This comprehensive itinerary allows you to experience New Zealand’s most spectacular highlights while also taking you beyond the expected tourist stops. Upon arrival, tour Auckland and take a day trip to the artist studios and beautiful beaches of Matakana. Pick up your rental car and self-drive to Rotorua, where you will explore some of New Zealand’s most famous thermal regions and take a helicopter trip to Mt. Tarawera. Continue to Napier to sample some wine, visit artist studios, and enjoy a Maori welcome ceremony. From Napier, head to Queenstown, where you will enjoy a three-night stay in the “adventure capital” of New Zealand – among the activities arranged in Queenstown are an exciting jetboat ride and day trip to Milford Sound. From Queenstown, drive up the west coast to Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, where a helicopter will take you to a stretch of the ice where you can safely walk atop the mighty glaciers. The trip concludes with two nights back in Auckland, where one full day will be devoted to learning more about the Maori culture and history in the region.