While in this neck of the woods, a day has to taken to explore the Great Ocean Road.  It is a stretch of road built by the veterans of World War II designed to provide employment and camaraderie for these men while opening up one of the most scenic stretches of coastline in Australia.  I took a day tour with Escape Discovery Adventures, and it was without doubt one of the best day tours I have experienced.  This is a must  do tour if you are visiting Australia and the Melbourne region and you will experience the true Aussie way of life while exploring the beautiful Great Ocean Road.  Visit www.escapediscoveryadventures.com.au

With so easy access around the city using the train and tram system there is so much to do and see you will need at least 3 nights to feel like you’ve got a taste of this lively place.  If you are looking to include a few days in Melbourne, talk to us here at Vacations New Zealand regarding your stopover and we can give you the best advice on what to do and where to stay while in this exciting and lively city.

After the recent closure of the Port Hills tracks in Christchurch, I was as keen as a bean to get my Giant back into good use, and headed down to the adventure capital of the world: Queenstown.  I am a big fan of this place and now even bigger as I strolled up to the ticket booth and paid only $40 for a half days of unlimited riding from 10am to 3pm.  Wheeled my bike around the rear fo the station and a friendly staff member  hooked my bike onto the outside of the Gondola and away we go up the hill.  The views are fantastic, lake Wakatipu, Remarkables mountain range and beautiful sunny weather….just superb. 

Reaching the top are well laid out signage directing you to the tracks,  the Vertigo Bike rental crew, a repair station, picnic tables and easy access to the main building to buy your supplies of drinks, food and souvenirs.  Heading left on my bike the first section is a small uphill to the starting line up of tracks, where you can catch your breath before diving into the forest.

There are bike tracks for all abilities, the green run is a fun flowy warm up of 6km mostly down hill, the blue track Vertigo is super fun and gets you in the mood to explore the more serious black graded rides.  There is a pit stop half way down the hill where everyone meets for a breather before choosing their next challenge.  All these tracks meet up at the wide  road back to the Gondola base.

As a huge fan of the Whistler mountain bike park in Canada, I can see the similarities and also fantastic potential in this place.  Currently with only a handfull of tracks it is a super fun couple of days riding, even the Athertons of this world are spending a chunk of time here.  And with the dedication of the local bike club, the Queenstown council and Skyline Gondola coming on board to assist and make this place the next mountain bike mecca…I look forward to saving myself a huge airfare and having another excuse to visit my favourite local resort town.

The wildlife centre lets you get up and close to the kiwi, without big windows, you can a enjoy a rare experience with our national bird.  The centre also houses a really interesting exhibit highlighting the regions other wildlife, history, flora, fauna and of course an area dedicated to the mighty glaciers. 
There is also a cafe serving tasty food and great coffee, as well as 30 min free wi-fi for cafe purchases. 

The West Coast wild life center is a definite must see for all age groups when you are visiting Franz Josef, and a great way to support our national breeding programme of the Rowi Kiwi.  And, I hear there are plans for a penguin colony…..watch this space.

The recent aftershock that has occurred in Christchurch has left the central business district heavily damaged, with many historic buildings destroyed, businesses and hotels without access, power or other essential services.  This state of the central city is likely to been in effect for the coming few months, so visitors are advised not to visit central Christchurch for holiday purposes, but they can still use the international and domestic airport for travel to and around the South Island. 

We are running tours throughout New Zealand as normal,  but we are utilising other tourist towns and cities for overnight stays that would have originally been destined for Christchurch.   As our business is based here in Christchurch, we have felt the effects of the loss of our beautiful city.  We hope to have many of the historic buildings restored to their former glory and once again share the garden city with you as our guest.

Thank you to all who have expressed their concerns and care, it is much appreciated.  New Zealand is open, still beautiful as always and looks forward to those who are planning to travel to our corner of the world,

Kia Ora!

It has been a week of rockin and rollin here in Christchurch city, as the 7.1 magnitute earthquake struck here in the early hours of Saturday morning.  Over 300 aftershocks have rattled the city and most of the 400,000 inhabitants have had little sleep, so we are all a little tired to some degree.  Thankfully no lives were lost, but many suburban homes and rural farms have had damage to their properties.  The central business district has been in the thick of demolishing a number of irrepairable buildings this past week meaning many roads are blocked off and some businesses are still yet to open.

But thankfully we have come through relatively unscathed, the city is not flattened, chimneys are the most commonly damaged household features, and some of those living  near the beaches will walk away from there homes forever.  The trauma of losing your home to the earth, is more than many can handle, but the citizens of Christchurch have pulled together with large groups of volunteers and in particular the hundreds of Canterbury University students, who have helped dig out those homes.  Well done, and well done.

In the coming weeks, we hope our city will become fully operational again.  Most businesses are open,  tours are running and most restaurants and hotels are fully functional.  If there is one good thing about this quake, it is that for the building industry things are looking rosy, maybe the end of the recession is in sight!

This volcanic region extends from the south as far as Ohakune, where the now famous Mt Doom (Mt Ngauruhoe), Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro all actively sit.  From Turangi a day walk of the Tongariro crossing can be made and which is now New Zealand’s most visited track.  Further north beckons Lake Taupo, the largest lake in the North Island and here is where most visitors spend a day or two relaxing on the lake or visiting the magnificent Huka falls. 

If you want to visit a geothermal site of steaming vents then the Craters of the Moon park is a short drive north out of town and the entry fee of $6 is the least expensive of all the sites to visit.  Highly recommended is the Wai-o-tapu geothermal reserve located about 30 minutes drive north of Lake Taupo.  Although it is very touristy, the park is well set out and the champagne pool (pictured above) is spectacular.  If you can handle the sulphur smell and make it on time to see the Lady Knox geyser then it is well worth the $30 entry.

Further north in Rotorua, this small city is well known as the cultural capital of New Zealand with its strong Maori cultural history the Government gardens and museum are well worth a visit.  There are also numerous cultural  performances and traditional hangi dinners to experience.  I highly recommend a visit to the Whakarewarewa village, it combines a living village of Maori peoples set amongst a geothermal wonderland. 

With all this geothermal activity there are also numerous hot springs and mud bathing facilities where one can soak and experience pure relaxation.  Try the Polynesian spa in central Rotorua or not far from there are the Waikete valley thermal pools or Hells Gate Waiora mud and sulphur spas.

Whatever your time frame while visiting New Zealand this region is a definite must visit for a truly cultural and geothermal insight to New Zealand.

Do you have the desire to taste delicious award wining Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir that are now gracing wine magazines across the globe?  Then you are not alone. Wine tourism in New Zealand is becoming increasingly popular with visitors from around the world taking the opportunity to sample direct from the cellar door and tasting wines that they would never have the chance to otherwise as many of our top label wines produced in New Zealand are rarely exported.
Our winemakers have set the standard high in premium wine production, with many of our red and white wine producers from the Hawke’s Bay, Martinborough and Central Otago challenging the very essence of European craftsmanship.

So where to begin your tour?
 Here at Vacations New Zealand we believe that a wine tour means a fully guided Wine Experience. Our guides are fully trained and familiar with our wine regions, wine styles and the process of wine production specific to New Zealand.  We  have a passion for New Zealand wine, its regions, specialties and stunningly beautiful locations.  Our tours are based around wineries that set the bar high in excellence of wine craftsmanship, passion for what they do, and are friendly and approachable in their service. 
You will discover the rich history and  the wine styles that are particular to each region, have the opportunity to discuss the details with the winemaker or vineyard manager, or just delve into the passion behind the wine. 

Your wine tour is tailored  to your group size, whether it’s one person on a fully privately guided tour or a wine club of up to 25 people.  We work with your budget and time frame, discussing with you the highlights and logistics of travelling around New Zealand.  We have created a couple of wine tour itineraries so you can get a glimpse of what we do, and maybe you can gather a few ideas to tailor make it your own. 

Visit our New Zealand Wine Tour page for more information about our wine tours and how you can create a customised tour for your holiday or vacation in New Zealand.

Skiing in New Zealand can be quite a different experience from those that are used to the Northern hemisphere.  Here in New Zealand the access to the mountain is by long access roads, steep, with tight corners and mostly unsealed.  Chains on your car are essential if you want to make it home alive!
As well as the open alpine no-trees terrain, many ski areas have only a few high speed chair lifts complemented by T-bars to access the entire ski area.  But the great news about skiing in New Zealand is the general lack of crowds and the amount of runs you can achieve in a day will give you a great workout!

Heli skiing in Queenstown and Wanaka has become popular in last few years, as skiers and snowboarders crave for powder turns and face-shots.  A great day out is to be had by all on a heli ski trip, with guides and safety equipment on hand to give a incredible day out on our uncrowded mountains.

When’s the best time to go skiing in Queenstown?  I would definitely recommend from mid July through to Mid September, as there is plenty of snow coverage.  There is so much to do off mountain with festivals, events and ski/snowboard competitions to keep the whole family  entertained. The choice of  restaurants is endless with quality cuisine the norm and of course a fantastic selection of wineries, day spas, retail therapy and adventure activities to keep your off mountain buddies entertained!

So if you’re looking for a great way to spend some time over winter our 7 day winter ski package should tick all the necessary boxes.  Return from Christchurch, New Zealand you will be treated to 6 nights premium accommodation, a private guide to chauffeur you up and down those mountain roads, 2 days ski passes and a day Heli Skiing from Queenstown and much more. Book this tour by 15  June 2010 and get 10% off the tour price….that’s got to be good!

After landing on the ice pad half way up the glacier, wave goodbye to your helicopter for the day.  Your ice climbing instructor will show you how to use your crampons for walking, traversing and then for climbing.  After you are harnessed up and trained in the use of your ice axes your guide will set up the ropes and anchors letting you can scale some incredible ice walls and pinnacles.  As the day progresses you can test your ice climbing skills on all kinds of terrain, from gentle slopes to vertical walls and climbing out of blue ice crevasses.  The views are just incredible from here, it’s a photographers paradise –  crystal blue caves, water filled crevasses, the mighty Southern Alps mountains and in front of  you the Tasman Ocean as far as the eye can see.   
Ice climbing is not as hard as you might think, challenge yourself to as much adrenalin as you can handle.  Here at Vacations New Zealand, our guided tours of New Zealand and  South Island tours all pass via Fox and the Franz Josef glaciers and a days ice climbing can be added in as a optional extra.  No previous experience is required….so where’s your excuse?

Major games will be played in the larger venues of Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and the final match in Auckland.  Tickets go on sale today for Venue pool packs and team pool packs.  Applications for these are available from the official rugby cup site at www.rugbyworldcup.com and individual ticket sales come online in Aug/Sept 2010.  Strict ticket sales regulation means you won’t be able to find sales online outside of official sites.  Buyer beware.

Here are the match pools:
Pool  A – New Zealand, France, Tonga, Canada, Asia 1
Pool  B -  Argentina, England, Scotland, Georgia, play off winner
Pool  C -  Australia, Ireland, Italy, Russia, USA
Pool  D -  South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Samoa, Namibia

New Zealand is welcoming everyone, all visitors and locals to the matches and is encouraging a spirit of pride for each individual country attending and each local town hosting the game.  We Kiwi’s are stoked to have you come and visit beautiful New Zealand, take your time, trial some local cuisine maybe some lamb or venison in the South Island or fresh fish delicacies in North Island.  Of course there is our world famous wine,  Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir (see our 4 day Wine Tour) and as many of our best wines are difficult to secure overseas,  while you’re here in New Zealand it’s the best time to sample! 
Weather wise, September and October are spring months, usually bringing a fair bit of rain to most of the country so bring your brolly, warm coat, flag, kilt and your camera and some mates for a awesome time down under,

Haere mai & welcome!