ARHSnsw NORTH NEW ZEALAND TOUR Especially prepared for Guidepost Tours Version 2 as at 09 May Day 01 Saturday 09 November 2013 (D) ARRIVE AUCKLAND Welcome to New Zealand! Meet and greet on arrival at Auckland International Airport before being transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore New Zealand s largest and most cosmopolitan city from your centrally located hotel. Welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant. Day 02 Sunday 10 November 2013 (B, D) AUCKLAND This morning enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of the City of Sails which includes the panoramic city and harbour views from Bastion Point; the lovely bays of the waterfront drive and the vibrant Viaduct Harbour area. Also visit the Auckland Museum which gives an excellent introduction to the artistic legacy and cultures of the peoples of the Pacific; the monumental carvings, buildings, canoes and taonga (treasures) of the Maori; and the diversity of cultures which now combine to form the rich tapestry of race, nationality and creed which is modern New Zealand (self-guided tour). In the early afternoon, travel out by coach to South Auckland for a visit to the Glenbrook Vintage Railway. One of New Zealand s premiere rail heritage sites, Glenbrook is a fully self-supporting operating steam railway built almost entirely by volunteer labour. Take a ride on the 7.5-km line on board one of the vintage trains. Among the operational steam locomotives here are Ja1250 ( Diana ), Ww480 and Ww644. A variety of ex-new Zealand Railway passenger carriages are currently in service, under restoration, or stored. Return to your hotel. Day 03 Monday 11 November 2013 (B, D) AUCKLAND This morning visit the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) where the rail collection features a wide range of locomotives, carriages, wagons, jiggers and original railway buildings. Some of the locomotives and carriages have been restored and are in working order. A guided tour will demonstrate how rail has historically been the backbone of the New Zealand transport scene. Visit the Rail Workshop where much of the MOTAT rail collection is stored. Tramways have played a significant part in the transport history in Auckland City and MOTAT s tramway collection has several beautifully restored examples from both New Zealand and Australia plus a selection of trolleybuses. Ride the heritage tramway which operates on the 1.72-km line between the two parts of the MOTAT park. Afternoon at leisure. Day 04 Tuesday 12 November 2013 (B, D) AUCKLAND / COROMANDEL / TAURANGA Leave Auckland and travel south over the Bombay Hills, across the fertile Hauraki Plains and up the picturesque Coromandel Coast to Driving Creek Railway located just north of Coromandel Town. Ride the narrow gauge railway at Driving Creek Railway. The one-hour return journey travels through replanted
native kauri forest and includes two spirals, three short tunnels, five reversing points and several large viaducts as it climbs up to the hilltop terminus. It is New Zealand's only narrow-gauge mountain railway. Potter Barry Bricknell built the railway on his rugged scrub-covered land to allow all-weather access to clay and his pinewood kiln fuel. Continue around the picturesque Coromandel Peninsula passing golden sand beaches and small coastal towns. Head inland through Waihi for a stop at the Victoria Battery Tramway Museum at Waikino. Here learn about how this area was home to the largest quartz ore processing plant in Australasia and one of the biggest industrial sites in New Zealand in the early 1900 s. At the time it was the country s largest producer of gold producing ten times more than the next largest battery. Gain an insight into aspects of hard rock processing in the heyday of gold-mining. A 1.2 kilometre two-foot (610 mm) gauge tramway has been constructed by the Tramway Society, and snakes through the remains and relics on the heritage site. The novel covered carriages have been constructed on former Hudson ore skip chassis and ex-mine battery-electric locomotives haul them. From Waikino ride the 4-mile long historic Goldfields Railway through the Karangahake Gorge to Waihi. This excursion may run in reverse. From Waihi continue south around Tauranga Harbour to the city of Tauranga in the bountiful Bay of Plenty. Accommodation: Armitage Hotel Day 05 Wednesday 13 November 2013 (B, D) TAURANGA / GISBORNE Today travel around the Bay of Plenty coastline through Whakatane, then, at Opotiki, head inland through the rugged Waioeka Gorge to Gisborne. The city of Gisborne is renowned as the first city to see the sun. Visit the Gisborne City Vintage Railway where Wa165 is the only remaining Wa class train which was built in Hillside workshops in 1897 in Dunedin, New Zealand. Wa165 was the ideal locomotive for the heavily graded railway line between Gisborne and Motuhora where it spent most of its working life. If conditions permit, take a ride on the line to Muriwai or between Gisborne and Beach Loop Kiwi Rail have currently closed the line between Gisborne and Napier plus there is damage to the Beach Loop portion of the track so the future is uncertain at this point. Accommodation: Emerald Hotel Day 06 Thursday 14 November 2013 (B, D) GISBORNE / FEILDING / PALMERSTON NORTH Travel south by coach passing the Mahia Peninsula before arriving in Napier. The city was devastated by an earthquake and ensuing fires in 1931 and was rebuilt during the period when Art Deco Architecture was fashionable the city is now one of the world s best examples of Art Deco architecture. The area is also one of New Zealand s top grape growing regions with some of the country s best-known wines coming from Hawke s Bay. Pass through Hastings and continue through the southern Hawke s Bay to Feilding in the Manawatu region. Afterwards drive the short distance to Palmerston North. Accommodation: Travelodge Hotel Palmerston North
Day 07 Friday 15 November 2013 (B, D) PALMERSTON NORTH / WELLINGTON This morning drive to the small town of Feilding to visit the Feilding and District Steam Railway Society, home to Wab794 steam locomotive; F163 steam locomotive; X442 steam locomotive; Dsa227 diesel locomotive; Da1401 diesel locomotive; and Tr13 diesel tractor locomotive. The Society is currently restoring a number of locomotives, carriages and wagons. Later drive on to Pahiatua for a visit to the Pahiatua Railcar Society which is dedicated to the restoration of railcars and other locomotives and rolling stock formerly operated by the New Zealand Railways Department. They have the restored ex-new Zealand Railways standard railcar RM 31 and are at present restoring Wairarapa railcar RM 5 and twinset railcar, RM121. They are amongst a select group of railway museums that are fortunate enough to enjoy the privilege of having a railway station and mainline access. Afterwards travel south through the region of Wairarapa and through the settlements of Masterton, Carterton and Greytown to Featherston. Here visit The Fell Locomotive Museum which is based around the only remaining Fell railway locomotive in the world. The museum houses H199, the only locomotive of its type in the world, and Fell brake-van F210. H199 is one of six engines designed for use on New Zealand's famous Rimutaka Incline. The locomotives climbed gradients as steep as 1 in 13 (7.7%) on the 3-mile (4.8km) railway between the settlements of Cross Creek and Summit in the South Wairarapa. With photographs, models, memorabilia, films and an audio-visual presentation, the museum recalls the fascinating history of the Rimutaka Incline and its Fell locomotives. Afterwards drive south to Wellington, New Zealand s capital city set around a magnificent natural harbour. Day 08 Saturday 16 November 2013 (B, D) WELLINGTON / WAIRARAPA / WELLINGTON Today there is an early morning departure from Wellington to drive to Paekakariki to board Steam Incorporated s train for a day excursion to the Wairarapa. (Subject to operation). Steam Incorporated is an Incorporated Society dedicated to the restoration to full working order of ex-new Zealand Government Railways locomotives and rolling stock for operation on the Tranz Rail-owned railway lines of New Zealand. Return to Paekakariki in the afternoon then travel by coach back to Wellington. Day 09 Sunday 17 November 2013 (B, D) WELLINGTON / WANGANUI / WELLINGTON Early morning departure from Wellington to drive to Paekakariki to board Steam Incorporated s train for a day excursion to Wanganui. (Subject to operation). Return to Paekakariki in the afternoon then travel by coach back to Wellington.
Day 10 Monday 18 November 2013 (B, D) WELLINGTON This morning take the commuter train from central Wellington to Silverstream in Upper Hutt. Board the coach transfer to the Silver Stream Railway in Upper Hutt. Silver Stream Railway is a working heritage railway with the mission to restore and preserve heritage railway memorabilia - in particular items that relate to the Wellington region. They have a steam locomotive in service, supplemented by diesel locomotive or railcar. Trains operate over a 1.5km section of restored track that was originally part of the Wellington to Upper Hutt main line. Return to Wellington by coach. On return to Wellington, ride the Wellington Cable Car, a funicular railway which operates from its terminal on Lambton Quay, the main shopping street and the top entrance of the Botanic Garden and the Kelburn lookout in Kelburn, a suburb in the hills overlooking the central city, rising 120 m over a length of 612 m. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore downtown Wellington. We suggest a visit to Te Papa New Zealand s National Museum to learn about the shaping of its land, the spirit of its diverse peoples, its unique wildlife, landscapes and its distinctive popular culture (free admission). Day 11 Tuesday 19 November 2013 (B, D) WELLINGTON / AUCKLAND Coach transfer to the Wellington Railway Station. Depart at 7.55am on board the Northern Explorer train service to Auckland. Travel through rolling green farmland and native bush, past quaint country towns and along rocky coasts. The journey through Tongariro National Park with its three volcanic mountains, Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe is a highlight a place of extremes and surprises, where snowfields, ancient lava flows and dense beech forests can be seen side by side. The engineering marvel of the Raurimu Spiral is a highlight. Arrive Auckland Britomart Station at 6.50pm. Transfer by coach to your hotel. Day 12 Wednesday 20 November 2013 (B) DEPART AUCKLAND Transfer by coach to Auckland International Airport and check in for your departure flight. Farewell New Zealand as you return home. Tour pricing: Full tour land only (Auckland-Auckland) $3,300 per person twin share Return airfare & airport-city transfers $540 Single supplement $855 Short tour land only (Auckland-Wellington) $3,100 per person twin share Single supplement $790 Tour price is based on: 11 nights 3.5-4 star accommodation all with private facilities prices are based on twin share single rooms are available with single supplement surcharge
Arrival and departure transfers are based on one group arrival and one group departure transfer. Should members of the group require transfers outside these times, they will have to make their own arrangements for transport we can assist with these arrangements Baggage assistance at each hotel All tour admissions as per itinerary Cooked breakfasts (B), lunches (L), and dinners (D) where indicated on the itinerary Morning and afternoon teas are not included unless specified Private coach charter in modern air-conditioned coach Services of professional tour driver/tour manager Rates are quoted in Australian dollars Rates are current for touring dates as per the itinerary provided. Changes in date may require a revised quotation Costs do not include: Domestic airfares if required Meals other than those mentioned above Items of a personal nature i.e. phone calls, liquor, and laundry Use of hotel rooms before/after normal check-in/-out times Costs of optional touring Any services not mentioned in the itinerary Airport porterage Personal travel insurance (baggage/medical/tour cancellations) Tips or gratuities Unforeseen expenses due to last minute airline rescheduling or delays (inclusive of baggage delay, missed departure and loss of passport) Medical or hospital expenses Any further government taxes or duties that may be introduced Note: Train excursions are included in the tour cost but subject to operation on the day. Please note: Costs quoted are subject to availability and confirmation of accommodation and touring as specified. Full payment is required prior to passengers arrival. If payment is not received we have the right to cancel all the arrangements and pass on any cancellation charges we receive from our suppliers. We strongly suggest that you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy to cover all aspects of your holiday including loss of deposit through cancellations, loss of baggage and personal items, personal injury and death, inclement weather clause, pre-existing medical condition waiver (includes travelling parties and immediate family). Check-in time at most hotels is 2pm or 3pm. If you are arriving early into a city, the hotel will store your luggage until your room is ready. Alternatively, you may wish to pre-register your hotel room for immediate check-in an extra nights charge will apply. Upon check-in, most hotels will request an imprint of your credit card to cover any personal extras. If you do not have a credit card they will ask for a cash deposit. Compliance with any immigration, customs and/or quarantine regulations is the client s responsibility. Guidepost Tours nor Travel Time South Pacific cannot, under any circumstances, be held liable and responsible if applicable rules and regulations are not observed.