 Day 1: Auckland City Guided TourFriday, October 2
Kia Ora (Maori for be well/healthy and hi), Welcome to New Zealand and Auckland, known as the City of Sails!
Today your guide will collect you from the airport and brief you on what to expect from the trip while you have a little rest from your flight. Then if you're feeling up for it, they will take you on a short tour of the city. You could have a stopover at Mission Bay Beach, One Tree Hill, or the dormant volcano at Mount Eden Domain. You also might like to check out the Viaduct. This evening meet up with the rest of the team for a group dinner!
Meals: Dinner
 Day 2: Auckland-Haka Powhiri/Performance and WorkshopSaturday, October 3
Today you have your first interaction with a Māori experience as you are welcomed and greeted in a traditional Māori setting. You will be called on to a marae and welcomed with a haka powhiri followed by a short unforgettable performance of songs and haka! You will then have a short workshop that will explain Māori history in the surrounding area, the creation story and the connection of all the local iwi (tribes). After the experience you can choose to jump on a short ferry ride to Waiheke island and spend the rest of the day exploring this beautiful island!
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Auckland-Waitomo-Rotorua--Waitomo glowworm cave tour. Redwoods Treewalk Nightlights (optional)
Sunday, October 4
We leave the big city of Auckland behind today and head south towards Rotorua, known as geothermal and cultural hub of New Zealand.
 En route we stop at Waitomo for a glowworm cave tour! The glow worm, Arachnocampa luminosa, is unique to New Zealand. Thousands of these tiny creatures radiate their unmistakable luminescent light as our expert guides provide informative commentary on the Caves' historical and geological significance.If you chose to take part in a glowworm cave tour today you will enjoy the world famous boat ride under thousands of magical glowworms and become a part of over 120 years of cultural and natural history. There are also a selection of beautiful short walks in the area including Marakopa Falls and Mangapohue Natural Bridge.
In the evening you have the option to take a treetop walk in the Redwoods forest. When the sun goes down the night lights come on to give a spectacular display of lights as you walk high above the ground amongst the Redwood trees.
Meals: Breakfast
 Day 4: Rotorua-- Te Puia Te Rā + Te Pō Māori Cultural Experience Including Hāngī DinnerMonday, October 5
The morning you are free to explore Rotorua to your heart's content. You can choose to see a farm demonstration and show, take to the trees for a zip lining experience or do a whitewater rafting activity!
This afternoon and evening is a major tour highlight - a visit to the Te Puia Centre for New Zealand's Māori Culture and geothermal wonders (to read more about Te Puia Centre click here) .
You will come face to face with Pōhutu Geyser, jumping mud pools, and live kiwi birds; watch master carvers and weavers at work, and hear their guides share stories passed down from their ancestors. Later you will be treated to a unique feast of storytelling, entertainment and Māori cuisine. Be enriched with a deeper understanding of Māori traditions and absorb the unforgettable sights of this top Rotorua attraction at nightfall.
Accommodations: Sudima Hotels
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Rotorua - Taupo--Wai-o-tapu Geothermal Wonderland, Māori Rock Carving - Sailing Tour
Tuesday, October 6
Before departing Rotorua, you might like to do a walk in the Redwoods Forest. Then we hit the road to Taupo.
 En route to Taupo you will stop off at the Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland, a spectacular showcase of New Zealand’s most colourful and unique geothermal elements. Sculptured out of volcanic activity and thousands of years in the making, Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland is considered to be New Zealand’s most colorful and diverse geothermal sightseeing attraction.
After exploring the park we also stop at the Huka Falls. A few hundred meters upstream from the Huka Falls, the Waikato River narrows from approximately 100 meters across into a canyon only 15 meters across. The result is a powerful sight of thundering and rushing water that is not to be missed!
Once in Taupo, you will embark on a relaxed and lovely sailing trip on Lake Taupo to view the magnificent Maori Rock Carvings. Taupo's Maori Rock Carvings are possibly the largest of their type in the world and are a must-see attraction, only accessible by boat. Sit back and relax on luxury bean bags as you get up close to the 10-meter high rock art. If you're looking for a little more you can even help hoist the sails or take a turn at the wheel. If the weather is good you may even get to take a dip in the crystal clear waters before sailing back to town for the evening.
Meals: Breakfast
 Day 6: Taupo - Ohakune--Whanganui River Tour
Wednesday, October 7
Today you will begin your 3 day Whanganui river tour which starts in Ohakune and finishes further down the river in Whanganui (to read more about the Whanganui River Tours click here). You will paddle down the awa (river) in a traditional Māori waka (canoe) and learn about the local iwi (tribe), its rich history and the protocols they follow and live by, all under the supervision of ngā tangata whenua (the people of this land). Tonight will be your first experience sleeping in a traditional Māori house called a marae.
Accommodations: Marae
Meals: Breakfast
 Day 7: Whanganui River TourThursday, October 8
Today you continue your journey down the awa and learn about Māori culture and customs along the way. Tonight you also stay in a marae along the river.
Accommodations: Marae
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Whanganui River Tour - Taranaki
Friday, October 9
 When we reach the shores of Whanganui today we say goodbye to our amazing guides and head further west to Taranaki (New Plymouth). As we arrive into Taranaki you will notice the iconic mountain that stands tall above all else. Known to some as Mt. Egmont, the Māori refer to it simply as Taranaki. There is a beautiful story as to why it stands all alone which will be explained on tour. The evening we are free to relax.
Accommodations: The Metrotel
Meals: Breakfast
 Day 9: Taranaki--Full Day Traditional Māori Healing Workshop With MihiSaturday, October 10
Here you will be able to partake in a unique opportunity of self-discovery with Traditional Māori Healing – Looking at Healing the Past, Present & Future using Haumiri (massage), Mirimiri (massage), Romiromi (deep tissue massage) and Honohono (spiritual energy healing). This is a hands on workshop where you will gain an insight into the ways of old that have been handed down from tūpuna (ancestral) over the generations. There is no requirement to be a body worker or to learn or do Māori massage as we ask all guests to drop all previous knowledge and come with an open mind.
To read more about this traditional Maori Healing Workshop with Mihi please click here.
Meals: Breakfast
 Day 10: Taranaki - WellingtonSunday, October 11
Today we take a coastal drive from Mt. Taranaki to the capital of New Zealand, Wellington. Before we depart the area we have time to do a short walk in the national park surrounding Taranaki maunga (mountain) before hitting the road!
We’ll arrive into Wellington in the afternoon where you can choose to check out the local eateries or take a walk up Mt. Victoria.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Wellington - Queenstown--Domestic Flights to Queenstown, Queenstown Gondola and Buffet dinner (optional)
Monday, October 12
 Today we may have time to check out Te Papa museum, a great free activity that you will not regret visiting! Stand in awe and reverence of the breathtaking Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War exhibit with its giant, intricate, and expressive statues. This ground-breaking exhibition tells the story of the Gallipoli campaign in World War I through the eyes and words of eight ordinary New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. There’s also a few Māpri exhibitions that give you a great insight into things like a 21st century marae, a look into Māori art and the story of light and shadow from the iwi Rongowhakaata.
Then we board a flight and land in Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world! You can choose to go up the skyline gondola this evening and dine up the mountain in a buffet style restaurant overlooking Queenstown!
Meals: Breakfast
 Day 12: Queenstown--Spiritual WanangaTuesday, October 13
Today we begin our 2 day Māori Spiritual Wananga (school teaching native Maori knowledge) where you will learn about Māori pepeha (who you are, where you are from) and create your own. You’ll also learn about techniques in grounding and traditional Māori toning, spiritual energy balls and much more!
To read more about the Spiritual Wananga in Queenstown please click here.
Accommodations: Doubletree by Hilton
Meals: Breakfast
 Day 13: Queenstown--Spiritual Wananga
Wednesday, October 14
Day 2 of the Māori spiritual wananga begins with a group kōrero (discussion) about the previous day followed by a hands-on energy healing session done in pairs.
In the afternoon you will choose a piece of Pounamu (greenstone) or Aotea (rare stone only found in NZ) that calls to you, you’ll polish and bind the piece before taking it down to Lake Wakatipu to bless it. This is a special gift you will take home with you to keep or to give away to a special loved one.
The evening finishes with a group dinner to talk about all the wonderful experiences you had on tour!
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
 Day 14: Queenstown-DepartThursday, October 15
Possible Activities by your own arrangement: Kawarau Bridge Bungy, Horse Trekking, Lord of the Rings 4WD Safari, Paragliding, Canyon Swing, Shotover Jet Boat, Skyline Gondola & Luge, White Water Rafting, Canyoning, TSS Earnslaw Cruise and Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Dinner with Farm Demonstration, Milford sound fly/cruise/fly tour
Today is left free for you to fit in any activity that you wish. Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world and there’s no shortage of options available here. We will have some time to meet as a group to integrate our experience either at the hotel or down by Lake Wakatipu.
Today is the last day on tour and arrangements will be made to get you to your flight in time.
Accommodations: By Your Own Arrangement
Meals: Breakfast
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I'm so happy to present this trip of a lifetime to New Zealand. I've been working very closely with Helen Tomei of Sacred Earth Journeys and tour operators in New Zealand who are part of the Maori Culture and Tradition to carefully craft this experience. Please read carefully through the itinerary if you feel called to this learning experience. Every event and day has been custom made or bespoke for our group.
The tour runs from October 2-15, 2020. The total cost of the tour is USD $5360 per person in a double room. If you would like a single room the cost is an extra USD $1150.