Unwind in mineral-rich waters at Rotorua’s contemporary sanctuary, where thermal pools, steam rooms and guided wellness rituals draw on local tradition. Soak, rejuvenate and let the geothermal heat ease travel-weary muscles.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. It’s a serene counterpoint to Rotorua’s geysers—an immersive, sensory pause grounded in the region’s spa heritage.

Sip your way through Marlborough’s famed sauvignon blancs and emerging varietals, visiting cellar doors set among sunlit rows of vines. Learn how climate and canopy craft those bright, aromatic styles.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. Between tastings, enjoy vineyard vistas and conversations with local hosts who pour the region’s signature fresh, zesty character.

Join the working Mail Boat as it threads coves and jetties to deliver post to remote residents. Scan for seabirds and dolphins while hearing everyday stories of life among the Sounds.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. It’s a slice of local life wrapped in serene scenery—slow travel at its most authentic.

Skim river shallows at speed as expert drivers execute precision spins and close shaves with canyon walls. Mountain scenery flashes by in a high-adrenaline salute to Queenstown’s adventure DNA.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. Safety briefings and professional crews keep the thrills dialled to fun while you revel in spray and speed.

Get your bearings in the capital on an orientation tour that sweeps past waterfront precincts and creative quarters before climbing Mount Victoria for sweeping harbour views. From hillside villas to wind-sculpted pines, Wellington’s compact drama comes into focus.

Hear how geology and politics meet in this culturally rich city, where coffee culture thrives and film-makers find inspiration. The lookout frames the amphitheatre of hills and sea that define Wellington’s enduring appeal.

Pause at the Church of the Good Shepherd to frame its schist stone against turquoise Lake Tekapo and an alpine backdrop. The lake’s glacial colour and the chapel’s simple lines make for quietly powerful images.

Learn how the church, built in 1935, honours Mackenzie Basin pioneers and why Tekapo’s dry air and clear skies draw stargazers from around the world. It’s a contemplative moment in big-sky country.

Settle into an overnight cruise on Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, gliding beneath sheer granite walls and waterfalls. Join the onboard nature guide to spot seals, penguins and dolphins, and choose to explore by kayak or tender in calm conditions.

Evening light, quiet anchorages and unhurried time on deck reveal a deeper side of this UNESCO-listed fiord. A three-course dinner and hearty breakfast round out a rare, immersive way to experience Fiordland.

• 6 Dinner (D)
• 16 Breakfast (B)
• 2 Lunch (L)

AAT Kings

Discover New Zealand’s “City of Sails” on a guided circuit that takes in heritage suburbs like Parnell, the green expanse of Auckland Domain, and the waterfront energy of Viaduct Harbour and Wynyard Quarter. Along the way, your Travel Director shares local insight that orients you to the harbours, skyline, and easygoing rhythm of Auckland.

Trace the city’s growth from a Maori portage and colonial outpost to a cosmopolitan hub shaped by the Hauraki Gulf. Expect sea-breezes, yacht-speckled views and a polished overview of key districts without the need to navigate them yourself.

Explore Napier’s glamorous rebirth on a private walk with the Art Deco Trust. Stroll streets of streamlined facades, sunbursts and zigzags while hearing how the city rose after the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, embracing modern design and optimism.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience supports local conservation of heritage architecture. Your guide decodes geometric motifs, marquise canopies and pastel palettes that define one of the world’s best-preserved Art Deco ensembles.

Taste the Wairarapa in the glass at family-run Urlar, where you’ll sample regional wines alongside a lakeside seasonal platter. Hear the story of this family-owned vineyard and how climate and craft shape expressive pinot noir and aromatic whites.

Set among vines and rolling hills, the cellar-door setting invites unhurried conversation about sustainable practices, soil, and the subtlety of Wairarapa terroir—an intimate window onto New Zealand’s boutique wine culture.

Visit Greytown Honey to meet a fifth-generation beekeeper and follow the journey from hive to jar. Join a processing factory tour, watch a live demonstration, and taste premium Manuka and native floral honeys before you create your own jar of honey to take home.

Learn how seasonal blooms, hive location and careful extraction influence flavour and texture. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience supports local producers and pollinator awareness across the Wairarapa region.

Cruise the Cook Strait to the South Island, gliding into the emerald collages of Queen Charlotte Sound. Settle on deck as forested headlands and a maze of inlets unfold, with the chance to spot seabirds, dolphins and working mussel farms.

This classic passage links islands and stories—Maori voyaging routes, early European exploration and modern maritime life—while the Sounds’ emerald hills and mirror bays deliver unbroken photo opportunities.

Step into flight history at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, where rarities from the Great War and WWII are staged in dramatic sets by Weta Workshop. See exquisitely restored aircraft, pilots’ stories and battlefield vignettes brought to life through immersive storytelling.

From canvas-and-wood pioneers to sleek warbirds, exhibits reveal the evolution of aviation technology and courage. It’s a vivid, cinematic lens on global history anchored in Marlborough.

Explore Christchurch’s renewal on a curated overview of city sights, from riverside promenades to reimagined urban spaces. Trace the Avon’s curves and manicured greens as the Garden City blends English heritage with contemporary design.

Hear about resilience and innovation since the earthquakes, seen in public art, new architecture and lively precincts. The tour offers context and confidence for your own discoveries across this evolving South Island hub.

Join Angie and Stan at their lakeside home for a Be My Guest experience featuring Angie’s famed Pavlova afternoon tea. Chat with your hosts as you admire Lake Tekapo’s shifting blues and mountain silhouettes.

Hear stories of high-country life, farming seasons and friendly trans-Tasman dessert rivalries. This warm slice of Kiwi hospitality pairs homemade treats with a setting that captures the serenity of the Mackenzie Basin.

Explore the Highlands Motorsport Park Museum, where innovative displays celebrate speed, engineering and New Zealand motorsport legends. Even first-timers find something to love in interactive galleries and eye-catching machines.

From classic racers to modern performance tech, the collection reveals how design and daring shaped the sport. It’s a polished, high-octane counterpoint to Central Otago’s quiet landscapes.

Wander Arrowtown, a compact village of gold-rush heritage where miners’ cottages, rustic shopfronts and a tree-lined main street evoke 19th-century Central Otago. Cafés and galleries fill historic spaces without losing the town’s soul.

Set beside the Arrow River and backed by hills, the village atmosphere invites unhurried browsing and photography. This stop connects today’s charms with the feverish days of quartz and alluvial gold.

Cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard a historic steamship, feeling the thrum of engines as Southern Alps peaks slide by. Polished timber, gleaming brass and open decks set a nostalgic tone.

Learn how early settlers and farmers depended on lake steamers before roads cut through these mountains. The slow pace and cinematic views turn the journey itself into a Queenstown highlight.

Pause at a panoramic lookout for Franz Josef Glacier / Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere, a moving river of ice that carves from the Southern Alps toward temperate rainforest. Capture wide shots and take a moment for photos and reflection.

Your Travel Director shares how climate and geology sculpt the glacier’s advances and retreats, and why this dramatic meeting of ice and forest is unique in the Southern Hemisphere.

Climb aboard an amphibious vehicle for a lighthearted circuit that splashes from city streets into Rotorua’s crater lakes. See thermal vents and lakeside neighbourhoods from two perspectives without changing seats.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. Commentary mixes geology, history and humour, making it a fun way to get your bearings on land and water.

Glide through ancient canopy on a low-impact zipline experience that pairs adventure with conservation. Platforms and short forest walks reveal rimu and kamahi while guides share stories of restoration and birdlife.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. It’s an uplifting perspective on Rotorua’s forests, balancing gentle thrills with deep respect for nature.

Discover cellar doors across Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s oldest wine region. Compare elegant chardonnays and supple syrahs while learning how sun, sea breezes and gravel soils shape the glass.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. Scenic drives between estates round out a relaxed exploration of one of the country’s benchmark wine landscapes.

Travel across coastal farmland to the world’s largest mainland gannet colony. Watch sleek, amber-crowned birds wheel overhead and land with precision as guides decode their social lives and seasonal cycles.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. Dramatic cliffs and ocean views amplify an exceptional wildlife encounter on the edge of Hawke’s Bay.

Meet the shy kiwi and other endemic species at a local wildlife centre dedicated to conservation and education. Learn about breeding programs, threats and the ingenious ways birds have adapted to Aotearoa.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. Close-up viewing and ranger talks make this a rewarding choice for nature lovers of all ages.

Lift off for sweeping views of Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, crevassed icefalls and the spine of the Southern Alps. When conditions allow, touch down on snow for a perspective few ever see.

This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour. Pilots share glaciology insights as the scale of Ka Tiritiri o te Moana unfolds beneath your skids.

Experience the Te Po Indigenous Experience at Te Puia, where you’re welcomed into Te Aronui a Rua meeting house for a powerful kapa haka performance before heading to view the surging Pohutu Geyser. A dinner inspired by hangi-influenced flavours showcases local ingredients.

Learn how geothermal forces shape daily life in Rotorua and how carving, weaving and song preserve Maori identity. Steam vents, mineral terraces and storytelling combine for an evening rich in culture, cuisine and the living spirit of Te Arawa.

Walk beneath towering podocarps on a guided immersion in Whirinaki Forest, led by local Maori guides who share the forest’s role as pharmacy, pantry and ancestor. Hear native birdsong, pause at waterfalls to refill your bottle, and savour a Forest to Fork picnic infused with traditional flavours.

Gain first-hand insight into rakau rongoa (native medicinal plants) and the stories of Ngati Manawa. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience supports community-led kaitiakitanga (guardianship), linking conservation with cultural continuity.