Arrive at Wellington international airport, transfer to hotel, and spend leisure time for the rest of the day. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel, and after having your breakfast go out to see the top attractions of Wellington on a hop-on hop-off minibus tour that follows a route throughout the capital city and its outskirts. You can hop off at any of the stops to explore points of interest, such as Mt. Victoria Lookout, Wellington Zoo, Wellington Botanic Garden, or the Te Papa Museum, on your own. Your guide points out sights such as Parliament and the cable car on this group tour that can accommodate up to 20 people. Start your hop-on, hop-off minibus tour at the Wellington i-Site Visitor Centre. Your guide makes a brief photo stop at Mt. Victoria, but you can disembark at any of the 10 stops to visit a site in more depth on your own. View interactive exhibits on Maori culture at the Te Papa Tongarewa, a premier museum; delve into Wellington’s maritime history at the award-winning Museum of Wellington; discover New Zealand wildlife at Zealandia or the Wellington Zoo, or stroll Wellington Botanic Garden. Your ticket is valid for the day of purchase (tickets purchased for the last departure of the day are also valid for the following day), and your driver can tell you when the next minibus arrives to take you to the following location. If you’d like to check out great cafés, restaurants, and shops, disembark at chic Courtenay Place, Bohemian Cuba Precinct, or the gorgeous waterfront around Oriental Bay. Wellington offers so much to explore; that you may not want to leave.

Breakfast at your hotel, and after having your breakfast go out to get a behind-the-scenes look at nine ‘The Lord of the Rings locations around Wellington and learn about the filming of movies based on the popular books. On a New Zealand countryside tour, see re-created Middle-earth scenes, including the Hutt Valley and the Greenbelt, take a forest walk through Tolkien’s Rivendell, and step into Weta Studios for a movie production tour of digital special effects. Your guide shares insider gossip on how the movies were made and takes you to a themed lunch. Start your full-day tour of The Lord of the Rings filming locations with a hotel pickup in Wellington. Continue to Mt Victoria and the Greenbelt before a 40-minute stroll through the Outer Shire, the Black Rider movie scenes site, etc. Your guide is well-versed in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and shares insider knowledge about the Wellington movie industry. Next, you’re taken to Weta Cave to get an inside peek at the making of The Lord of the Rings and other films they have worked on; watch a short documentary describing its history and other films they have worked on. Then a specialized guide will introduce you to the ‘Window into Workshop’ exhibition before you browse the Weta cave museum and gift shop. Then, head to the Scorch-O-Rama café for a LOTR–themed lunch: Orc-sized! Learn why New Zealand is ideal for creating movie sets in the afternoon as you explore more of The Lord of the Rings locations. See the Great River Anduin on a visit to the Hutt Valley with stops including the Hutt River, and view the Gardens of Isengard — aka Harcourt Park — where the Orcs filled the trees.  Imagine the Elves living in the 1,000year-old native rainforest of Kaitoke Regional Park, the setting for Rivendell. Then see the location where Helm’s Deep and Minas Tirith were filmed before concluding your full-day tour with a drop-off at your Wellington hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel, and after having your breakfast, transfer to Airport to take your next destination flight to Auckland. Once you arrive in Auckland, transfer to the hotel. Check-in into the hotel. Overnight at Hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel, and after having your breakfast go out to see Auckland’s major sights and attractions with a hop-on hop-off city bus tour. Perfect for first-time visitors to Auckland, it’s a great way to explore the city. Complete with English audio commentary and written translations in 9 languages. The bus tour takes about an hour to complete each loop, with 2 circle routes to explore. Enjoy the flexibility of a 1-day or 2-day pass, and hop off at critical points, such as Parnell Village, Auckland Museum, Auckland Zoo, Mt Eden, or the Sky Tower, at your leisure. Start your Auckland hop-on hop-off bus tour at Philips Corner/Princes Wharf. You can create your sightseeing itinerary with a flexible ticket, valid for one or two days. Listen to the fascinating audio commentary on the red or blue circle route during the entire loop. Buses depart regularly throughout the day on a seasonal schedule. If you’d like, hop on and off throughout the day to explore Auckland on your own or visit top attractions. Discover New Zealand history at the Auckland Museum, meet King and Gentoo penguins at Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium, and soak up the city skyline from the Sky Tower, to name a few. Upgrade to a museum or attraction combination pass, which includes admission to select sites across the route.

Breakfast at your hotel, and after having your breakfast go out to enjoy cruising the waters of Hauraki Gulf Marine Park in search of whales, dolphins, and penguins on a half-day tour from Auckland. You’ll board a spacious catamaran at Viaduct Harbour and hear expert guides share informative commentary about New Zealand’s natural wonders. During the whale and dolphin safari, keep an eye out for six types of whales that frequent these waters and seabirds, such as Australasian gannets, petrels, and terns.

Meet the boat crew at the New Zealand Maritime Museum at Viaduct Harbour and depart aboard a custom-built 65-foot (20-meter) catamaran, comfortably appointed to best view up to six types of whales and dolphins other marine life. Throughout your 4.5-hour cruise, the captain and guides entertained you with fascinating facts about the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, home to five marine preserves and sprinkled with islands — it’s considered one of the world’s most biologically diverse marine parks to some 23 different species. Hear about research conducted in partnerships with local marine scientists and discover which whales the crew tracks. They’ll point out sea mammals such as frequently spotted pods of bottlenose dolphins and Bryde’s whales, native to New Zealand. Be ready to snap photos of adorable blue penguins. Set your binoculars upon seabirds such as Australasian gannets, petrels, shearwaters, and white-fronted terns soaring above or plunging into the sea. Afterward, the boat returns to Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, where your tour ends. While wildlife viewings cannot be guaranteed, dolphins and whales often swim around these waters. If you do not see any marine mammals during your trip, you can go again another day at no extra charge.

Breakfast at your hotel, spend some leisure time, and then transfer to the airport for your flight.