Itinerary
- Day 1
Christchurch
You'll arrive in Christchurch whenever works best for you during the day. Rooms open up at 3 PM, so grab a bite and settle in before the evening. Your tour guide meets you at the hotel for a welcome dinner in the restaurant, which is a good chance to get to know the group and hear what's ahead.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner at hotel restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Welcome dinner at hotel restaurant
Landmarks Christchurch 
- Day 2
Christchurch to Franz Josef Glacier
Head through Canterbury Plain and cross Porters Pass into the alpine setting of Arthur's Pass National Park. After descending toward the coast, you'll reach Hokitika, the greenstone center on the West Coast. From there, travel south through old gold mining towns and Westland National Park until you hit Franz Josef Glacier, where gray meltwater streams down from the ice through dense rainforest and opens to the sea.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Scenic mountain tour through Arthur's Pass National Park
- Greenstone workshop visit in Hokitika
- Sightseeing at Franz Josef Glacier
Optional Activities
- TranzAlpine Express panoramic train journey from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass (pre-bookable, without tour guide)
- Helicopter sightseeing flight over glaciers and high mountain peaks (weather permitting)
Landmarks Arthur's Pass National Park Hokitika Westland National Park Franz Josef Glacier 
- Day 3
Mount Aspiring National Park to Queenstown
You'll start driving through Mount Aspiring National Park, watching the landscape shift from thick evergreen forest to open grasslands as you head toward Central Otago. Along the way, you'll pass Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, both offering great spots to stop and take in the views. By afternoon, you'll reach Arrowtown, a small historic town with gold mining heritage that's worth a quick walk around. From there, it's on to Queenstown for your 2-night stay, so you'll have time to settle in and explore the lakefront area before dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Arrowtown historic gold mining settlement
Landmarks Haast Pass Mount Aspiring National Park Lake Wanaka Lake Hawea Arrowtown 
- Day 4
Queenstown
You have the full day in Queenstown, a popular resort town sitting at the base of tall mountain ranges right on a deep blue lake. Walk around town, relax by the water, or pick from optional activities like a historic steamship cruise, cable car ride, hiking, or the adventure sports Queenstown's known for.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Romantic lake cruise on the historic steamship TSS Earnslaw
- Cable car ride to Bob's Peak with panoramic views
- Hiking surrounding mountainsides
- Adventure activities
Landmarks Queenstown TSS Earnslaw Bob's Peak - Day 5
Queenstown to Te Anau via Milford Sound
Drive through the quiet interior of the South Island toward Te Anau, one of New Zealand's deepest lakes near Fiordland National Park's edge. Pass through dramatic scenery and the Homer Tunnel with tight hairpin bends that give fantastic views. Then board a boat into Milford Sound to see the fjord up close before heading back to Te Anau.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Scenic drive through South Island interior
- Boat trip in Milford Sound to mouth of the fjord on Tasman Sea
Landmarks Te Anau Fiordland National Park Homer Tunnel Milford Sound 
- Day 6
Te Anau to Dunedin
Travel east across fertile South Otago farmland to reach Dunedin, a university town with strong Scottish heritage visible in its streets and buildings. As the South Island's second largest city, it has many beautiful Victorian structures that came from its prosperous gold mining era in the surrounding region.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Landmarks Dunedin 
- Day 7
Dunedin to Omarama
Head north along the east coast to see the unusual stone boulders scattered on Moeraki beach. Continue through Oamaru, a former overseas port, and move inland through the Waitaki Valley to reach Omarama for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit to Moeraki Boulders
Landmarks Moeraki Boulders Oamaru Waitaki Valley Omarama 
- Day 8
Lake Tekapo to Christchurch
After heading north through Mackenzie Country, you'll drive across the Tussock Plateau toward Lake Tekapo. The Church of the Good Shepherd sits right on the lake and makes for a good photo stop, and on clear days you can see Aoraki/Mount Cook in the distance. You'll continue through smaller agricultural towns and farmland, noticing how the terrain gradually changes. Later you'll arrive in Christchurch, where a city tour shows you how the region has rebuilt and modernized in recent years, giving you a sense of the city's current energy.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- View Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo
- Christchurch city tour
Optional Activities
- Panoramic flight over Southern Alps snow-covered mountains (optional, weather dependent)
Landmarks Mackenzie Country Lake Tekapo Church of the Good Shepherd Aoraki / Mount Cook Southern Alps Fairlie Geraldine Ashburton 
- Day 9
Kaikoura to Blenheim
Drive north on State Highway 1 along the east coast to Kaikoura, a harbor town where you can watch powerful sperm whales in nutrient-rich waters. Continue south along the coast where seals rest on rocks in the water, then arrive in Blenheim situated in the heart of the Marlborough wine region.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Boat trip for whale watching at Kaikoura (weather dependent)
Landmarks Kaikoura Blenheim Marlborough wine-growing region 
- Day 10
Picton to Wellington
You'll board a scenic ferry that takes about 3.5 hours to cross through the Marlborough Sounds to Wellington. During the crossing, keep an eye out for dolphins in the water. Once you arrive in Wellington, head up to Mount Victoria for views out over the harbor and city below. After that, check into your hotel in the city center, which puts you in a good spot to walk around the waterfront or grab dinner nearby.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing through Marlborough Sounds
- Wellington city tour
- Mount Victoria viewpoint
Landmarks Marlborough Sounds Cook Strait Picton Wellington Mount Victoria 
- Day 11
Blenheim to Rotorua
Follow the Kapiti coast north and turn inland across the Manawatu's farmlands to reach the North Island's central plateau with its three active volcanoes (Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro) within Tongariro National Park. Cross the Desert Road through volcanic landscape to Lake Taupo, then arrive in Rotorua, a center of Maori culture and thermal activity. The evening includes Maori folklore, traditional songs and dances, plus a hangi feast cooked the traditional way in an earth oven.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Hangi (traditional Maori earth oven feast))
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Scenic drive through Tongariro National Park
- Maori cultural evening with traditional dances and songs
- Hangi dinner (traditional earth oven feast)
Landmarks Kapiti coast Manawatu region Tongariro National Park Mount Ruapehu Mount Ngauruhoe Mount Tongariro Lake Taupo Rotorua 
- Day 12
Rotorua
You have the day to yourself in Rotorua. Explore thermal areas and Maori cultural sites at your own pace. Your tour guide is available if you want recommendations or advice on what to do.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Excursion to Hobbiton, the surviving filming location for the three-part movie The Hobbit
Landmarks Rotorua Hobbiton - Day 13
Rotorua to Auckland
Start the day at Whakarewarewa Thermal Park to see geysers and hot springs up close. From there, Te Puia cultural center gives you a look at traditional Maori crafts and you can see native kiwi birds in the park. Next, you'll head to Waitomo Caves for a boat ride through the glowworm caves, which is a unique experience you won't find many other places. After that, it's a drive through Waikato's farmland before reaching Auckland in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
Included Activities
- Whakarewarewa Thermal Park visit
- Te Puia cultural center and Maori demonstrations
- Native kiwi bird viewing
- Waitomo Caves boat trip
- Auckland city tour
Landmarks Whakarewarewa Thermal Park Te Puia Cultural Center Waitomo Caves Waikato Region Auckland 
- Day 14
Departure
This is your departure day, or you can choose to add an individual tour extension if you'd like to continue exploring.
- Meals
- Breakfast
