Self Drive Adventure & Diving
18 days London to London
- Days 1 & 2. Depart London for Auckland
- Why not take the opportunity to break your journey in Los Angeles or one of the Pacific islands such as Fiji?
- Day 3. Northward Bound
- In Auckland, you will be met and assisted with picking up your car before a short drive (2.5 hour) to your first dive destination of Tutukaka. Spend two days diving the Poor Knights (over 60 dive sites offering very different experiences).
- Day 4. Poor Knights Marine Reserve [B]
- Dive the Poor Knights Marine Reserve, named by Jacques Cousteau as one of the top ten dive sites in the world. The warm currents here originate in the Coral Sea, so the water temperature is higher and visibility greater than that of nearby coastal waters. Born from volcanic activity, tropical and sub-tropical life abounds in this unique underwater environment.
- Day 5. Sailing the Bay of Islands [B, L]
- Your day includes the opportunity of swimming with dolphins, snorkelling, beach volleyball, walking or relaxing in the sun on the spacious decks.
- Day 6. Rainbow Warrior and Cavalli Islands [B]
- Dive this infamous wreck Greenpeace flagship controversially bombed by the French Secret Service. Relocated to the Cavalli Islands, she is now a stunning artificial reef hosting masses of marine-life.
- Day 7. Auckland, City of Sails [B]
- Known for its prolific sailing opportunities, sail an Americas Cup yacht, or take a ferry to Rangitoto Island - an extinct volcano with spectacular views of the city and Hauraki Gulf.
- Day 8. The Lost World, Waitomo Caves [B]
- Waitomo Caves are one of New Zealand's most commanding wonders. There are hundreds of miles of labyrinthine caves, glow-worms, under ground lakes, stalactites and stalagmites a lost world, waiting to be discovered. Adventure experiences are available to all, with the ultimate 100m abseil into the Lost World caves followed by black water rafting. Alternatively there are plenty of caves in which to take a guided stroll.
- Day 9. White Island Volcano [B]
- A unique opportunity to dive a live volcano. Explore the crater area of this active volcano in the interval between diving with huge Kingfish, Stingrays and Blue Maomao. But what makes this place truly unique are the bubbling underwater fissures creating an underwater Jacuzzi. Warmer currents also mean nudibranches like those of the Poor Knights, and visibility of generally twenty metres plus.
- Day 10. Exploring a Geothermal Wonderland [B]
- Rotorua, the Maori cultural centre of New Zealand with its geysers and bubbling mud and hot spring baths. Here you spend the day before taking the early evening flight to Nelson.
- Day 11. Kayak Abel Tasman National Park [B, L]
- Paddle from Marahau into the sheltered Astrolabe Roadstead, with its choice of twelve superb golden beaches and two offshore islands. Take time to swim and explore while your guide prepares a delicious lunch on the beach. Homeward bound sail back to Marahau on the afternoon sea breeze.
- Day 12. Dive Waikoropupu Springs, Riwaka Caverns & Fish Creek [B]
- Today is a day of huge contrasts. Start with an entry level cave dive with full technical equipment into the Riwaka Caverns, before a river drift dive at Fish Creek, then on to Waikoropupu Springs to dive reputedly the clearest fresh water in the world a massive 62-metres visibility.
- Day 13. Wine Country [B]
- Enjoy a day relaxing in the Marlborough wine area and indulge in the delights of the region's wine and food. Spend a night on a vineyard with no worries about how to get home.
- Day 14. Kaikoura dolphins, whales & seals [B]
- Kaikoura has a vast array of wonderful and unique marine creatures from the smallest invertebrate through to the giant Sperm Whales. Today dive with New Zealand's cheeky fur seals.
- Day 15. The TranzAlpine, and the city of Edoras [B]
- The TranzAlpine winds its way over massive viaducts and through spectacular gorges and river valleys before tracking slowly across, the Southern Alps. One of the top ten railway journeys of the world is not to be missed.
- Day 16. Christchurch, the Garden City [B]
- Days 17 & 18. Homeward [B (Day 17 only)]
- Time to leave New Zealand and catch the evening flight back to the UK, via Auckland and Los Angeles.
