New Zealand: Northern Choice | Northbound | Oct 2024 - May 2025

What's Included

• Accommodation

  Accommodation is provided at various hotels and lodges throughout the tour.

• Meals

  Meals are included as specified in the itinerary.

• Guided Tours

  Guided tours are included at various locations such as the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

• Cultural Experiences

  Experience a traditional Maori cultural performance and feast.

• Wildlife Encounters

  Visit the New Zealand Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs and Kaikoura Wildlife Rescue.

• Scenic Stops

  Visit scenic locations such as Huka Falls and Mount Ruapehu.

• City Tours

  City tours are included in Wellington and Auckland.

• Eco-Sanctuary Visit

  Visit Zealandia, a 225-hectare eco-sanctuary in Wellington.

• Lake Cruise

  Enjoy a cruise on Lake Taupo.

• Included Experience

  Check out the sunken river valleys of Marlborough Sounds from an iconic Interislander Ferry.

What's Not Included

• Optional Activities

  Optional activities such as whale watching, helicopter rides, and skydiving are not included.
  
  

• Personal Expenses

  Personal expenses such as souvenirs, additional meals, and drinks are not included.
  
  

• Travel Insurance

  Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.
  
  

• Flights

  International and domestic flights to and from New Zealand are not included.
  
  

• Visa Fees

  Visa fees and other travel documentation costs are not included.
  
  

Mode of Transport

Travel through New Zealand's stunning landscapes aboard a comfortable coach, with scenic stops and guided tours included. Enjoy a cruise on Lake Taupo and explore the country from Christchurch to Auckland, with opportunities for optional activities like whale watching and skydiving.

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided at various hotels and lodges throughout the tour, including stays at Sudima Kaikoura, Mercure Wellington Abel Tasman, Kings Ohakune, Lakeland Resort Taupo, Sudima Lake Rotorua, Lylo, and Bounty Motel, ensuring comfort and convenience.

Dining Summary

• 11 Breakfast (B)
• 3 Dinner (D)

FAQs

• Christchurch: Which Version is Northbound vs Southbound? Southbound trips start in Auckland and end in Christchurch. Northbound trips start in Christchurch and finish in Auckland. They’re both the same itineraries, just in reverse.

Included Experience

• Kaikoura: On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, we'll meet eco-warrior Sabrina Leucht, who has dedicated many years of her life to helping New Zealand's injured native birds... and is now working to establish the region's first wildlife hospital.
• Marlborough Sounds: Check out the sunken river valleys of Marlborough Sounds from an iconic Interislander Ferry. You'd wanna get your camera for this one!
• Mount Ruapehu: It's not a real carrot, just a statue. But standing at 7.5 metres tall, it still impresses. This famous spot in Ohakune represents all of the carrot farms (and there are plenty here) in town.
• Mount Ruapehu: Today we'll check out Mt Ruapehu, an active stratovolcano elevated almost 2,800 metres into the air!
• Mount Ruapehu: See even more of the sights made famous by "The Lord of the Rings."
• Huka Falls: Huka falls is a jaw-jutting display of natural hydro power. Here you'll see 220,000 litres of water tumble over the waterfall... per second that is(!)
• Rotorua: Wait til you see 'em. Wait til you smell 'em. These geothermic mudpools are a thing to behold.
• Rotorua: On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, we'll head to National Kiwi Hatchery near Rotorua to learn all about the locals' efforts to protect New Zealand's adorable national bird.
• Rotorua: A traditional Maori cultural performance, topped off with a traditional Maori feast... this ought to satisfy even the keenest of culture vultures.
• Auckland: Cameras at the ready folks, the views will be extraordinary here.
• Auckland: With sailboats at every angle, this is a beaut view indeed.
• Whangarei: See the work of the visionary Austrian painter, architect and ecological activist who made New Zealand his spiritual home.
• Paihia: The Waitangi Treaty Grounds might just be NZ's most important historical site, marking the place where the British Crown and the Maori people signed their first accords back in 1840.
• Paihia: A dinner of fish 'n' chips, enjoyed while overlooking the Bay of Islands in Paihia. Is this heaven? No sir, it's just salt and vinegar.

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