Tour Description

Embark on an unforgettable journey through New Zealand, from the breathtaking Milford Sound to the world-famous TranzAlpine train journey. Explore charming country towns and enjoy guided tours of Christchurch, Queenstown, and Wellington. Complete your tour with a stay at a luxurious eco-retreat in Punakaiki, surrounded by lush rainforests and rugged coastal beauty. This tour of New Zealand promises a perfect blend of natural wonders, urban highlights, and serene escapes.

Priced From:

$ 6507pp ^*

From: 2025-09-04

To: 2026-03-19

Start Location: Christchurch (Nz), New Zealand

End Location: Wellington (Nz), New Zealand

Trip Type: Cost Saver Escorted

Tour Advisors

Tiffany McCrea-Lennon

Managing Director

Russell Mein

Travel Specialist

Caitlin Lennon

Travel Coordinator

Michelle Baldwin

Travel Specialist

Gaylyn Murdoch

Administration Manager

Holly Skene

Travel Co-ordinator

Kim Thomas

Broker

Itinerary

Welcome to Christchurch

Day 1

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Ibis Hotel Christchurch

You don’t have to arrive in Christchurch early, but we recommend you do – this South Island city has some of New Zealand’s most innovative architecture, not to mention forward-thinking restaurants and bars. Tonight, it's time to meet your Travel Director and travelling companions.

Christchurch - Omarama

Day 2

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel

Day two of your tour of the South Island of New Zealand sees you step out with your guide for a deeper dive into ‘The City of Gardens’ before traversing the colourful Canterbury Plains: the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo, snow-capped mountains and wildflower-strewn meadows. It’s quite the backdrop for the stone-hewn Church of the Good Shepherd. Your Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience at Tekapo, hosted by passionate guides, will forever change the way you see the night sky. You'll see for yourself it may be one of the quietest spots on the planet, yet it has one of the busiest skies in the universe.

Omarama - Dunedin

Day 3

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Dunedin Leisure Lodge

Easing through the Waitaki Valley, you’re en route toward the pretty town of Oamaru, known for its stately tree-lined streets and limestone buildings. Architectural drama of a different kind awaits in Dunedin. While away the afternoon in atmospheric art-lined alleys or sipping a lager or two in Speight's Brewery (a national institution). Or venture further afield to discover Larnach Castle, which nods to Dunedin’s Scottish link – it’s known as ‘Little Edinburgh’ for a reason.

Omarama - Invercargill

Day 4

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Kelvin Hotel

Your visit to Clyde will have your camera clicking non-stop. This charming historic town may be small, but it’s full of character, with its town centre designated as a historic precinct, featuring buildings from its gold mining past now transformed into cafés and shops. Today's destination is Invercargill, a city obsessed with motor vehicles. Tributes to speed legends colour the city, so it's only fitting that you visit Transport World for a guided tour and dinner. Explore classic vehicles as you are transported on a nostalgic walk back in time. Bill Richardson began collecting old trucks in 1967 and, in his words, sometimes "bought a truck more with our hearts than with our heads." The collection now comprises of many rare and unusual vehicles, along with popular classic vehicles.

Dunedin - Invercargill

Day 5

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Kelvin Hotel

Travel through rolling farmlands and lush pastures to Invercargill, a city obsessed with motor vehicles. Tributes to speed legends colour the city so it's only fitting that you visit Transport World for a guided tour and dinner. Explore classic vehicles as you are transported on a nostalgic walk back in time. Bill Richardson began collecting old trucks in 1967 and in his words sometimes "bought a truck more with our hearts than with our heads." The collection now comprises of many rare and unusual vehicles, along with popular classic vehicles.

Stewart Island Sightseeing

Day 6

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Kelvin Hotel

Invercargill is the gateway to the southernmost community in the country. Welcome to Stewart Island, a wild and wonderful drop of land that is 97% national parkland. Naturally, it’s a magnet for endemic flora and fauna, as you’ll discover on your guided Village and Bays tour. Later you have the option to join a leisurely cruise around Paterson Inlet, around Paterson Inlet that will take you past unique places including Acker’s Cottage before docking at Ulva Island to admire the bird life and native flora.

Invercargill - Queenstown

Day 7

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown

Today get a taste of country life combined with good old fashioned southern hospitality as you meet a 'Southern Girl' local farmer. The Real Country Farm Show, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, offers an authentic taste of what rural New Zealand is like. For every guest, we donate funds to The Fairlight Foundation, Advancing Women in Agriculture. Continue to Queenstown and take the afternoon at your own pace.

Queenstown Free Time

Day 8

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown

We wouldn’t blame you for using today to linger by the banks of Lake Wakatipu, marvelling at sky-scraping Remarkables. But if you want to venture further afield, we have a few ideas. Top of our list today is an epic journey through Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, carved by waterfalls and a playground for dolphins and seals as you’ll discover on a Milford Sound cruise (own expense). There’s a reason why this part of the island has World Heritage status.

Queenstown - Franz Josef/Waiau

Day 9

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier

Atmospheric Arrowtown was born from gold, and its movie-set-like streets still shimmer today. It’s hard to tear yourself away, but the Alpine country of the Southern Lakes is calling, from Lake Dunstan – pause for juicy stone fruit picked fresh from the tree – oh-so-blue Lake Hawea with its shoreline of poplars and willows. Over the Haast Pass, the pretty town of Franz Josef/Waiau at the edge of the Westland World Heritage Park, awaits. Get some perspective on an optional Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere flight tour – if the weather behaves, you may even get to land on it. New Zealand tours don’t get much cooler than this.

Franz Josef - Punakaiki

Day 10

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Punakaiki

On the wild West Coast, Hokitika may be small in size, but boy is it big in personality, not to mention natural attractions. Wander the windswept coast before discovering the town’s other beauty: pounamu (native greenstone or jade). Steel yourself for Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks and blowholes; they owe their existence to the thundering surf that will lull you to sleep.

Punakaiki - Nelson

Day 11

Duration: 1

Accommodation: The Rutherford Hotel

After action-packed days, all you need to do today is sit back and enjoy the drama of the Heritage Highway en route to Nelson. Gaze over Buller Gorge – a deep canyon home to New Zealand’s longest swingbridge – and Kahurangi National Park, a place of wild rivers, high plateaus, alpine herbfields and coastal forests.

Nelson

Day 12

Duration: 1

Accommodation: The Rutherford Hotel

The South Island’s oldest city, Nelson is also one of the sunniest. Explore nearby Tahunanui Beach, or you may choose to head further afield to the world-famous Abel Tasman National Park. This pocket in the north of the island is a beguiling union of golden beaches framed by sculpted granite cliffs.

Nelson - Wellington

Day 13

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Travelodge Wellington

All aboard the Interislander for a cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound, up the Tory Channel and across Cook Strait, from the South Island to the North, navigating a maze of arms and inlets into New Zealand’s cool little capital of Wellington. End your tour on a high note at a Farewell Dinner with your Travel Director and travel companions.

Farewell from Wellington

Day 14

Duration: 1

Wellington also knows a thing or two about good coffee, and you’ll need a strong one to get you through this morning's sightseeing. You may wish to linger in town, discovering Māori culture at Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. It's hard to say goodbye to your tour of the South Island of New Zealand. If you can't bear to leave, we have a few ideas up our sleeves to extend your holiday.

Dates & prices

Start Date: 2025-10-02

End Date: 2025-10-14

twin

Child Price: 5747

Adult Price: 6507

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 6507

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2025-10-16

End Date: 2025-10-28

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2025-10-30

End Date: 2025-11-11

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2025-11-20

End Date: 2025-12-02

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2025-11-27

End Date: 2025-12-09

twin

Child Price: 5747

Adult Price: 6507

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 6507

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2025-12-11

End Date: 2025-12-23

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2025-12-18

End Date: 2025-12-30

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2025-12-25

End Date: 2026-01-06

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2026-01-01

End Date: 2026-01-13

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2026-01-22

End Date: 2026-02-03

twin

Child Price: 6895

Adult Price: 7655

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7655

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2026-01-29

End Date: 2026-02-10

twin

Child Price: 6130

Adult Price: 6890

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 6890

triple

Child Price: 7275

Adult Price: 7275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10010

Start Date: 2026-02-05

End Date: 2026-02-17

twin

Child Price: 7100

Adult Price: 7885

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7885

triple

Child Price: 7495

Adult Price: 7495

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10315

Start Date: 2026-02-12

End Date: 2026-02-24

twin

Child Price: 7100

Adult Price: 7885

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7885

triple

Child Price: 7495

Adult Price: 7495

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10315

Start Date: 2026-02-19

End Date: 2026-03-03

twin

Child Price: 6312

Adult Price: 7097

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7097

triple

Child Price: 7495

Adult Price: 7495

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10315

Start Date: 2026-02-26

End Date: 2026-03-10

twin

Child Price: 7100

Adult Price: 7885

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7885

triple

Child Price: 7495

Adult Price: 7495

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10315

Start Date: 2026-03-05

End Date: 2026-03-17

twin

Child Price: 7100

Adult Price: 7885

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7885

triple

Child Price: 7495

Adult Price: 7495

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10315

Start Date: 2026-03-19

End Date: 2026-03-31

twin

Child Price: 6312

Adult Price: 7097

twinShare

Child Price:

Adult Price: 7097

triple

Child Price: 7495

Adult Price: 7495

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 10315

Southern Spirit

Tour Advisors

Itinerary

Dates & prices