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Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

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ChildrenUnder 18

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Signature | Cities and Seas Tour

12 days
From Auckland to Christchurch
5.0
1 traveler review

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 1 - 20
Ages 16+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Auckland

    Included Activities

    • Welcome reception with Tour Director and fellow travellers

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Sky Tower
    • Shopping on Queen Street
    • Explore Vulcan Lane bars and eateries
    Landmarks
    Sky Tower
    Queen Street
    Vulcan Lane
    Itinerary Image 1
  2. Day 2

    Auckland to Hamilton to Raglan

    Meals
    Lunch (Picnic on the lush lawns at Hamilton Gardens), Dinner (Sunset Dinner Cruise on Raglan harbour)

    Included Activities

    • Northern Explorer Scenic train journey from Auckland to Hamilton
    • Hamilton Gardens guided tour with themed rooms exploration
    • Picnic lunch at Hamilton Gardens
    • Sunset Dinner Cruise in Raglan

    Optional Activities

    • Free time activities in Hamilton
    Landmarks
    Hamilton Gardens
    Waiematā Harbour
    Waikato
    Raglan
    Itinerary Image 1
  3. Day 3

    Maungatautari Sanctuary and Waitomo Glow Worm Caves

    Meals
    Lunch (Lunch stop in Otorohanga)

    Included Activities

    • Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain guided excursion through native forest with endangered species viewing
    • Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour with boat glide through cave formation

    Optional Activities

    • Restaurant dining during free evening in Hamilton
    Landmarks
    Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain
    Otorohanga
    Waitomo Glowworm Caves
  4. Day 4

    Tongariro National Park

    Meals
    Dinner (Special dinner with fellow travellers)

    Included Activities

    • Northern Explorer Scenic train journey from Hamilton to Tongariro National Park
    • Mini excursion to Tūroa ski field with panoramic views
    • Special dinner with fellow travellers
    Landmarks
    Tongariro National Park
    Tūroa Ski Field
    Mt Ruapehu
    Mt Ngāuruhoe
    Mt Tongariro
    Itinerary Image 1
  5. Day 5

    Tongariro National Park

    Optional Activities

    • Rail cart journey
    • Horse trekking experience along hills, mountains, rivers and native bush
    • Ohakune historical cycle trail on e-bikes along Old Coach Road
    Landmarks
    Tongariro National Park
    Ohakune
    Old Coach Road
  6. Day 6

    Ohakune to Wellington

    Meals
    Breakfast (Hearty seafaring breakfast onboard train), Snack (Morning tea onboard train)

    Included Activities

    • Mt Ruapehu northern face excursion with panoramic volcanic landscape views
    • Northern Explorer Scenic train journey from Tongariro National Park to Wellington
    • Onboard licensed café experience

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Wellington's downtown area
    • Queen's Wharf and Cuba Street exploration
    Landmarks
    Mt Ruapehu
    Mt Ngāuruhoe
    Mt Tongariro
    Porirua Harbour
    Wellington Railway Station
    Beehive
    Parliament Buildings
    Queen's Wharf
    Cuba Street
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  7. Day 7

    Wellington

    Meals
    Dinner (Dinner with fellow travellers)

    Included Activities

    • Dinner with fellow travellers

    Optional Activities

    • Wellington City introduction tour
    • Cuba Street cafés, bookstores and shops exploration
    • Te Papa National Museum visit
    • Zealandia Eco-Sanctuary visit
    • Historic buildings exploration
    • Botanic gardens visit
    Landmarks
    Cuba Street
    Te Papa
    Zealandia Eco-Sanctuary
  8. Day 8

    Wellington to Picton

    Meals
    Breakfast (Hearty seafaring breakfast in Premium Lounge with mimosa), Snack (Morning tea)

    Included Activities

    • Interislander Ferry journey across Cook Strait
    • Premium Lounge access with mimosa and seafaring breakfast
    • Marlborough Wine Tour Experience

    Optional Activities

    • Dolphin and whale spotting
    Landmarks
    Cook Strait
    Queen Charlotte Sound
    Picton
    Marlborough Wine Region
  9. Day 9

    Picton to Kaikōura

    Included Activities

    • Sky Omaka Aviation Museum Tour
    • Coastal Pacific Scenic train journey from Picton to Kaikōura

    Optional Activities

    • Local seafood restaurant dining
    Landmarks
    Sky Omaka Aviation Museum
    Kaikōura
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  10. Day 10

    Kaikōura

    Meals
    Dinner (Dinner and drinks onboard Coastal Pacific Scenic Plus train)

    Included Activities

    • Whale watching experience
    • Coastal Pacific Scenic Plus train journey from Kaikōura
    • Dinner and drinks onboard Coastal Pacific Scenic Plus train

    Optional Activities

    • Fish and chips at the beach
    • Local artisan stores and souvenir shops exploration
    Landmarks
    Kaikōura
  11. Day 11

    Christchurch

    Optional Activities

    • Museums visit
    • Riverside Markets exploration
    • Punting on the Avon
    • Gondola ride
    • Botanical gardens visit
    • Café exploration
    • Hop on Hop off Tram service
    Landmarks
    Christchurch
    Riverside Markets
    Avon River
    Christchurch Gondola
    Christchurch Botanic Gardens
  12. Day 12

    Christchurch Departure

    Meals
    Breakfast (Final breakfast at hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Final breakfast at hotel

    Optional Activities

    • Extended stay arrangements
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What's Included

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  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services
5
(1 review)

Number of tours

17

Age Range

16 to 99 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

33%

Travel experiences guaranteed to move you. Embark on a journey through New...

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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 Great Journeys New Zealand

  • Colleen
    March 18th, 2026
    5.0
    Overall a great trip with a wonderful tour leader. Everything went smoothly once the tour began. It would have been...
    Show more
Can’t find the answer to your question?
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No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 303977

  • 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 14th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after June 14th, 2026, a minimum payment of 20% is required to confirm your booking with Great Journeys New Zealand. 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 60 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 Great Journeys New Zealand will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Great Journeys New Zealand" 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