• 6 Dinner (D)
• 20 Breakfast (B)

• Christchurch: Southbound trips start in Auckland and end in Christchurch. Northbound trips start in Christchurch and finish in Auckland. They’re both the same itineraries, just in reverse.
• Sydney: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.

• Auckland: Cameras at the ready folks, the views will be extraordinary here.
• Auckland: With sailboats at every angle, this is a beaut view indeed.
• Whangarei: See the work of the visionary Austrian painter, architect and ecological activist who made New Zealand his spiritual home.
   
• Paihia: The Waitangi Treaty Grounds might just be NZ’s most important historical site, marking the place where the British Crown and the Maori people signed their first accords back in 1840.
• Paihia: A dinner of fish ‘n’ chips, enjoyed while overlooking the Bay of Islands in Paihia. Is this heaven? No sir, it’s just salt and vinegar.
• Rotorua: A traditional Maori cultural performance, topped off with a traditional Maori feast… this ought to satisfy even the keenest of culture vultures.
• Rotorua: Wait til you see ’em. Wait til you smell ’em. These geothermic mudpools are a thing to behold.
• Rotorua: On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, we’ll head to National Kiwi Hatchery near Rotorua to learn all about the locals’ efforts to protect New Zealand’s adorable national bird.
• Huka Falls: Huka falls is a jaw-jutting display of natural hydro power. Here you’ll see 220,000 litres of water tumble over the waterfall… per second that is(!)
• Ohakune: Tucked just 250m from the Ohakune Mountain Road, Kings Ohakune is peak Kiwiana vibes. We’re talking roaring fireplaces, classic BBQs, hot tubs with epic Mount Ruapehu views and a cosy lodge that’s been welcoming adventurers since 1913. Think: motel-style charm, retro-cute decor, sports on the telly, pool tables, karaoke, darts and local legends repping the Warriors with pride.  
• Mount Ruapehu: Today we’ll check out Mt Ruapehu, an active stratovolcano elevated almost 2,800 metres into the air!
• Mount Ruapehu: See even more of the sights made famous by “The Lord of the Rings.”
• Marlborough Sounds: Check out the sunken river valleys of Marlborough Sounds from an iconic Interislander Ferry. You’d wanna get your camera for this one!
• Kaikoura: We’ll take a spectacular drive along the Kaikoura Coast, and pay a visit to a nearby seal colony. Yup, it’s a coastal cuteness overload.
• Kaikoura: On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, we’ll meet eco-warrior Sabrina Leucht, who has dedicated many years of her life to helping New Zealand’s injured native birds… and is now working to establish the region’s first wildlife hospital.
• Hokitika: The South Island is home to Pounamu (greenstone) – so special the island’s even named Te Wai Pounamu, the greenstone waters. In Hokitika, we’ll meet a local Maori guide from the region, who’ll share the history, sacred sites and cultural significance of this treasured stone. Then it’s off to see if we can spot some Pounamu. All of this, while supporting the local trust that keeps the river healthy.
• Arthur’s Pass: Check out the village that has been a haven for mountain climbers for over a century. Better keep your camera ready and eyes peeled – because this is spot where you might be able to get a glimpse of rare alpine parrots AKA Keas.
• Wanaka: A lake town with views for days, surrounded by beech forests, alpine lakes, and wilderness glaciers.
• Milford Sound: Cruise along the glassy waters and get the kind of view people write poems about. You’ll soon see why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Te Anau: Today we’ll visit a local farm in Te Anau to support the Fairlight Foundation, which works to advance women in Agriculture. We’ll learn all about farming, as well as the Fairlight Foundation and the work that they do.
• Arrowtown: A historic gold mining town, Arrowtown is known as one of the cutest towns in New Zealand, so see for yourself on a walking tour that covers all the best things to see in Arrowtown.
• Lake Tekapo: See the church on the shores of Lake Tekapo with a backdrop of snow-capped peaks – and get that iconic Insta pic too!
• Lake Tekapo: We’ll stop at Lake Pukaki, Lake Tekapo and Geraldine… and watch happily on as NZ’s astonishing natural beauty takes your breath away.

Visit the Te Anau Glowworm Caves to experience an underground world illuminated by tiny glowworms. The excursion offers a change of perspective from Fiordland’s mountains and lakes, drawing attention to the natural processes hidden beneath the landscape.

In darkness, the glowworms’ points of light create a striking contrast with the cave environment. Access and the visit format follow the local operator’s arrangements. This optional cave experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Join a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in the Bay of Islands, where representatives of the British Crown and Maori rangatira first signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840. Explore a site central to understanding New Zealand’s history and continuing national conversations.

Your visit also includes admission to the Treaty museum, where exhibits provide further context for the agreement, its different texts and its lasting significance to Maori and the Crown.

Walk through Arrowtown’s historic gold-mining streets on an included tour of this Otago settlement. See the preserved townscape and get a feel for the community that developed during the nineteenth-century gold rush.

Arrowtown’s heritage is visible in its small-scale streets and surviving buildings, set beneath the surrounding hills. A guided walk gives the picturesque town historical context, making it more than a scenic lunch stop.

Taste an inventive ice-cream experience at Giapo in Auckland. This optional food stop puts flavour, presentation and texture at the centre of the visit, offering a playful alternative to the city’s adventure activities.

Giapo is known for treating ice cream as a creative culinary experience rather than a standard scoop. It is a distinctive choice for travellers who prefer exploring Auckland through its food scene. The experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Contiki

Take in Auckland’s harbour from the Harbour Bridge, with sailboats scattered across the water below. The crossing offers a panoramic introduction to Tamaki Makaurau, a city shaped by its sheltered bays and enduring connection to the sea.

Look towards the waterfront and surrounding volcanic landscape as the city gives way to Northland. It is a fitting view of the place New Zealanders call the City of Sails.

Share a Kiwiana fish-and-chips dinner overlooking the Bay of Islands in Paihia. This distinctly New Zealand take on a casual seaside meal pairs familiar local fare with views across a coast known for its sheltered waters and many islands.

Enjoy the salt-air setting and the company of your travel group as evening settles over the bay. It is a simple, sociable way to experience a favourite part of Kiwi coastal life.

Visit the National Kiwi Hatchery near Rotorua to learn how conservationists protect New Zealand’s flightless national bird. Watch kiwi in a dedicated habitat, explore a human-sized burrow and see the incubation facilities described in the tour programme.

The visit reveals the hands-on work behind giving vulnerable chicks a better chance of survival. It is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience centred on the people safeguarding an animal rarely seen in the wild.

See Rotorua’s bubbling geothermal mud pools, where heat from beneath the earth brings mineral-rich mud to the surface. Watch it rise and burst, and notice the distinctive sulphurous scent that marks this active volcanic region.

These restless pools make the Central North Island’s geology tangible. Their movement, sound and steam offer a close-up encounter with the geothermal forces that have shaped Rotorua’s landscape and reputation.

Stop to watch the Waikato River surge over Huka Falls near Taupo. An immense volume of water is forced through a narrow channel before spilling into a turbulent pool, creating a display of pale-blue water and white spray.

Viewing the falls from land reveals the force of the river without taking to the water. The contrast between the surrounding greenery and the churning current makes this one of the North Island’s most memorable natural sights.

See Mount Ruapehu rise above the Central Plateau near Ohakune. The active stratovolcano reaches almost 2,800 metres, bringing an imposing alpine backdrop to this part of the North Island.

Take in scenery associated with Tongariro National Park and landscapes familiar from The Lord of the Rings films. The experience is a chance to appreciate the region’s volcanic character and mountain views; a summit hike is not included.

Explore Wellington on a city orientation through the streets of New Zealand’s compact capital. Get your bearings among its closely packed hills, harbour setting and lively central neighbourhoods.

Known as Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington brings together national institutions, creative culture and a well-regarded food scene. This hosted introduction helps you recognise the city’s layout and character, leaving you better placed to explore its cafés and waterfront independently.

Visit Zealandia, Wellington’s fenced ecosanctuary, and walk through a protected valley devoted to restoring native wildlife. Keep watch for rare birds such as hihi and takahe, along with the tuatara, a reptile whose lineage reaches back millions of years.

The 225-hectare sanctuary offers a practical look at conservation in action. Its predator-resistant fence helps create conditions in which species threatened elsewhere can thrive close to the capital.

Sail across Cook Strait on the Interislander ferry between New Zealand’s North and South Islands. From the deck, watch the open water give way to the winding inlets and wooded slopes of the Marlborough Sounds.

The sounds are a network of sea-filled valleys, and the ferry offers a distinctive vantage point on their sheltered waterways. This is an included crossing with scenery worth stepping outside to photograph, rather than simply a transfer.

Take a tour of Christchurch’s rebuilt city centre and see how Otautahi has changed since the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Look out for the Cardboard Cathedral, an inventive temporary place of worship whose structure makes prominent use of cardboard tubes.

The tour highlights a city still shaped by recovery, design and community resilience. The cathedral is presented as a sightseeing highlight; interior admission is not specified.

Stop at Arthur’s Pass village amid the Southern Alps, a place with a long association with mountain travellers and climbers. Take in the steep-sided alpine setting and keep watch for kea, New Zealand’s curious mountain parrots.

The pass connects Canterbury with the West Coast across some of the South Island’s most dramatic terrain. A village stop lets you experience the mountain environment at closer range, although wildlife sightings are never assured.

Meet a local Maori guide in Hokitika to learn about pounamu, the treasured greenstone associated with the South Island, Te Waipounamu. Hear about its cultural significance, local history and connections to the land, with a chance to look for the stone.

Rather than treating pounamu simply as a souvenir, the tour places it within Maori heritage and guardianship. The visit also supports a local trust working to care for the river environment.

Cruise the waters of Milford Sound / Piopiotahi beneath towering cliffs and forested mountain slopes. The included boat trip offers a close view of the fiord’s deep water and dramatic contours, best appreciated from its surface.

Part of the UNESCO-listed Te Wahipounamu area, this Fiordland landscape was carved by glaciers. Rain and shifting cloud can transform the scene, drawing out waterfalls and giving the peaks a different character throughout the cruise.

Visit a working Southland farm supporting the Fairlight Foundation and learn about practical farming skills and the charity’s work advancing women and girls in agriculture. The experience connects a rural New Zealand landscape with the people building opportunities within its farming industry.

Contiki makes a donation on behalf of each visiting traveller. Hearing about the foundation’s work gives this farm visit a purpose beyond sightseeing and offers insight into an important part of local life.

Walk beside Lake Tekapo / Takapo and see the Church of the Good Shepherd on its shoreline. Take photographs of the small stone church against the lake and the Southern Alps beyond.

The glacier-fed lake is known for its striking colour, while the church is one of the Mackenzie Basin’s most recognisable landmarks. This included visit focuses on the lakefront and exterior views; church interior access is not specified.

Sail through the Bay of Islands aboard Carino for a different perspective on Northland’s sheltered coast. Enjoy time on the water among islands, coves and open views of the bay.

This optional sailing experience suits travellers who want to experience the area from a boat rather than the shore. Conditions shape every outing, making the sea breeze and changing coastal light part of its appeal. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Parasail above the Bay of Islands for an aerial view of Paihia’s coastline and the islands scattered across the water. The experience combines the lift of a boat-towed flight with a broad view unavailable from the shore.

It is an adventure-focused way to appreciate the scale of Northland’s marine landscape. Flights depend on suitable operating conditions and provider requirements. This optional activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take on an optional bungy jump from Auckland Harbour Bridge, with the harbour and city skyline as your backdrop. The activity puts a high-adrenaline twist on one of Auckland’s best-known landmarks.

It is designed for travellers who want an active challenge rather than a viewpoint alone. Participation is subject to the operator’s safety and eligibility requirements. The jump is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Climb Auckland Harbour Bridge for an elevated look at the city’s waterfront, boats and surrounding bays. This optional guided-style adventure makes the bridge itself the experience, rather than simply a route across the harbour.

The height and open-air setting give familiar City of Sails views a more physical edge without a bungy jump. Access is subject to the operator’s conditions. The climb is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Try the SkyJump from Auckland’s Sky Tower for a controlled, high-altitude descent above the city centre. The tower’s position gives the experience a striking urban setting, with harbour and skyline views surrounding the jump.

This option is for travellers seeking a concentrated adrenaline challenge rather than conventional sightseeing. Participation depends on the operator’s safety and eligibility rules. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Rise into the trees on the Rotorua Dawn Canopy Tour, an optional Contiki-exclusive outing timed for the forest’s morning birdsong. Enjoy breakfast and coffee among the towering trees before taking on the zipline course.

The experience combines a quiet dawn perspective with the exhilaration of travelling through the canopy; the itinerary describes 1,200 metres of ziplines. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Soak in a Rotorua hot spring and feel the warmth of a region shaped by geothermal activity. This optional choice offers a slower-paced way to experience the volcanic landscape than rafting or ziplining.

Rotorua’s heated waters are part of its long-standing appeal as a place to pause and unwind. The itinerary does not name a specific bathing venue, so facilities vary with the option available. The experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Choose a white-water rafting experience near Rotorua for an active encounter with the region’s waterways. Work with your raft group through moving water while taking in the surrounding North Island scenery.

It is an option for travellers who want a more physical adventure alongside Rotorua’s cultural and geothermal highlights. The itinerary does not specify a river or rafting grade; conditions and eligibility depend on the operator. Rafting is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Experience the Waikato River on a Hukafalls Jet boat ride near Taupo. The fast-paced outing brings you towards the powerful water and spray associated with Huka Falls, offering a more energetic perspective than the land-based viewpoint.

The narrow river channel concentrates an extraordinary flow of water, making it a dramatic setting for a jet-boat experience. Operation depends on conditions and provider requirements. This optional ride is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Opt to cycle the Mangawhero track near Ohakune and experience the southern edge of the Tongariro region at a more active pace. Riding provides a close-up alternative to admiring the Central Plateau’s scenery from a vehicle.

Ohakune sits beneath Mount Ruapehu and is a base for outdoor pursuits across the seasons. Route arrangements and equipment depend on the available operator. This optional biking experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Choose a helicopter flight over Franz Josef Glacier to see the ice and surrounding Southern Alps from above. The aerial perspective reveals the glacier’s position among steep valleys and high peaks in a way that cannot be seen from the village.

Flying here is especially dependent on alpine weather and operator conditions. The itinerary offers a helicopter ride but does not confirm an ice landing or guided glacier walk. This flight is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take the leap from the Kawarau Bungy Bridge near Queenstown, a landmark closely associated with the rise of commercial bungy jumping. The river gorge below gives this optional challenge its dramatic setting.

Watching the bridge and making the jump are different experiences: the jump itself is a paid activity subject to operator safety rules. For those who want a defining Queenstown adrenaline moment, it is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Ride the Skyline Gondola above Queenstown and choose to dine at its hilltop restaurant. From the elevated setting, look over the town, Lake Whakatipu and the surrounding mountains.

This optional evening pairs a broad alpine panorama with a restaurant experience, offering a gentler alternative to Queenstown’s adventure activities. Dining details depend on the option selected and operator availability. The gondola and dining experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore cellar doors in the Queenstown wine region as an optional change of pace from outdoor adventure. Meet the landscapes and producers behind Central Otago’s wines, with any tastings determined by the experience available.

This is one of the world’s southernmost wine-growing regions and is particularly associated with Pinot Noir. Its vineyards sit among distinctive hills and alpine scenery. The wine-country option is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Choose a Queenstown zipline experience to add a forest-based thrill to your time in the adventure capital. Travelling along suspended lines offers movement and height without committing to a bungy jump.

The surrounding alpine landscape helps make even a short burst of adventure feel distinctly Queenstown. The itinerary does not name a course, so route, duration and views depend on the operator available. Ziplining is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Unwind with an optional Watershed Sauna session overlooking Lake Whakatipu. Settle into the heat, take in the lake views and, if you wish, try the contrasting sensation of a cold plunge.

This experience offers a restorative counterpoint to Queenstown’s faster-paced activities. The combination of warmth, cold water and alpine outlook makes the setting central to the session. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Choose an optional ski day trip to Cardrona when travelling on an eligible ski-season departure. Spend time on the mountain amid Central Otago’s winter scenery, with activities suited to the arrangements offered for your departure.

This experience is available only on the special departures identified in Dates & Pricing, not throughout the tour’s full travel season. Equipment, lessons and lift access should be checked before booking. The day trip is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Opt for a guided jet boat trip in the Te Anau area to experience Fiordland’s waterways at speed. The itinerary describes a route associated with Te Anau and Lake Manapouri, pairing an exhilarating ride with views of the wider national park landscape.

It is a more active way to appreciate the region beyond the included Milford Sound cruise. The precise route depends on the operator and conditions. This excursion is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

See the Hundertwasser Art Centre’s distinctive exterior during a stop in Whangarei. Its flowing lines, vivid colour and planted roof reflect the ideas of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the Austrian-born artist and environmentalist who made New Zealand his home.

Set beside the Town Basin marina, the building offers a striking contrast to the yachts and waterfront promenade. This is an exterior viewing stop; entry to the galleries is not specified.

Experience a traditional Maori cultural performance and feast in Rotorua. Watch performers share customary expressions of welcome and storytelling, with an opportunity to get involved in a haka.

Rotorua has long been a centre for visitors to engage with Maori culture. The shared meal gives the evening a welcoming, communal character, while the performance offers insight into traditions that remain a living part of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Cruise Lake Taupo at sunset with your travel group, taking in open water and the volcanic peaks on the horizon. The included outing features a chance to go fishing and enjoy food aboard as the evening light changes across the lake.

Lake Taupo fills a vast volcanic caldera and is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in Australasia. Seeing it from the water gives a sense of the scale behind its calm lakeside setting.

Travel along the Kaikoura Coast and visit a seal colony, keeping an eye out for New Zealand fur seals resting beside the sea. Coastal mountains rise close behind this rugged shoreline, creating a striking setting for wildlife observation.

Kaikoura is known for the rich marine life supported by the waters offshore. The colony visit gives you an opportunity to observe seals in their natural environment; sightings and the animals’ behaviour cannot be guaranteed.

Meet local biologist Sabrina Leucht at Kaikoura Wildlife Rescue and hear about her work helping injured native birds. Learn about threats to local wildlife and the effort to establish a dedicated wildlife hospital for the region.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience puts the people behind conservation at the centre of the visit. It offers a grounded perspective on how local knowledge and sustained care can support vulnerable species.

Pause in Wanaka’s lakeside town centre, where the water and surrounding mountains provide a scenic setting for a break. Take in the lakefront and the alpine outlook that has made this Otago town a favourite base for outdoor pursuits.

Wanaka sits on the edge of a landscape of forests, lakes and high-country wilderness. This included stop is an opportunity to enjoy the setting; lunch purchases and any independent activities are not included.

Take the option to skydive above Lake Taupo, with the vast lake and Central North Island landscape spread below. It is a choice for travellers who want their view of this volcanic region paired with an intense adrenaline experience.

Lake Taupo’s scale is especially apparent from the air. Jump details depend on the provider, weather and eligibility requirements; no particular altitude is specified in the itinerary. Skydiving is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Head onto the water for an optional Kaikoura dolphin-watching tour, looking for the dusky dolphins that visit this coast. Some available experiences may also offer an opportunity to swim with dolphins, subject to the operator and conditions.

Kaikoura’s productive offshore waters make it a notable place to seek marine wildlife. The animals are wild, so sightings and interactions cannot be guaranteed. This tour is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Kayak along the Kaikoura coastline for a sea-level view of its rocky shore and mountains. Paddling lets you experience the meeting of land and ocean at a quieter pace than a motorised boat trip.

This optional activity suits travellers who want to be active on the water while appreciating the coast’s natural setting. Conditions, route and any wildlife encounters depend on the day and operator. Kayaking is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Carve a pounamu pendant under the guidance of a Maori master craftsperson in the Franz Josef area. Work with the greenstone while learning why it carries deep cultural significance in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Pounamu is closely associated with Te Waipounamu, the South Island, and is valued for more than its appearance. This hands-on option turns cultural learning into a personal keepsake. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.