Special Interest Tours - Adventure Tours
11 Day New Zealand Tour: Bay of Islands to Abel Tasman
price from
NZ$ 4309
per person (twin share)
New Zealand - Both Islands 
Adventure Tour 
11 days 
Auckland 
Christchurch 11 Day New Zealand Small Group Tour | North and South Island | 10 Breakfasts and 2 Dinners | Max. 18 Guests | Domestic Flight Included | For 18-39 Year Olds
Most visitors from the States try to squeeze both islands into one trip and end up spending half of it behind the wheel. This 11 day New Zealand tour solves that problem. You start in Auckland, head north into the kauri forests and the Bay of Islands, then fly south to pick up the wild West Coast, Abel Tasman and the whale coast at Kaikoura. The internal flight is included, so no ferry crossing and no long transit day.
Along the way you will stand beneath Tane Mahuta, the largest living kauri tree in the country. You will eat a traditional Hangi dinner at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Later you will kayak the golden coves of Abel Tasman National Park, taste Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough, and watch sperm whales surface off the Kaikoura coast. Because this 11 day New Zealand tour caps at 18 guests, your local guide handles every booking on the road and gets the group into places larger coaches simply cannot reach. Browse more small group tours or see every North and South Island itinerary if you want a longer trip.
What Makes This 11 Day New Zealand Tour Different
Eleven days is a tight window for a country this spread out. Rather than racing the full length of both islands, this route picks one strong region on each and gives you time to actually stop. The Far North delivers Māori history, ancient forest and island cruising. The top of the South delivers national park coastline, wine country and marine wildlife.
The domestic flight on day four does the heavy lifting. Instead of losing a day to the Cook Strait ferry and a long drive, you land in Christchurch and start the South Island leg fresh the next morning. Meanwhile, two free days are built in on purpose, one in the Bay of Islands and one in Abel Tasman, so you are never locked into a schedule from dawn to dark.
Transport is a Mercedes Sprinter with WiFi and USB charging. Your guide drives, narrates and books your optional activities as you go, which means nothing needs arranging before you fly.
Tour Photo Gallery
Tour Information, Departure Dates & Price
Transportation
- Comfortable private vehicle
Tour Departures
- Check the tour departures below
Airport Transfers
- N/A
Pricing
-
From NZD 4,309
Meals
- 10x Breakfast
- 2x Breakfast
Accommodation
- Backpackers
Cities/Regions Visited
-
Auckland – Omapere – Paihia – Auckland – Christchurch – Punakaiki – Abel Tasman – Golden Bay – Marlborough – Kaikōura – Christchurch
Group Size
- maximum 18 travelers
Tour Code
- WK09242026
Pre & Post Accommodation
- Available
11 Day New Zealand Tour: Bay of Islands to Abel Tasman Days
Leave Auckland and head north. Stop at the Kauri Museum in Matakohe for the story of New Zealand’s giant kauri and the settlers who logged them. After lunch in Dargaville, cool off at the Kai Iwi Lakes, three crystal clear dune lakes ringed by native bush. Then continue into Waipoua Forest to stand in front of Tane Mahuta. Overnight on the west coast at Omapere, with an included fish and chips dinner as the sun drops into the Tasman Sea.
Accommodation: The Sands Hotel (or similar)
Cross the Far North toward the east coast. Stop at Marsden Wineries for a relaxed tasting, then roll into Paihia by mid-afternoon. The rest of the day is yours. Walk the waterfront, book an optional cruise, or do nothing at all.
Accommodation: Scenic Hotel (or similar)
Your day, your call. Cruise out to the Hole in the Rock, go dolphin spotting, kayak to a quiet beach, or use your included Waitangi Treaty Grounds combo pass to dig into the founding document of modern New Zealand. In the evening, the group comes back together for an included Hangi dinner at Waitangi, cooked in a traditional earth oven.
Accommodation: Scenic Hotel (or similar)
Travel south with a stop in Matakana Village for lunch, boutique shopping and tastings at The Vintry. Continue to Auckland Airport for your included flight to Christchurch, where the South Island half begins.
Accommodation: Lylo Auckland (or similar)
Cross the Southern Alps via the Lewis Pass, through beech forest, alpine wetland and river valleys. It is a big driving day with plenty of stops, ending at the coastal village of Punakaiki.
Accommodation: Punakaiki Beachcamp (or similar)
A full day on the West Coast. Walk the Pancake Rocks, where blowholes fire seawater skyward through stacked limestone. Explore rainforest, caves and canyons, or add an underworld rafting trip through a glowworm cave system.
Accommodation: Punakaiki Beachcamp (or similar)
Drive the wild coast with stops for lighthouse views and the seal colonies at Cape Foulwind and Ohau Point. Turn inland through Nelson Lakes and arrive in Abel Tasman by afternoon.
Accommodation: The Adventure Inn (or similar)
Head over the hill to Golden Bay. Explore Ngarua Caves, walk around Te Waikoropupu Springs, some of the clearest freshwater ever measured, then follow the track to the sea stacks and seal pups at Wharariki Beach.
Accommodation: The Adventure Inn (or similar)
Kayak the coast, hike a section of the Abel Tasman Coast Track, or stay on the sand and swim. Keep an eye out for tui, weka and fur seals. More details about the park are available from the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
Accommodation: The Adventure Inn (or similar)
Roll into Marlborough for a tasting in the region that made New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc famous. Then follow the coast road to Kaikoura, where the Seaward Kaikoura Range drops almost straight into a deep ocean trench. That trench is why the whales are here year-round.
Accommodation: Dusky Lodge (or similar)
Spend the morning on the water. Watch for sperm whales, swim with dusky dolphins, or visit the seal colony. Afterward, drive back to Christchurch and arrive mid-afternoon. Book any onward flight for after 5pm domestic or 7pm international.
Accommodation: Lylo Christchurch (or similar)
Inclusions & Highlights
- Fully guided travel in a Mercedes Sprinter with WiFi, USB ports and big windows
- Domestic flight between the North Island and the South Island
- Local guide driver for the full 11 days
- 3 nights in three star hotels, twin share, plus 7 nights in flashpacker accommodation
- 10 breakfasts and 2 group dinners
- Waitangi Treaty Grounds combo pass and traditional Hangi dinner
- Guided 40 minute walk to Tane Mahuta in Waipoua Forest
- Wine tasting at Marsden Wineries and a second tasting in Marlborough
- Pancake Rocks and blowhole walk at Punakaiki
- Cape Foulwind and Ohau Point seal colonies
- Golden Bay day trip including Te Waikoropupu Springs and Wharariki Beach
- Your guide books every optional activity on the road, so nothing is arranged in advance
Private rooms are available on request for an extra charge. International flights are not included.
Tour Departure Dates
2026: Tuesday 8 December
2027: Tuesday 19 January, Tuesday 16 February, Tuesday 2 March, Tuesday 16 March, Tuesday 7 December, Tuesday 21 December
2028: Tuesday 4 January, Tuesday 18 January, Tuesday 1 February, Tuesday 15 February, Tuesday 29 February, Tuesday 14 March
Accommodation
This tour uses a mix of 3-star hotels in the Far North and social, backpacker-style hostel accommodation for the rest of the journey through the West Coast, Abel Tasman, and Kaikōura. Private rooms can be added for an additional cost, subject to availability, contact our team to check current pricing.
Included activities
Accommodation
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