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Essence of New Zealand (2026/2027, 18 Days)

18 days
•
From Christchurch to Auckland
4.4
103 traveler reviews
Essence of New Zealand (2026/2027, 18 Days) - AAT Kings

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Plan your adventure:
  • Explorer
  • Family
  • Group
  • Fully Guided
  • Sightseeing
Gold Operator
AAT Kings
Group Tour
Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Guided in English
Group Size 20 - 48
Age range 5 to 99

Places You’ll See

  • Christchurch
    Christchurch
  • Dunedin
    Dunedin
  • Stewart Island
    Stewart Island
  • Queenstown
    Queenstown
  • Wellington
    Wellington
  • Rotorua
    Rotorua
  • Auckland
    Auckland
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Explore Christchurch's post-quake transformation
  • Stargaze at Lake Tekapo's Dark Sky Reserve
  • Tour Dunedin's art alleys and Speight's Brewery
  • Visit Invercargill's Classic Motorcycle Mecca
  • Cruise to Stewart Island and meet the locals

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Welcome to Christchurch
  2. Day 2 Christchurch - Omarama
  3. Day 3 Omarama - Dunedin
  4. Day 4 Dunedin - Invercargill
  5. Day 5 Stewart Island
  6. Day 6 Invercargill - Queenstown
  7. Day 7 Queenstown Free Time
  8. Day 8 Queenstown - Franz Josef/Waiau
  9. Day 9 Franz Josef/Waiau - Punakaiki
  10. Day 10 Punakaiki - Nelson
  11. Day 11 Nelson Free Time
  12. Day 12 Nelson - Wellington
  13. Day 13 Wellington - Napier
  14. Day 14 Napier
  15. Day 15 Napier - Rotorua
  16. Day 16 Rotorua Free Time
  17. Day 17 Rotorua - Auckland
  18. Day 18 Farewell from Auckland
Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

  • Wyndham Garden

    Hotel
    day 1

  • Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel

    Hotel
    day 2

  • Dunedin Leisure Lodge

    Hotel
    day 3

  • Kelvin Hotel

    Hotel
    Days 4, 5

  • Copthorne Hotel and Resort

    Hotel
    Days 6, 7

  • Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier

    Hotel
    day 8

  • Scenic Hotel Punakaiki

    Hotel
    day 9

  • The Rutherford Hotel

    Hotel
    Days 10, 11

  • Travelodge Wellington

    Hotel
    day 12

  • Scenic Hotel Te Pania

    Hotel
    Days 13, 14

  • Sudima Lake Rotorua

    Hotel
    Days 15, 16

  • Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre

    Hotel
    day 17

Operated by

AAT Kings

4.4
(103 reviews)
This operator has high review ratings and responds promptly to enquiries

Number of tours

265

Age Range

5 to 99 years old

Response time

within 2 days

Response rate

90%

Since 1912, AAT Kings as a tour operator has been helping people from all...

Read more

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Kathleen
    · March 3rd, 2025
    Optional activities should be scheduled in advance and not as the tour progresses. That way we can know whether or not we can get the activity. If not, it can be scheduled online. I had no access to these activities from Tour Radars website and didn’t know they existed. Luckily I scheduled on my own and got to see what I wanted. Others did not.
    Show more
  • Lorne
    · February 25th, 2025
    Excellent, guide and driver were exceptional.
    Show more

Dates & Availability

18 days
Essence of New Zealand (2026/2027, 18 Days)
From Christchurch to Auckland

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More benefits
Select a departure month
  • Upcoming departures
  • April 2026
  • September 2026
  • October 2026
  • November 2026
  • December 2026
  • January 2027
  • February 2027
  • March 2027
Select The Travel Month

Upcoming departures
Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at AAT Kings with your enquiry, they usually respond within 2 days.

Good to Know

Tour ID: 289280

  • Currency
    $
    New Zealand Dollar
    New Zealand
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type I.

    Type I
    New Zealand
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before June 5th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after June 5th, 2025, a minimum payment of $200 is required to confirm your booking with AAT Kings. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and AAT Kings will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "AAT Kings" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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