Christchurch, Hokitika, Franz Josef / Waiau, Arthur's Pass Village, Wānaka, Queenstown, , Dunedin, Picton, Wellington, Kaikōura, Hawke's Bay, Napier, Huka Falls, Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Auckland
See the wonders of New Zealand on this 19-day guided tour. Explore the Southern Alps and see Franz Josef Glacier up close with a local expert. On your way to Queenstown, stop by idyllic Arrowtown, where you can choose to take a scenic bike ride along its river, or join a boutique wine tour. Cruise past the towering cliffs and gushing waterfalls of Doubtful Sound. See spectacular volcanic craters at Waimangu Volcanic Valley, then travel to Rotorua for a Māori Hāngī feast - a flavorful meal cooked underground with geothermal steam. Descend the caves of Waitomo during a exclusive guided experience: see the caverns illuminated by the bioluminescent species. Toast to your travels at a luxurious dinner with a former New Zealand All Black rugby player.
Round-trip airport to hotel transfers (Restrictions apply)
Airport transfers (Restrictions apply)
18 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 10 dinners
Itinerary
Engaging Experiences These special places and experiences are considered tour highlights. Look for them in the daily itineraries.
Hotel Montreal
Your New Zealand luxury tour begins by private car to your boutique hotel located in the heart of Christchurch and just minutes from North Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens. Pay a visit to the blooms at the Botanic Gardens or ride the Christchurch Tram before meeting your travel concierge where you’ll raise a glass to a grand journey.
Te Waonui Forest Retreat
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Embark on one of the world's greatest scenic railway journeys aboard the TranzAlpine train to the small village of Arthur's Pass. In Franz Josef, your eco-friendly retreat nestled in the wilderness welcomes.
Te Waonui Forest Retreat
Breakfast
Included
Explore Franz Josef, where a local expert reveals the glacier's impressive history.
Edgewater Wānaka Hotel
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Cruise down the Haast River in a jet boat basking in the beauty of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area. Experience fairy-tale lavender fields. Arrive at your hotel at the edge of Lake Wānaka, designed to flow with the seasons.
Edgewater Wānaka Hote
Breakfast
Included
Marvel at Wānaka's natural beauty on a lake cruise. Complete your experience on an afternoon nature walk.
The Rees Hotel
Breakfast,
Lunch
Included
Visit Highlands Motorsport Museum and come face to face with the state-of-the-art machines. Meet Mrs Jones Orchard, a traditional fruit stall owner, and indulge in real fruit ice-cream and stone fruit. Enjoy lunch and experience exclusive wine tasting in Gibbston Valley of the Vines at Kinross. Visit the historic gold mining town of Arrowtown.
The Rees Hotel
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Take in the surrounding landscape on a Lake Wakatipu scenic cruise aboard TSS Earnslaw and visit Walter Peak High Country farm for an Eco Experience - an idyllic place to spend a few peaceful hours. Or, choose a guided e-bike scenic ride along the lake. Enjoy dinner tonight at local restaurant The Bathhouse, located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise
Breakfast,
Lunch,
Dinner
Included
Travel by road to Manapouri, then by Catamaran and coach to Doubtful Sound to meet the Fiordland Navigator.
Distinction Dunedin Hotel
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Upon disembarking the cruise, continue by road to Dunedin, stopping for lunch at Te Anau. In Dunedin, your heritage hotel welcomes you with a cosy atmosphere in the city centre. Dine on favourites such as surf and turf, braised lamb, catch of the day, or other modern twists on traditional local dishes at Parcels Restaurant.
Distinction Dunedin Hotel
Breakfast
Included
Enjoy a relaxed start this morning before taking a guided tour at Dunedin Craft Distillers, the first distillery in Aotearoa New Zealand and one of only a handful worldwide, to produce botanical spirits from surplus bread and bakery products that would otherwise go to landfill. Discover on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience, how owners, Jenny McDonald and Sue Stockwell do it in a ‘Bread to Bottle Tour’ which takes you through the process used to turn bread into spirits. Venture just next door for a special Chocolate tasting journey at OCHO Chocolate covering the history of chocolate in Dunedin, OCHO's genesis, how "real" chocolate is made and a 10-sample bean to bar tasting. Relax or continue exploring Dunedin as you wish. Perhaps take a wildlife cruise of the Otago Peninsula or visit the iconic Larnach Castle.
Hotel Montreal
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Travel up the coast though the towns of Oamaru and Timaru to Christchurch to uncover the city’s highlights on a fascinating sightseeing tour. Sample the best of the city over dinner at Montreal Bar and Restaurant.
Nuami Hotel Wellington
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Travel the dramatic rugged coastline to the whale-watching hub of Kaikoura and onto the seaside town of Picton. Cruise on Queen Charlotte Sound and across Cook Strait to Wellington where you’ll get acquainted with the city on an illuminating tour. Unwind this evening with a drink in your hotel’s Lobby Lounge, admiring its famous art collection.
Nuami Hotel Wellington
Breakfast
Included
Today personalize your day. Choose from the urban eco-sanctuary of Zealandia/Te Māra a Tāne or discover the stunning waterfront and hidden lanes of Wellington with a local expert.
Porters Boutique Hotel
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Wind your way through the pastoral dairy farming land of Manawatū to Napier in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand’s Art Deco capital and world-renowned wine country. This evening, savor a tasting and dinner at family-owned Craggy Range Winery in the shadow of Te Mata Peak.
Porters Boutique Hotel
Breakfast
Included
Partake in a Gannet safari. Your participation on Gannet Safaris contributes to our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® initiative: TTC makes a donation on behalf of each guest to the Cape Sanctuary. Their amazing team is made up of over 300 volunteers that are giving their time to restore our beautiful land and replant grasses and natives to support the return of our wildlife. Take in Napier’s Art Deco architecture with a local expert in a vintage car.
Pullman Rotorua
Breakfast,
Lunch
Included
Continue your journey to Rotorua, where this afternoon, armed with a packed lunch, you'll join a local guide for a cultural walking eco-tour to discover the Jurassic Whirinaki Forest, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
Pullman Rotorua
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Unveil the Californian Coastal Redwoods of Whakarewarewa Forest and go behind the scenes on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at a kiwi bird nursery and hatchery. Tonight, an evening of culture, history and scrumptious food awaits you at Te Pā Tū.
JW Marriott Auckland
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Enjoy a private walk through Footwhistle Cave lit up by glow worms. Dine with one of New Zealand’s famous former All Black rugby players.
Breakfast
Included
After one final breakfast, say farewell to your Christchurch to Auckland luxury tour as you are chauffeured to Auckland Airport.
2025 Tour Dates
DECEMBER
3
:
$15,430
|
Prices are subject to change.
Pricing is per person,
double occupancy,
land and cruise only, based on September 8, 2024 travel date.
Single supplement from $4,255.
Call AAA for current airfare rates and availability.
All this makes it AAA Vacations®
AAA Complimentary Inclusion: $150 per person savings.
Best Price Guarantee
24/7 Member Care
OTHER SUGGESTED PACKAGES
Package: Guided
Australia's Outback To New Zealand's South Island
19 Days •
28 Meals
Sydney, Cairns, Alice Springs, Ballajura, Melbourne, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch
Trust your AAA Travel Agent as your one-stop source for your next vacation. Travel with confidence knowing AAA Travel will be here for you before, during and after your vacation.