From

US $12,421 per person

New Zealand Coastal Expedition with Queenstown Escape Queenstown → Wellington (2028)

13 days

•

From Queenstown to Wellington

4.2 (27 reviews)

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From

US $

+ $977 Port Taxes/Fees

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

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Plan your adventure:

Operator: APT
Sailing: Catch the wind and set sail for new horizons
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+

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Day 1
Queenstown
Queenstown
Meals
Dinner (Welcome dinner at hotel)
Included Activities
- Airport transfer to hotel
- Welcome dinner at hotel

Day 2

Queenstown

Optional Activities

Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit 4WD Safari
Wine tasting tour at southernmost wine region wineries
Skippers Canyon 4WD adventure along Shotover River valley
Million Dollar Cruise on Lake Wakatipu
Dart River Wilderness Jet boat journey in Mount Aspiring National Park
Best of Queenstown tour including Arrowtown and Ayrburn with wine tasting and cheese platter
Walter Peak High Country Farm with vintage steamer cruise and gourmet barbecue dinner
Stratosfare Restaurant dinner at Bob's Peak via gondola
Fergburger

Landmarks
Queenstown
Arrowtown
Lake Wakatipu
Mount Aspiring National Park
Dart River
Shotover River
Walter Peak High Country Farm
Bob's Peak
The Remarkables
Stratosfare Restaurant
Ayrburn
Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site

Day 3
Queenstown to Bluff
Queenstown to Bluff
Meals
Dinner (Welcome dinner on board)
Accommodation
Hotel (Coral Adventurer)
Included Activities
- Transfer to Bluff
- Embarkation on Coral Adventurer
- Welcome dinner on board
Day 4
At Sea
At Sea
Included Activities
- Sailing past Te Niho a Kewa (Solander Island) - Important Bird Area with Buller's albatrosses, common diving petrels, and New Zealand's southernmost gannet colony
Landmarks
Te Niho a Kewa (Solander Island)
Day 5
Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Included Activities
- Tender vessel excursion in Milford Sound - visit thundering waterfalls
- Wildlife viewing - fur seals, dolphins, penguins
Landmarks
Milford Sound
Fiordland National Park
Day 6
Doubtful Sound
Doubtful Sound
Included Activities
- Scenic navigation through Thompson Sound into Doubtful Sound
- Easy short walk between Deas Cove and Neck Cove - observe unique local flora and fauna
- Tender vessel cruise - explore fjord coastline and hear local history
Landmarks
Doubtful Sound
Thompson Sound
Deas Cove
Neck Cove
Day 7
Dusky Sound
Dusky Sound
Included Activities
- Scenic navigation through Acheron Passage
- Viewing fjord scenery and wildlife
Landmarks
Dusky Sound
Acheron Passage
Te Wāhipounamu
Day 8
Stewart Island
Stewart Island
Included Activities
- Guided discovery on Stewart Island
- Exploration of ancient forests
- Visit to Oban - coastal town with European heritage
Optional Activities
- Various hikes of different fitness levels
- Visit to former whaling station
Landmarks
Stewart Island
Oban
Day 9
Dunedin
Dunedin
Included Activities
- City tour of Dunedin
- Visit to Araiteuru with Marae member welcome presentation
- Viewing of Ōvelston House
- Viewing of Flemish Renaissance-style Railway Station
- Viewing of Dunedin University
- Viewing of Baldwin Street
Optional Activities
- Free time to explore Dunedin at own pace
Landmarks
Ōvelston House
Dunedin Railway Station
Dunedin University
Baldwin Street
Day 10
Akaroa to Christchurch
Akaroa to Christchurch
Included Activities
- Scenic drive from Akaroa to Christchurch
Optional Activities
- All-day hop-on hop-off tram service in Christchurch city centre - knowledgeable drivers provide live commentaries
- Visit to world-class museum
- Exploration of renowned Botanic Gardens
- Free time to explore Christchurch at own pace
Landmarks
Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Day 11
Kaikōura
Kaikōura
Included Activities
- Whale watching catamaran excursion - view sperm, humpback, and pilot whales with onboard hydrophones
- Observation of dolphins, seals, and wandering albatrosses
- 3.5 kilometre peninsular track walk - see cattle, sheep, sea lions and birdlife
- Shuttle bus transfer from walk end to marina
- Tender vessel transfer from marina to ship
Optional Activities
- Free time in Kaikōura township
Landmarks
Kaikōura
Day 12
Ship Cove
Ship Cove
Included Activities
- Visit to James Cook memorial at Meretoto/Ship Cove
- Walk through Motuara Island wildlife sanctuary
- Shoreline stroll with views of Tōtaranui/Queen Charlotte Sound
Landmarks
Ship Cove
Motuara Island
Queen Charlotte Sound
Day 13
Disembark - Wellington
Disembark - Wellington
Meals
Breakfast
Included Activities
- Disembarkation in Bluff
- Transfer to Wellington airport or APT hotel

Landmarks
Te Niho a Kewa (Solander Island)

Landmarks
Milford Sound
Fiordland National Park

Landmarks
Doubtful Sound
Thompson Sound
Deas Cove
Neck Cove

Landmarks
Dusky Sound
Acheron Passage
Te Wāhipounamu

Landmarks
Stewart Island
Oban

Landmarks
Ōvelston House
Dunedin Railway Station
Dunedin University
Baldwin Street

Landmarks
Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Landmarks
Kaikōura

Landmarks
Ship Cove
Motuara Island
Queen Charlotte Sound

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Coral Adventurer
Hotel
day 3

Operated by

APT

Rating: 4.2 (27 reviews)
Response time: within 1 day
Response rate: 57%
Cancellation policy

Reviews from other tours by APT

Tour Operator
4.2

John4.0•February 2023
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
David5.0•March 2020
Our tour director, Daniel, did a really good job and made our 6 days very enjoyable. The bus driver was also very...
Show more
Anonymous4.0•January 2012
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

Dates & Availability

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From Monday
17 Jan, 2028
To Saturday
29 Jan, 2028
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From

US $

+ $977 Port Taxes/Fees

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 353848

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 November 23rd, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after November 23rd, 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 Coastal Expedition with Queenstown Escape Queenstown → Wellington (2028)

Itinerary

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

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What's Included

Where You'll Stay

Reviews from other tours by APT

Dates & Availability

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