Journeys: Discover New Zealand

Arrive at any time. Please make your own way to the joining hotel. Our National Geographic Expedition Leader will have a welcome meeting this evening. Auckland is a fantastic city with so much to see and do. Should you want more time to explore on your own, we recommend booking pre-nights.

Included Experiences

• Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group: Your opportunity to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Optional Experiences

• Auckland Sailing: America's Cup Experience (Pre Tour): As part of the boat crew, you'll work together with your teammates to sail around Auckland's Waitemata Harbour in this competitive yacht. Either take the helm and participate or sit back and enjoy the spectacle - the choice is yours.

Take an orientation walk in Auckland, one of the most multicultural cities in the Southern Hemisphere. We’ll then catch a ferry to beautiful Waiheke Island, a haven of world-class vineyards and idyllic beaches. Visit wineries to learn about New Zealand's burgeoning wine industry and the history of viticulture in the country while sampling some of the local blends.

Included Experiences

• Orientation with Expedition Leader: Enjoy a brief walk with your Expedition Leader. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.
• Waiheke Island Wineries: Catch the ferry to picturesque Waiheke Island to learn about the evolution of the highly celebrated wine industry in New Zealand in its founding region. Tour picturesque vineyards, tasting well known wines from the region while enjoying the views. Return to Auckland this evening via a scenic ferry ride.

Optional Experiences

• Maritime Museum Visit: Tour the museum’s seven galleries to learn more about New Zealand’s relationship with the sea. Be inspired by the country's most celebrated mariner, Sir Peter Blake, and his many accomplishments, and see maritime art that speaks to the sentiment of a nautical nation.

Drive to the lakeside town of Rotorua, situated over an active geothermal zone and known for its volcanic features and rich Maori heritage. Stop en route at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, and take a boat ride through this spectacular underground realm to see thousands of flickering glowworms light up in the dark. Rotorua sits over an active geothermal zone with bubbling mud pits and multi-coloured pools in different areas around the town. This is a fascinating region with Maori history and culture tied directly to the geothermal aspects of the land.

Included Experiences

• Waitomo Cave Excursion: Enjoy a peaceful boat ride through 30 million year old caverns covered with magical glowworms that are unique to New Zealand. Hundreds of thousands of these tiny creatures radiate luminescent light in underground caves carved by rivers and time. Take in more than 136 years of cultural and natural history on this unique excursion.

Begin your full-day excursion with a walk through the 800-year-old podocarp trees in Whirinaki Rainforest, learning the history of the forest and spotting endemic birds and medicinal plants. Then head to the Maori-owned Kohutapu Lodge, our base for exploring New Zealand's indigenous culture. Watch as a hangi lunch is prepared the traditional way-—buried in an underground pit—and enjoy the resulting feast with your Maori hosts. After lunch see ancient rock carvings and learn about their spiritual significance to the Maori people, both past and present. Return to Rotorua for an optional evening meal or a well-deserved soak in the hot springs.

Included Experiences

• A day at Kohutapu: Travel to Kohutapu Lodge, a social enterprise owned by a local Maori family who are making a difference in their local community through community-driven initiatives. Led by your guide, set off for the Whirinaki rainforest—a Jurassic Podocarp forest—where you will be led by your Maori guide to discover more about the Maori culture and learn about the history of the forest. Spend a final few moments bathed in the forest’s sights and smells while indulging in a cup of hot kawakawa tea. Witness the preparation of a ground-cooked hangi and taste it for yourself. After a delicious lunch, set off on a short hike to the nearby sacred Maori rock carvings, carbon-dated 400 years before the Great Migration.

Optional Experiences

• Hot Springs: Soak tired muscles in the area's natural hot springs and let the mineral water work its magic. Rotorua is home to a number of amazing geothermal parks – be sure you don't miss the healing and relaxing benefits of the city's naturally heated waters. (50-360 NZD per person)

This morning, spend some time learning about New Zealand's most iconic species-the kiwi. Enjoy a private tour at the National Kiwi Hatchery with an expert guide and learn how the chicks are reared and cared for in this incredible conservation effort protecting the endangered kiwi. In the afternoon, catch a flight to Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island. With free time in Rotorua this morning, opt to relax in one of the hot pools fed by water coming directly from the natural springs.

Included Experiences

• The National Kiwi Hatchery: Learn about the national bird of New Zealand on a guided tour of the National Kiwi Hatchery. With your expert guide, you'll learn about the efforts of the hatchery and the conservation practices New Zealand is taking to care for the endangered bird.
• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
• Orientation with Expedition Leader: Enjoy a brief walk with your Expedition Leader. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Board the TranzAlpine train—one of the world’s most scenic rail routes—for a breathtaking journey through verdant plains, beech forests, and majestic, misty mountains. Disembark at Arthur’s Pass—the highest pass in the Southern Alps - and choose to grab a coffee and spend some time exploring this alpine area. Descend into the Canterbury Plains to visit a working sheep farm. On arrival, dig into a bbq lunch prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Then spend the afternoon with the sheepdogs learning about how the dogs work in tandem with their human owners to care for the farm. Watch a sheep shearing demonstration and hear from the farmers about the their life and work in this fascinating industry. Return to Christchurch later in the afternoon, with time to explore on your own and take dinner at your leisure.

Included Experiences

• TransAlpine Train: Climb aboard the train in Christchurch and travel through what many consider to be the most beautiful train ride in the world!
• Sheep Shearing Experience: Dive into quintessential Kiwi culture on a sheep farm deep in the Southern Alps. Watch how sheep dogs work alongside humans to wrangle the sheep through paddocks. Join in a sheep shearing demonstration and learn about the importance of sheep farms in New Zealand.

Enjoy a morning at leisure in Christchurch. Choose to stroll the Christchurch Botanic Gardens or wander the city. In the afternoon, head west to Tekapo at the base of Aoraki/Mt Cook. This evening after dinner, join local experts for an exclusive astronomy experience in one of the worlds official Dark Sky Parks in Tekapo. Expect breathtaking perspectives of the stars, planets, and distant galaxies. You'll have the rare opportunity to capture stunning celestial images with expert guidance, while experienced guides take you on a journey through the Southern Skies.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Spend a free morning exploring the beautiful and historic city of Christchurch.
• Tekapo Dark Sky Experience: Witness the stars, planets and milky way like never before in an unforgettable stargazing adventure. Nestled in the heart of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, the purpose-built observation craters give you a fantastic view of the stars. Here, you'll have the unique opportunity to understand the night sky like never before.

Optional Experiences

• Christchurch Botanic Gardens: Experience the natural beauty of New Zealand in downtown Christchurch. These gardens are worth a visit during every season from bright flowers in the spring, breathtaking roses of every color in the summer, beautiful fall leaves and conservatories in the winter.

Set off this morning for the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealand's most famous explorer, made some of his very first ascents here at the south face of Aoraki/Mt Cook which set the foundation for his world-changing summit of Everest with Tenzing Norgay in 1953. In a July 1954 issue of National Geographic Hillary was quoted as saying “We are there. Nothing above us, a world below.” Spend time at the visitor centre that honors Sir Edmund Hillary and his achievements in the exploration of so many fascinating parts of the planet. Later in the afternoon, embark on your own explorations with a guided trek along the Kea Point track. This 1.8 mile trail offers views to Mount Sefton, Hooker Valley, Mueller Glacier Lake and Aoraki/Mt Cook.

Included Experiences

• Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre: Visit the Alpine Center museum and theatre to learn about Sir Edmund Hillary himself and the legendary climbing history of Aoraki Mount Cook.
• Aoraki/ Mt Cook Kea Point Trek: Hike this easy 3 km loop to the foot of the glacier and back. This hike offers incredible views of Mount Sefton, Hooker Valley and Mueller Glacier Lake.

Set off this morning heading further west towards Wanaka. Enjoy some free exploration time in Wanaka and grab some lunch at leisure. This afternoon, join your National Geographic Expedition Leader for a brief orientation of Arrowtown before enjoying some time to explore this historic mining town. Choose to go on a walking tour starting at the Lakes District Museum. Then stroll around the historic miner's cottages, old churches, and explore the Chinese Settlement to learn about the gold mining past that shaped Arrowtown. In late afternoon, head to Queenstown and enjoy dinner at leisure.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Spend some free time exploring historic Arrowtown.

Discover the glacially carved wilderness of Fiordland National Park on a cruise. Glide past shimmering waterfalls and towering cliffs, and look out for bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, and little blue penguins with our naturalist guides. Travel back to shore, head to Queenstown for the night.

Included Experiences

• Fiordland National Park Wilderness Cruise: Cruise through stunning Fiordland National Park, one of the most untouched, remote places in the world. Depending on the departure, the cruise will be in either Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound – two of the most stunning regions within the park. Marvel at the steep cliff walls and cascading waterfalls, and keep an eye out for area wildlife: dolphins, penguins, seals, and a variety of birds.

Enjoy a day at leisure in Queenstown to explore the myriad things that make this southern city so famous. Choose to cruise lake Wakatipu on a historic steamer; experience a thrilling jet boat ride; or visit a local winery to sample the region’s award-winning vintages. Choose to join your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travelers for a delicious farewell dinner on this final evening in New Zealand.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: There's plenty to see and do in Queenstown, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like mountain biking and jet boating. Your National Geographic Expedition Leader has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!

Optional Experiences

• Vineyard Tour: Visit vineyards in New Zealand's fastest growing wine region. Taste some of Queenstown's finest Pinot Noir, as well as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc and learn more about the grape varietals that flourish here. Pick up a few bottles to savour back home. (189-265 NZD per person)
• Gondola Ride: Take a ride up to the top of the mountain by cable car gondola. Get a spectacular 220º view of Coronet Peak, the Remarkables mountain range, and Lake Wakatipu below. (66-215 NZD per person)
• Shotover Jet Boating: Jet boating is a typical New Zealand activity— go as fast you can in a boat over water. Hang on tight as you fly across the surface of the water. Shoot through narrow rocky gorges and dare to watch as the driver takes hairpin turns frighteningly close to the cliffs.
• Earnslaw Steamship Cruise: Discover the breathtaking Lake Wakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw, a 103 year old traditional steamship. This 90 minute cruise highlights that stunning alpine scenery that surrounds Queenstown, and lets you check out the views while relaxing on deck. (115-269 NZD per person)

Depart at any time. For more time to explore Queenstown, we recommend booking post nights with your agent if you are interested in the countless adrenaline-packed activities in the town known as the "adventure capital of the world." Jet boating and mountain biking are some of the activities available.