New Zealand itineraries

Sample itineraries written by our New Zealand experts

Our New Zealand travel specialists have written the following itineraries to help plan your trip. Not sure where to begin? Contact us now and we'll connect you with a specialist tour operator for expert New Zealand advice.

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14 days

New Zealand wildlife and waterways

New Zealand in two weeks

Auckland (1 days) → Lake Taupo (2) → Marlborough Sounds (3) → Kaikoura (3) → Queenstown (1) → Milford Sound (1) → Queenstown (3)

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11 days

Bay of Islands and South Island escape

Off-the-beaten path New Zealand

Auckland (1 days) → Northland (2) → Christchurch (1) → Hokitika (3) → Queenstown (1) → Milford Sound (1) → Queenstown (2)

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13 days

South Island wildlife route

Whale-watching, birding and wildlife on New Zealand’s south island

Christchurch (1 days) → Milford Sound (2) → Stewart Island (3) → Dunedin (2) → Kaikoura (2) → Nelson (3)

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14 days

New Zealand self drive

Wine, wildlife and winding roads

Auckland (2 days) → Lake Taupo (3) → Hawke’s Bay (2) → Christchurch (1) → Arthur’s Pass National Park (1) → Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (1) → Queenstown (4)

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19 days

New Zealand Lord of the Rings route

Head into Mordor, explore Isengard and chill out in Hobbiton

Auckland (1 days) → Rotorua (2) → Lake Taupo (3) → Wellington (3) → Nelson (1) → Kaikoura (1) → Lake Heron (1) → Lake Tekapo (1) → Queenstown (2) → Milford Sound (1) → Queenstown (1) → Auckland (2)

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10 days

Northern adventure route

Adventures on New Zealand’s North Island

Auckland (1 days) → Coromandel (1) → Raglan (1) → Rotorua (2) → Lake Taupo (2) → Wellington (3)

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10 days

Southern adventure loop

Thrill seeking around South Island

Christchurch (1 days) → Lake Tekapo (1) → Queenstown (2) → Wanaka (2) → Franz Josef Glacier (2) → Christchurch (2)

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20 days

North to south white knuckle

Epic adventures from North to South Island

Auckland (1 days) → Coromandel (1) → Raglan (1) → Rotorua (2) → Lake Taupo (2) → Wellington (2) → Kaikoura (1) → Christchurch (1) → Lake Tekapo (1) → Queenstown (2) → Wanaka (2) → Franz Josef Glacier (2) → Christchurch (2)

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Queenstown

The self-described ‘adventure capital of the world’, Queenstown is a playground for adrenaline junkies...
Milford Sound

Even by New Zealand’s standards, Milford Sound is a truly spectacular sight...
Lake Tekapo

A highland lake in the middle of New Zealand’s south island, Lake Tekapo is best known for its incredibly clear skies that are perfect for stargazing...
Rotorua

An eggy scent hangs over sulphuric Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island, which is home to spectacular geothermal springs, mud pools and geysers...
Coromandel

Visible across the Hauraki Gulf from Auckland, the Coromandel offers pristine beaches, thick rainforest and plenty of adventure...
Kaikoura

Kaikoura is the place to see wildlife in New Zealand...
Wanaka

Laidback Wanaka has a claim to be Queenstown’s cooler sibling...
Northland

The site of New Zealand’s earliest Maori settlement, Northland is the birthplace of New Zealand and home to its best beaches...
Auckland

Forget the city’s high-rise centre; the beauty of Auckland is the scenery surrounding it...
Hawke’s Bay

Hawke’s Bay is the first stop on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail and is a great place to try cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay wines...
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park includes the majority of New Zealand’s only International Dark Sky Reserve, so head into the hills – or just Mount Cook Village near Lake Pukaki – and marvel at the light show in the sky...
Stewart Island

Sparsely populated Stewart Island is home to some of New Zealand’s most interesting wildlife, including penguins, dolphins and albatross...
Franz Josef Glacier

Franz Josef’s icy mass once flowed all the way into the sea, but after decades of global warming, the glacier has retreated inland and is now only accessible by helicopter...
Marlborough Sounds

A huge maze of beaches, bays and hills formed after the last ice age, the Marlborough Sounds are the perfect place to hike, bike or boat...
Lake Taupo

Vast Lake Taupo is as big as Singapore and was created 2,000 years ago from a volcanic eruption so huge it would have been seen from China...
Hokitika

New Zealand’s wild west coast is linked by a single track through Greymouth, Kumara, Cowboy Paradise, Hokitika and Ross...
Christchurch

Most travellers use Christchurch as a base for exploring the south island, but there is plenty to see in this upwardly-mobile city...
Arthur’s Pass National Park

Head into Arthur’s Pass National Park by road and you’ll encounter some of New Zealand’s most spectacular engineering, including viaducts, precipitous bridges and redirected waterfalls...
Dunedin

Little Dunedin is full of pretty gardens and boutique cafes, making a lovely stop on routes on the south island...
Raglan

The surfing town of Raglan on the Waikato coast is the perfect place to spend a few days lazing by the sea...
Nelson

Nelson Tasman is known as one of New Zealand’s most artistic places, with painters, sculptor and jewellery makers are living here...
Lake Heron

Lake Heron Station is an authentic working sheep farm, making it the perfect place to experience high-country New Zealand life...
Wellington

Creative Wellington has a claim to be New Zealand’s most cultural city...

New Zealand

Adventures at the end of the earth

New Zealand is nothing short of epic. With hundreds of national parks, world-class ski slopes, pristine hiking trails, and picture-perfect beaches, no…