Head southeast to the Coromandel Peninsula and the famous Cathedral Cove rock formation. Get out on the water for a closer look, or walk in on foot. At Hot Water Beach, dig your own personal spa pool in the sand where the tide meets the naturally heated spring below.

Overnight: Hahei

Included Accommodation: Hahei Beach Resort (or similar)

Included Experience

• Hot Water Beach

Optional Activities

• Cathedral Cove Kayaking (Paid)
• Hahei Explorer (Paid)

Head underground on a 90 minute walking tour of Ruakuri Cave, taking in limestone formations and thousands of glowworms. Travelers looking for more adventure can upgrade to a black water rafting trip through the Black Labyrinth or Black Abyss underground routes.

Overnight: Waitomo

Included Accommodation: Waitomo Chalets (or similar)

Included Experience

• Ruakuri Cave Tour

Optional Activities

• Legendary Black Water Rafting Black Abyss (Paid)
• Legendary Black Water Rafting Black Labyrinth (Paid)

Start with a gentle walk through Ruakuri Reserve, known for its sculpted cliffs and low limestone arches. Continue to Hobbiton for a guided tour of the film set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The day ends in Rotorua with a soak at Hell’s Gate’s geothermal mud baths.

Overnight: Rotorua

Included Accommodation: Haka House (or similar)

Included Experience

• Ruakuri Scenic Walk
• Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
• Hell’s Gate Geothermal Experience & Mud Bath

Start with a visit to the National Kiwi Hatchery to learn about New Zealand’s iconic bird. The rest of the day is yours, whether that means ziplining through the treetops, zorbing downhill, or a walk through one of the geothermal parks or Redwoods Forest. In the evening, the group heads to Te Pā Tū Māori Village for a cultural performance, a traditional meal, stories around the fire, and an overnight stay in a traditional sleeping house.

Overnight: Te Pā Tū Māori Village

Included Accommodation: Te Pā Tū Māori Village

Included Experience

• National Kiwi Hatchery

Optional Activities

• Glowworm Kayak Tour (Paid)
• Mountain Jade Highlights Tour (Paid)

Head south toward Taupō, stopping at Huka Falls to see 220,000 liters of water thunder over the falls every second. In the evening, sail toward Māori rock carvings on Lake Taupō as the sun sets, followed by pizza with the group.

Overnight: Taupo

Included Accommodation: Lakefront Lodge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Lake Taupō Sailing Adventure
• Huka Falls

Optional Activities

• AJ Hackett Bungy (Paid)

A free day in Taupō. Depending on the season, this is a good opportunity to tackle the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a full-day hike across a volcanic landscape of colored mineral pools and steaming vents.

Overnight: Taupo

Included Accommodation: Lakefront Lodge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Waiotapu Thermal Park

Optional Activities

• Skydive in Taupō (Paid)
• Rock n Ropes (Paid)

Arrive at River Valley, a peaceful setting beside the Rangitikei River in the central North Island. Explore by e-bike, go horse riding, or simply disconnect. In the evening, enjoy a farm-to-table meal prepared by the River Valley chef using ethical, local, and sustainable ingredients.

Overnight: River Valley

Included Accommodation: River Valley Lodge (or similar)

Optional Activities

• River Valley E-Bike (Paid)
• River Valley Horse Riding (Paid)
• River Valley White Water Rafting (Paid)

Arrive in Wellington, a compact capital full of creative energy. Wander the laneways, discover street art, and follow the sculpture walk along the waterfront. A lighthearted gumboot throwing stop in Taihape breaks up the drive along the way.

Overnight: Wellington

Included Accommodation: Haka House Wellington (or similar)

Included Experience

• Taihape Gumboot Throwing

Optional Activities

• Capital Bar Crawl (Paid)
• Switched on Bikes (Paid)

A free day in the capital. Ride the Wellington Cable Car for city views, visit Zealandia wildlife sanctuary, or walk through the botanical gardens near the city center.

Overnight: Wellington

Included Accommodation: Haka House Wellington (or similar)

Optional Activities

• Capital Bar Crawl (Paid)
• Switched on Bikes (Paid)
• Te Papa Museum (Paid)

Board the Interislander ferry across Cook Strait, taking in views of the Marlborough Sounds on arrival into the South Island. Stop in Marlborough wine country for two included tastings, before continuing to Kaikōura, 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

Walk the Kaikōura Peninsula in the morning to spot seals and seabirds, then visit Tawanui Farm on the way south to Christchurch. The city’s street art and laneways make for a good way to spend the afternoon.

Overnight: Christchurch

Included Accommodation: Hotel Give (or similar)

Included Experience

• Kaikōura Peninsula Walk
• Tawanui Farm visit

Optional Activities

• Christchurch Street Art Tour (Paid)

Drive into the Mackenzie Basin, home to wide grasslands, turquoise lakes, and clear night skies. Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore of Lake Tekapo, walk up Mt John for panoramic views, and unwind in the evening at Tekapo Hot Springs.

Overnight: Lake Tekapo

Included Accommodation: Lakes Edge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Tekapo Hot Springs

Optional Activities

• Church of the Good Shepherd (Paid)
• Dark Sky Project (Paid)

A day trip to Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, stopping at Lake Pukaki along the way for its striking turquoise color. In the national park, walk the Hooker Valley Track or take in the Tasman Glacier Lookout, with an optional skydive or scenic flight for those wanting more altitude. Return to Lake Tekapo for the evening.

Overnight: Lake Tekapo

Included Accommodation: Lakes Edge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Hooker Valley Track Walk
• Mount Cook National Park – Tasman Glacier Lookout

Optional Activities

• Mt Cook Air Safaris Scenic Flight (Paid)

Cross the Lindis Pass on the way to Queenstown, stopping at the Kawarau Bridge, site of the world’s first commercial bungy jump. Spend the evening exploring the town’s restaurants and lakefront.

Overnight: Queenstown

Included Accommodation: Nomads Queenstown (or similar)

Included Experience

• Kawarau Bridge Bungy Visit

Optional Activities

• AJ Hackett (various options) (Paid)
• Altitude Day Tours (Paid)

A free day built around choice. 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, a spa afternoon, or a vineyard visit.

Overnight: Queenstown

Included Accommodation: Nomads Queenstown (or similar)

Optional Activities

• AJ Hackett (various options) (Paid)
• Altitude Day Tours (Paid)
• Canyon Explorer (Paid)

An early start for the drive to Piopiotahi, Milford Sound, via the small town of Te Anau. Board an included two hour scenic cruise through the fjord, keeping an eye out for dolphins, fur seals, and birdlife, before returning to Queenstown in the evening.

Overnight: Queenstown

Included Accommodation: Nomads Queenstown (or similar)

Included Experience

• 2 hour Milford Sound boat cruise
• Day Trip to Milford Sound

Stop first in Arrowtown, a gold-rush village below the Arrow River, then continue to Wanaka, home of the lakeside #ThatWanakaTree. Options for the rest of the day include the Roys Peak Track, the shorter Mount Iron Track, or a tandem skydive over the lake.

Overnight: Wanaka

Included Accommodation: Adventure Hostel Wanaka (or similar)

Included Experience

• Arrowtown Visit
• Crown Range Lookout
• 45th Parallel Track

Start with a short bush walk to Thunder Creek Falls, then stop at Ship Creek’s swamp forest for a glimpse of the West Coast’s older landscape. Continue to Lake Matheson for a walk around its famous mirror reflections, before arriving in Franz Josef for a rainforest loop walk with glacier views.

Overnight: Franz Josef

Included Accommodation: Rainforest Retreat (or similar)

Included Experience

• Thunder Creek Falls
• Lake Matheson Mirror Lake

Optional Activities

• Franz Josef Glacier walk (Free Activity)

A full free day in Glacier Country. Choose from a scenic flight, a heli-hike onto the glacier, a kayak tour, an off-road quad bike adventure, or a tandem skydive over the ice.

Overnight: Franz Josef

Included Accommodation: Rainforest Retreat (or similar)

Optional Activities

• Glacier Encounter (Paid)
• Off-Road Adventure Tour (Paid)
• Tasman Experience (Paid)

Visit the West Coast Wildlife Centre to see the rare kiwi bird up close, then head up the coast to Punakaiki, known for its pancake rocks. Stop at Hokitika beach along the way to see its beachfront sculptures. In Punakaiki, explore the layered limestone rock formations and blowholes, plus the Truman Track and Irimahuwhero lookout.

Overnight: Punakaiki

Included Experience

• Pancake Rocks Walk
• Irmahuwhero
• Truman Track

Optional Activities

• West Coast Wildlife Centre (Paid)

Head north to Hanmer Springs, a resort town known for its natural hot pools, stopping along the way for the Conical Hill Walk, one of the region’s best short walks.

Overnight: Hanmer Springs

Included Accommodation: Tussock Peak Lodge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Conical Hill Walk

A free day in Hanmer Springs. Soak in the outdoor thermal pools, take on the hydroslides, or spend the day with archery, mountain biking, or an outdoor puzzle hunt around the village.

Overnight: Hanmer Springs

Included Accommodation: Tussock Peak Lodge (or similar)

Included Experience

• Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools

Optional Activities

• Manuka Skies Stargazing (Paid)
• Mountain Bike Hire with Map (Paid)

Stop at the Iron Ridge Quarry Sculpture Park, an open-air gallery of large-scale sculpture set against the Waipara River Valley. On arrival in Christchurch, join the Waka on Avon experience before a final walking street art tour to close out the trip.

Included Accommodation: Hotel Give (or similar)

Included Experience

• Iron Ridge Quarry Sculpture Park
• Waka on Avon

Optional Activities

• Christchurch Street Art Tour (Paid)