Experience the ultimate New Zealand adventure on this 18-day journey, combining four days in the far north of the North Island with two weeks exploring the best of the South Island. Travelling in a small group of no more than 18, we take in rich Māori culture, wild coastlines and glacier country at a relaxed, personal pace.
We swim in the Kai Iwi Lakes, stand beneath Tāne Mahuta in the Waipoua Forest, share a Hāngī dinner at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, then head south for the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, world-famous Abel Tasman National Park, whale watching country at Kaikōura, the Tekapo Dark Sky Reserve, three nights in Queenstown, a Milford Sound cruise and the icy formations of Franz Josef.
Days
- 18 days, 17 nights
Group size
- Small group, max 18
Start / finish
- Auckland / Christchurch
Return
- See itinerary for details
Accommodation
- 17 nights in 3-star hotels and flashpacker dorms — one at Omapere, two at Paihia, two in Christchurch across two stays, two at Punakaiki, three at Abel Tasman, one at Kaikōura, one at Lake Tekapo, three in Queenstown and two at Franz Josef.
Transport
- A custom-outfitted Mercedes Sprinter with your guide, the flight from Auckland to Christchurch on day 4, and a cruise boat at Milford Sound.
Meals
- A traditional hāngī dinner at Waitangi on day 3. No other meals are named in the itinerary.
Route
Included experiences
- Milford Sound — a fiord cruise past waterfalls and towering mountainscapes
- Waitangi Treaty Grounds — with an included combo pass, and a hāngī dinner that evening
- Waipoua Forest — Tāne Mahuta, the country's largest living kauri tree
- Abel Tasman National Park — three nights, kayaking, sailing, hiking or just the beach
- Golden Bay — the Ngārua Caves, Te Waikoropupū Springs and Wharariki Beach
- Punakaiki — the Pancake Rocks and Blowhole, limestone cliffs and coastal forest
- Cape Foulwind — the seal colony and lighthouse views on the West Coast
- Marlborough — wine tasting, and the drive through the Marlborough Sounds
- Kaikōura — whales, dolphins and seals
- Lake Tekapo — lakeside hot springs and the Dark Sky Reserve
- Queenstown — three nights and a free day for skydiving, luging or jet boating
- Franz Josef — a free day for a glacier hike, a helicopter flight or the hot pools
- Bay of Islands — a free day for cruising, dolphin spotting or kayaking
- Kai Iwi Lakes and the Kauri Museum at Matakohe in the Far North
- Lewis Pass and Nelson Lakes — the alpine drives on the South Island leg
- Haast Pass and Arthur's Pass — two of the great alpine crossings
Pictures / Videos
