For New Zealand, there are quite a few flight options - Qantas, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines to name a few. If you plan doing stand alone  New Zealand, a minimum of 8 Nights/ 9 days packages is a must, although ideally to see the best of North and South Island, you should opt for atleast a 12 Nights/ 13 days package. New Zealand is a fantastic place to self drive and you can set your own pace of holidaying if you do a Self Drive package. COMPACT TRAVELS can assist you with unique customized itineraries with unusual attractions as part of your itinerary.One such unusual attraction is the International Antarctic Centre (IAC) which is a mere 15 minutes drive from the heart of Christchurch.

The IAC was opened 16 years ago and was established and developed by the Christchurch International Airport Limited to support the Antarctic scientific programmes. The centre has awe inspiring architecture which includes icebergs, ice shelves and glaciers and you will feel that you are in the Antarctic that too at a cost ranging from 25 to 42 New Zealand Dollars. The IAC is open all days from morning 9.00 am and you can get admission to the indoor attractions for just 25 NZD (Rs 725 approx.) and the super combo ticket which includes the snowphone, the Hagglund ride as well as the souvenir guide costs 45 NZD (Rs 1300 approx.).

If you are travelling as a family, you can avail of a family ticket at a value of 65 NZD to 115 NZD for two adults and upto 4 children. The IAC has ensured that even small kids have a great time at the centre by installing Pom Pom the Penguin's Fun Facts Trail where they can see, feel and touch points throughout the attractions whilst the parents can enjoy the “grown up” exhibits.

The snowphones are a novel concept and they guide you through the attractions and are available in 6 languages.

The objective at the Antarctic Attraction is to re-create the atmosphere and environment of Antarctica to give you a feel of experiencing this continent. Some of the attractions include The Four Seasons a 6 minute sound and light show which gives you the feel of the winter chill and visual impact of beautiful sunsets before autumn after which the continent goes into pitch darkness for 3 months. The “Snow and Ice Experience” is by far the most popular feature where a real Antarctica is created with custom built polar room comprising of snow and ice with a constant temperature of -5 degrees celsius.

Those who fear the chill needn't despair as warm jackets and overshoes are provided. You can also have great photo opportunities. The star attraction of the IAC visit is the amazing Hagglund ride which is absolute value for money and is included in case you purchase the Combo ticket. The Hagglund is an all terrain amphibian vehicle which gives you the experience of riding across the Antarctic terrain. This adventure ride, set amidst a working Antarctic Campus, is the only one of its type in the world. It follows in the footsteps of modern day Antarctic adventurers and showcases both the challenging terrain of Antarctica and the amazing capabilities of the Hagglund vehicle which enable it to function in such demanding conditions.