Experience the best of New Zealand on this fantastic guided tour. Your private guide will meet your group at the airport and take you on an insider’s tour of New Zealand, visiting iconic landmarks and local secrets alike.
Offering New Zealand’s top escorted tour operators and highly experienced tour guides, we cater for groups between 1-20 people. With no date or itinerary restrictions, your New Zealand tour can be completely customised.
14 Day New Zealand Guided Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Auckland
Your fantastic guided holiday begins in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland. Home to 1/4 of New Zealand’s population and bordered by two stunning harbours, Auckland is thriving, diverse city surrounded by natural wonders.
Explore Auckland with your guide, visiting top attractions such as the Sky Tower, Mt Eden’s volcanic crater, Waiheke Island, Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World, or Piha Beach.
Stay 1 night in Auckland.
Day 2 Coromandel Peninsula + Hot Water Beach
Travel time Auckland to Coromandel – 3 hours
Embark on a scenic tour of the Coromandel Peninsula, taking in views of the lush rainforest and idyllic beaches. If the tide is right, visit Hot Water Beach, where you can dig your own hot pools, on your way to Whitianga.
Stay 2 nights in Whitianga, Coromandel.
Day 3 Cathedral Cove Boat Tour
Discover the rugged coastline today on a glass-bottom boat tour that takes through the marine reserve and past immense sea caves and sandy bays. Stop at the famous Cathedral Cove to soak in the views!
In the afternoon, your guide will show you some of the best hidden secrets of the Coromandel, including lush forest walks and secluded golden-sand beaches.
Day 4 Hobbiton + Rotorua
Travel time Coromandel to Matamata – 2 hours
Experience the magic of Middle-Earth as you tour the Hobbiton Movie Set, where the charming village from The Lord of the Rings has been brought to life.
Travel time Matamata to Rotorua – 1 hour
Enjoy the scenic drive through rolling farmland to Rotorua, the geothermal capital of New Zealand. Tour the exciting geothermal attractions with your guide, visiting sulphur springs, mud pools, geysers, and sinter terraces.
Stay 2 nights in Rotorua.
Day 5 Geothermal Wonders + Skyline Gondola Buffet Dinner
Stroll through Hells Gate Geothermal Reserve in the morning, where you will have the opportunity to experience the rich Maori culture and soak in a relaxing sulphur spa.
In the evening, enjoy a sumptuous dinner at Rotorua’s most spectacular location – the top of the Skyline Gondola!
Day 6 Taupo + Huka Falls
Travel time Rotorua to Taupo – 1 hour
Your geothermal experience will continue as you enjoy the short drive to Taupo, a small town set beside New Zealand’s largest lake. With the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park looming in the distance, and the lake itself formed from an ancient volcanic crater, you will get a close-up look at the immense forces that shaped New Zealand. Visit Huka Falls with your guide and relax on the lakefront.
Stay 1 night in Taupo.
Day 7 Wellington
Travel time Taupo to Wellington – 4.5 hours
Continue your scenic tour as your guide takes you south to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city.
Stay 2 nights in Wellington.
Day 8 Wellington City Tour
Your guide will help you become acquainted with this charming city today – you could visit the Te Papa Museum, ride the Wellington Cable Car, visit Weta Workshop, or take in the views from the top of Mt Victoria.
Day 9 Scenic Interislander Cruise + Kaikoura Whale Watching
Sailing time Wellington to Picton – 3 hours
Travel time Picton to Kaikoura – 2 hours
Begin your day with a cruise across the windswept Cook Strait.
Upon reaching the South Island, your guide will take you on a scenic drive through the Marlborough wine region, with the option to stop at a winery (or two!) along the way for samples of the award-winning wines.
In the afternoon, take a fantastic scenic whale-watching flight and look out for sperm whales, dolphins, and seals.
Spend the evening in Kaikoura, a stunning coastal town with a backdrop of majestic mountains. Be sure to sample the superb local seafood at dinner!
Stay 1 night in Kaikoura.
Day 10 Hanmer Springs + Hot Pools
Travel time Kaikoura to Hanmer Springs – 1.5 hours
When you reach the quiet mountain town of Hanmer Springs, relax and unwind in the hot springs or go for a short guided forest walk with your escort.
Stay 1 night in Hanmer Springs.
Day 11 Lake Tekapo
Travel time Hanmer Springs to Lake Tekapo – 4.5 hours
Your scenic journey through the Mackenzie Basin begins today as you cross over Burkes Pass. As the Southern Alps loom before you, there will be photo opportunities around every corner.
While you rest and explore the quaint lakeside town of Lake Tekapo, paying a visit to the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd, you have the option to add on a flight-seeing tour of the Southern Alps or a nighttime observatory tour at Mt John.
Stay 1 night at Lake Tekapo.
Day 12 Steamship Cruise + High Country Farm Dinner
Travel time Lake Tekapo to Queenstown – 3 hours
As you continue the spectacular drive south, you have the option to make a side trip to Mt Cook Village – ask your guide for more details.
Along the way to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand, your guide will take you to sample the fresh fruit from the orchards of Cromwell. You also have the option to visit several top wineries with your guide on the drive through the Kawarau Gorge.
In the evening, relive the elegance of turn-of-the-century travel with a cruise aboard the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw. Disembark at Walter Peak High Country Farm for a stunning gourmet BBQ meal and farm tour.
Stay 3 nights in Queenstown.
Day 13 Milford Sound Tour
Embark on a scenic coach journey to Milford Sound, known as the “eighth wonder of the world.” As you venture deep into the heart of Fiordland National Park, you will get the chance to stop and view a number of must-see destinations along the way.
At Milford Sound, witness the grandeur of this mighty fiord up close on a 2.5-hour nature cruise.
Day 14 Queenstown Lord of the Rings Tour
Explore the Lord of the Rings locations around Queenstown with your guide today on an excursion to the stunning Glenorchy region. Stop along the way for majestic views up Lake Wakatipu, and visit the stunning Paradise Valley and Dart Valley at the head of the lake. Along the way, you will get the chance to see the filming locations for Isengard, Lothlorien, and Ithilien Camp.
Stop in Glenorchy for a coffee or relaxing lunch, and soak in the incredible views of snow-capped peaks and turquoise rivers.
Day 15 Depart Queenstown
Your guide will deliver you to Queenstown Airport for your departing flight.
Highlights Include:
- Discovering the rugged coastline of the Coromandel by boat – visit sea caves and secluded bays, and even make a stop at the world-famous Cathedral Cove!
- Digging your own hot pool at Hot Water Beach.
- Experiencing the magic of Middle-Earth as you explore the exquisitely rendered Hobbiton movie set.
- Exploring the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua – see geysers, bubbling mud pools, turquoise sulphur springs, and colourful sinter terraces.
- Dining in style atop the Skyline Gondola, with views of Rotorua spread out below.
- Relaxing in a sulphur pool and experiencing Maori culture at the Hells Gate Geothermal Reserve.
- Visiting the magnificent Huka Falls.
- Cruising the stunning Cook Strait on the Interislander Ferry.
- Taking a scenic drive through the rolling Marlborough wine region – maybe even stop to taste a few of the award-winning wines along the way!
- Sampling the famous crayfish, blue cod, and paua in Kaikoura, a spectacular seaside town ringed by mountains.
- Whale-spotting in Kaikoura on a fantastic scenic flight.
- Relaxing and unwinding in the hot springs town of Hanmer Springs.
- Driving through the Mackenzie Basin, with countless photo opportunities along the way – see the craggy, snow-capped Mt Cook (New Zealand’s highest mountain), drive past two stunning turquoise lakes, and witness the grandeur of the Southern Alps.
- Staying in Queenstown, the vibrant adventure capital of New Zealand.
- Reliving the elegance of turn-of-the-century travel with a steamship cruise across Lake Wakatipu.
- Driving the incredible Milford Highway and experiencing the grandeur of Milford Sound on an unforgettable nature cruise.
- Venturing into paradise on a stunning scenic tour of Glenorchy, where you will find countless Lord of the Rings film locations surrounded by snow-capped mountains and turquoise river valleys
Your privately guided tour includes:
- All transportation within New Zealand – you will be collected at the arrivals hall of the Auckland Airport, and dropped off at the departures hall of the Queenstown Airport
- Excellent 4-star accommodation
- Private tour guide
- Sightseeing and Photo Stops En Route
- Coromandel Glass-Bottom Boat Tour to Cathedral Cove
- Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
- Hells Gate Geothermal Reserve Walk and Sulphur Spa
- Skyline Gondola and Buffet Dinner Rotorua
- Interislander Wellington to Picton Ferry
- Whale Watch Scenic Flight Kaikoura
- TSS Earnslaw Cruise and High Country Gourmet Dinner
- Milford Sound Nature Cruise ex Queenstown by Scenic Coach
** Your privately guided tour does NOT include flights, food (except where included in activities) or travel insurance. **
Pricing
As guide prices are split between travellers, the pricing will vary depending on the number of travellers on your tour.
1 Traveller: NZD$23,399
2 Travellers: NZD$12,499 per adult | NZD$11,949 per child
3 Travellers: NZD$9399 per adult | NZD$8849 per child
4 Travellers: NZD$7849 per adult | NZD$7299 per child
5 Travellers: NZD$6899 per adult | NZD$6349 per child
6 Travellers: NZD$6299 per adult | NZD$5699 per child
7 Travellers: NZD$5849 per adult | NZD$5299 per child
8 Travellers: NZD$5499 per adult | NZD$4949 per child
9 Travellers: NZD$5499 per adult | NZD$4899 per child
10 Travellers: NZD$5249 per adult | NZD$4699 per child
11 + Travellers: Please enquire for your custom quote
