14 Day Classic New Zealand Vacation Package Itinerary

Haere Mai Welcome to the 'City of Sails' Auckland. 

Relax, you are officially on holiday! We have arranged for you to be met and transferred to your accommodation. The remainder of the day is yours to do as you please and to let the family get over the time difference as tomorrow is the start of your New Zealand Adventure. Take a stroll around our beautiful city, explore the highly acclaimed Waterfront Restaurant Quarter or choose one of the many activities available to give a more in-depth understanding of Auckland and the surrounding area. Visit the iconic Sky Tower, join a whale and dolphin cruise, visit nearby Waiheke or Rangitoto Island.

Accommodation: Auckland - 1 Night

Travel to Rotorua, the geothermal heart of New Zealand’s North Island, where powerful natural forces shape the landscape. Discover the country’s farming heritage with a visit to see New Zealand’s iconic sheep, including 13 different breeds. Explore Te Puia’s 70-hectare park in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley, where bubbling mud pools, steaming vents, and erupting geysers put nature’s energy on full display. In the evening, enjoy an immersive cultural experience with a buffet of hāngī, fresh kai moana, sweet treats, and a vibrant performance of waiata, haka, and poi.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Approximate Distance: 230 km | 143 miles  Total Driving Time: 3 hours

Accommodation: Rotorua - 2 Nights

Embark on a magical journey, only 15 minutes from Rotorua, through untouched native New Zealand forest from an unexplored perspective. On a 3 hour guided eco-tour, experience 1 mile of forest suspended up to 22 metres (72 feet) high amongst ancient trees.

Mix thrill and wonder through an incredible network of trails, tree platforms, ziplines (flying fox), and swing bridges. The changing views are breathtaking as you experience the thrill of flying through changing landscapes from high above unexplored forested valleys, to tight openings through the forest sub-canopy, to amongst stands of giant long-forgotten trees.

Return your rental car to Rotorua Airport and fly to Christchurch, the South Island’s largest city. On arrival, collect your next rental vehicle and begin exploring. Set beside the Pacific Ocean, Christchurch—known as the Garden City—features leafy parks and gardens woven through the city centre. Historic English-style architecture blends with striking post-earthquake regeneration, creating a lively, contemporary atmosphere. After settling in, unwind with a leisurely punt along the Avon River, gliding past iconic sights and the Botanic Gardens for a peaceful introduction to the city.

Accommodation: Christchurch Hotel - 1 Night

Drive across the Canterbury Plains to the serene Lake Tekapo, set in the Mackenzie Basin amid stunning high-country scenery. Framed by the Southern Alps, including Aoraki / Mount Cook, the area offers breathtaking views. Visit the iconic lakeside church, a favorite for couples’ wedding photos against turquoise waters and snow-capped peaks. At night, experience the sky like nowhere else—Tekapo is part of one of only three Grade 1 Dark Sky Reserves worldwide. Expert guides reveal the Milky Way, Southern Cross, and more through telescopes and specialized binoculars.

Approximate Distance: 330 km | 206 miles  Total Driving Time: 4 hours 30 mins

Accommodation: Mt Cook National Park - 2 Nights

Experience the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake and its icebergs, in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. A unique guided experience departing Aoraki/Mount Cook village by bus to the beautiful Tasman Valley followed by a 1/2hr gentle alpine walk. Board a MAC boat, and explore the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake, where you will discover the ever-changing ice face of the Glacier and icebergs, making each trip different from the last due to changing winds and currents.

Included Meals: Breakfast

The journey to Queenstown is spectacular, crossing the rugged Crown Range—the highest main road in New Zealand—with sweeping views and scenic lookouts worth lingering over. More relaxed drivers can follow the gentler route beside the Clutha River, Lake Dunstan, and Shotover River, passing Gibbston Valley vineyards and the iconic Kawarau Bridge bungy. Set amid dramatic alpine scenery, Queenstown is both thrilling and refined, offering world-class adventure—from jet boating to skydiving—alongside luxury dining, wine, spas, and championship golf.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Approximate Distance: 265 km | 165 miles  Total Driving Time: 3 hours 30 mins

Accommodation: Queenstown - 3 Nights

Enjoy a premium Business Class Milford Sound experience that showcases one of New Zealand’s most dramatic natural landscapes. Journey by luxury coach along the iconic Milford Road, passing rainforest, waterfalls, and glacial valleys with expert commentary and handpicked scenic stops. Cruise through Piopiotahi Milford Sound, where sheer cliffs plunge into inky waters, waterfalls tumble from hanging valleys, and seals, dolphins, and penguins may appear. Return by scenic flight over fiords and alpine peaks, maximising time immersed in this UNESCO World Heritage wilderness with comfort, style, and seamless service.

Included Meals: Morning Tea, Lunch

All aboard the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw! This old coal-fired beauty has been ferrying passengers around the lake for over a 100 years. Experience fascinating and love watching the stokers at work in the engine room and seeing the glowing fireboxes.

On arrival at Walter peak High Country Farm on the western shores of Lake Wakatipu, you will get a real taste for rural New Zealand. Feel free to pet and feed the lambs (during Spring - Oct to December) and other farmyard animals, watch the sheepdog's round-up a flock of sheep, and see a shearing demonstration. The high country air works up a healthy appetite, so the trip includes morning or afternoon tea with fresh scones with jam.

Included Meals: Afternoon Tea

Today you’ll explore Mou Waho, one of only five islands in Lake Wanaka, accessible via a 35-minute boat cruise. This predator-free nature reserve shelters rare and endangered species, giving you a unique chance to observe them up close. Follow a well-marked track with a local guide to Tyrwhitt Peak, home to Arethusa Pool, a miniature lake with its own islands. Marvel at the 360-degree views of Lake Wanaka and surrounding mountains. On warm days, take a refreshing swim in Mou Waho’s crystal-clear waters—a truly unforgettable experience.

Approximate Distance: 70 km | 43 miles  Total Driving Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Accommodation: Wanaka - 1 Night

The drive from Wanaka to Franz Josef is one of the most scenic in New Zealand. Mountain passes give way to the ancient rainforest and the windswept West Coast. There's beauty around every bend, with woodland walks and dramatic waterfalls along the way - perfect for picnic stops. Nestled in a rainforest clearing, Franz Josef Glacier Village lies at the heart of the Westland National Park. Welcome to one of the most diverse and beautiful areas of New Zealand.

Approximate Distance: 285 km | 177 miles  Total Driving Time: 4 hours

Accommodation: Franz Josef - 2 Nights

Franz Josef village is small (only 500 locals) and is located only ten minutes from the Glacier. The magnificent Franz Josef Glacier is widely regarded as the gem of New Zealand’s West Coast glaciers. Tumbling down from the Southern Alps almost to the sea, its ancient icy faces contrast spectacularly with the surrounding rainforests.

There are many different ways to admire the glacier. You can walk to the terminal face, get a bird's eye view with a scenic helicopter flight, or take an exhilarating Heli-Hike up to the bluest ice.

Whatever you choose, get ready to experience the most spectacular glacier environment anywhere in the world.

Start your day with a stunning coastal drive to Greymouth, stopping in Hokitika to browse artisan pounamu (greenstone) carvings, a sacred Maori treasure and perfect keepsake. Then board the world-renowned TranzAlpine train for one of the most scenic rail journeys on earth. Travel from the West Coast, over dramatic viaducts and through gorges and river valleys, into the Southern Alps. Pause at Arthur’s Pass National Park before descending across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch, experiencing breathtaking landscapes and a coast-to-coast adventure that showcases New Zealand’s extreme natural beauty.

Approximate Distance: 385 km | 239 miles  Total Driving Time: 5 hours

Accommodation: Christchurch Hotel - 1 Night
 

"Haere rā" Goodbye! and Bon Voyage!

We know you will enjoy touring New Zealand and our promise is to make your travels through New Zealand as hassle-free and hospitable as possible - ensuring that today you leave with a memory card full of photos, and huge smiles on your faces when recalling your time in New Zealand! Have a great homeward journey, farewell, and hope to see you again soon in Aotearoa, New Zealand.