Grand New Zealand Vacation Package

Aoraki National Park in New Zealand

What to expect on this itinerary

The dramatic landscape and natural wonder will captivate you on your complete 19-day New Zealand tour. Touch a glacier’s ancient icy colors. Watch for whales breaching the turquoise sea. Listen to the sounds of traditional Maori chants accompanying a customary feast. Embrace the inspiring features of Middle Earth. Enjoy Art Deco architecture, Alpine scenery, and soft sands as you experience New Zealand’s unparalleled diversity.

Countries Visited

New Zealand

Places Visited

Auckland, Rotorua, Bay of Islands, Nelson, Wellington, Queenstown, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hawke's Bay, Franz Josef Village, Milford Sound

Suggested Duration

19 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Auckland - The City of Sails Expands

Arrive in Auckland and settle into the beauty of the City of Sails. The water sparkles in the sunlight as sailboats drift along the sea lending Auckland to its nickname. Begin your adventure through the stunning variety of the natural world with a visit to Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter. As you enter the building the rush of cold wind rushes against your cheeks. The encounter simulates the frozen tundra of Antarctica, along with the world beneath the shores that we often long to see. Ride along the snowcat and virtually traverse the rocky snow-scape of the tundra. Penguins waddle along the icy exhibition, diving into the water for fish and fun. As you continue through the exhibit you can see the variety of fish that swim around and over you. Walk through the viewing tunnel,  and pay a visit to the Stingray Bay where you can dip your fingers into the cold water and run your tips over the slick skin of a stingray; Kelly Tarlton’s offers you the natural wonders of the arctic and the world underwater without ever having to step foot onto, or into, either.

Continue your adventure through Auckland with a ride along the Pride of Auckland. The sails billow in the breeze as the mist rises from the sea. The gentle scent of the sea surrounds you. The skyline spreads over the city with the Sky Tower, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, shining like an adorning jewel. The lush green shores of surrounding islands glisten in the setting sun. Glide along the water’s edge, watch the beauty of Auckland as the sun disappears behind the horizon and the city begins to glow.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Day 2

Bay of Islands - The Wonders of the Bay of Islands

Day 3

Bay of Islands - The Hole in the Rock

Day 4

Rotorua - Glowing Caves and Chanting Tribes

Day 5

Napier - Art Deco on the Beach

Day 6

Hawke's Bay - Capital Beauty

Day 7

Wellington - Lovely with a Capital “L”

Day 8

Christchurch - The Expanse of the Garden City

Day 9

Christchurch - Where Whales Never Fear to Tread

Day 10

Franz Josef - A Trained Landscape

Day 11

Franz Josef - The Majesty of Ice

Day 12

Queenstown - Alpine Landscapes

Day 13

Queenstown - A River Shot Over

Day 14

Queenstown - Fit for Lords and Queens

Day 15

Milford Sound - Landscaped Sound

Day 16

Dunedin - Train Stations and Stained Glass

Day 17

Dunedin - An Unforgettable Peninsula

Day 18

Christchurch - Return of the Gardens

Day 19

Christchurch - Landscapes Remembered

Trip Highlights

  • Experience the serenity of Milford Sound
  • Journey across the landscape of Otago on a 4WD Lord of the Rings Tour
  • Travel across the sensational shores of the Bay of Islands
  • Watch the whales meander off the stunning coast
  • Take part in a Maori feast and concert
  • Witness the gorgeous luminescence of glowworms at the Waitomo Caves
  • Speed through Shotover River on a jet boat
  • Journey to the wondrous Franz Joseph Glacier
  • Explore the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine Train
  • Wander through charming Art Deco architecture

Starting Price

$7,800 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 1711 reviews

Lorri D.
Australia, New Zealand Tour Review: 1 Month

This was a trip of a lifetime! We had wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand for 40-plus years and this trip did not disappoint.

Zicasso's trip expert was fantastic. When first beginning to plan the trip, he spoke to us by phone and email numerous times to get to know us and find out what we liked, wanted, and were physically able and not able to do. He really listened and planned our trip accordingly.

While we were traveling, he was always instantly available for anything we needed or any questions we had.

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Igor K.
New Zealand Vacation Review: Scenery 1-Week Trip

It was a fantastic trip. Zicasso's travel planner nailed all of my interests and left with me an unforgettable experience. She was also accommodating and quick to act with any changes to my travel plans. Even with poor cell service and communication systems down on the app, she was able to communicate updates to my itinerary in a timely and effective manner. Thank you for the unforgettable memories I have as a result of your excellent planning.

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Austin M.
Australia, New Zealand Tour Review: Waiheke Island, Sydney, Great Barrier Reef, Bridge Climb, Wine Tasting, Snorkeling, 11 Nights

Everything was super-easy, which made navigating the trip seamless and stress-free!

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Tim G.
Australia, New Zealand Tour Review: 13-Night Trip

We very much enjoyed our time in New Zealand and Australia. The tours were all very good. Zicasso's travel agent and our tour partner were very responsive and helpful throughout the planning phase and while we were on vacation.

The only feedback we have is that the hotels selected, other than the hotels in New Zealand, did not have the amenities we were hoping to get from four-star properties. We'll do a better job of indicating what we need in hotel selections moving forward, but we thought the hotels could have been a notch better than they were.

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Sivly R.
Australia, New Zealand Trip Review: Tasmania, Rotorua, Uluru, Queenstown, Luging, Camel Ride, Wildlife, Hobbiton, Islands, Glowworm Cave, 2 Weeks

We absolutely loved so much of our trip! My kids’ (ages 11 and eight) favorite activities were luging in Rotorua, NZ, and the sunset camel ride in Uluru, AU, while my husband and I were enchanted by Hobbiton and enjoyed exploring a glowworm cave with the owner's father! We all loved Tasmania.

There were a few hiccups. However, we were very happy with all the support the Zicasso travel company's team provided in real time to help us get back on track. 

The overall trip was fantastic. My husband and I appreciated having the team support our adventures, both the highs and the lows. The team members were detailed-oriented. This trip exceeded our expectations and we’re incredibly grateful for their expertise in curating such memorable experiences.

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Sharon B.
Australia, New Zealand Travel Review: Wildlife, Hiking, Vineyards, Helicopter Trip, Plane Ride, 24 Nights

The trip was awesome; the trip of a lifetime! We saw/experienced everything we could imagine. The trip reflected all of our wish-list items. Zicasso's travel specialist was very accommodating to our ideas and was very detail-oriented. We didn't have to worry about a thing on this vacation.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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