WOW! World of WearableArt and Classic Cars Museum

Be blown away by this amazing museum that celebrates two distinctly different passions! The World of WearableArt and Classic Cars Museum is an iconic visitor attraction in Nelson, New Zealand. TripAdvisor ranked #1 of 16 attractions in Nelson, New Zealand this museum is not to be missed. Amazing works of wearable art from the WOW Awards show are displayed alongside a world class collection of rare and classic cars. The Museum also includes a Cafe, a Museum Shop and Reflections Art Gallery. It offers something for everyone!


The WearableArt Gallery is a magical experience intermingling the use of superb music, specially sequenced lighting and a cleverly introduced element of movement. Here you can truly experience the intricate detailing of these incredible creations up close. All garments on display have preformed on stage.

The Classic Cars Gallery is an eclectic mix of some of the most sought after models in Classic Motoring. The exhibition is reflective of the changing times, trends, technology and events as seen through the evolution of the car. The cars tell an important story as the represent the spectrum of automotive history, design and craftmanship. The car collection represents years of passionate sourcing from around the world and New Zealand and is one of Australasia's largest private collections.

Located in the heart of the museum is the Reflections Art Gallery, exhibiting contemporary work by New Zealand artists. Exhibits change regularly and all art work is for sale.

Enjoy a cup of superb locally roasted coffee in the cafe or by the museum's tranquil pool. Don't forget to visit the museum's shop for a creative selection of jewelery, books and more.

The World of WearableArt and Classic Cars museum offers a mind blowing experience year round between 10am and 5 pm.

Visit this amazing museum on your next vacation to New Zealand with Celtic Tours World Vacations

Franz Josef Glacier

The magnificent Franz Josef Glacier is widely regarded as the gem of New Zealand's West Coast Glaciers.

In the last ice age the glacier extended in a huge ice-sheet to beyond the present coastline. Although today's glacier has retreated considerably, echoes of its frozen past are still apparent in the present landscape. The terminal face of the glacier is less than 300 metres above sea level and is just one of three to be this close to the coastline. Take an imaginary journey back in time and witness the awesome power of moving ice, the shaping of the valley, the formations of moraine, and the impressive wall of ice at the terminus of the glacier.

Location Franz Josef Glacier is located in Westland National Park on the West Coast, 5 kilometres from Franz Josef township.

Hike, climb or just stand in awe of the amazing natural beauty of Franz Josef Glacier on your next New Zealand Vacation with Celtic Tours World Vacations  

New Zealand Deal

100% Adventure.
Celtic Tours World Vacations Save up to $1500 pp on Escorted New Zealand packages.

17 Day New Zealand Wonderland: Premier Escorted Vacation
Discover New Zealand on this comprehensive and popular 17 Day tour. Travel to the subtropical Bay of Islands, visit the geothermal Rotorua. See natural wonders of Franz Josef Glacier, Milford Sound and World Heritage-listed Mt Cook National Park.

B&B Package (includes 3 feature meals): Land from $5475* pps after discount

All Meals Itinerary: Land from $5995* pps after discount

Available for the following Tour Departure Dates: 2012: 10/27, 11/24, 11/28, 12/8 2013: 1/12, 1/23, 2/9, 3/16

14 Day New Zealand Highlighter: Premier Escorted Vacation
Beginning in the North Island, this 14 Day tour winds its way south, taking in New Zealand’s premier attractions along the way. See the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, cruise Cook Strait and Milford Sound and absorb the majesty of Franz Josef Glacier.

B&B Package (includes 2 feature meals): Land from $4395* pps after discount

 All Meals Itinerary: Land from $4795* pps after discount

Available for the following Tour Departure Dates: 2012: 10/16, 10/30, 11/27 2013: 1/15, 1/26, 2/12, 3/19

Check out this deal on New Zealand travel

Call your travel agent to book! Or give us a call at 1-800-833-4373

*These specials are for new bookings only. Conditions apply. Discount shown is based on twin share for travel on applicable dates shown above and only for tours mentioned. Bookings must be made by September 14, 2012 only. All offers are subject to availability at time of booking. Offers may be withdrawn at any time. SuperDeals cannot be combined with any other offer. Price shown reflects discount.

9 Day Southern Sensation - Premier Escorted Motorcoach Tour!

9 Day Southern Sensation

Premier Escorted Motorcoach Tour!

This 9 Day tour of discovery will reveal to you the highlights of New Zealand's South Island in unparalleled style. Admire the majesty of Franz Josef Glacier, traverse the spectacular Southern Alps and enjoy two days to absorb the wonder of Queenstown.
Your 9 Day Southern Sensation sightseeing highlights:

* Enjoy Freedom of Choice Touring in Queenstown, Dunedin and Mt Cook
* Visit World Heritage-listed Westland National Park and Franz Josef Glacier
* See the picturesque lakes of Wanaka and Hawea
* Spend time in delightful Arrowtown
* Discover the alpine resort of Queenstown, on Lake Wakatipu
* Cruise the length of Milford Sound
* Visit Dunedin, the Edinburgh of the South
* Spend some time in breathtaking Mt Cook National Park
* Visit picturesque Lake Tekapo and the tiny Church of the Good Shepherd

Your 9 Day Southern Sensation includes:

* 8 Nights First Class Accommodations
* 15 Meals for Meal Plan, 10 Meals for the B&B Plan
* Services of the same experiences Tour Director throughout

Uluru

Rising 1142 ft nearly vertical from the vast and remote Australian Outback, Uluru, aka Ayers Rock, is a living testament to the heart of the Aboriginal culture. Uluru is an inselberg, literally "island mountain", an isolated remnant left after the slow erosion of an original mountain range. It is often referred to as a monolith.

Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognizable natural icons, attracting more than 500,000 visitors per year. Stand in front of Ayers Rock, and you can see why. For many Outback travelers this is the most anticipated moment of their Australia vacation. With many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings, Uluru is well worth the visit.

Uluru is notable for appearing to change color as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight when it briefly glows red. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey color, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas that serve as channels for water flow. Uluru is naturally grey, but the iron content of the rock is "rusting" at the surface, resulting in the distinctive red iron oxide coating.

Archaeological findings to the east and west indicate that humans settled in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Uluru has great cultural significance for the Anangu Traditional landowners, who led walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal dreamtime stories of the area.

The Aboriginal dreamtime stories refer to a sacred era in which ancestral Totemic Spirit Beings formed The Creation. According to the Anangu: “The world was once a featureless place. None of the places we know existed until creator beings, in the forms of people, plants and animals, traveled widely across the land. Then, in a process of creation and destruction, they formed the landscape as we know it today. Anangu land is still inhabited by the spirits of dozens of these ancestral creator beings which are referred to as Tjukuritja or Waparitja.”

When visiting please note that the Anangu request that visitors do not photograph certain sections of Uluru. These areas are the sites of gender-linked rituals, and are forbidden ground for Anangu of the opposite sex of those participating in the rituals in question. The photographic ban is intended to prevent Anangu from inadvertently violating this taboo by encountering photographs of the forbidden sites in the outside world.

If you have never been to the Australian Outback, be prepared for a fantastic adventure. Let Celtic Tours plan your Australian Adventure or choose from one of our many Australian Escorted Tours.

Te Puia Cultural Centre Experience

Gushing waters, steaming vents, boiling mud pools, spectacular geysers and traditional Maori culture breathes at the Te Puia Cultural Centre in New Zealand, a place of powerful energies and Maori beauty. The mission at Te Puia is "To be the centre of knowledge and excellence for the preservation, presentation, education and growth of traditional expressions of Māori arts, crafts and culture".The following are just a few of the Te Puia experiences.

Every day in Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley geysers erupt, mud pools bubble and steam hisses. Over 500 pools and 65 geyser vents, each with their own name, are found in the Te Whakarewarewa geothermal valley in Rotorua.

The most famous geyser in the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley in Rotorua, is the awe-inspiring Pohutu Geyser, meaning big splash or explosion. Pohutu erupts up to 100 foot high and up to 20 times per day.

The Pā, commonly referred to today as ‘marae’, is the centre of Māori tribal society and wellbeing. A marae is the traditional meeting place of a tribe. It is where people come to talk, sing and dance, pray, host guests, wed and weep for their dead.

Maori performance art, kappa haka, is one the most entertaining forms of storytelling. Posture dance, song and rhythmic movements of the poi (a light ball on a string), action songs and traditional chants tell the ancient and recent history and stories of the Maori people.

Thanks to the carving and weaving schools at Te Puia, sacred meeting houses across New Zealand have been restored and woven art has been exhibited overseas. But most of all, the ancient teachings of our ancestors have been preserved and continue to thrive.

Pikirangi Māori village was built at Te Puia as a snapshot into pre-European Māori society. The village includes whare punga (houses made from punga trees), waka maumahara (canoe cenotaphs), pātaka (food storage houses), and an array of food cooking and preparation techniques including the traditional Māori hangi (earth oven) pit and drying racks.

Whether you come to the Te Puia Cultural Centre for the natural beauty of the boiling mud pools and spectacular geysers, to learn about the ancient Maori culture or to be entertained by the kappa haka, you will not be disappointed. Join Celtic Tours on a South Pacific Vacation to learn more about the exciting natural beauty and cultural history of New Zealand on our 24 Day Southern Explorer.

Maori Art and Culture

Maori Art and Culture

Gushing waters, steaming vents, boiling mud pools, spectacular geysers and traditional Maori culture breathes at the Te Puia Cultural Centre in New Zealand, a place of powerful energies and Maori beauty.

The East Polynesian ancestors of the Maori were hunters, fishers, and gardeners. After arriving in New Zealand, sometime before 1300AD, Maori had to rapidly adapt their material culture and agricultural practices to suit the climate of their new land - cold and harsh in comparison to tropical island Polynesia. Over several centuries in isolation, the Māori developed a distinct society featuring a rich mythology, a separate language, distinctive crafts and performing arts, and a tribal society with a prominent warrior culture. The Maori culture forms a distinctive part of New Zealand culture and vice versa.

In the Maori language the word maori means "normal" or "natural". In legends and oral traditions, the word distinguished ordinary mortal human beings from deities and spirits. Māori people often use the term tangata whenua (literally, "people of the land") to describe themselves in a way that emphasises their relationship with a particular area of land.

Weaving, carving and performing arts are among the Maori art forms. Maori carving and weaving taught at the Te Puia Culturual Centre in carry on the ancient traditions. In some respects, carving is the written record of the Maori people who traditionaly knew nothing of writing. Carvings preserve much of the history and culture of Māori.

Maori carvings often contain spirals and sea shells. Maori spirals are almost always double, though single spirals are occasionally seen carved on stone objects. There is a theory that the spiral has evolved from interlocking manaia, a mythological bird-headed creature. It is sometimes assumed that every cut in a piece of Maori carving must have a meaning, but in fact probably much of it is purely decorative. It is important to note that the figures in Maori carving, with very rare exceptions, are not religious, but secular. They do not represent idols, but rather renowned ancestors of the tribe. Maori wood carving was often high-lighted with red ochre as a symbolic reference to the birth of the Earth.

Maori performance art, kappa haka, is one the most entertaining forms of storytelling. Posture dance, song and rhythmic movements of the poi (a light ball on a string), action songs and traditional chants tell the ancient and recent history and stories of the Maori people.

Learn more about the Maori people on your Celtic Tours 21 Day Royal Escorted tour of New Zealand and Australia!