12 Nights New Zealand

Auckland is a lively fusion of international style, local creativity and Polynesian charm. Its urban personality is bold, fast and fashionable, while its seaside ambiance ranges from rugged and untamed to smooth and tranquil.

The principal city of the Bay of Plenty is a popular Kiwi summer resort with notorious military and missionary legacies. Its legendary Waitomo Caves comprises a vast underground network of water-sculpted, cathedral-like limestone grottoes. Big-game fishing and scuba diving abounds.

Known by the local M?ori as the "Great standing place of Kiwa", Gisborne is home to a thriving arts and culture scene, thanks to the predominantly M?ori populace. If you visit during the New Year, you can catch Rhythym and Vines, a 3-day music festival at the Waiohika Estate.

The seaport tourist city of Napier located on Hawke Bay allows cruisers to marvel at the beautiful Pania of the Reef, an important figure of M?ori mythology. Thousands go here every February to attend the Tremains Art Deco Weekend event to celebrate the city's Art Deco inspired heritage.

Perched on the edge of a spectacular harbour and encircled by green, towering hills, Wellington is a stunning and compact city. Vibrant, exciting and cultured, New Zealand's capital combines the sophistication of a big city with the quirkiness of a charming village.

Known as Whakat? by the local M?ori people, Nelson is known for its thriving local arts, culture, and crafts scene, with several events each year, all culminated by the Nelson Arts Festival. The city is also host to the renowned World of Wearable art (WOW) gallery.

Picton, on the northeast corner of New Zealands South Island, provides access to the beautiful Marlborough Sounds and to New Zealands most famous wine region, Marlborough, home to the worlds best Sauvignon Blanc

For some whale and dolphin watching, Kaikoura is your best bet, as the natural wonders of both land and sea open up to you. The abundant wildlife is complemented by the beautiful Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway, and the rock platforms will offer plenty of exciting opportunities to catch some fur seals in action.

Lying at the head of a fiord-like inlet surrounded by seven hills, this city was once the largest and wealthiest city in the country, thanks to its gold fields. It's said to be one of the most perfectly preserved Victorian cities in the world.

Stewart Island, officially named Stewart Island/Rakiura, is the third-largest island of New Zealand. It lies 30 kilometres south of the South Island, across the Foveaux Strait. Its permanent population is 381 people as of the 2013 census, most of whom live in the settlement of oban on the eastern side of the island

Also known as Tamatea, the largest of New Zealand's fjords is inundated with sparkling waters, verdant landscapes and tumbling waterfalls. Seals, bottlenose dolphins, wood pigeons and penguins make this remote southern area of New Zealand a slideshow of captivating wildlife.

New Zealand's Milford Sound is one of the world's most beautiful fjords, and popular because of the towering Mitre Peak, surrounded by waterfalls and rainforests. Here, you'll find a unique flora and fauna, with fur seal colonies, penguins, and dolphins just around each corner. Visit the Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory to discover rare black corals and even more aquatic life.

Staggering beauty and heart-pumping thrills await in the resort town of Queenstown, which is also known for its Hobbits?much of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in the area. Outdoor enthusiasts flock to Queenstown for the kayaking, bungee jumping, jetboating, white-water rafting, hiking and skiing. More mild-mannered adventurers can take a quiet cruise through nearby Milford Sound, part of the Fjordland National Park World Heritage area, or sample South Island pinot noir from one of the regions 75 wineries