From awe-inspiring glaciers to rejuvenating hot springs set within steaming geothermal valleys, New Zealand unveils natural wonders distinct from anything found in Australia, yet so close to home.

Feel the crunch of ice underfoot, crisp mountain air enveloping you as vast snowy ridges roll towards the horizon. Soon, you're cocooned in heat as you ease into a healing thermal pool, eyes drifting shut while geothermal clay and rising steam soothe the senses. From soaring alpine summits to vaporous volcanic landscapes, New Zealand's elemental landscapes lie within effortless reach.

In the North Island, Rotorua breathes with geothermal energy — simmering mud pools, mineral-rich thermal springs and spouting geysers rise from the earth. Journey south and the scenery transforms, revealing majestic mountains, rugged glaciers, and ice-strewn lakes.

Sculpted by Ice

New Zealand's largest glacier, Tasman Glacier/ Haupapa, lies within Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Across your journey through Aotearoa, you're able to personalise your experience with a range of Freedom of Choice options. Among them is a cruise on the glassy Tasman Lake. Weave between icebergs calved from the glacier itself — close enough to touch as your boat glides past. This landscape continues to evolve, the glacier's steady retreat of around 180 metres each year gradually giving rise to the vast waters beneath your vessel. Flanked by snowy peaks, you'll feel a humbling sense of scale at the glacier's terminus, made all the more poignant by the landscape's transformation under a warming climate.

Nearby, Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukaterre descends from the snowy Southern Alps into lush rainforest — a rare phenomenon where abundant alpine snowfall, a steep mountain gradient and fast flowing ice combine to carry the glacier to remarkably low altitudes. Upgrade to an optional helicopter flight and soon you’ll be set down upon the rugged ice, where jagged peaks rise from pristine snow and the glacier moves underneath your feet at up to five metres per day.

Tracking the Alps

Continue your alpine odyssey aboard the world-famous TranzAlpine train through the Southern Alps. Take in spectacular views of snow-dusted ranges, vast plains, mirror-still lakes and towering river gorges from panoramic windows or the open-air viewing carriage. Carving a path through this formidable topography called for engineering ingenuity, exemplified by the Staircase Viaduct, suspended 73 metres above the valley below. As the Alps recede into the distance and the plains open before you, the next stage of your Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukaterre adventure awaits.

From Snow to Steam

In the North Island's interior, you'll discover a land shaped by heat and movement, where you may choose to experience rejuvenating hot springs and bubbling thermal pools. In Rotorua, geothermal forces lie close to the surface, most dramatically in Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley at Te Puia's Pōhutu Geyser — the largest in the Southern Hemisphere — which erupts in powerful displays of steam and spray every hour. Boiling water and hissing vapour surge up 30 metres into the air, while swirling mist drifts across the landscape.

A thermal wonderland unfolds at Waiotapu, where mineral pools shimmer in hues of bright lime, burnt amber and vivid aqua. And on the tranquil shores of Lake Rotorua, Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa awaits, providing a fitting finale to your passage through Aotearoa's realms of snow and steam.

Indulge in a Restorative Journey spa experience, where Māori culture and time-honoured healing traditions are woven into immersive rituals. Experience mineral-rich clay therapies and cleansing steam rooms, where you recline upon heated stones as restorative warmth soothes body and mind. Emerge refreshed and renewed — a passage through New Zealand's elemental landscapes is nothing short of transformative.