Head southeast to the Coromandel Peninsula, home of the famous Cathedral Cove rock formation. Walk in to the cove on foot, or take an optional kayak or boat trip for a different angle on the coastline. At Hot Water Beach, dig your own personal spa pool in the sand where the tide meets the naturally heated spring below.

Overnight: Coromandel (Hahei)

Included Accommodation: Hahei Beach Resort (or similar)

Included Experience

• Dig a spa at Hot Water Beach

Optional Activity

• Cathedral Cove Kayaking
• Hahei Explorer

On the way to Waitomo, stop at Karangahake Gorge to walk a section of the old railway line through the remains of a former gold mining district. Continue south to Waitomo, where a guided cave tour takes you through limestone formations lit by thousands of glowworms. Travelers looking for more adventure can upgrade to an underground black water rafting trip.

Overnight: Waitomo

Included Accommodation: Waitomo Chalets (or similar)

Included Experience

• Karangahake Gorge Windows Walk
• Ruakuri Cave Tour

Optional Activity

• Legendary Black Water Rafting Black Labyrinth

Start the day with an easy walk through Ruakuri Reserve, known for its sculpted limestone cliffs and natural rock arches. From there, continue on to Hobbiton, with an optional guided tour of the film set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The day ends in Rotorua, New Zealand’s geothermal heartland, with an evening at a traditional Māori cultural experience and hangi dinner.

Overnight: Rotorua

Included Accommodation: Haka House (or similar)

Included Experience

• Ruakuri Scenic Walk
• Mitai Māori Village

Optional Activity

• Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

A full free day in Rotorua. Options include ziplining through the treetops, rolling downhill inside a giant inflatable ball, or a jade carving workshop. Kuirau Park, a free geothermal reserve within walking distance of most accommodation, is worth a look in the morning. The day includes entry to a lakeside thermal hot spring in the afternoon.

Overnight: Rotorua

Included Accommodation: Haka House (or similar)

Included Experience

• Wai Ariki Hot Springs

Optional Activity

• Kuirau Park
• Glowworm Kayak Tour

Leave Rotorua’s geothermal landscape behind and head south toward the capital. Stop along the way at Huka Falls for a short walk beside the churning blue water, plus a lighthearted gumboot throwing stop in the small town of Taihape. Arrive in Wellington in the afternoon.

Overnight: Wellington

Included Accommodation: Haka House Wellington (or similar)

Included Experience

• Waiotapu Thermal Park
• Huka Falls
• Taihape Gumboot Throwing

A free day in the capital to explore at your own pace. Visit Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, or rent an e-bike to ride the waterfront. Zealandia, a fenced wildlife sanctuary a short drive from the city, is a good option for native bird spotting.

Overnight: Wellington

Included Accommodation: Haka House Wellington (or similar)

Included Accommodation: 

Optional Activity

• Capital Bar Crawl
• Switched on Bikes
• Zealandia Te Mara A Tane

Board the Interislander ferry for the crossing of Cook Strait, passing through the Marlborough Sounds on arrival into the South Island. From the ferry terminal, drive through Marlborough wine country with an included tasting stop, before continuing along the coast to Kaikoura, known for its whales, dolphins, and fur seals.

Overnight: Kaikoura

Included Accommodation: Dusky Lodge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Interislander ferry
• Wine Tasting – Whitehaven Cellar Door
• Wine Tasting – Cheese & Cheers

Sleep in, or head out on the water for a closer look at Kaikoura’s marine life, dolphins, seals, and seasonal whales. Later, walk the Kaikoura Peninsula track to the seal colony before driving south to Christchurch. The afternoon is free to explore the city.

Overnight: Christchurch

Included Accommodation: Hotel Give (or similar)

Included Experience

• Kaikōura Peninsula Walk

Optional Activity

• Christchurch Street Art Tour
• Waka on Avon

Drive into the Mackenzie Basin, home to wide grasslands, turquoise lakes, and some of the clearest night skies in the country. Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore of Lake Tekapo, then walk up Mt John for a 360-degree view over the lake and surrounding mountains. The evening includes entry to a hot spring by the lakeshore.

Overnight: Lake Tekapo

Included Accommodation: Lakes Edge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Tekapo Hot Springs

Optional Activity

• Church of the Good Shepherd
• Dark Sky Project

Head toward Queenstown by way of the Aoraki Mt Cook area. The Kea Point Track is one of the best short walks in the national park, ending at a viewing platform overlooking Hooker Valley and Mt Cook. Arrive in Queenstown in time for a group dinner.

Overnight: Queenstown

Included Accommodation: Nomads Queenstown (or similar)

Included Experience

• Queenstown Dinner
• Hooker Valley Track Walk
• Lake Pukaki Visit

Queenstown has something for everyone. Adrenaline seekers can book bungy jumping, jet boating, white water rafting, or skydiving, while a slower pace might mean a bike ride, a lake cruise, or a visit to a nearby vineyard.

Overnight: Queenstown

Included Accommodation: Nomads Queenstown (or similar)

Optional Activity

• NZONE Skydive
• Altitude Day Tours
• Dart River Adventures

The suggested way to close out the trip is an optional full day at Piopiotahi, Milford Sound. The drive passes through Te Anau and Fiordland National Park with photo stops along the way. A two-hour scenic cruise through the fjord follows, with dolphins, fur seals, and birdlife often visible from the deck. The group returns to Queenstown in the evening, where the tour concludes.

Optional Activity

• NZONE Skydive
• Altitude Day Tours
• Dart River Adventures
• Shotover Jet Boat Ride