz Josef Oasis Hotel

7:30am – Depart Queenstown

7:30am to 8:05am – Drive to Wanaka

8:05am to 8:30am – See Lake Wanaka and refuel the car at BP or Caltex

8:30am to 9:10am – Stop at Boundary Creek Campsite for the view and toilet

9:15am to 9:35am – Drive to Blue Pools

9:35am to 10:00am  - Visit Blue Pools

10:00am to 10:10am – Drive to Fantail Falls

10:10am to 10:30am – Fantail Falls

10:30am to 10:50am – Drive to Roaring Billy Falls

10:50am to 11:10am – Roaring Billy Falls

11:10am to 11:35am – Drive to Haast Visitor Centre and beach

11:35am to 11:55am – Drive to Knights Point Lookout

12:05am to 1:10pm – Drive to Fox Glacier, turn right after fox river bridge.

1:10pm to 2:30pm – Visit Fox Glacier and fill up if there is a service station.

2:30pm to 3:00pm – Drive to West Coast Wildlife Centre

3:30pm to 5:30pm – Franz Josef Glacier

6:00pm – Checkin to Hotel

7:00pm – Dinner Alice May

Day 4: Franz Josef to Christchurch (14 November 2016)

Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square

8:00am to 9:00am – Breakfast in Hotel

9:00am to 10:30am – Drive to Hokitika

10:30am – Stone Oven Bakery, Fill up Car and sights

11:00am to 11:30am – Drive to Greymouth

11:30am to 12:00pm – Look around town and fill up car

12:00pm to 1:00pm – Lunch 

1:00pm – Check in for train

2:05pm to 6:30pm – TranzAlpine Train

8:00pm to 9:00pm – Dinner Cafe Valentino (Italian)

Day 5: Day in Christchurch (15 November 2016)

Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square

8:00am to 8:30am – Catch the yellow or purple bus line from Manchester St & Hereford St to Riccarton Rd near Clarence St

8:30am to 9:30am – Breakfast Drexel's Restaurant

9:30am to 10:30am – Walk via the Botannical Gardens (and their visitor centre)

10:30am to 12:00pm – Canterbury Museum 

12:00pm to 1:00pm – Lunch at the Curator’s House

1:15pm to 1:30pm - Catch the yellow or purple bus from Christchurch hospital to Riccarton Rd near Clarence St

2:00pm to 3:00pm - Guided Tour of Riccarton House.

3:00pm to 3:15pm - Catch the bus back to the hospital

3:15pm to 3:30pm – Walk along the Avon River to the Re:START Containers. 

4:30pm – 185 Empty White Chairs - Earthquake Memorial 

4:45pm – Christchurch Transitional Cathedral 

5:00pm - Christchurch Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament

5:10pm - Catch the Route 44 Shirley from the Ara Institute to Manchester St & Gloucester St.

5:30pm - Rest and Shower in Hotel

7:15pm - Tramway Restaurant (Tramstop 1 Cathedral Junction)

Day 6: Christchurch to Wellington (16 November 2016)

Sofitel Wellington

6:30am - Checkin to the Coastal Pacific Train at Christchurch Addington Railway ​​    Station.

7:00am to 12:30pm - Coastal Pacific Train

12:30pm to 1:15pm - Sightsee Picton

1:15pm - Checkin

2:15pm to 5:45pm - Kaitaki from Picton to Wellington

6:00pm - Free shuttle bus to the Railway Station

6.15pm - Check into the hotel

7:00pm – Dinner at Charley Noble Eatery

Day 7: Wellington (17 November 2016)

Sofitel Wellington

7:00am to 8:00am – Buffet Breakfast

8:00am – Buy a snapper card from the Market, 39 The Terrace

8:10am – Cable Car

8:10am to 8:30am – Cable Car Museum and lookout

8:30am to 9.30am – Botannical Gardens, Space Place, Tree House, and Begonia House.

9:50am – Stand A at Wellington Station catch Bus route 2 to Darlington road at Camperdown road. 

11:00am to 11:45am – Weta Workshop Tour

12:15pm to 1:15pm – Lunch at The Larder

1:10pm Bus route 24 to Te Papa Museum

2:00pm to 3:00pm – Te Papa Museum

3:30pm to 4:00pm – Wellington Museum of City and Sea or Shopping

4:30pm – Old St Paul’s Cathedral

4:45pm – Catholic Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

5:00pm – Relax in Hotel and shower

8:00pm – Dinner Shed 5 

8:45pm (Optional) movie “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

Day 8: Wellington to Auckland (18 November 2016)

Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour

6:00am to 7:00am – Buffet Breakfast

7:30am – Check-in Wellington Railway Station

7:55am to 6:45pm – Wellington to Auckland Northern Explorer Kiwirail

6:45pm – Taxi to the hotel

7:00pm relax in the hotel

8:00pm – Visit the Skycity Auckland Casino Dinner, Elliot Stables or Hotel.

Day 9: Auckland (19 November 2016)

Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour

7:00am to 8:00am – Buffet Breakfast

7:30am – Visit the