New Zealand is a pastoral country. There are a few nightclubs and shopping in the major cities but by in large the excitement of visiting New Zealand comes from meeting her people, sharing their lives and their crafts, visiting their farms and taking in the magnificent natural history of the country. Our combination sightseeing and fishing trips are an ideal way of doing just that and are perfect for couples, families , and small groups of friends who wish to see sights of New Zealand while experiencing some of the country's very best fishing. Only the best small, comfortable farms and lodgings are used.
Itinerary 301
Note: This Itinerary can be combined with Itinerary 302 for a more extensive North Island Fishing and Sightseeing trip. All itineraries may be connected.
North Island Fish and See Rotorua
Day 1: Arrive Auckland. Pick up compact rental car (two people) or full size car (4 people). Drive to historic Victorian bed and breakfast. Dinner.
Day 2: Day at leisure Auckland. Time for a sail on the bay with lunch aboard or just stroll through this lovely city and learning her ways. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight bed and breakfast
Day 3: Breakfast. Morning drive to Rotorua arriving mid-day. Met and transferred to lakeside home. Afternoon at leisure Rotorua. Suggest taking in FERRY SPRINGS TROUT AND WILDLIFE GARDEN, see the Kiwi house, then having a luau dinner at the MAURI HANGI AND CONCERT You may wish to take in the famous ORCHID GARDENS or see the AWIOTAPU THERMAL AREA with falls and geysers or visit the archeological site at the BURIED VILLAGE, an excavated Mauri village. Lunch and dinner on your own.
Day 4: Guided fishing in the Lake Rotorua area. This could include trolling for trout on the lake or fishing one of the river mouths or streams in the Rotorua area. All meals included this day.
Day 5: Same.
Day 6: Drive back to Auckland or continue trip.
Itinerary 302
North Island Fish and See Lake Taupo
Day 1: Day 1: Arrive Auckland. Pick up compact rental car (two people) or full size car (4 people). Drive to historic Victorian bed and breakfast. Dinner.
Day 2: Day at leisure Auckland. Time for a sail on the bay with lunch aboard or just stroll through this lovely city and learning her ways. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight bed and breakfast.
Day 3 (Day 7 of continuation trip): Breakfast. Drive to Taupo. You may wish to stop at the Glow Worm Caves on the way. lunch on your own. Arrive Taupo and small, comfortable lodging.
Afternoon to see the sights around Taupo. Horseback riding available, visit crafts and old town. Hot mineral baths are quite popular Lunch. Dinner including great NZ wines.
Day 4 (Day 8 of continuation trip): Breakfast. Taupo is word famous for its fishing. The famous Tongariro River is located here as are many other excellent rivers and still water fisheries with extremely large trout. Double figure rainbow and brown trout are not unusual. Taupo has both a summer and winter fishery so it virtually can be fished year around. During the New Zealand winter, June, July and August, large rainbow trout, all descendants of California steelhead, ascend the rivers flowing into Lake Taupo to spawn. Some of the largest trout in New Zealand are taken here. The type of fishing depends on the desires of the angler. Trolling is available in the big lake as is spin fishing for people who do not fly fish. For the fly fisherman, some of the smaller weedy lakes offer world class still water nymph and dry fly fishing for awesome browns and rainbows. Streamside lunch. Our largest NZ trout are taken from these food-rich smaller lakes. There is extensive stream fishing available in the Taupo area. Your guide will take you to them in his four wheel drive vehicle. Optional helicopter and overnight float trips are also available at extra cost. Dinner including NZ wine.
Day 5 (Day 9 of continuation trip): Same.
Day 6 (Day 10 of continuation trip): Breakfast. Drive back to Auckland or onward
Itinerary 304
Day 1: Arrive Christchurch. Super shuttle to warm comfortable lodging. Dinner with NZ wines.
Day 2: Day at leisure to enjoy Christchurch. You may wish to take in the CANTERBURY MUSEUM with it's great display on Antarctica, visit the many European style shops, take in the BOTANIC GARDENS (free) or just leisurely explore this old English town your own. There is a bus which stops at all the points of interest every hour on the hour. The fare is NZ$15 and you may get on and off as often as you wish all day long.
Day 3: Breakfast Cab to Christchurch Train Station to catch morning departure TRANZ ALPINE EXPRESS to Greymouth. This is a spectacular trip and one of the great train journeys of the world! You'll travel on plush sheepskin seats with points of interest narrative and complementary beverages and tea are served at your seats The train slides through the vast farmlands of the Canterbury Plains before ascending up the spectacular gorges of the Waimakariri River then winding its way through the rugged snow-capped Southern Alps before descending into the lush rain forests of the West Coast to Greymouth Station. Met by your guide and transfer to a mountain hotel in the historic mining section of the Southern Alps. The owners of this establishment are delightful people who will become your friends quickly. Dinner. (all meals are included while staying here.
Day 4: Stream fly fishing for large browns and rainbows. Some of the South Island's best streams are in this historic area. Stream side lunch. Your guides 4WD vehicle will get you to some remote areas with over 40 crystal clear streams to fish. Afternoon fishing. This is spot and cast fishing where the guides points out the trout and the angler casts to the fish. Return to lodging for dinner.
Day 5: Same
Day 6: Breakfast. Transfer to airport for flight back to Christchurch or onward.