TRAVEL SPECIAL...... NEW ZEALAND

TRIP PLANNER NEW ZEALAND  The Land of the Kiwis has it all—spectacular scenery, unique indigenous culture, adventure activities. Here’s all that you need to know to organise a trip to this beautiful country. BEFORE YOU LEAVE... AIR FARE On MakeMyTrip, you have a choice of 12 airlines plying between Delhi/ Mumbai and Auckland, starting at 65,000–67,800 for a return ticket. Remember that the flights with the shortest stopovers cost more. EXCHANGE RATE Currently, 100 will get you New Zealand Dollar (NZD) 2.16. The currency has held steady in the past six month, fluctua ting by only a few paise. To get the most bang for your buck, avoid a visit in the peak season between December and February. VISA There’s no e-visa option for Indians. TT Services, with offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Cochin, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chennai, is the authorised receiving agent for visa applications. The fee for a visitor visa is 6,800, and there’s a service fee of 860 per application. To find a TTS office visit http://ttsnzisvisas. com/FindLocation.aspx. TRIP EXPENSE On an average, an Indian visitor spends NZD 3,428 ( 1.59 lakh) per visit, excluding air fare. The average stay is around 12-15 days. For a backpacking trip, the average daily expense per person (stay, food, sightseeing to one place, entertainment, local transportation) is around 2,200. Luxury breaks on an average cost more than 14,500 a day per person. ACCOMMODATION There are a lot of options for each budget. Says Mischa Mannix-Opie, regional manager, South & South East Asia, at Tourism New Zealand: “We have super-luxury lodges like Cape Kidnappers, with tariffs from 32,857 per person per night, and budget hotels/ hostels for backpack ers, like the Base (Queenstown) at 1,226 per person per night.” LOCAL COMMUTE While New Zealand is ideal for a self-drive holiday, the local buses are good too. Consider the Magic Travellers Network, which offers a hop on/off service through the best sites and hidden gems across Kiwi land. Also check out https://intercity.co.nz for ferry and buses. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS FREE • Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland. • Waitomo glow-worm walk, near Auckland. • Kerosene creek, Rotorua. • Hamurana springs and Redwood forest, Rotorua. • Hagley park, Christchurch. • Queenstown gardens, Queenstown. • Beach hopping and nature walks throughout New Zealand. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS PAID (approximate per person rates) • Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium, Auckland: NZD 36 • Bush and Beach Hobbiton Express, Auckland: NZD 265 • Rainbow’s End theme park, Auckland: NZD 51 • Rainbow springs, Rotorua: NZD 30 • Mitai Maori village, Rotorua: NZD 106.50 • Cruise around Akaroa harbour, Christchurch: NZD 70 • Punting on the Avon, Christchurch: NZD 25 • Milford Sound tour, Queenstown: NZD 233 • Skyline gondola, Queenstown: NZD 26 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS • If you are driving, add fuel cost (NZD1.5-2 per litre) to the budget. • There aren’t too many student discounts, but invest in YHA or backpacker cards for savings. • You’ll get sun-burnt in 15 minutes in summer. So take sunscreen. DON’T MISS... Whale- and dolphin-watching at Kaikoura, near Christchurch. If you fancy joining the fish, the local tour operators will gladly offer you a wetsuit. The average cost of such tours is NZD 145 ( 6,700) per person. The American Express Queenstown winter festival (June 21-30), with a plethora of winter sports and related activities, promises an outstanding way to celebrate the Kiwi winter. BEST TIME TO VISIT The peak season for arrivals from India coincides with the low tourist season in New Zealand in the months of April-June. TRIP     TRAIL Here is a sample 12-day itinerary to get you started. Begin your journey in Auckland by exploring the ‘City of Sails’. After lunch on day 2, proceed to Rotorua, known for its unique volcanic landscape, Maori culture and hot springs. After three nights—take a day-trip to Taupo to visit the lake that is the world’s largest crater—catch a flight to Christchurch. The city lost some of its charm in the 2011 earthquake, but it’s worth spending a night here. Day 6 can be spent at the Mount Cook National Park; you can check out Twizel along the way, where the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings was filmed. The next day, move to Wanaka, for sky-diving, glacier walking and jet-boating. On day 9, take a bus/taxi to Queenstown, where you can go for a gondola ride, cruise down the Milford Sound, take a winery tour, and pub crawl for three nights. ETW130506