Set off on an unforgettable 14-day journey across New Zealand's spectacular North and South Islands. Travelling in a small group of no more than 14 in a custom-outfitted Mercedes sprinter with panoramic windows, we take in stunning beaches, geothermal wonders and breathtaking mountain vistas at a relaxed, personal pace.
We tour the Hobbiton movie set, explore the glowworm-lit Waitomo Caves, stand before the Wai-O-Tapu geothermal wonderland, stargaze at the world's largest Dark Sky Reserve in Tekapo, cruise Milford Sound and drive the rugged West Coast to glacier country at Franz Josef.
Days
- 14 days, 13 nights
Group size
- Max 21
Start / finish
- Auckland / Christchurch
- Christchurch, mid-afternoon on day 14
Return
- Christchurch, mid-afternoon on day 14
Accommodation
- 13 nights in 3-4 star hotels, twin share — one at Mount Maunganui, two in Rotorua, two in Taupō, one in Raglan, one in Christchurch, one at Lake Tekapo, one at Te Anau, two in Queenstown and two at Franz Josef.
Transport
- A Mercedes Sprinter mini-coach with your guide, the flight from Auckland to Christchurch on day 7, and a cruise boat on Milford Sound.
Meals
- Two group dinners, on day 1 at Mount Maunganui and day 8 at Lake Tekapo, and three lunches — at the Shire's Rest Cafe on the Hobbiton day, at Mt Difficulty Vineyard with a wine tasting, and on board the Milford Sound cruise.
Route
Included experiences
- Milford Sound — a scenic cruise past majestic waterfalls and towering cliffs, with lunch on board
- Hobbiton — a guided tour of the movie set, with lunch at the Shire's Rest Cafe
- Mt Difficulty Vineyard — an included lunch and wine tasting in Central Otago
- Waitomo Caves — a guided tour of the limestone formations and glowworms
- Hamilton Gardens — a guided tour of the themed gardens
- Franz Josef — a free day for a glacier walk, the thermal pools or a helicopter tour
- Lake Tekapo — turquoise water and the Southern Alps, reached through the Rakaia Gorge
- Queenstown — a free day for bungy, skydiving, jet boating or the streets
- Huka Falls and the Wai-O-Tapu geothermal area
- Rotorua — a free day for rafting the Kaituna, the Polynesian Spa or the Redwoods Treewalk
- Taupō — a free day for the Tongariro Crossing, jet boating, fishing or the hot springs
- Raglan — black sand beaches and surf breaks before the flight south
- Castle Hill and Arthur's Pass on the final drive back
- Hokitika — the town known for its jade carving
- Mount Maunganui — a swim at the beach and a group dinner to open the trip
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 16 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 16 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the guides' professionalism, warmth, and extensive local knowledge, as well as the tour's excellent organisation, comfortable small-group format with around 13 people, and well-appointed accommodation throughout. The standout features most frequently highlighted include the range of included and optional activities, the flexibility to choose excursions on the go, the balance between structured experiences and free time, and the diverse landscapes across both islands, with activities such as Milford Sound, Hobbiton, glacier heli-hikes, thermal pools and cultural experiences particularly mentioned. The most common suggestion for improvement is that the tour could include a few more activities as standard or provide clearer age-range guidance for groups, though this is a minor point amongst overwhelmingly positive feedback.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
Despite booking her New Zealand Highlights Premium Tour at very short notice, this reviewer says everything went smoothly thanks to Jorja's help. Guides Telli and Vendula made the whole North and South Island trip unforgettable, sharing great insights and taking care of every detail. She loved the balance between planned activities and free time, plus the perfectly sized small group.
Wanting someone else to handle the driving and bookings, this couple chose the New Zealand Highlights Premium Tour — a week on the South Island with guide Tom, followed by a week on the North Island with guide Clauds. Both drivers were safe, respectful and full of local knowledge, and the small groups of around 13 fit comfortably in the Mercedes Sprinter vans. Accommodation was clean and comfortable throughout, and there was a huge range of optional activities to choose from, from bungy jumping to soaking in mineral pools. Even in summer they found the country blissfully uncrowded, and they're already keen to come back and do it again.
“Unforgettable Adventures on the Wild Kiwi New Zealand…”
Raleigh's premium two-week Wild Kiwi Highlights trip covered both islands. The South Island week, guided by Tom from Christchurch, included a Milford Sound cruise, bungee jumping, biking, the Queenstown gondola and luge, the Blue Pools, and heli-hiking at Franz Josef. On the North Island, guide Claudia led the group through mountain hikes, a swim in Lake Taupo, thermal pools, white-water rafting, a Redwoods Treewalk, a Maori cultural experience in Rotorua, and Hobbiton. Raleigh praised both guides' warmth and knowledge, and said the trip exceeded expectations at every turn.
“New Zealand Highlights (North and South Islands) Premium Tour”
Stephen and his group did the premium Highlights tour covering both islands with guides Tom and Claudia. Standout experiences included the flexibility to choose activities as they went, from bungy jumping and whitewater rafting to jade carving, plus striking scenery ranging from glaciers to fjords. Comfortable accommodation, easy inter-island transfers, and a small group of just 13 travellers all added to the experience, with Hobbiton a particular highlight on the North Island leg.
“New Zealand is magical and you are in good hands with Wild Kiwi!”
After 29 years without a guided tour, Betsy and her husband tried Wild Kiwi's premium North and South Island trip and loved not having to plan hotels or driving over the two weeks. Their small group of 13 travelled comfortably, and the flexible activity list meant no pressure to book anything specific, though they enjoyed extras like the Dark Sky Reserve, Franz Josef kayaking, jade carving, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and a Maori cultural evening. They flew between islands and had different guides for each leg - Tom in the South, Claudia in the North - and raved about both. They came away already wanting to return.
Guides Tom and Ben led a great New Zealand Highlights tour for this reviewer, who called out the Māori cultural experience, Mt Maunganui, Milford Sound and Queenstown as particular standouts.
“Two amazing weeks with Wild Kiwi!”
After choosing between several tour operators, John-Greger was glad he picked Wild Kiwi for the premium Highlights trip. Two different weeks with two different guides, Tom and Ben, both delivered - he felt they gave their all to make the most of the holiday and clearly loved their jobs and New Zealand. He saw plenty, tried some great activities, stayed in nice hotels, and found communication throughout smooth, giving his strong recommendation.
“BEST experience!!”
Mag and her mum did the premium Highlights tour for two weeks in November and found Wild Kiwi's team efficient and well organised throughout, including clear advance notice for the inter-island flight. Guides Claudia (North) and Ben (South) were professional, friendly and full of good recommendations, pre-booking activities and suggesting suitable clothing and places to eat. Standout activities included Hobbiton, Huka Falls, Milford Sound, the Fox Glacier heli-hike, and the Rotorua Redwoods Treewalk, and she'd highly recommend the team to anyone planning a New Zealand trip.
Kristen had an incredible time with Wild Kiwi, seeing the best of New Zealand on a well-planned and smoothly run itinerary. Guides Ben and Claudia were excellent, and she'd travel with them again without hesitation.
“Unbelievable Trip and Brilliant Guides”
Jonathan and his group did the two-week premium tour, starting on the North Island with guide Tom before moving to the South Island with guide Ben. Both guides were warm, knowledgeable and skilled at keeping smaller groups included even when people wanted to do different activities. Good weather meant nothing was cancelled, but Jonathan notes it helps to have backup activity options in mind in case weather turns, since both guides were excellent at helping plan around it. He called it a really well-run, professional trip and thinks it's well worth the money.
“Amazing 14 day NZ Highlights tour! 🇳🇿”
Jenna had two fantastic weeks on the premium Highlights tour, with well-organised guides Tom on the North Island and Tellie on the South Island. She praised the hotel-standard accommodation and the guides' local recommendations, calling it a great first solo trip.
Completed the NZ Highlights Premium tour and had a blast, with guides Tellie and Robbie both excellent. The North Island was the reviewer's favourite, while the South Island was spectacular though involved more driving. Their one suggestion was clearer age guidance for the premium tours, since their group skewed toward both under-40s and over-60s.
Did the Highlights tour of both islands in February and called it two weeks of pure enjoyment. The guides and included excursions were excellent, and the small-group format let them bond with fellow travellers from several different countries, making it one of their best trips ever.
“Brilliant time, brilliant guide (Ben McEwan)”
This reviewer did the Premium New Zealand Highlights tour and was impressed by the landscapes, culture and infrastructure across two great groups. South Island guide Ben stood out for his enthusiasm and knowledge, connecting well with the group and blending adventure with relaxation. Their only suggestion was for the tour to include a few more inclusions.
Brendan had the time of his life on a Wild Kiwi tour of New Zealand, calling guide Ben first class and the trip unforgettable.
Dallas found the New Zealand Highlights tour an incredible experience, with the South Island leg full of adventure including skydiving, paddleboarding, and scenic treks under guide Ben's engaging, knowledgeable lead. Telli took over on the North Island with the same energy, and a visit to Hobbiton along with jet boating and more trekking stood out as highlights. Both guides made the trip feel seamless, and Dallas highly recommends Wild Kiwi to anyone wanting to explore New Zealand.
