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Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Essence of New Zealand (2026/2027) (32 destinations)

15 days
From Christchurch to Auckland
4.3
116 traveler reviews

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
Explorer
Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
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 20 - 48
All Ages Welcome
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Christchurch

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Christchurch city centre and earthquake recovery sites
    Landmarks
    Christchurch
    Itinerary Image 1
  2. Day 2

    Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Guided exploration of Christchurch
    • Visit Church of the Good Shepherd
    • Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience at Tekapo
    Landmarks
    Church of the Good Shepherd
    Lake Tekapo
    Canterbury Plains
  3. Day 3

    Lake Tekapo to Dunedin

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Dunedin Leisure Lodge)

    Included Activities

    • Visit New Zealand's oldest public gardens in Oamaru

    Optional Activities

    • Explore art-lined alleys in Dunedin
    • Visit Speights Brewery
    • Tour Larnach Castle
    • Spot fur seals and penguins
    Landmarks
    Oamaru
    Speights Brewery
    Larnach Castle
    Dunedin
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  4. Day 4

    Dunedin to Stewart Island

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Kelvin Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Guided Village and Bays tour on Stewart Island

    Optional Activities

    • Leisurely cruise around Paterson Inlet with picnic lunch and visit to Ulva Island
    Landmarks
    Stewart Island
    Paterson Inlet
    Ulva Island
  5. Day 5

    Stewart Island to Queenstown

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown)

    Included Activities

    • Real Country Farm Show experience with demonstrations of horse communication and sheep dog mustering
    • Stock whip cracking lesson
    • Interaction with farm animals
    Landmarks
    Real Country Farm
    Queenstown
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  6. Day 6

    Queenstown

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown)

    Optional Activities

    • Milford Sound cruise and exploration in Fiordland National Park
    • Jet boat ride on Shotover River
    • Vineyard wine tasting tours
    • TSS Earnslaw afternoon cruise to Walter Peak High Country Farm with gourmet barbecue dinner
    Landmarks
    Milford Sound
    Fiordland National Park
    Shotover River
    Walter Peak High Country Farm
  7. Day 7

    Queenstown to Franz Josef

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Arrowtown

    Optional Activities

    • Buy fresh stone fruit at Lake Dunstan
    • Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere flight tour
    Landmarks
    Arrowtown
    Lake Dunstan
    Lake Hawea
    Lake Wanaka
    Haast Pass
    Franz Josef Glacier
    Westland World Heritage Park
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  8. Day 8

    Franz Josef to Hokitika

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Scenic Hotel Punakaiki)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Pancake Rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Hokitika's greenstone and pounamu shops
    Landmarks
    Hokitika
    Pancake Rocks and Blowholes
    Punakaiki
  9. Day 9

    Hokitika to Nelson

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (The Rutherford Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Travel through Buller Gorge
    • Travel through Kahurangi National Park
    Landmarks
    Buller Gorge
    Kahurangi National Park
  10. Day 10

    Nelson

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (The Rutherford Hotel)

    Optional Activities

    • Abel Tasman National Park cruise and walk combination
    Landmarks
    Abel Tasman National Park
  11. Day 11

    Nelson to Wellington

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Travelodge Wellington)

    Included Activities

    • Interislander ferry cruise from South Island to North Island
    Landmarks
    Queen Charlotte Sound
    Tory Channel
    Cook Strait
    Wellington
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  12. Day 12

    Wellington to Napier

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Scenic Hotel Te Pania)

    Included Activities

    • Explore Napier's 1930s Art Deco architecture
    Landmarks
    Napier
  13. Day 13

    Napier to Rotorua

    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner (Highlight Dinner with hangi-inspired cuisine and cultural performance)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Sudima Lake Rotorua)

    Included Activities

    • Explore Lake Taupo
    • See Huka Falls
    • Te Puia geothermal valley exploration
    • Guided tour of Maori Arts & Crafts Institute
    • Highlight Dinner with hangi-inspired cuisine and cultural performance in Te Aronui a Rua meeting house
    • View Pohutu Geyser with hot chocolate
    Landmarks
    Lake Taupo
    Huka Falls
    Te Puia
    Pohutu Geyser
    Rotorua
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  14. Day 14

    Rotorua

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Sudima Lake Rotorua)

    Optional Activities

    • Hobbiton Movie Set tour
    • Wai Araki Hotel Springs & Spa
    • Scenic flight
    Landmarks
    Hobbiton Movie Set
    Wai Araki Hotel Springs & Spa
  15. Day 15

    Rotorua to Auckland

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Landmarks
    Auckland
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Operated by

AAT Kings

4.3
(116 reviews)

Number of tours

414

Age Range

5 to 99 years old

Response time

within 3 days

Response rate

85%

Since 1912, AAT Kings as a tour operator has been helping people from all...

Read more

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Other

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Reviews from other tours by AAT Kings

  • Woldeyesus
    April 7th, 2026
    5.0
    Service was great and the touring team was awesome!!
  • Cam
    January 29th, 2026
    5.0
    We had a great time. Met many new friends from many countries. With extra booked excursions, we were kept so busy...
    Show more
  • Marina
    January 6th, 2026
    5.0
    We were very happy with our tour! It was very well organised, good accommodation, tasty meals, and with tour...
    Show more

Dates & Availability

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2027

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2028

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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
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Can’t find the answer to your question?

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Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 298106

  • 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 25th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after June 25th, 2026, a minimum payment of $200 is required to confirm your booking with AAT Kings. 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 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and AAT Kings will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "AAT Kings" 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
  • 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.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec