All Bridge & Wickers holidays are tailor-made and no two are the same. We have made some accommodation suggestions, however we will tailor your quote to your preferred standard and style of accommodation.

This self-drive itinerary has been designed especially for those who want to incorporate a full quota of optional activities along the way. It’s perfect for those who like to ‘do’ New Zealand as well as see it, but still prefer to be accommodated in high quality lodges at the end of their high octane days.

Days 1 and 2 BAY OF ISLANDS   

Fly straight from Auckland airport to the Bay of Islands, where you’ll pick up a car and settle into the comforts of Flagstaff Lodge. We suggest you spend your second day in the country sailing around the island studded maritime park aboard the 50ft catamaran Carino which offers swimming with dolphins or charter your own yacht with skipper for a day.
 
Click here for alternative accommodation options in the Bay of Islands.

Day 3: HOKIANGA

Before driving across to the west coast there’ll be time for a morning scenic flight to Cape Reinga, northernmost point of NZ and the remote, mostly inaccessible east coast, Ninety Mile Beach. You’ll then head for the fiord-like Hokianga Harbour and Waipoua, NZ’s largest kauri forest. In the evening we’d recommend Footprints Waipoua, a popular twilight Maori cultural experience before retiring to your bed at Waipoua Lodge. 

Day 4 AUCKLAND 

Your night’s accommodation is at Sebel Suites overlooking Viaduct Harbour, just a hop from a pair of America’s Cup yachts, the maritime equivalent to Formula 1 racing cars. Stripped to the barest of hulls and flying a skyscraping 100ft high mainsail, they offer 2 hour tours around the harbour at awesome speeds.

Click here for alternative accommodation options in Auckland.

Days 5 and 6 ROTORUA

Drive down to Rotorua, perhaps with a stop off at Waitomo Caves for some gentle black water rafting along underground rivers. Your roost for two nights is Akahu House, stunningly located on the shores of beautiful Lake Rotorua and just a short drive from the town’s Maori cultural centre and bubbling thermal springs. The menu of action here includes helicopter flights to the Tarawera volcano, touching down on the summit of the sacred mountain, or you can choose a self drive 4WD safari into the bush .

Click here for alternative accommodation options in Rotorua.  

Days 7 and 8 TONGARIRO  

Drive right into the heart of New Zealand’s volcanic centre. As well as scenic flights above the wild volcanic landscapes, the Tongariro National Park is one of the best places in the country to try white water rafting in relatively gentle conditions, combined with breathtaking scenery. Other river activities include jetboating and kayaking plus swimming in waterholes in the area around the Ruapehu volcanic plateau. You’ll spend two nights at Bayview Chateau Tongariro, which is also a convenient base for two great hikes, Tongariro Crossing or Crater Lakes, with both half-day and full-day guided options.

Click here for alternative accommodation options in the Tongariro area.

Day 9: NELSON

Drop your car at Taupo airport for your flight to Nelson (with a change of plane in Wellington), the St Ives of New Zealand and a magnet for artists and craftspeople as well as home to the ‘World of Wearable Arts’. You’ll be transferred to your accommodation at Wakefield Quay House, a heritage villa just 8 metres from the shoreline owned by laid back hosts Woodi and Johnny Moore.

Click here for alternative accommodation options in Nelson.

 

Days 10, 11 and 12: ABEL TASMAN

To get the most out of this remarkable and remote scenic corner of NZ we suggest you take an organised tour that offers participants a choice: either walk along part of the 38km coast track, or follow the crinkle-cut ins and outs by sea kayak – or even opt for a blend of both with the backup of water taxis. You'll spend two nights in the national park (one night at Meadowbank Homestead and one at Torrent Bay Lodge) before returning to Wakefield Quay House for another night.

Click here for alternative accommodation options in the Abel Tasman area.

Day 13: PUNAKAIKI

Pick up your hire car this morning and head through the Nelson Lakes National Park to New Zealand’s west coast and the famous pancake rock formation, with a night at Punakaiki Resort.

Days 14 and 15: FOX GLACIER  

Fox Glacier is the name of both a village and a glacier - the glacier descends from the Southern Alps into temperate rainforest just 300 metres above sea level. To see the glacier, you can walk to the terminal face, arrange a day ice-hiking adventure or book a heli hike, equipped with crampons and poles, for a close-up of amazing formations and ice caves - safe in the knowledge that there’s a 200 metre thick wodge of compacted ice beneath your spikes. Or just take a scenic flight. There are glow worm caves just a short walk from the town centre. Also nearby is beautiful Lake Matheson, one of the most photographed lakes in New Zealand, famed for its reflection of Mount Cook. Accommodation is at Distinction Fox Glacier Te Weheka, close to the village.

Click here for alternative accommodation options near Fox Glacier. 

Days 16, 17 and 18: QUEENSTOWN
Ever since AJ Hackett introduced the world to bungy jumping at Queenstown, the town has reigned as its adrenalin capital. But active and adventurous experiences in New Zealand are by no means exclusively devoted to sheer terror. There are scores of easy walks, for example, through ancient forests unchanged for million of years, as well as cruising on the Milford Sound. Irrespective of age or bottle, however, a jetboat ride along the Dart River through the wilderness of the Mount Aspiring National Park is on most people’s agenda. Accommodation is at Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel just three minutes’ walk from the town centre, with stunning views of the Remarkables mountain range or the gondola. You’ll also have time to follow a section or two of the local hiking trails, including the Routeburn.
Click here for alternative accommodation options in Queenstown.

Day 19 Home

Unless you’re planning to stay on and explore the southern reaches of the country you’ll be dropping off your car at the airport and heading back to the UK.