• 17 Breakfast (B)
• 5 Dinner (D)
• 1 Lunch (L)

• Medium level of fitness required.

• Day 1 – Flights to arrive prior to 4.00pm into Christchurch AirportDay 18 – Flights to depart anytime from Auckland Airport
  Airport to Hotel transfers are available to purchase on request.
  Flights to and from your tour are not included in the tour price.

• Comfortable walking shoes
  Warm layers
  Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
  Water bottle
  Camera

Cruise Milford Sound/Piopiotahi for water-level views of sheer cliffs, waterfalls and the steep-sided landscapes of Fiordland National Park. Watch the shoreline and water for wildlife as the vessel travels through the fiord.

Carved by glaciers and framed by temperate rainforest, Piopiotahi reveals a scale that is difficult to appreciate from land. The wider Fiordland setting brings beech forests, clear rivers and mountain scenery into the experience; sightings of wildlife vary naturally.

Visit Lake Tekapo and view the stone-built Church of the Good Shepherd against the lake’s turquoise water and mountain backdrop. Take time to appreciate one of the Mackenzie Basin’s most recognisable scenes.

Opened in 1935, the small church was built to honour the district’s early settlers. Its simple form and lakeside position make the relationship between human history and the open alpine landscape especially clear. The itinerary specifies a view of the church, not entry.

AAT Kings

Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers over welcome drinks in Christchurch. A hosted tour briefing introduces the journey through New Zealand’s South and North Islands and provides an opportunity to ask questions before setting out.

It is a relaxed first gathering in a city that has reshaped itself following the 2010–11 earthquakes, blending surviving heritage with inventive new spaces. The drinks and briefing are included in your tour.

Tour Christchurch to see the innovative Cardboard Cathedral, created as a temporary place of worship following the earthquakes, and stop at the Botanic Gardens beside the Avon River. Explore landscaped grounds known for their collections of plants from New Zealand and around the world.

The contrasting sights tell a story of continuity and reinvention: established riverside gardens remain central to city life, while the cathedral’s distinctive design reflects Christchurch’s response to loss and rebuilding.

Visit Geraldine, a rural Canterbury town associated with locally made food, and sample produce at the Barker’s Store. Browse a selection of flavours rooted in the region’s orchards and farming landscape.

Geraldine offers a close-up introduction to South Island food culture beyond its mountain scenery. The tasting brings local ingredients into focus and offers a chance to experience the town’s unhurried country atmosphere rather than simply pass through it.

Explore historic Clyde and its compact town centre, where stone and timber buildings recall Central Otago’s gold-rush era. Look out for former commercial premises now serving as cafés and shops.

Set among the dry, dramatic landscapes of the region, Clyde retains the scale and character of a nineteenth-century settlement. Its designated historic precinct makes the town’s mining past visible in the streetscape, offering a distinctive contrast to New Zealand’s larger cities.

Take a privately guided tour of Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill and explore a collection of more than 300 vehicles. See classic and unusual trucks alongside other machines as your guide traces changes in transport over time.

The museum grew from Bill Richardson’s first old-truck purchase in 1967. Its scale reflects Invercargill’s enthusiasm for wheels and speed, while the individual vehicles reveal the design, work and personal stories behind New Zealand’s motoring heritage.

Tour Templeton Flax Mill in Southland with a presentation from curator Nathan Templeton, grandson of its founder. Discover how flax milling worked and why the industry mattered to the region’s economy and communities.

Maintained as a living museum, the mill preserves a hands-on account of local industrial heritage. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience also supports its future: proceeds from the visit go directly towards maintaining the site.

Meet a local farmer at Real Country and experience Southland hospitality through demonstrations of horse communication and working sheepdog mustering. See the skill and responsiveness involved in everyday farm work.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience offers a personal perspective on rural life rather than a distant view of the pastures. For every guest, funds are donated to the Fairlight Foundation, which supports the advancement of women in agriculture.

Walk the streets of Arrowtown, a former gold-rush settlement near Queenstown. Browse its character-filled centre and look closely at the buildings that give the village its nineteenth-century appearance.

Arrowtown grew during the Otago gold rush and retains a noticeably different pace from nearby Queenstown. Tree-lined streets and preserved shopfronts provide a tangible setting for the region’s mining history, with time to absorb the village’s small-town atmosphere.

Visit the Jones Family Fruit Stall in Central Otago to browse fresh local stone fruit and other regional produce. The stop puts the area’s orchards and growing traditions in the spotlight.

Central Otago’s sunny, dry conditions help make it one of New Zealand’s notable stone-fruit regions. Seeing its produce at a local stall adds a flavour of place to the surrounding mountain and valley scenery. Any personal purchases are at your own expense.

Ride the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch towards Arthur’s Pass, crossing the Southern Alps through tunnels and over viaducts. Watch for braided rivers, beech forest, deep valleys and snow-capped peaks through the train’s panoramic windows.

The journey reveals the changing terrain between Canterbury and the alpine interior. Important departure exception: the train is unavailable for the 18 March 2027 departure because of track maintenance; that departure travels by road through the Southern Alps instead.

View Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks from a scenic viewpoint and look for the blowholes formed along this exposed stretch of the West Coast. The layered limestone shapes are especially striking against the Tasman Sea.

Water and weather have shaped the rocks over immense spans of time, while incoming surf can force spray through openings in the stone. Blowhole activity depends on sea and tide conditions, so each visit offers a different expression of this rugged coastal landscape.

Cruise from Picton to Wellington aboard the inter-island ferry, travelling through the waterways of the Marlborough Sounds and across Cook Strait. Seek out views of Queen Charlotte Sound, Tory Channel and the North Island coast.

Although it connects New Zealand’s two main islands, this crossing is also a substantial scenic experience. Sheltered inlets give way to the open strait before Wellington comes into view, offering a changing perspective on the country’s coastal geography.

View Wellington’s civic landmarks, including the distinctive Beehive and Parliament grounds, on a tour of New Zealand’s capital. See where the country’s parliamentary life is centred.

The Beehive’s modern form stands beside other parliamentary buildings, making the precinct a concise introduction to Wellington’s political role and architectural contrasts. This is a sightseeing experience; the itinerary does not specify entry to Parliament or a guided tour inside its buildings.

Walk Napier’s Art Deco Quarter with a local guide from the Art Deco Trust. Look closely at the facades, decorative details and compact streets that make the city centre a celebrated example of 1930s design.

Much of central Napier was rebuilt after the devastating 1931 earthquake, giving its architecture an unusually coherent period character. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports the Trust’s work to preserve and share the city’s architectural heritage.

View Huka Falls near Taupo and watch the Waikato River surge through a narrow channel before plunging into a turbulent pool. The force and colour of the water make this a memorable natural viewpoint.

The falls are a vivid introduction to the North Island’s powerful waterways. Rather than a high single drop, their impact comes from the volume of water compressed between rock walls, creating churning white water and a deep blue-green current.

Visit a traditional pounamu workshop in Rotorua to learn about the craft of carving New Zealand greenstone. Discover how makers work the material and explore its cultural meaning.

Pounamu holds deep significance in Maori culture and is valued for its beauty, strength and connections between people and place. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience offers insight into a living craft rather than treating a carved piece simply as an ornament.

Tour Auckland and glimpse the yachts and harbours that give New Zealand’s largest city its ‘City of Sails’ nickname. Take in the urban waterfront setting as an introduction to the city.

Built around two harbours, Auckland has a distinctive relationship with the water that shapes both its skyline and daily life. This sightseeing tour focuses on the city’s harbour character; the itinerary does not specify entry to individual Auckland landmarks.

Join the All Blacks Experience in Auckland for an interactive introduction to rugby’s place in New Zealand culture. Explore the national game through immersive displays and take part in a traditional haka experience.

The visit looks beyond match results to the identity, teamwork and performance associated with the All Blacks. Its participatory format makes rugby accessible whether you follow the sport closely or are encountering its New Zealand significance for the first time.

Share farewell drinks with your Travel Director and fellow travellers in Auckland. This hosted gathering offers a chance to reconnect with the group and reflect on the landscapes, communities and cultural experiences encountered across New Zealand.

It is a social close to the small-group journey rather than a formal sightseeing visit. The drinks are mentioned as part of the tour programme, with no separate booking or additional experience specified.

Ride a jet boat on the Shotover River near Queenstown for a fast-paced encounter with the region’s river scenery. Feel the acceleration and sharp manoeuvres that have made jet boating a signature local adventure.

The Shotover’s channels and steep-sided setting give the ride a strong sense of place as well as speed. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; availability and operating conditions should be confirmed with your Travel Director.

Explore vineyards around Queenstown on an optional wine outing, with opportunities to taste wines from the surrounding wine region. Discover the flavours produced amid Central Otago’s striking mountain and valley landscapes.

The region is particularly associated with Pinot Noir, shaped by a cool climate and marked seasonal contrasts. Specific wineries and tastings depend on the tour offered locally. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Cruise Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm, with a gourmet barbecue dinner as part of the optional outing. Enjoy views across the lake towards Queenstown’s mountain backdrop.

The vessel brings a sense of the lake’s transport heritage to the journey, while Walter Peak provides a high-country setting for the meal. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; confirm sailing and dining details locally.

Combine a coastal cruise and walk in Abel Tasman National Park, reached from Nelson. See golden beaches, wooded headlands and sculpted granite coastline from the water and on foot.

This northern South Island park is known for its sheltered bays and celebrated coastal track. Experiencing it in two ways reveals details that differ from sea level to shoreline. The outing is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; walking arrangements depend on the excursion offered.

Visit vineyards in Hawke’s Bay on an optional wine tour from Napier. Discover the region’s winemaking landscape and sample local wines as arranged on the tour offered.

Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s established wine regions, with a range of growing areas and grape varieties shaped by its coastal climate. Winery selections are not specified in the itinerary. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Travel with Gannet Safaris Overland towards the gannet nesting colony at Cape Kidnappers, near Napier. Observe these seabirds in their coastal habitat, subject to seasonal wildlife conditions.

The cape’s dramatic cliffs and breeding colony make this a distinctive Hawke’s Bay wildlife experience. Nesting activity varies through the year, so sightings and behaviour cannot be guaranteed. The safari is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Tour the Hobbiton Movie Set featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. Explore the carefully crafted setting that brought a corner of Middle-earth to life in the Waikato countryside.

Its hobbit holes and pastoral landscape show how filmmaking transformed a working rural setting into an enduring screen location. This excursion is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; confirm transfer and tour arrangements locally.

Unwind at Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa in Rotorua, where bathing offers a restful way to experience the city’s geothermal character. Choose this outing for time in a dedicated wellness setting.

Rotorua’s hot springs are closely tied to the volcanic activity visible throughout the area. Spa facilities and treatments vary by package, so confirm what is included before booking. This experience is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour.

See Rotorua from the air on an optional scenic flight, gaining a broad perspective on the region’s lakes and geothermal landscape. The aerial viewpoint helps reveal patterns of water, forest and volcanic terrain that are harder to grasp at ground level.

Routes, aircraft and sights vary according to the flight available and operating conditions. Ask your Travel Director for current options. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Experience Te Po at Te Puia in Rotorua, with a Maori cultural performance inside the carved meeting house Te Aronui a Rua. View the Pohutu Geyser and enjoy a buffet dinner featuring hangi-inspired cuisine.

The evening brings together performance, food and the geothermal landscape for which Rotorua is known. Te Puia offers an opportunity to engage with Maori cultural expression in a place where steaming ground and erupting water remain part of the setting.