Feed your adrenaline cravings on this 15-day journey from Queenstown to Auckland, taking in the very best of New Zealand's two islands. We kick things off in Queenstown, the adventure-adrenaline capital of the world, before making our way north through glaciers, alpine passes and geothermal wonders.
Along the way we soak up lake views in Wānaka, drive the dramatic Gates of Haast, learn about greenstone in Hokitika, watch for seals along the Kaikōura coast, cruise the Marlborough Sounds by ferry, and finish in Rotorua with a Māori cultural performance and a traditional hāngi feast. It's a trip that blends adventure, landscape and culture from top to bottom.
Includes
- Queenstown to Auckland
- Gates of Haast drive
- Kaikoura seal colony
- Huka Falls & Taupo cruise
- Historic bungy bridge
- Hokitika greenstone
- Marlborough Sounds ferry
- National Kiwi Hatchery
- Wanaka lakefront
- Arthur's Pass alpine village
- Mount Ruapehu volcano
- Maori performance & hangi
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
4.9
Based on 156 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, one of the shorter trips it's built from, or the same trip in the opposite direction. Gathered from around the web and paraphrased — each review says which.
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. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.
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.
Reviewed on the 15 Day Panorama Auckland to Queenstown — the same trip, which runs in both directions
What a trip, I loved every bit of it. Everything on the activity list was a blast and ran like clockwork. Our two trip managers were brilliant: great company, full of knowledge, and they kept the energy up the whole way.
Reviewed on the 15 Day Panorama Auckland to Queenstown — the same trip, which runs in both directions
I went in with high hopes and came away with them well beaten. It was my first time with Contiki and it certainly won't be the last. Both the Trip Manager and the driver were first class, organised, full of local knowledge and good company, which lifted the whole thing. My one gripe: after the hold-up in Kaikoura, the decision to press on to Queenstown cost us a day in Franz Josef. Dropping Queenstown would have suited me and plenty of others on the bus if it meant keeping the Franz Josef time we'd originally been promised. That aside, a superb holiday.
Reviewed on the 15 Day Panorama Auckland to Queenstown — the same trip, which runs in both directions
The planning was tight and there was a huge choice of things to sign up for, each one clearly laid out and run smoothly. On the odd occasion something went sideways, the crew stepped in and kept us in the loop with a smile. Brilliant fortnight, I had a ball.
Reviewed on the 15 Day Panorama Auckland to Queenstown — the same trip, which runs in both directions
Such a good tour. Contiki number two for me, and it lived up to the fun, the buzz and the feel of my first one, which was great to get all over again. Things ran nearly without a hitch, every place we slept was solid, and the coach was comfortable too.
Reviewed on the 15 Day Panorama Auckland to Queenstown — the same trip, which runs in both directions
A cracking Contiki. Our trip manager was excellent and the driver was a laugh. Losing or shifting a few things because of the weather is fair enough, but a couple of the activities had sold out before we even turned up, horse riding in Queenstown being one, so it would help if those were locked in ahead of time wherever the supplier allows it. Other than that, no complaints at all.
Reviewed on the 15 Day Panorama Auckland to Queenstown — the same trip, which runs in both directions
Panorama was something else. The whole way through we were immersed in what makes this country its own place, getting stuck into the culture and picking up loads about the wildlife and the conservation work going on. Our two guides were the beating heart of the tour and I can't picture doing it with anyone else. A couple of stops I'd happily have stretched out, but I wouldn't swap a single part of it or any of the experiences we packed in. If you want to cover the country quickly, learn plenty along the way and meet a busload of great people, book it.
