3-Week New Zealand Tour Packages
Three weeks in New Zealand covers both islands, and will no doubt make you want to return! Try exploring Auckland's harbors, visiting Rotorua's geothermal wonders, discovering Wellington's culture, touring Queenstown's adventure activities, and experiencing Milford Sound's fjords. You're bungy jumping, hiking trails, tasting wines, seeing landscapes that look computer-generated. It’s a dream come true!
Insider tips: Recommended 3-week New Zealand tour itineraries
Compiled by
SteffNew Zealand travel expert at TourRadar
Queenstown New Zealand
69 miFiordland National Park New Zealand
59 miMilford Sound New Zealand
43 miQueenstown New Zealand
8 miWalter Peak New Zealand
8 miQueenstown New Zealand
222 miChristchurch New Zealand
103 miGreymouth New Zealand
103 miChristchurch New Zealand
169 miPicton New Zealand
40 miWellington New Zealand
306 miAuckland New Zealand
21 Day New Zealand Itinerary, incl. Auckland and Queenstown
A 21-day route spans 12 cities across both islands. Surf the waves in Raglan, walk through Te Puia geothermal valley, trek Abel Tasman National Park, float on Milford Sound, and cycle Lake Tekapo's canals. Package includes 20 breakfasts and accommodation.
- Days 1-2
Auckland & Raglan
Plan to arrive in Auckland in the afternoon to avoid heavy morning traffic. Take your first day to get over jet lag. On day 2 drive to Raglan (3 hours) and stop at Bridal Veil Falls along the way. "The black sand beaches and surf culture make Raglan feel like stepping into a different world."
- Days 3-5
Rotorua & Taupo Region
Start with a morning surf lesson in Raglan before heading to Waitomo Caves. Get there early to beat the crowds. Visit Te Puia geothermal valley in Rotorua at night when the geysers look their best. "The evening light makes the geysers even more spectacular." Make your way to Lake Taupo and stop at Huka Falls. "Bring a waterproof camera for the falls - the spray reaches further than you'd expect!"
- Days 6-7
Wellington & Ferry Crossing
Drive to Wellington (5-6 hours) and visit Te Papa Museum when you arrive. Take the Interislander ferry to South Island the next morning. "Stand outside during the Marlborough Sounds portion - the views are incredible, but bring a warm layer."
- Days 8-10
Abel Tasman & West Coast
Check out Abel Tasman National Park's beautiful beaches. Drive south along the West Coast to Franz Josef and stop at Cape Foulwind to see the seals. "The coastal road between Westport and Franz Josef is one of NZ's most scenic drives - plan extra time for photo stops."
- Days 11-15
Franz Josef & Queenstown Region
Book a heli-hike at Franz Josef Glacier early since spots fill up fast. Take the scenic drive to Queenstown through Haast Pass (8-9 hours). Spend 3-4 days using Queenstown as your base and take a day trip to Milford Sound. "The Milford Road is just as impressive as the sound itself - leave early to beat tour buses."
- Days 16-18
Lake Tekapo & Christchurch
Visit Lake Tekapo and go stargazing at Mt John Observatory. "Book the night sky tour in advance and check moon phases - new moons offer the best viewing." Continue on to explore Christchurch.
- Days 19-21
Kaikoura & Return to Wellington
Head to Kaikoura for morning whale watching when the sea is calmest. Take the ferry back to Wellington to wrap up your trip. "The whale watching in Kaikoura is incredible, but bring motion sickness pills - the waters can get rough."
21 Days in New Zealand, incl. Auckland and Queenstown
The 21-day route connects 14 major destinations from Auckland to Christchurch. Visit iconic sites like Hobbiton, Abel Tasman National Park, and Franz Josef Glacier. Package includes internal flight, shared accommodation, and 3 group dinners for around $3,100 total.
- Days 1-2
Coromandel Peninsula
Start in Auckland then head to Coromandel. Check out Cathedral Cove early in the morning to beat the crowds and relax in the natural hot pools at Hot Water Beach during low tide. Pack water shoes since the sand gets very hot near the thermal springs.
- Days 3-4
Rotorua & Taupo
Discover Rotorua's geothermal areas and Maori culture. Visit Hobbiton Movie Set in the morning for the best photos and continue to Lake Taupo. If the weather looks good try the Tongariro Crossing. Start by 7:30 AM for the best conditions.
- Days 5-6
Waitomo & Raglan
See the famous glowworm caves in Waitomo. Wear shoes with good grip since the cave floors can be slippery. Next stop is Raglan's surf beaches. One traveler noted: "The morning surf lesson on Raglan's infamous left-hand break was unforgettable - even for complete beginners."
- Days 7-9
South Island Start & West Coast
Take a flight from Auckland to Christchurch. Drive through Arthur's Pass to see Punakaiki's Pancake Rocks. Visit during high tide to watch the blowholes in action. Look out for seal colonies along the west coast drive.
- Days 10-12
Abel Tasman
Take time to explore this beautiful national park. Go kayaking in the morning when the water is calmer. Try hiking the coastal track or canyoning. Visit Golden Bay's Wharariki Beach at sunset for great photos.
- Days 13-14
Marlborough & Kaikoura
Stop by Marlborough's wineries to taste their Sauvignon Blanc. Head to Kaikoura for whale watching. Book morning tours when the sea is usually smoother with better visibility.
- Days 15-16
Lake Tekapo & Queenstown
See Lake Tekapo's bright blue waters and go stargazing at the Dark Sky Reserve. Check the moon calendar for the best viewing nights. Continue to Queenstown for adventure activities.
- Days 17-18
Milford Sound & Queenstown Activities
Take a morning cruise to Milford Sound when the weather is typically better. Back in Queenstown try bungy jumping or skydiving. A visitor suggests: "Plan your big-ticket activities early in your Queenstown stay in case weather causes postponements."
- Days 19-21
Franz Josef & Return
Visit Franz Josef Glacier. Book heli-hikes well in advance if traveling during peak season. Return to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass with a stop at Hokitika Gorge to see its bright blue water.
New Zealand 21 Day Tour Packages You'll Love
New Zealand By Train, Bus & Ferry
New Zealand: Wild Coasts & Alpine Climbs
New Zealand Discovery Tour
Funky Chicken - Hop-On Hop-Off bus pass
New Zealand Uncovered (Northbound)
Ultimate New Zealand (Southbound)
New Zealand Odyssey
New Zealand Highlights - 3 Week | ULTIMATE
Spirit of New Zealand (Small Groups)
Spirit of New Zealand (Small Groups)
What people love about 3-week New Zealand tours
- New Zealand: Wild Coasts & Alpine Climbs
This is the best tour I have done so far in my travelling. It is very well organized and everything works seamlessly. The accommodation is one of the best parts because you get the opportunity to stay at some really cool places that are very different and definitely not places you would get to go if you were a solo traveller. The only thing I would recommend is to budget a little extra for this tour. The included activities are great, but there are a lot of optional activities that are amazing and you will end up really wanting to do them. Plus, since you are moving around so much, buying groceries is difficult so you end up eating out quite a bit which gets expensive if you are doing it for three weeks. Overall, the tour was amazing and you will meet so many great people :)
- New Zealand Discovery Tour
My 3-week trip to New Zealand was fantastic! We saw a lot of the country, even though it was during Christmas and New Year's. Some activities weren't available due to the holidays, but our guides, Ben and Tegan, made sure we had a great time regardless. Ben and Tegan were amazing, sharing interesting facts about New Zealand and keeping the trip fun. The tour offered good value, with nice accommodations (except for one place in Rotorua) and enjoyable included activities. Just keep in mind the cost of optional activities when planning your budget. Also, expect some long drives. Being at the back of the bus can make it hard to see the scenery. Overall, the trip was memorable, thanks to the careful planning and the effort of our guides to ensure we didn't miss out on the fun, despite the holiday season.
- New Zealand Uncovered (Northbound)
This tour was run by Haka Tours. There were several things that didn't go according to the itinerary: stay in Ohau was changed to Lake Tekapo, stay in Raglan was changed to Waitomo (which added 1.5hrs drive in the opposite direction). These were without any advance notice from Intrepid/Haka and no explanation given. We lost the morning free time in Raglan as a result & ended up on the road extra long. The published itinerary is too optimistic and in reality, driving time is much longer (half of the trip is spent on the road). This means much less free time than listed -- for example, forget about having morning free time in the towns because we had to get on the road early. Since shops close by 5-6pm, by the time we check in and have free time, the shops were closing. The 20 day tour ended up with different tour guides for the first & second half - one who was hired last minute & hadn't done the tour in this direction before, hadn't read the itinerary descriptions & didn't know about the listed optional activities. The 2nd guide was much more organized but then mis-managed the time and we ended up completely missing one of the scheduled activities which had to be moved to the next day. Not just the tour guides but the tour company made mistakes too. For example, the new people joining the 2nd half of the tour weren't even told when to meet up or were given wrong information. And the ferry crossing only had reservation for the tour bus but not the trailer. You'd expect an experienced company not to be missing these kinds of details. Most of the accommodations were motel quality and decent but a couple were really bad though like very dated, or lumpy carpet, or next to noisy highway. A couple of the breakfasts included were too simple - one was vegan with no hot food, and another looked like a kid's meal (fruit cup, yogurt, museli, toast). Most of the activities are optional which means the cost is much higher if you want to do highlights included in other tours like Milford Sound. As for booking optional activities, the FAQ says to contact them to book in advance but the reply received was to book with the guide after the tour starts. However, certain popoular excursions get booked up so some people missed out because of this. There's also discrepancy between the tour description on the Haka Tours site vs Intrepid (I compared them day-by-day) -- go with the Haka one as more accurate.
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