New Zealand Rail and Cruise Discovery Christchurch → Auckland (2027)

19 days

•

From Christchurch to Auckland

4.1

26 traveler reviews

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Operator: APT
Explorer: Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
Group Tour: Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 1 - 200
Ages 8+

Places You’ll See

Christchurch
Greymouth
Queenstown
Haast
Milford Sound
Te Anau
Fiordland National Park
Doubtful Sound
Stewart Island
Dunedin
Mount Cook
Picton
Wellington
Rotorua
Auckland

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

Enjoy a Canterbury Feast on arrival
Cruise the stunning Milford Sound
Explore the historic town of Akaroa
Dine aboard the Christchurch Tramway
Visit the Royal Albatross Centre

Itinerary

View Full Itinerary

Introduction

Day 1 Arrive Christchurch
Day 2 Christchurch
Day 3 Christchurch, TranzAlpine Train, Greymouth, Franz Josef/Waiau
Day 4 Franz Josef/Waiau, Queenstown
Day 5 Queenstown
Day 6 Queenstown, Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, Te Anau
Day 7 Te Anau, Doubtful Sound/ Patea
Day 8 Doubtful Sound/Patea, Invercargill
Day 9 Invercargill
Day 10 Invercargill, Dunedin
Day 11 Dunedin, Aoraki/Mount Cook
Day 12 Aoraki/Mount Cook, Christchurch
Day 13 Coastal Pacific Train, Picton, Interislander Ferry, Wellington
Day 14 Wellington
Day 15 Wellington, Taupō, Rotorua
Day 16 Rotorua
Day 17 Rotorua, Glenbrook Vintage Railway, Auckland
Day 18 Auckland
Day 19 Depart Auckland

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport
Free eSIM
TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Rydges Latimer Christchurch
Hotel
Days 1, 2, 12
Franz Josef/Waiau
Hotel
day 3
Millennium Hotel Queenstown
Hotel
Days 4, 5
Distinction Te Anau Hotel & Villas
Hotel
day 6
Doubtful Sound/Patea Overnight Cruise
Hotel
day 7
Distinction Invercargill Hotel
Hotel
Days 8, 9
Distinction Dunedin Hotel
Hotel
day 10
Hermitage Hotel
Hotel
day 11
Wellington
Hotel
day 13
Millennium Rotorua
Hotel
Days 15, 16
Cordis
Hotel
Days 17, 18

Operated by

APT

4.1

(26 reviews)

Number of tours

366

Age Range

8 to 99 years old

Response time

within 2 days

Response rate

56%

A family-owned company since its conception in the 1920s. APT had its...

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Reviews from other tours by APT

Tour Operator
4.1

John
February 6th, 2023
4.0
The tour started on a wrong note because we were not met at the airport in Auckland. After some time and effort...
The tour started on a wrong note because we were not met at the airport in Auckland. After some time and effort another gentleman unrelated to the tour drove us to our hotel and wouldn't dream of taking any money. This was the first of many interfaces with NZ people, who seem to be universally friendly and helpful. Once we met with tour director Fernando and the rest of our tour group the trip was terrific. Although this was billed as "rail tour" we spent much more time on the tour bus then on the rails. However, the two bus drivers - John and then Rob - were excellent and provided local insight into all of the areas we visited, in a knowledgeable and humorous manner. We managed to leave our passports in a hotel safe, and Fernando went all out to recover them for us. The tour group were all seniors, and we made some good friends that we hope to see again. The NZ weather was perfect for the whole tour, and we were in warm dry Christchurch when Auckland had their floods Clearly we would have needed a much longer time to see all that NZ has to offer, but what we did see was impressive - incredible greenery, roads and rail lines installed thru impossible terrain, huge cattle and sheep herds, entrepreneurship displayed every where. Terrific tour, nice folks!Show more
David
March 23rd, 2020
5.0
Our tour director, Daniel, did a really good job and made our 6 days very enjoyable. The bus driver was also very...
Show more
Anonymous
January 28th, 2012
4.0
We went on the Southern Sensation premier plus tour. It was absolutely amazing!! We live in the North Island and i...
We went on the Southern Sensation premier plus tour. It was absolutely amazing!! We live in the North Island and i can honestly say i fell in love with my country all over again. We had never been to the south island before and wanted to go and explore before we take the kids. Our bus driver and tour guide were both fantastic. Our tour guide made sure everything was perfect and any thing else we needed was not a problem. Our bus driver was just as good and helpful. They worked so well together and they both knew stories about the history of places. I highly recommend using APT, even if it is around your own country and trust me you will still be amazed. - Michelle K, New ZealandShow more

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 234825

Currency
$
New Zealand Dollar
New Zealand
Plugs & Adapters
As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type I.
Type I
New Zealand
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before June 8th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after June 8th, 2026, a minimum payment of $750 is required to confirm your booking with APT. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 120 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- The following cards are accepted for "APT" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of APT. Please familiarize yourself with the APT payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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New Zealand Rail and Cruise Discovery Christchurch → Auckland (2027)

No departure dates available

Places You’ll See

Highlights

Itinerary

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Where You'll Stay

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

Travel Insurance

Reviews from other tours by APT

No departure dates available

Good to Know

Keep Exploring New Zealand