Flights to NZ
In order to get to our wedding you may like to consider either a direct
flight to NZ or a round the world ticket. The latter is slightly more expensive,
but will give you more flexibility with regard to the choice of countries you
may stop in en route.
The best deals to NZ return are currently around £750+tax and round the world are £795+tax. Tickets are booking up quickly for this time of year as the America's Cup is on at the same time. So we would suggest that you book immediately to avoid the inevitable price increases or reduced choice on stopovers.
When arriving in New Zealand, most international flights go to Auckland and Wellington in the North Island and to Christchurch in the South. As Queenstown is located in the South Island, Christchurch is therefore the closest international airport. From Christchurch, Queenstown can be reached in 5 hours by car or in less than 1 hour by taking a domestic flight.
We advise trying the following on-line travel agents: www.expedia.co.uk for flights to New Zealand, and www.airnewzealand.co.nz for domestic flights within New Zealand. Alternatively you might want to contact either the Flight Centre on +44 20 8541 5151 www.flightcentre.co.uk or Quest Travel +44 870 442 3542 www.questtravel.com, both of whom are located in Kingston and tend to have the best priced fares. You should consider spending a minimum of 2 weeks in New Zealand, and ideally 3.
Transport around NZ
The easiest way to travel overland around NZ is by:
1. Car - Avis, Budget and Hertz are the major rental car companies.
2. Campervan - which serves as accommodation also. 'Tui', a NZ company has
proven to be the most economical choice in the past. Maui and Britz are 2 other
major operators.
3. Bus/Shuttle Bus - 'Shuttles' are typically smaller and generally friendlier
than standard buses. They will pick you up (drop you off) from a central
destination (airport, centre city, hotel) and take you to other points within a
town or between towns.
Tops Locations/Sights
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North Island |
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provide
a range of cruises and tours that are an ideal way to explore the
Northland region |
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A
'close-up' interactive experience of the Southern Oceans, including King
& Gentoo penguins, sharks and 1,000's of fish |
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At
328 meters, Sky Tower offers absolutely breathtaking views of over 80kms
on a clear day. Access to Sky Tower, the tallest structure in the southern
hemisphere, is through Sky City, New Zealand's leading entertainment
destination. |
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Travel
through networks of limestone caves and marvel at Mother Nature's light
display as you glide silently through the glowworm grotto by boat |
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Rainbow
Springs & Farm Show is a fun and interactive place to view New
Zealand's wildlife and gain an insight into New Zealand's farming history |
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Voted
New Zealand's leading supreme Maori Cultural attraction and four times
winner of the national heritage and cultural tourism awards |
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The
best way to experience the mighty force of the Falls is by jet boat with
Huka Jet |
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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa tells the great stories of New Zealand's land and its people |
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South Island |
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Nowhere else in New Zealand can
you get this close to one of the world's most magnificent mammals - the
Giant Sperm Whale. |
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View the world's smallest and
rarest dolphin, the Hector's dolphin, aboard a Christchurch Wildlife
Cruise in Lyttelton Harbour. |
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Join Akaroa Harbour Cruises and
cruise Akaroa Harbour, home to the Hector's Dolphin, the White Flippered
Little Blue Penguin and other sea birds. |
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Mount Cook Ski Planes will
introduce you to the dramatic landscape of the Southern Alps and Aoraki/Mount
Cook. Your Mount Cook Ski Plane flight includes the chance to experience
the special thrill of landing on a glacier. The absolute peace and
tranquillity of being on a glacier high in the Southern Alps is an
unforgettable experience, absorb the silence of this pristine alpine
environment. |
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The Helicopter Line offer a range
of helicopter flights that traverse the Southern Alps and provide you with
close-up views of Aoraki / Mount Cook, the Ben Ohau ranges, and the Fox,
Franz Josef, and Tasman Glaciers. All flights include a snow landing
either on a snowfield or on a glacier. |
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Take a captivating flight to
Milford Sound, or stand 1538m above Queenstown and admire stunning views
across Lake Wakatipu to the Southern Alps. |
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Take the unique opportunity to get
right up close to the glaciers on a famous Heli-Hike trip, or take a
scenic flight with snow landing. |
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Nothing compares with the
excitement of a Shotover Jet ride which will take you speeding past rocky
outcrops, twisting through canyons, and the famous 360°spin. |
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Queenstown Combos offer a range of
adventure combos that include options of Shotover Jet, Rafting, bungy
jumping, and helicopter flights. |
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The best way to experience Milford
Sound is to enjoy a spectacular Milford Sound Red Boat cruise. View
dolphins, seals and penguins, which are often seen in their natural
habitat. |
Accommodation
Hotels, Motels (functional), Holiday Homes or B & Bs are all good
options for accommodation. The Lonely Planet guidebook and the websites as given
above should aid your choice. Alternatively we have a NZ accommodation
guidebook. You are most welcome to use it if you wish. Otherwise, visitor
centres located in each town throughout NZ have detailed lists of accommodation.
Recommended Travel Guides
To read and maybe buy (can be brought from www.amazon.com
or any other similar place)
* Lonely Planet New Zealand (very good information with plenty of detail)
* Eyewitness Travel Guide to New Zealand (Lots of handy information with
pictures. Slightly less information than the Lonely Planet but the pictures and
diagrams are really good.)
Travel Websites
Some useful travel websites that you may be interested in looking at are:
New Zealand: www.travelplanner.co.nz
North Island: Auckland www.aucklandnz.com Bay of Plenty www.visitplenty.co.nz The Coromandel www.thecoromandel.com Bay of Islands www.twincoast.co.nz Rotorua www.rotoruanz.com Taupo www.laketauponz.com Wellington www.wellingtonnz.com
South Island: Christchurch and Canterbury www.christchurchnz.net Dunedin/Coastal Otago www.cityofdunedin.com Fiordland www.fiordland.org.nz Marlborough www.destinationmarlborough.com Mount Cook www.mtcook.org.nz Nelson www.nelsonnz.com Queenstown www.queenstown-nz.co.nz Wanaka www.wanaka.co.nz West Coast www.west-coast.co.nz