Overview
16 Days
Christchurch
Auckland
Signature
4 Star
Premium
18-99 Years
32
Fully Guided
SGPN16
Itinerary
On arrival into Christchurch, you will be met by a Grand Pacific Tours representative and transferred to your hotel.
This evening enjoy a complimentary pre-dinner drink when you meet your Tour Leader and travelling companions for dinner. Stay: Distinction Christchurch Hotel (D)
After an introductory city sights tour depart Christchurch and travel through the southern Canterbury Plains to Lake Tekapo. See the brilliant turquoise water, The Church of the Good Shepherd and the Sheep Dog Statue. Marvel at the spectacular mountain ranges including Mt Cook, New Zealand's highest peak. The opportunity is available (time and weather permitting) to enjoy a scenic flight (optional) over the Southern Alps before travelling to Twizel. Stay: Distinction Mackenzie Country (B/D)
Depart Twizel and see Lake Benmore, before following the Waitaki River to Oamaru, famous for its limestone. Continue south to Dunedin and enjoy a city sights tour followed by some free time. Stay: Scenic Hotel Southern Cross (B/D)
This morning travel out along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle where you hear of the tragic and scandalous history on a guided tour. Enjoy time to wander around this Garden of International Significance followed by a delicious Devonshire Tea. Farewell Dunedin and travel through Balclutha and Gore to Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland and your overnight stay. Today you may like to visit the Te Anau Glowworm Caves (optional). Stay: Distinction Luxmore Hotel Lake Te Anau (B/D)
Depart Te Anau for a fascinating drive to Milford Sound where you board your launch for a cruise on this magnificent fiord. See the spectacular Bowen Falls and towering Mitre Peak as you enjoy lunch. This afternoon travel to Queenstown, overlooking magical Lake Wakatipu. Spend the next two nights at this year-round resort which offers a wide range of activities and attractions.
This evening is free, you may choose to dine at one of the many fine restaurants. Stay Two Nights: Millennium Hotel Queenstown (B/L)
Today is a free day for you to explore Queenstown at leisure. Your crew are available to assist with the many optional activities available, including the thrill of a jet boat ride or a heritage tour of the scenic Skippers Canyon.
This evening board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Sit back, relax and enjoy a delicious gourmet barbecue dinner featuring a menu of seasonal, fresh and locally sourced food at the Colonel's Homestead. After dinner enjoy a short farm tour then reboard the TSS Earnslaw for a sing along by the piano as you cruise back to Queenstown. (B/SD)
Travel to Arrowtown and visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue via the Haast Pass to the mighty West Coast, an area of stunning beauty. See the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel north to the township of Franz Josef. Time is available (weather permitting) to experience a scenic flight (optional) over the spectacular glaciers. Stay: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier (B/D)
Travel to Hokitika and visit the Greenstone Factory. Continue into Arthur's Pass and board the TranzAlpine, renowned as one of the great train journeys of the world. View rivers and valleys as you travel through the Waimakariri Basin, over massive viaducts and through the patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains.
On arrival into the elegant city of Christchurch, your coach will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Stay: Sudima Christchurch Airport (B/D)
Travel along the East Coast to the seaside village of Kaikōura. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you travel through Marlborough Country, famous for its food and wine. Continue to Picton, where you will board the Interislander Ferry for your journey through the Marlborough Sounds to Wellington. Stay Two Nights: James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor (B/D)
A highlight this morning will be time to explore Gallipoli: A Scale of War exhibition at Te Papa, New Zealand's National Museum. Cutting edge technology brings these stories to life through the eyes of New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Reboard your coach for an extensive city tour which showcases the history and culture on show. Enjoy free time this afternoon and this evening is also free to choose your own dining arrangements. (B)
Depart Wellington and view the snow-capped peaks of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro as you travel to Lake Taupo. Visit the spectacular Huka Falls then travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua. Stay Two Nights: Pullman Rotorua (B/D)
Today begins with a gondola ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua. There is also time for a thrilling luge ride! Next stop is Agrodome for an action-packed hour of farming entertainment and education that is unlike anything you've seen before. Visit Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome geysers that Rotorua is famous for. Enjoy some free time this afternoon.
This evening experience an entertaining Mãori Hãngi and Concert. (B/SD)
This morning depart Rotorua and travel north to Whangarei to the Bay of Islands. This afternoon enjoy a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the location of the signing of the treaty between the Māori tribes and the British. Stay Two Nights: Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands (B/D)
Today you will cruise through the beautiful Bay of Islands aboard a luxury catamaran to Cape Brett, where a historic lighthouse keeps watch over Piercy Island, or as it is popularly known, the ‘Hole in the Rock'. Keep an eye out for dolphins and other marine life before returning to Paihia for a free afternoon. A range of optional activities are available, or you may choose to relax and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the waterfront.
This evening is also free, you may like to enjoy a relaxing dinner cruise (optional). (B)
Depart the Bay of Islands this morning and travel via Whangarei to Matakohe. Enjoy a visit and informative talk at the Kauri Museum before continuing to Auckland for a city sights tour.
This evening enjoy a pre-dinner drink and reminisce on memories shared with your new friends at the farewell dinner. Stay: Sudima Auckland City (B/SD)
Time to say goodbye. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight home after a memorable New Zealand holiday. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Larnach Castle and Devonshire Tea
- Milford Sound Cruise and Lunch
- Cruise Lake Wakatipu on the TSS Earnslaw
- Lakes District Museum
- TranzAlpine Rail Journey
- Cruise on the Interislander Ferry
- Te Papa, NZ's National Museum
- Skyline Rotorua Gondola and Luge Ride
- Agrodome
- Thermal mud pools and geysers
- Te Puia traditional Māori Hāngi and Concert
- Waitangi Treaty Grounds
- Hole in the Rock Dolphin Cruise
- Kauri Museum
- City sights tour of Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington & Auckland
- Personalised Meet and Greet on arrival
- Return airport transfers in New Zealand
- Premium Economy comfort on a full-size coach with 2 door access, seat back tray table, cup holder, restroom; daily onboard Wi-Fi allowance
- Professional Coach Captain
- Experienced Tour Leader
- 15 nights 4 star accommodation
- 4 two night stays
- Hotel porterage
- 1 rail journey
- 4 cruises
- All sightseeing and prepaid attractions
- Signature Documentation Pack
- 15 cooked breakfasts including a specialty breakfast: Stratosfare Restaurant, Rotorua
- 12 sumptuous dinners including Complimentary pre-dinner drink at the Welcome Dinner and 3 specialty dinners: Walter Peak Homestead, Queenstown; Mãori Hãngi and Concert, Rotorua; Farewell Dinner including pre-dinner drink, Auckland
- 1 lunch: Milford Sound Cruise
- 1 delicious Devonshire Tea: Larnach Castle
- Enjoy GPT Hotel Wine Time (discounted drinks)
- Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
- Dinner on Day 1 not included for anyone arriving later than 8pm
- 2026: May 7 - Due to timetable scheduling or nominated maintenance days, these departures do not include the TranzAlpine rail journey. A refund for the missed inclusion will be provided at the time of final payment in case of scheduling changes.
- 2026: Apr 25, May 7 - Due to Interislander's 'Aratere' vessel going into retirement and subsequent timetable change, Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries will replace the Interislander Ferry.
Operator
As the market leader for New Zealand Coach Holidays, we have something for everyone! Travel in style on our Ultimate Small Group Touring series (maximum of 20 travellers) or our Signature Touring series (premium economy comfort on a full size coach with smaller group size of 32.) with itineraries to suit all budgets and interests. Choose from Signature; Cruise & Coach and Special Interest Tours, with over 200 guaranteed departures per year. We take care of it all leaving you to get on with creating incredible holiday memories!
Trip Reviews (54)
We toured both the south and the north island and were looked after very well read more by the tour guide and bus driver. We saw most of the highlights of New Zealand, a beautiful country with lots to see. The distances travelled on the South island were long, but the scenery beautiful and the hotels comfortable. North island was less arduous, and the scenery again beautiful but different to the South. The booking process with Hannah as usual was pleasant and efficient.
New Zealand kept on giving: Mount Cook, clear azure lakes, glaciers, Milford Sound, glowworm caves, boat trips, Queenstown four wheel drive, tours through Wellington, Auckland, read more Dunedin, Christchurch, mountains, sea, rivers, museums and cultural events. Hotels were clean, plentiful food, great company and brilliant experienced leader and drivers. I highly recommend the whole experience. Tiring but well worth it!
From a night in Wellington we headed to Rotorua for some cultural experiences and exposure to geysers and bubbling mud. We organised an option of our own, venturing to Matamata for a half-day Hobbiton tour, then rejoining our group we went on to Auckland for an hour before motoring to Paihia. A cruise to (and through) the Hole in the Rock was followed by a quick walk around Russel before heading back to Auckland to fly home.
What a whirlwind of an experience. We couldn’t call it a holiday given the pace and the waking hours but we gorged on natural beauty, visited museums, learned new cultures, cruised glacial waters, marvelled at earthquake devastation, scaled the heights and depths of man made structures, all while travelling in luxury and eating like royalty. We were exhausted but delighted.
Our tour guide ensured everyone's needs were met with a great degree of professionalism. Tours were organised on the run, advice given, directions were clear, and even the odd traveller's mishap was handled with aplomb. The drivers on both the North Island and South Island were equally professional and each fountains of local knowledge. Their commentary was engaging and their skilful manoeuvring of the coach around tight city streets and precipitous mountain roads had everyone feeling safe and comfortable at all times. We would gladly book with Global Journeys and travel Grand Pacific again. In fact, next time we travel they'll be the first places we look!
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Grand Pacific New Zealand (2025-26)
Dates & Pricing
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A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Inquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Grand Pacific. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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