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Spirit of New Zealand - 01 Oct 2026 to 18 Mar 2027
Operated by Trafalgar
Tripcode: LCQB0M26
Overview
Destination:
New Zealand,
Duration:21 days
Type:Group tour (max 45)
Travel Period
October 2026 - March 2027
Discover the spirit of New Zealand, thoughtfully paced with six two-night stays. Cruise Milford Sound or Piopiotahi, cross Cook Strait by ferry and travel through the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine. Enjoy a private visit to Transport World, walk Napier’s Art Deco streets and connect with Māori culture in Rotorua, with coastal Punakaiki, vibrant Nelson and the Bay of Islands along the way. This trip is accompanied by a Travel Director and Driver.
Sightseeing highlights
- Explore Transport World Invercargill, Art Deco Napier on a walking tour, Bay of Islands, & Waitangi Treaty Grounds
- Discover Maori culture at Te Puia Rotorua, craft of Pounamu (Jade) carving, & the All Blacks Experience
- Visit Templeton Flax Mill, Real Country Farm, & historic Arrowtown
- View Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, & Church of the Good Shepherd Tekapo
- Scenic Cruise on Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, & Cook Strait from North to Sound Island
Highlights:
Standard inclusions
- 20 Breakfast (B)
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 1 Lunch (L)
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- Porterage where hotels provide this service
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- All land transport shown. All transfers shown
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- This trip is operated by our Australia and New Zealand Specialists at AAT Kings.
Itinerary
Expand all 
Collapse all
Collapse allWelcome to Christchurch
Welcome to New Zealand. Kick things off in Christchurch, buzzing with community spirit that runs deep. Spend time at leisure getting to know the city your way before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers this evening for a briefing and welcome drinks.
Canterbury Plains and a Taste of Geraldine
See the highlights of Christchurch this morning, including the innovative Cardboard Cathedral and the Botanic Gardens, loved for their landscaped beauty and tranquil riverside setting. Then watch the scenery shift as you travel across the Canterbury Plains to Geraldine. Stop in at historic Barkers Store to sample local cheeses and regional produce before continuing along the East Coast into the Waitaki Valley with its winding rivers, rolling farmland and mountain backdrops near Lake Benmore. Arrive in Omarama this evening, a quintessential country town and your home for the night.
Discover Clyde and Invercargill
Clyde is sure to keep your camera busy with its big personality. Wander its historic precinct where gold mining era buildings have been transformed into cafes and shops. Later, you’ll roll into Invercargill, a city with a real passion for wheels and speed legends. Visit Bill Richardson Transport World for a guided tour, exploring more than 300 vehicles and the stories behind them, from rare finds to classic favourites.
Journey to Fiordland
Travel through the rolling farmland and lush pastures of Southland to Templeton Flax Mill. On a guided visit with Nathan Templeton, mill curator and grandson of the founder, you’ll hear how flax helped shape the local economy on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, with proceeds supporting the mill’s future as a living museum. Continue to Riverton, a charming seaside town, before heading into Fiordland National Park and on to Te Anau, set on the shores of the South Island’s largest lake. Breathe it in, this is serenity at its best.
Spectacular Milford Sound
From the moment you step outside, nature takes the lead. Journey through Fiordland National Park where beech forests, open flats and mirror-like lakes set the scene. Crystal-clear rivers will carve through the landscape as you make your way to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi. Then take to the water on a sightseeing cruise into the pristine fiord, soaking up towering cliffs, tumbling waterfalls and the chance to spot wildlife along the way.
Meet a local farmer
Get a taste of country life and classic southern hospitality at Real Country as you meet a local farmer and step into day-to-day farm living. Watch horse communication in action and see working sheep dogs muster with skill and speed on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Later, you’ll have the chance to wander the heritage streets of Arrowtown, a gold rush village lined with trees and character-filled boutiques before arriving in Queenstown for a two-night stay in New Zealand’s adventure capital.
Queenstown, Your Way
Today is yours to soak up Queenstown and its surroundings. Grab lunch at leisure at cult favourite Fergburger, known for its gourmet burgers and buzzing atmosphere. You might choose to dial up the thrill with an Optional Experience, like a high-octane jet boat ride tearing along the Shotover River. Prefer something smoother? Head out to nearby vineyards for a tasting or take it easy with an afternoon cruise on Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue dinner.
Queenstown onto Christchurch
This morning, pick up a sweet taste of the region at the Jones Family fruit stall, then settle in for one of the South Island’s most scenic drives. You’ll cross the alpine sweep of Lindis Pass between Otago and the Mackenzie Basin, with big sky views and rugged peaks, with the majestic Aoraki/Mount Cook among them. Stop in Tekapo on the shores of turquoise Lake Tekapo, where the stone Church of the Good Shepherd sits in a picture-perfect setting. Later, continue across the Canterbury Plains back to Christchurch.
A Great Rail Journey to Punakaiki
All aboard the TranzAlpine train for one of New Zealand’s greatest rail journeys. Travel towards Arthur’s Pass, through tunnels and over soaring viaducts as snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, beech forests and deep gorges roll past your window. Stop in Greymouth, known for its mining history, before continuing to Punakaiki to see the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes.
Wild beauty, Kahurangi
Today is made for sitting back and taking it all in. Follow the Heritage Highway towards Nelson as your journey winds through the dramatic Buller Gorge, a deep canyon that’s home to New Zealand’s longest swing bridge. Continue alongside the wild beauty of Kahurangi National Park, where rivers, high plateaus, alpine herb fields and coastal forests set the scene for a relaxed arrival into Nelson.
Top of the South
Sleep in or get moving, today is completely at leisure. If you feel like getting out on the water, you can choose an Optional Experience to Abel Tasman National Park for a cruise and walk. This corner of the island is pure calm, with golden beaches, sculpted granite cliffs and one of the country’s most loved coastal tracks, so make the most of it.
Cruise Queen Charlotte Sound
All aboard for a voyage that’s a must on any Kiwi adventure. Today, you’ll cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound, glide up the Tory Channel and cross Cook Strait from the South Island to the North, weaving past a maze of arms and inlets before arriving in Wellington, the country’s cool little capital.
Wellington onto Napier
First, you’ll get to know Wellington on a highlights tour, then you’ll travel on to Napier, a city with a story you can see in every facade. After a massive earthquake in 1931 destroyed the commercial centre of Napier, rebuilding began almost immediately in the architectural styles of the times - Striped Classical, Spanish Mission and Art Deco.
Discover Art Deco Icons
This morning, join a Local Specialist from the Art Deco Trust for an easy stroll through Napier’s compact Art Deco Quarter on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience that brings the city’s fascinating design history to life. The afternoon is yours. You might choose an Optional Experience sampling Hawke’s Bay wines, or head out on an overland safari to the gannet nesting colony at Cape Kidnappers.
Culture Capital Rotorua
The scenery opens wide as Lake Taupo comes into view, the country’s largest lake and one of its bluest. Not far away, you’ll hear Huka Falls before you see it, thundering and powerful. Then Rotorua sets the senses alight, where mud pops, steam rises and the land’s geothermal heartbeat is impossible to miss. In the afternoon, you’ll visit a traditional Pounamu workshop to learn about jade carving. Later, delve deep into Māori culture with the Te Pō Indigenous Experience at Te Puia. Enjoy a powerful cultural performance in the carved meeting house Te Aronui a Rua, see the Pohutu Geyser and finish with a buffet dinner of hāngī-inspired flavours, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
Rotorua, It’s All Yours
Today is yours, with your Travel Director on hand if you want tips to match your mood. Ease into the steamy thermal springs at Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, chase movie magic with an Optional Experience to the Hobbiton Movie Set, or even take to the skies on a scenic flight for a fresh, bird's-eye-view of the scenery.
Auckland, the City of Sails
Today, follow the Waikato River as you make your way to Auckland, the ‘City of Sails’, where yachts glide across two harbours and the skyline meets the sea. Then it’s time for something truly Kiwi. Dive into the country’s national game at the interactive All Blacks Experience, exploring the team’s remarkable history through displays and presentations, before a traditional haka performance brings it all to a thrilling close.
Auckland onto Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is made up of around 140 islands dotted across turquoise water and it’s as beautiful as it sounds. It’s also one of the most important places in New Zealand’s story. Visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between Captain William Hobson and Māori chiefs. With a Local Specialist, you’ll explore the site’s significance and see the world’s largest ceremonial war canoe alongside a beautifully carved meeting house.
Bay of Islands at Leisure
This is the kind of place that makes you want to stay outdoors from morning to sunset. Today is yours to shape. You could choose an Optional Experience travelling to Cape Reinga or Te Rerenga Wairua at the very top of New Zealand via the sweeping sands of Ninety Mile Beach. Prefer to be on the water? Cruise to the Hole in the Rock, sail on an historic tall ship, or join a tour of Russell to learn more about the early days of the Bay of Islands.
Travel to Auckland
Enjoy a final taste of the north as you travel south to Whangārei, the country’s most northerly city. Explore the Whangārei Basin, where riverside attractions bring together galleries, museums and an easy-going local vibe - a snapshot of New Zealand’s blend of nature and culture. Then settle back for the scenic return to Auckland. Tonight, raise a glass at dinner and drinks with your Travel Director and travel companions.
Farewell Auckland
Over the past three weeks, we hope you’ve filled your camera with big moments and your days with even better company. As you head home, it’s the memories that will stay with you longest, the landscapes, the stories and the new friends made along the way. Farewell for now!
Dates
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Operator
Trafalgar
The best of the world unlocked for you. Imagine unmissable experiences you’ve always dreamed of, getting to know the locals and having everything taken care of every step of the way. Here's what you'll experience: Must-sees to local secrets: Visiting bucket list sites are a highlight of travelling, however, travelling on your own can make them hard work. Don’t queue with other sightseers for hours, with Trafalgar our experts unlock doors – think exclusive access to the Vatican out of hours or a tour of Versailles and its grounds with an expert. This, coupled with the intimate glimpses and hidden gems our local specialists show you, are the life-changing experiences that make you feel like an insider, not a tourist. One-of-a-kind experiences: Thanks to our global network you’ll unlock local access to communities and people around the world. Our 100+ Be My Guest experiences are a signature Trafalgar exclusive, where you will enjoy the hospitality of locals as you are welcomed into their homes to hear their stories and learn about their cultures. In every destination, you’ll also enjoy unique “Stays with stories” accommodation: more than just a place to rest your head, they are part of the heritage and fabric of the communities you visit. Responsible travel at heart: When you choose Trafalgar, you are choosing to make your travels a force for good and support our goal to MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®. We recognise our responsibility to ensure we make a positive impact on the planet we call home, the people we visit, and the rich wildlife we find. We ensure that the impacts of our business and your travels are positive in two ways: through our TreadRight Foundation, and our 5-year sustainability strategy How We Tread Right.
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Please note: We are proud to be an independent agent to travel providers of hotels, flights and other related services. We are not a tour operator. Details and information on the offer are provided by 3rd party businesses and although we do our best to verify the information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on all occasions. These offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.
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20 nights
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