Kia Ora New Zealand

17 days
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4.6/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
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USTOA

Cancellation Policy
Small Group Tour
It’s hard to pick a highlight of this New Zealand tour from north to south. Is it the fiords and glaciers of Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, explored on a tour? The gem-like Bay of Islands from Auckland? The bubbling geysers and thermal springs of Rotorua? Or perhaps the mountain vistas of Queenstown? In between you have cosmopolitan cities, wineries, train rides, ...
26%
$7,798
From$5,776
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

What's this trip about?

    It’s hard to pick a highlight of this New Zealand tour from north to south. Is it the fiords and glaciers of Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, explored on a tour? The gem-like Bay of Islands from Auckland? The bubbling geysers and thermal springs of Rotorua? Or perhaps the mountain vistas of Queenstown? In between you have cosmopolitan cities, wineries, train rides, beaches… how does one country pack so much punch?

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeGroup - max of 40 people
Age range6 years and up
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityAuckland
End CityChristchurch (Nz)

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 40

Trip includes

    • Specialist team of two both highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide 1 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Fiordland National Park Comfortable accommodation with easy access to city centres National Park entrance fees

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Welcome to Auckland

Auckland is hypnotic, the kind of place you could easily lose yourself in for a couple of days. Or weeks. Arrive at your leisure and explore waterfront precincts filled with yachts or just meet fellow travel companions at a Welcome Reception tonight.

Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre

Day 2: Auckland - Bay of Islands

Say goodbye to the ‘City of Sails’ as you journey north to New Zealand’s dramatic Bay of Islands from Auckland – 140 islands ringed by turquoise sea. It’s undeniably beautiful, but it also holds a special historical significance: this is where the Treaty of Waitangi w...

Day 3: Bay of Islands Free Time

If there’s a travel destination that inspires wanderlust, the Bay of Islands is it. Today, trip the light fantastic and head off in whatever direction you please. Perhaps travel up to Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua, the very top of New Zealand, via idyllic Ninety Mile ...

Day 4: Bay of Islands - Auckland

Today, New Zealand’s most northerly city is well and truly on your radar. Whangarei is like the country in a tantalising snapshot – a union of nature and forward-thinking culture. Explore at your leisure before sinking back into your seat for the mesmerizing commute back to Auckland.

Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre

Full Breakfast

Day 5: Auckland - Rotorua

Another day on a tour in Auckland. Lucky you. After a morning of sightseeing, set your GPS for the Waitomo Caves tour. This place is radiant – quite literally. While cruising cavernous waterways, your route is cast in a magical light by thousands of glowworms. It’s a ...

Day 6: Rotorua Free Time

Explore at your own pace today, but with plenty of tips from your Travel Director. Want a bit of down time?  We wouldn’t blame you for simply blissing out at Wai Araki Hot Springs & Spa. Hobbit fans will want to take advantage of today’s opportunity to visit the s...

Day 7: Rotorua - Wellington

You’ll hear Huka Falls well before you see it – at this natural wonder, a staggering 220,000 litres of water thunder over an 11-metre-high waterfall every second. The road ahead unfolds in a broad panorama of Lake Taupo, its waters so vivid and blue you’ll think someo...

Day 8: Wellington - Picton

Wellington is known for its uber-cool cafés, designed to fuel you through a session at Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. Onwards to the Interislander for a cruise across Cook Strait, from the North Island to the South, through a maze of arms and inlets.

Picton Beachcomber Inn

Full Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9: Picton - Christchurch

There aren’t many beaches more dramatic than the sands of Kaikoura. Bonus points if you spot a sea lion or sperm whale frolicking offshore, Kaikoura is the marine wildlife centre of New Zealand. Talk to your Travel Director for tips on the essential restaurants to dine in tonight – Christchurch has reinvented itself in more ways than one.

Wyndham Garden

Full Breakfast

Day 10: Christchurch - Omarama

A Christchurch tour shows you that the city is not only rebuilding itself after the devastating 2010/11 earthquakes, but is changing the way architects think about design. Case in point the mind-bending Transitional Cathedral, made largely of cardboard, and Turanga, t...

Day 11: Omarama - Dunedin

If you’ve ever wanted to see New Zealand’s oldest public gardens, today you’re in luck. Oamaru, with its stately tree-lined streets and limestone buildings, stands proud before you journey further south toward the 'Edinburgh of the South'. Dunedin’s Scottish ancestry ...

Day 12: Dunedin - Te Anau

Departing Dunedin this morning, rolling green hills dotted with doe-eyed sheep are replaced by soaring mountains as you weave your way into Fiordland National Park and the South Island’s biggest lake and the town of Te Anau, home to magical glowworm-filled caves acces...

Day 13: Te Anau - Queenstown

From the moment you step outside today, nature rules. Your route through Fiordland National Park is an intoxicating union of beech forests, alluvial flats, meadows and mirror-like lakes. Gin-clear rivers carve the countryside, with all roads leading to Milford Sound/P...

Day 14: Queenstown Free Time

Take today at your own pace. Like things fast and furious? Feel the wind in your hair on the high-octane jet boat ride, perhaps. There’s a reason why Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the country. Nature lover? Discover some of New Zealand’s feathered fr...

Day 15: Queenstown - Franz Josef/Waiau

Try and keep count of today’s lakes. Leaving Lake Wakatipu behind, Arrowtown appears on the horizon. We know you’ll want to linger in the movie-set-like streets, lined with trees and character-filled boutiques. But Lake Dunstan awaits, as do its orchards. Pause to ref...

Day 16: Franz Josef/Waiau - Christchurch

Swap snow for pounamu (native greenstone or jade) in Hokitika: the pounamu found here is the stuff jewellery dreams are made of. Just when you thought your adventure couldn’t get any better, you’ll aboard the TranzAlpine train bound for Christchurch, through tunnels a...

Day 17: Farewell from Christchurch

Two New Zealand islands. Multiple glaciers. Endless lakes. Thermal springs. Black beaches, and white beaches. An endless parade of wildlife. We hope you find the words to describe this epic adventure to your family back home.

Full Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,776
Price per day$340
Last Updated: 12/8/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Double Room (Shared)
Single Room
Availability
11 Jan 2025
27 Jan 2025
$6,740
$8,690
08 Feb 2025
24 Feb 2025
$6,740
$8,690
08 Mar 2025
24 Mar 2025
$6,066
$7,821
15 Mar 2025
31 Mar 2025
$6,740
$8,690
22 Mar 2025
07 Apr 2025
$6,740
$8,690
12 Apr 2025
28 Apr 2025
$6,999
$9,029
19 Apr 2025
05 May 2025
$5,949
$7,675
24 May 2025
09 Jun 2025
$6,795
$8,765
21 Jun 2025
07 Jul 2025
$6,795
$8,765
19 Jul 2025
04 Aug 2025
$6,795
$8,765

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

AAT Kings Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
Excellent
1,423
Great
396
Average
73
Disappointing
24
Terrible
17
B

Brigitte Schafroth Bendel

Dec 2024

Written on

Kia Ora New Zealand

it was a very good trip

T

Trusted Customer

Dec 2024

Written on

Kia Ora New Zealand

The accommodations were very comfortable and personal at the accommodations treated us excellently. Our guide Shawntvee was very informative and helpful with any pr...

T

Trusted Customer

Nov 2024

Written on

Kia Ora New Zealand

Only one hiccup with being in separate bedrooms when we had booked triple for company, otherwise 100% excellent We did have a state of emergency which cancelled ou...

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Trusted Customer

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An incredible experience! Gary had a wealth of knowledge about anything you could want to know. I would have liked a day in Alice Springs to see some of the local s...

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Tour Operator

AAT Kings

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A century ago, the Australian outback was but a twinkle in most travelers’ eyes. But thanks to visionaries like the Pyke family and Bill King, the way we explore the Land Down Under was about to change in unimaginable ways. Over the coming decades, maps were unfolded, desert cruisers and coaches were customized, and guides were trained. From humble beginnings, the company now known as AAT Kings was going places few had gone before, pioneering new paths across Australia and New Zealand and taking intrepid travelers on a wild and wonderful ride. We’ve come a long way and clocked a few kilometers in the process. But some things will never change. Like our spirit for adventure. Our oh-so-knowledgeable Travel Directors. The local characters we meet (and will never forget) along the way. The epic, goosebump-inducing stories we’re told by First Nations guides. The life-changing experiences on offer – the kind that only 100 years of exploring affords. We’ve never been more passionate about our next discovery. Join us and fall in love with Australia and New Zealand all over again. #aatkings


Why we love this operator
AAT Kings is renowned for its quality service, knowledgeable guides, and extensive network of destinations.
What they’re known for
AAT Kings is known for being one of Australia and New Zealand's leading tour operators, specializing in guided tours.

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Logistics

Accommodation

  • Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre
  • Copthorne Hotel and Resort
  • Ibis Rotorua Hotel
  • Travelodge Wellington
  • Picton Beachcomber Inn
  • Wyndham Garden
  • Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel
  • Scenic Hotel Dunedin City
  • Distinction Luxmore Hotel
  • Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown
  • Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
Cancellation policy

Cancellation by the Traveller
Travel arrangements for any member of the party may be cancelled at any time by written notice by the person who made the booking.

If notice of cancellation is received by the Provider before final payment is due (see The Table), the deposit will be retained. If cancellation is made after final payment is due cancellation fees will apply (see The Table). These cancellation fees represent the costs incurred less any expected recoveries. Please also refer to Air cancellation Section where applicable.Notice of cancellation must be made in writing directly to the Provider or through your Travel Agent. Please also refer to the Provider's Gold Seal Additional Protection.

If a person in a party cancels and there is a room change caused by this cancellation (such as a twin share to Single, or Triple to twin share), charges for the new room type will be the responsibility of the remaining party. The charges detailed in the Summary Terms table (which includes GST), representing costs incurred by the Provider in cancelling your travel arrangements, will apply when notice of cancellation for your trip is given after the booking is confirmed. Please also refer to the Provider's Gold Seal Additional Protection.

If a guest fails to join the trip on the day of departure, cancellation fees will be 100% (unless the guest notifies us of the delay and joins the trip later at their own expense).

Cancellation fees as per The Table apply to additional accommodation and/or chargeable transfers prior to and after the trip, itinerary extensions or cruise reserved through the Provider.

Cancellation fees and charges will include any amounts that we have paid or have contractually committed to pay to third parties to deliver your travel arrangements which we cannot reasonably recover (for example payments made or due to airlines and hotels). Any payments we have made to third parties will only be refunded to you once we have deducted the above cancellation fees and charges and once we have actually recovered the amounts from the third parties.

All cancellation fees as per The Table are additional to any cancellation fees or other charges that may be levied by your Travel Agent.

Gold Seal Protection premiums are non-refundable.

If the reason for your cancellation is covered under your insurance, you may be able to reclaim these charges from your insurer. You are responsible for making the claim to your insurer. We will provide you with documentation to support your claim.

Cancellation by the Provider
The Provider reserves the right, to modify or cancel any trip, accommodation, in-destination activity or arrangement, definite or not, at any time.

Cancellation due to Failure to Pay

If full payment is not received by the due date (see The Table), The Provider has the right to cancel your reservation and no refund will be made. The Provider will not be responsible for lost reservations.

Cancellation due to Force Majeure Events

If The Provider cancels a trip as a result of a Force Majeure Event, a future travel credit (FTC) to the value of funds paid to date, less any unrecoverable third-party costs incurred, will be provided. All FTCs will be valid for 24 months from date of issue.

Where a trip is terminated mid-trip due to a Force Majeure event, if we provide you with any alternative services or assistance (such as hotels or travel) then you agree to pay for these costs.

Cancellation due to Events other than Force Majeure Events

If the cancellation by the Provider is not as a result of a Force Majeure Event, the Provider will provide an alternative comparable trip (if available). If an alternative is not available, then a refund will be made. The Provider is not liable for any cancellation or change cost or penalties incurred on other travel arrangements, including air travel, that may be affected thereby.

The Provider is not responsible for other travel arrangements that you or your party have made outside the Provider and which are affected by our cancellations.

For more additional details, see the booking conditions of TruTravels at the following web address: https://www.aatkings.com/about-us/booking-conditions-published-5-august-2024/

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
  • 16 Full Breakfast (B)
  • 5 Dinner (D)
  • 2 Highlight Dinner (HD)
  • 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)
Age Requirements
6 years and up
Additional Information
Trip ID
aatkin-LABC24

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