Spirit of New Zealand

Spirit of New Zealand

26 Views
21 Days From

$7470

$6350

Spirit of New Zealand

21 Days Starting in Christchurch, New Zealand and ending in Auckland, New Zealand

Visiting: Christchurch, Lake Tekapo, Dunedin, Invercargill, Stewart Island, Queenstown, Franz Josef, Punakaiki, Nelson, Wellington, Napier, Rotorua, Auckland, Bay of Islands

Tour operator:

AAT Kings

Tour code:

LCQB25

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Low

Tour operated in:

English

Activities:

Walking

From: $7470 $6350 Operator discount: -$1120 -15%

NB: Prices correct on 23-Dec-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Embark on the "Spirit of New Zealand" tour, a captivating journey through the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultures of New Zealand. This coach tour offers a seamless travel experience with a specialist team of a Travel Director and Driver Guide, ensuring comfort and insight as you explore both the North and South Islands. From the bustling streets of Christchurch to the serene beauty of the Bay of Islands, this tour covers iconic sites like the Franz Josef Glacier and the geothermal wonders of Rotorua. Enjoy comfortable accommodations in city centers and indulge in local experiences, such as the Real Country Farm Show, which supports the Fairlight Foundation. With optional activities like the Fiordland National Park journey and Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, this adventure promises unforgettable memories. Whether you're cruising through Queen Charlotte Sound or exploring the art deco charm of Napier, this tour is a perfect blend of nature, culture, and relaxation.

Highlights

  • Explore the vibrant streets of Christchurch and experience its strong community spirit.

  • Marvel at the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo and the stone-hewn Church of Good Shepherd.

  • Discover the architectural beauty and wildlife of Dunedin, known as the Edinburgh of the South.

  • Visit Stewart Island, a haven for endemic flora and fauna, with 85% of its land as national park.

  • Experience the thrill of Queenstown, the adventure capital, with options like jet boating and vineyard tours.

  • Cruise through the stunning Queen Charlotte Sound and across Cook Strait to Wellington.

  • Explore the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, including bubbling geysers and Maori cultural experiences.

  • Discover the historical significance and natural beauty of the Bay of Islands, including the Treaty of Waitangi site.

Itinerary

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Day 1: Welcome To Christchurch

Location: Christchurch

Accommodation Name: Ibis Hotel Christchurch

Community spirit is strong in Christchurch, as you’ll discover exploring its streets at your leisure. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers this evening for a Welcome Reception.

Day 2: Christchurch - Omarama

Location: Lake Tekapo

Accommodation Name: Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

More of the city is revealed on a Christchurch tour before the colours of the Canterbury Plains spread before you: the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo, snow-capped mountains and atmospheric towns. It’s quite the backdrop for the stone-hewn Church of Good Shepherd. Your Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience at Tekapo, hosted by passionate guides, will forever change the way you see the night sky. You'll see for yourself it may be one of the quietest spots on the planet, yet it has one of the busiest skies in the universe.

Day 3: Omarama - Dunedin

Location: Dunedin

Accommodation Name: Dunedin Leisure Lodge

Easing through the Waitaki Valley, you’re en route toward New Zealand’s oldest public gardens. They lie in the pretty town of Oamaru, known for its stately tree-lined streets and limestone buildings. Architectural drama of a different kind awaits in Dunedin. While away the afternoon in atmospheric art-lined alleys or sipping a lager or two in Speight's Brewery (a national institution). Or venture further afield to discover Larnach Castle. Dunedin is widely known as the Edinburgh of the South. In truth, it could also be known as ‘Little Galapagos’: fur seals and penguins thrive in this part of the South Island.

Day 4: Dunedin - Invercargill

Location: Invercargill

Accommodation Name: Kelvin Hotel

Invercargill is obsessed with motor vehicles. Tributes to speed legends colour the city. So it's only fitting that you visit Classic Motorcycle Mecca for a self-guided tour followed by a guided tour and Highlight Dinner at Transport World, exploring classic vehicles as you are transported on a nostalgic walk back in time. From Brough Superior to Burt Munro and John Britten, ride into yesteryear and discover the Southern Hemisphere’s leading classic motorcycle collection. Home to more than 300 vintage motorcycles, a visit here is a truly mind-blowing experience for enthusiasts and newbies alike. Housed in two restored historic buildings in the heart of Invercargill, the collection boasts displays of classic British, American, European, and Japanese bikes alongside tributes to motocross and speedway (including legend Ivan Mauger). It is also home to the George Begg Bunker: a tribute to a homegrown hero and a golden age in Kiwi motorsport history. Bill Richardson began collecting old trucks in 1967 and in his words sometimes "bought a truck more with our hearts than with our heads." The collection now comprises of many rare and unusual vehicles, along with popular classic vehicles.

Day 5: Stewart Island Sightseeing

Location: Stewart Island

Accommodation Name: Kelvin Hotel

Invercargill is the gateway to the southernmost community in the country. Welcome to Stewart Island, a wild and wonderful drop of land that is 85% national park. Naturally, it’s a magnet for endemic flora and fauna, as you’ll discover on your guided Village and Bays tour. Later you have the option to join a leisurely cruise, including a picnic lunch, around Paterson Inlet that will take you past unique places including Acker’s Cottage before docking at Ulva Island to admire the bird life and native flora.

Day 6: Invercargill - Queenstown

Location: Queenstown

Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown

Today on your New Zealand tour, get a taste of country life combined with good old fashioned southern hospitality as you meet a ‘Southern Girl’ local farmer at Real Country. Get a feel for life on the farm as you have demonstrations of Horse communication and Working sheep dog mustering. Try your hand at a Stock whip cracking lesson, and feed and interact with the friendly farm animals. Plus, for every guest, we donate funds to The Fairlight Foundation, Advancing Women in Agriculture, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Continue to Queenstown and take the rest of the day at your own pace.

Day 7: Queenstown Free Time

Location: Queenstown

Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown

You clearly need more than one day to appreciate Queenstown and its surrounds. And when we say surrounds, we mean Milford Sound. Today, sign up for an Optional Experience to dive deep into this yawning gorge within World Heritage-listed Fiordland National Park – it’s within easy reach of your base, and is best explored on an optional South Island tour that sees you jumping aboard boat to cruise the mirror-like waterway. Like things fast and furious? Feel the wind in your hair on the high-octane jet boat ride, perhaps, twisting and revving along Queenstown's Shotover River. There's a reason why Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the country. Wine aficionado? Sip your way through surrounding vineyards. Tours of the South Island don't get much tastier than this. There's also the option of an afternoon cruise on Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue dinner (all own expense).

Day 8: Queenstown - Franz Josef

Location: Franz Josef

Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier

Meals Included: Dinner

We know you’ll want to linger in Arrowtown’s movie-set-like streets, lined with trees and character-filled boutiques and restaurants. But the Alpine country of the Southern Lakes is calling, from Lake Dunstan – where you can pause to buy juicy stone fruit picked fresh from the tree – to oh-so-blue Lake Hawea and lovely Lake Wanaka, with its Instagrammable shoreline of poplars and willows. Over the Haast Pass, the pretty town of Franz Josef/Waiau at the edge of the Westland World Heritage Park, awaits. Get some perspective on an optional scenic flight over this natural wonder – if the weather behaves, you may even get to land on it. Trips to New Zealand don’t get any cooler than this.

Day 9: Franz Josef - Punakaiki

Location: Punakaiki

Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Punakaiki

Meals Included: Dinner

There aren’t many communities on the wild West Coast, Hokitika is one, and boy does it make the most of its setting. Wander the windswept coast before discovering the town’s other beauty: pounamu (native greenstone or jade). Prepare yourself for Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks and blowholes; they owe their existence to the thundering surf that will lull you to sleep.

Day 10: Punakaiki - Nelson

Location: Nelson

Accommodation Name: The Rutherford Hotel

Sit back and relax – that’s all you have to do today as you ease along the Heritage Highway toward Nelson. Press your nose against the glass as your coach weaves through Buller Gorge – a deep canyon home to New Zealand’s longest swingbridge – and Kahurangi National Park, a place of wild rivers, high plateaus, alpine herb fields and coastal forests.

Day 11: Nelson Free Time

Location: Nelson

Accommodation Name: The Rutherford Hotel

Sleep in or work up a sweat – today is completely at your leisure. We have a few ideas up our sleeve, of course. Travel to the Abel Tasman National Park for the ultimate cruise and walk combination (own expense). This pocket in the north of the island inspires calm, its golden beaches framed by sculpted granite cliffs that all unite to create one of the country’s most legendary coastal tracks.

Day 12: Nelson - Wellington

Location: Wellington

Accommodation Name: Travelodge Wellington

Meals Included: Dinner

All aboard the Interislander for a cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound, up the Tory Channel and across Cook Strait, from the South Island to the North, navigating a maze of arms and inlets into New Zealand's cool little capital of Wellington.

Day 13: Wellington - Napier

Location: Napier

Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Te Pania

Travel to Napier. Beautifully preserved 1930s architecture is Napier's special point of difference. After a massive earthquake in 1931 destroyed the commercial centre of Napier, rebuilding began almost immediately in the architectural styles of the times - Striped Classical, Spanish Mission and Art Deco.

Day 14: Napier Sightseeing

Location: Napier

Accommodation Name: Scenic Hotel Te Pania

This morning meet your informative and entertaining local guide from the Art Deco Trust who will bring Napier's fascinating architectural history to life as you take an easy stroll through the compact Art Deco Quarter in the vibrant city centre. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience  your participation helps preserve Napier’s Art Deco heritage. This afternoon relax or perhaps choose an optional experience of either a wine tour of local Hawkes Bay vineyards, or a safari to the famous Gannet nesting colony at cape Kidnappers with Gannet Safaris Overland.

Day 15: Napier - Rotorua

Location: Rotorua

Accommodation Name: Sudima Lake Rotorua

The road ahead unfolds in a broad panorama of Lake Taupo, the largest (and perhaps bluest) of its kind in the country – it feeds thundering Huka Falls, which you’ll hear well before you see. It’s a landscape almost as otherworldly as Rotorua, where mud pops and jettisons from bubbling geysers, and steam rushes skywards from cracks in the Earth. This afternoon, explore Te Puia's geothermal valley, and learn about Maori history and culture. Take a guided tour of the Maori Arts & Crafts Institute, and later enjoy a Highlight Dinner of hangi inspired cuisine and a cultural performance in a finely carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. It ends on a high at the Pohutu Geyser, where, armed with a hot chocolate you'll view one of New Zealand's geothermal wonderlands.

Day 16: Rotorua Free Time

Location: Rotorua

Accommodation Name: Sudima Lake Rotorua

Today is Rotorua tour day of many decisions, but with plenty of tips available from your Travel Director. Want a bit of down time? We wouldn’t blame you for simply blissing out at in the steamy thermal springs at Wai Araki Hot Springs & Spa. Hobbit fans will want to take advantage of the opportunity to tour the sights featured in The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit movies on the Hobbiton Movie Set tour. Or board a scenic flight for a bird's-eye-view (all own expense).

Day 17: Rotorua - Auckland

Location: Auckland

Accommodation Name: Adina Apartment Hotel Britomart

From New Zealand’s longest waterway, the Waikato River, to its largest city: welcome to Auckland, the ‘City of Sails’. You’ll understand how it got its moniker when you glimpse yachts gliding around its two harbours. But today your sights are firmly set on New Zealand's national game: rugby. As part of your Auckland tour you’re kicking about at the interactive All Blacks Experience. Journey through the sporting team’s remarkable history via various displays and presentations before you’re serenaded by a performance of a traditional haka with you front and centre.

Day 18: Auckland - Bay Of Islands

Location: Bay of Islands

Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort

Meals Included: Dinner

140 – that’s how many droplets of land ringed by turquoise sea comprise the Bay of Islands, your tour destination de jour. It’s undeniably beautiful, but it also holds a special historical significance: this is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, between Captain William Hobson and Māori chiefs. Your guide, perhaps a descendent of one of the original signatories, will explain the significance of the site, while pointing out the world’s largest ceremonial war canoe and a carved meeting house.

Day 19: Bay Of Islands Free Time

Location: Bay of Islands

Accommodation Name: Copthorne Hotel and Resort

If there’s a travel destination that inspires wanderlust, the Bay of Islands is it. Today, trip the light fantastic and head off in whatever direction you please. Perhaps travel up to Cape Reinga, the very top of New Zealand, via idyllic Ninety Mile Beach. Or glide around on an historic tall ship, cruise to the Hole in the Rock or join a tour of Russell and learn more about the settling of the Bay of Islands (all own expense).

Day 20: Bay Of Islands - Auckland

Location: Auckland

Accommodation Name: Adina Apartment Hotel Britomart

For a little more northern exposure, make your way to Whangarei, the island’s most northerly outpost and a place where waterfalls meet beaches, galleries meet museums. It’s like the country in a tantalising snapshot – a union of nature and forward-thinking culture. Sink back into your seat for the mesmerizing commute back to Auckland for your Farewell Dinner.

Day 21: Farewell From Auckland

Location: Auckland

Over three weeks, we hope you’ve packed your address book with the names of new friends and your camera with photos of New Zealand’s most inspiring attractions. But at the end of the day, it’s the memories that will fuel your flight home. Trips to New Zealand don’t get any more epic than this.

What's Included

  • Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide

    The tour includes a specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide to ensure a seamless journey across New Zealand.

  • National Park entrance fees

    Entrance fees to national parks are included in the tour.

  • Coach travel and cruise

    The tour includes coach travel and a cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound, up the Tory Channel and across Cook Strait.

What's Not Included

  • Flights

    Flights to and from the start and end of your trip are not included in the trip price.

  • Optional activities

    Optional activities such as the Fiordland National Park journey, Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, and other excursions are at your own expense.

  • Personal items

    Items such as water bottle, comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, warm layers in cooler months, and camera are not included.

Mode of Transport

Travel in comfort with a specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide, ensuring a seamless journey across New Zealand. The tour includes coach travel and a cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound, up the Tory Channel and across Cook Strait.

Accommodation

Enjoy comfortable accommodation with easy access to city centers, including stays at Ibis Hotel Christchurch, Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel, Dunedin Leisure Lodge, Kelvin Hotel, Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown, Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier, Scenic Hotel Punakaiki, The Rutherford Hotel, Travelodge Wellington, Scenic Hotel Te Pania, Sudima Lake Rotorua, and Adina Apartment Hotel Britomart.

Dining Summary

  • 20 Full Breakfast (B)
  • 5 Dinner (D)
  • 2 Highlight Dinner (HD)
  • 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)

Fitness Requirement

  • Low level of fitness required

Flexible Holidays

  • We’ve crafted an itinerary with plenty of two-night stays, so you can sleep in and take the pulse of your destination, whether Queenstown, Wellington, Nelson or Rotorua.

Flight information

  • Flights to and from the start/end of your trip are not included in the trip price. Day 1 – flights to arrive prior to 4.00pm into Christchurch AirportDay 21 – flights to depart any time from Auckland Airport

Iconic Sites

  • From the bubbling geysers of Rotorua to the gem-like surface of Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere, nature and culture unite across the North and South islands.

Natural Wonders

  • An island off an island, Stewart Island is wild, wide and wonderful. Some 85% is national park - prepare for epic animal encounters.

What to Bring

  • Water bottle Comfortable walking shoes Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Warm layers in cooler months Camera

Check out our Q&As

  • What kind of transportation is included in the Spirit of New Zealand tour?

    The tour includes coach travel and a cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound, up the Tory Channel and across Cook Strait, with a specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide ensuring a seamless journey across New Zealand.

  • What type of accommodation can I expect on the Spirit of New Zealand tour?

    You will enjoy comfortable accommodation with easy access to city centers, including stays at various hotels such as Ibis Hotel Christchurch, Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel, Dunedin Leisure Lodge, Kelvin Hotel, Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown, Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier, Scenic Hotel Punakaiki, The Rutherford Hotel, Travelodge Wellington, Scenic Hotel Te Pania, Sudima Lake Rotorua, and Adina Apartment Hotel Britomart.

  • Are there any optional activities available during the tour?

    Yes, there are optional activities such as the Fiordland National Park journey, Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, and other excursions which are at your own expense.

  • What is the significance of the Real Country Farm Show on the tour?

    The Real Country Farm Show offers an authentic taste of rural New Zealand and is part of the Make Travel Matter initiative. For every guest, funds are donated to The Fairlight Foundation, which advances women in agriculture.

  • What unique experiences are included in the tour itinerary?

    The tour includes unique experiences such as the Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience at Tekapo, a self-guided tour of Classic Motorcycle Mecca in Invercargill, and a guided Village and Bays tour on Stewart Island. Additionally, there is a guided tour of the Maori Arts & Crafts Institute in Rotorua and a visit to the All Blacks Experience in Auckland.

  • What is the focus of the guided tour in Napier?

    In Napier, the guided tour focuses on the city's fascinating architectural history, particularly its Art Deco heritage, which is preserved and brought to life by the Art Deco Trust.

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    The beauty of taking a holiday with us is you’ll have the opportunity to meet and travel with people from all over the globe.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    It is important to adhere to departure times while on tour for the comfort of everyone on-board, and to make sure no one misses out on the planned experiences. The coach will not be able to wait for you, and in some instances, if you miss a departure time you will need to make your own way to the next destination to re-join the tour.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    AAT Kings operated Guided Holidays have competitive single supplement rates available if you prefer to confirm your own room. Or we can match you to share with a guest of the same gender at no extra cost. If we fail to match you, we will accommodate you in a single room at no extra cost.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Over 100 years

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    We will email your documents to you approximately four weeks before your departure date provided you have completed your pre trip registration using the My Travel Portal. If you’ve booked through a travel agent, your documents will be emailed directly to your agent.

Reviews of this operator

Ann Purcell  

Well worth the money

24-Feb-2023

Absolutely wonderful trip. Tastes of southern Australia. Hotels were good quality. Sightseeing was amazing. Manuela our travel director was lovely. A great trip all round

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Lynda Whittingham  

Particularly loved QUEENSTOWN (jet boat) and plane ride over Mt Cook

18-Feb-2023

Great guide “Dexter” who was pleasant and knowledgeable, skilled and pleasant driver, Aaron, interesting activities, and comfortable hotels in good locations. I have been on organized bus trips in different countries and this company stands out. I would travel with them again. Read less

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Trusted Customer  

Milford Sound , West Coast , Queenstown, Christchurch

22-Feb-2023

The most professional tour group i have ever travelled with. Both tour director (Hope) & driver (Dave) had extensive knowledge of NZ. Highly recommended.

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Keith Jones  

Christchurch, Milford Sound and the Franz Joseph Railway journey

02-Mar-2023

Very professional service throughout. Friendly experienced tour guide imparting excellent knowledge and local anecdotes. Friendly professional driver enhanced the overall pleasure. Excellent hotels throughout the holiday.

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Allison Cooper  

Wonderful experience, highlight had to be Uluru so spiritual and beautiful

22-Feb-2023

Very professional. Excellent travel director very knowledgeable and a lovely guy. Amazing experience seeing do many great places.

Feefo Trusted Reviews

1 Select your preferred date

Thursday - Wednesday

Jan 30, 2025 - Feb 19, 2025
$7610 $6849

Operator discount: -$761

Thursday - Wednesday

Feb 20, 2025 - Mar 12, 2025
$7845

Thursday - Wednesday

Oct 02, 2025 - Oct 22, 2025
$7470 $6350

Operator discount: -$1120

Thursday - Wednesday

Nov 27, 2025 - Dec 17, 2025
$7470 $6350

Operator discount: -$1120

Thursday - Wednesday

Jan 29, 2026 - Feb 18, 2026
$7470 $6350

Operator discount: -$1120

Thursday - Wednesday

Feb 19, 2026 - Mar 11, 2026
$7699 $6544

Operator discount: -$1155

Thursday - Wednesday

Mar 19, 2026 - Apr 08, 2026
$7699 $6544

Operator discount: -$1155

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    AAT Kings requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of aat kings charges.

    Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.

    At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.