On day 6, begin with a local ritual—a great coffee—then set out on a guided city sights tour. Ride the historic Wellington Cable Car up to Kelburn, see the distinctive Parliament Buildings (the Beehive), and circle to the Mount Victoria Lookout for sweeping harbour views and wind-sculpted skies.

Your tour concludes at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, where you’ll receive an orientation and time to explore. General entry to the core galleries is free; special exhibitions may be ticketed. Use the afternoon to delve into art, taonga (treasures), and interactive displays that trace Aotearoa’s people and place.

On day 2 afternoon, step inside the world of New Zealand’s famed rugby team at the All Blacks Experience, an immersive, state-of-the-art encounter in central Auckland. Learn about values, tactics and legacy before entering a dramatic space to feel the power of the haka, the team’s iconic challenge.

Try your hand at skills stations that test kicking and passing, and hear game-day stories that shaped the nation’s sporting identity. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour with your Travel Director.

On day 4, climb aboard a WWII-era DUKW amphibious vehicle and rumble from city streets to a theatrical splashdown on Lake Rotorua. Cruise across to panoramic points before rolling on to gem-like Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) and tranquil Lake Okareka.

With lively commentary linking geology and legend, this tour frames Rotorua’s volcanic landscape from water level—perfect for photos and fresh perspectives. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour with your Travel Director.

On day 4, restore body and mind at Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa on the Rotorua lakefront. Move at your own pace through geothermally heated pools, steam rooms and cold plunges, letting mineral-rich waters and stillness dissolve travel tension.

Inspired by Ngati Whakaue healing principles, this contemporary sanctuary layers Maori wellness concepts with elegant design to create a deeply local sense of calm. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour with your Travel Director.

On day 4, get close to New Zealand’s emblem at the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa. Join a guided visit to learn how conservationists incubate and rear vulnerable chicks, and understand the threats kiwi face in the wild.

Depending on season, you may see hatchery or nursery areas while hearing about programmes like Operation Nest Egg that return juveniles to protected habitats. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour with your Travel Director.

On day 6 evening, enter a predator-free valley for a torchlit guided night walk at ZEALANDIA. Move quietly under the canopy, listening for the calls of little spotted kiwi and ruru, and watch for tuatara and giant weta along the paths.

Inside this 225-hectare “mainland island,” a predator-proof fence has transformed the forest into a living laboratory of recovery, where native birds return and nocturnal life stirs. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour with your Travel Director.

On day 2, join a private tour with a Local Specialist at the New Zealand Maritime Museum, where the America’s Cup story comes alive through pioneering design and legendary crews. Engage with exhibits that chart Aotearoa’s deep connection to the sea, then step outside to feel the breeze along the Auckland Waterfront.

Your sightseeing continues past Mission Bay and historic Bastion Point to the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, a grand vantage over the skyline, North Shore and Rangitoto’s volcanic cone. Along the way, pause for photos and reflection, then enjoy a free afternoon to explore harbourside paths, cafés, and galleries at your own pace.

On day 3, experience after-hours access to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, when the boardwalks fall quiet and colours intensify in the soft light. Follow your expert guide to the neon-green Devil’s Bath, hear the hiss of vents, and linger by the steaming Champagne Pool as bubbling mud pools plop and the air carries a sulphur tang.

Learn how minerals paint these terraces within the Taupo Volcanic Zone and why geothermal forces continue to shape Rotorua. Your visit culminates with a relaxed toast—mocktail and canapés—beside the terraces, a fitting close to this vivid natural gallery before the evening’s cultural immersion.

• 3 Dinner (D)
• 6 Breakfast (B)

AAT Kings

On day 1, gather in the heart of the City of Sails for a warm welcome at The Grill. Share a relaxed meal as you meet your Travel Director and travelling companions, with the night skyline reflecting off the nearby Waitemata Harbour. It’s an easygoing start that sets the pace for the journey ahead.

Between courses, your Travel Director provides a concise orientation to Tamaki Makaurau’s Maori heritage and maritime spirit, from Polynesian wayfinding to modern yacht culture. This is the moment to tune into New Zealand’s hospitality, ask questions, and settle in before tomorrow’s discoveries.

On day 3 evening, enter the forest-fringed world of Te Pa Tu, where hosts welcome you with forest kai horotai (seasonal canapés) and an aperitif. Settle into a night of ceremony and storytelling as you connect with traditions carried through language, song and carving, guided by the spirit of manaakitanga (hospitality).

Feast on a three-course dinner celebrating Maori ingredients and techniques, crafted to honour season and place. Between courses, your hosts illuminate the values and resilience of the culture, creating an intimate encounter that deepens your understanding of Aotearoa far beyond the sights.

On day 5, feel the force at Huka Falls where the Waikato River surges through a narrow chasm in a froth of turquoise. Continue to broad Lake Taupo, a caldera lake born of immense volcanic power, with time to pause for photos and reflection along the shore.

As the road climbs the Central Plateau, admire the snow-cloaked slopes of Mount Ruapehu and the austere beauty of Tongariro National Park. Roll south through vast farming country to the Kapiti Coast, where sea breezes and shifting light signal your approach to Wellington’s harbour.

On day 2 afternoon, take to the water on a scenic cruise of Waitemata Harbour. Glide beneath the Auckland Harbour Bridge, trace the bays of the North Shore to Devonport, and watch the city skyline recede as you angle toward the volcanic silhouette of Rangitoto Island.

Feel sea air on your face as commentary brings to life Auckland’s maritime past and present—waka voyaging, coastal forts, and the era of competitive sailing. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour with your Travel Director.