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Close up of the Good Shepherd as the sunsets

Tranquil Settings

See the charming Church of the Good Shepherd on the shores of Lake Tekapo

New Zealand Highlighter

Auckland → Christchurch
14 Days Request Quote
Trip Code: NCA14
  • Trip Highlights
  • Map & Itinerary
  • Travel & Accommodation

Your Vacation Includes

  • Experiences in 14 destinations
  • Finest dining - a total of 23 meals   
  • The services of an expert APT tour director and driver
  • 13 nights' hand-picked accommodation
  • Immerse yourself in Maori cultureover a magical evening at Te Pa Tu
  • Ride on the famous TranzAlpine train
  • Take in the idyllic surrounds of the Franz Josef Glacier Region
  • Cruise the full length of the pristine Milford Sound

Map & Itinerary

APT New Zealand 2024 Map NCA14
Auckland → Christchurch

Designed Exclusively for APT guests

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

These once-in-a-lifetime moments allow you to experience an unforgettable world of exclusive moments, incredible cultures and charming surprises

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

Give your holiday a personal touch with a choice of included sightseeing or dining options

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

Perhaps cruise on Waitemata Harbour; enjoy a unique All Blacks experience; visit Auckland Zoo to discover the native flora and fauna of New Zealand; immerse yourself in Unleashed - A Weta Workshop Experience and journey behind the cinema curtain with the Academy Award-winning team at Weta Workshop; or escape the bustle of the city on a tour to Auckland’s wild, black sand beaches and lush rainforest.

Transfer to your hotel, then set out on your selected Freedom of Choice activity. This evening, enjoy a special welcome dinner.

Stay: Auckland, Grand Millennium Hotel

Daily :
  • Dinner

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Tonight, enjoy an indulgent traditional Maori feast and performance of Haka, song and storytelling at Te Pa Tu (Maori Village). Over a magical evening, you will be welcomed with a Haka powhiri (cultural welcome) and then treated to further captivating performances while enjoying seasonal canapes, chef selected aperitifs and a seasonal three-course dinner.

Heading out of Auckland you’ll make a stop at Waitomo, home to the famous glow worm caves where thousands of tiny luminescent creatures radiate an eerie glow. Discover this natural wonder on a guided boat ride through a grotto lit by these magical creatures, before continuing to Rotorua.

Stay: Two Nights, Millennium Rotorua

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Luminescent glow worms in the Waitomo cave, New Zealand

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

Perhaps enjoy a sheep show at the Agrodome followed by a visit to Te Puia Thermal Reserve. Alternatively, choose to visit Wai-O-Tapu or experience Middle-earth during a tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set.

Choose to explore Rotorua your way with a variety of included Freedom of Choice Sightseeing options.

Daily :
  • Breakfast

Follow the Thermal Explorer Highway through the glorious landscapes of the North Island. Gaze out over the thunderous Huka Falls and the tranquil setting of Lake Taupo, before crossing the volcanic plateau of Tongariro National Park on your way to the nation’s capital, Wellington.

Stay: Two Nights, InterContinental Wellington

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Set off on a tour taking you to the city’s best-loved landmarks and sights, including New Zealand’s national museum - Te Papa Tongarewa. The afternoon and evening have been left free for you to enjoy Wellington at your own pace.

Daily :
  • Breakfast

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Step aboard the Interislander ferry this morning and cruise Cook Strait to the tip of the South Island.

This morning, cruise to Picton at the tip of the South Island. Rejoin your coach and travel via the stunning landscapes of Marlborough and Kaikoura to Christchurch.

Stay: Christchurch, The Commodore Hotel

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
view down marlborough vineyards south island new zealand

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Board the TranzAlpine train for one of the world’s greatest rail adventures.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Take in the dramatic surrounds of the Franz Josef Glacier Region.

After a special Signature Experience, disembark at Arthur’s Pass and travel by coach to Hokitika. Here, you will see pounamu (jade) being expertly carved into pieces of jewellery. Continue to Franz Josef.

Stay: Franz Josef, Te Waonui Forest Retreat

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

On a Freedom of Choice Dining evening perhaps cruise aboard the TSS Earnslaw, a vintage steamboat for a BBQ Dinner at the Walter Peak High Country Farm. Alternatively, enjoy one of the world’s most lauded burgers at Fergburger, experience an array of premium local produce at Finz Restaurant, or dine amid the stylish surrounds of the Elements Restaurant.

Enjoy a day of truly breathtaking scenery as you travel along the Haast River on your way to Queenstown. Tonight, choose between three restaurants for your dining experience.

Stay: Two Nights, Novotel Queenstown Lakeside

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

Perhaps visit several local sites where The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. Alternatively, set out on a Skippers Canyon adventure or a river safari along the beautiful Dart River. A tour of the country’s premier wine-producing region is a tempting option, as is a leisurely cruise over the waters of Lake Wakatipu.

Personalise your experience today with our range of Freedom of Choice activities.

Daily :
  • Breakfast

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Cruise the full length of Milford Sound.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

In Te Anau, sample authentic regional cuisine of the South Island during a Taste of Fiordland Dinner.

Embark on a scenic drive today as you journey along the Milford Road and into the heart of Fiordland National Park. Wind down the Eglinton and Hollyford valleys, then drive through the Homer Tunnel to be met by the sight of Mitre Peak, the iconic backdrop to Milford Sound. Continue to Milford Sound. Afterwards, enjoy a picturesque drive to the lakeside settlement of Te Anau.

Stay: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

You might like to visit Olveston Historic Home or discover the history behind New Zealand’s only castle, Larnach Castle. Alternatively, tour Speight’s Brewery and enjoy a tasting.

Journey through Southland countryside as you travel to Dunedin, a city known as the ‘Edinburgh of the South’. This afternoon, choose your Freedom of Choice activity.

Stay: Distinction Dunedin Hotel

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Visit World Heritage-listed Aoraki Mt Cook National Park to see New Zealand’s highest mountain.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE™

Perhaps visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, or enjoy a visit to the planetarium for a stargazing session with an astronomer. Alternatively, during the summer months, board a MAC boat and get up close to icebergs on the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake.

Drive north and stop to view the large spherical Moeraki Boulders on Koekohe Beach. Continue to World Heritage-listed Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, where you can select your activity of choice.

Stay: Aoraki Mt Cook, The Hermitage Hotel, in a room with alpine views

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
View from the valley looking up towards huge snow capped mountain, New Zealand

Travel to Lake Tekapo to visit the Church of the Good Shepherd, erected as a tribute to the early European pioneers of the region. Head to Christchurch for a farewell dinner tonight.

Stay: Distinction Christchurch

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Transfer to the airport.

Daily :
  • Breakfast

Our wonderful tour manager had extensive knowledge of the country, and a very personal connection with the Maori people and their culture and customs. We would definitely travel again with APT.

Rae - Land Journey, New Zealand