Day 1: Auckland and Hauraki Gulf
Boarding Oceanic Discoverer at 4:00pm, we depart the ‘City of Sails’ at 5:00pm and enjoy views of Auckland as we commence our 12 night New Zealand discovery cruise. Savour the late afternoon cruising through the beautiful Hauraki Gulf and amongst its many islands before joining the Captain and his crew at the Captain’s Welcome Drinks and dinner.

Day 2: White Island Volcano
Following breakfast we embark on out first excursion to explore the active White Island volcano, which is identifiable by the plume of steam continually spouting from its crater. Travelling ashore aboard Xplorer and our fleet of Zodiacs, the Expedition Staff will lead a guided walk to the crater, which resembles a moonscape. Enjoy the rare opportunity to view the heart of an active volcano and see a build up of gas and steam escaping from the earth.

Day 3: Gisborne and Maori Culture
This morning we arrive in historic Gisborne, the first European landing place in New Zealand. Captain Cook first arrived here in 1769 and a European settlement was established in 1831. Our exploration begins with a visit to a small Marae for an exclusive Maori cultural experience including a traditional welcome, guided tour and Kapa Haka cultural show. This afternoon you have time to explore Gisborne at your own pace, with the opportunity to discover the historic city at your leisure or join an optional guided tour exploring the city’s beautiful gardens and renowned vineyards.

Day 4: Art Deco Napier
In 1931 Napier was all but destroyed by an earthquake measuring some 7.9 on the Richter Scale. The city’s rebuild followed the flourishing art deco trend in America and Europe of that time, and as such, Napier features a wonderful heritage of art deco architecture. Enjoy the morning exploring the sights of the city. Perhaps stroll Marine Parade, the city’s delightful seaside boulevard which retains its air of an old-fashioned English seaside resort, complete with a pebble beach.

Days 5 & 6: Marlborough Sounds
We spend two days exploring an array of spectacular waterways including the fiord-like Queen Charlotte Sound. Retracing the history of Captain Cook we visit Ships Cove, a regular stop for Captain Cook on his voyage of discovery and the place where he careened the Endeavour. Both days offer a multitude of explorations aboard the Xplorer and Zodiacs under the guidance of our Expedition Leader and with interpretation from our experienced Guest Lecturers. Join a guided walk on Moturoa Island where it’s possible to view an abundance of native birdlife. We farewell the dark green hills and blue-green waters of the Sounds with an evening cruise through the scenic Tory Channel and continue our journey southwards.

Day 7: Kaikoura Whalewatching
The scenic coastal town of Kaikoura is renowned as possibly the world’s best destination for whale watching and one of the few places in the world where it is possible to view the giant Sperm Whale in its natural environment. We join a special cruise to discover these majestic mammals along with Fur Seals, dolphins and other migratory whales, an experience never to be forgotten. Enjoy time for a stroll around the pretty coastal town before reboarding Oceanic Discoverer.

Day 8: Gallic Akaroa
This morning we cruise into secluded Akaroa Harbour, a very scenic village nestled in the heart of an active volcano. Stroll through the village, discovering its French history, cosy cafes and excellent craft stores. Enjoy optional shore excursions, perhaps swim with one of the smallest and rarest dolphins – the Hector’s or New Zealand Dolphin.

Day 9: Discover Dunedin
The Otago Harbour welcomes us as we cruise past the world’s largest mainland albatross colony at Tairoa Heads, also home to the world’s rarest penguin, the Yellowed Eyed Penguin. Of Scottish heritage, Dunedin offers a great diversity of experiences from abundant wildlife to the historic Edwardian and Victorian architecture, the Otakou Maori Marae, the famous Speights Brewery, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Settlers Museum and New Zealand’s oldest botanical gardens. Enjoy a full day ashore to explore at your own pace.

Day 10: Stewart Island
Discover the natural delights and scenic beauty of Stewart Island, a large island that is almost totally wilderness and home to a vast number of seals, birds and other wildlife. Landing ashore at Paterson Inlet, join a guided walk to encounter native birds such as the Weka, Tui, Bellbird, Kaka and New Zealand’s iconic national bird, the kiwi. Unlike other species of kiwis, the Stewart Island Kiwi is active both during the day and night and is often seen foraging on the beach for sandhoppers and other insects.

Day 11: Dusky Sound
Our first experience of the deep Fiordland National Park waterways begins as we enter Dusky Sound. We spend the day in awe of the spectacular and dramatic natural wilderness as we cruise amongst the sheer cliffs and tumbling waterfalls of this beautiful landscape. Enjoy the view from Oceanic Discoverer or choose to explore the inlets from Xplorer or Zodiacs. Continuing northward, we anchor for the evening at the entrance to spectacular Doubtful Sound.

Day 12: Doubtful Sound
Awaken this morning to the magnificent scenery of Doubtful Sound. The deepest of the sounds, Doubtful was named by Captain Cook in 1770 and is often described as Fiordland’s most spectacular waterway. Join the Guest Lecturers aboard Xplorer as we cruise amongst the towering peaks and explore a maze of hidden waterways home to a myriad of marine and bird life. This evening, enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Cocktails as we make our way to world-famous Milford Sound, our final stop on this memorable journey.

Day 13: Milford Sound
Savour breakfast as we cruise the dramatic 22 kilometre length of Milford Sound. The calm waters of the sound mirror the sheer peaks that rise all around, including the instantly recognisable Mitre Peak, towering some 1,600 metres above the waterway. At 8:00am we disembark in Milford Sound and farewell the Captain and his crew.

A complimentary coach transfer to Queenstown is available, departing Milford Sound at approximately 8:30am and arriving in Queenstown at approximately 1:30pm.

In key locations there are opportunities for guests with special interests to enhance the cruise experience through the purchase of additional shore excursions. See page 6 for details.

This itinerary is an indication of the destinations we visit and activities on offer. Throughout the expedition we may make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel.

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