Tour title bar

14 Day AAT Kings New Zealand Vista 23/24

14 days 13 nights
Auckland to Christchurch
from NZD$6,017pp
was NZD$6,505pp
Breadcrumb
Tour summary and feature with map

You could spend eons exploring New Zealand’s North and South Islands. But you can also experience a New Zealand tour in two weeks – if you have the right advice. Follow us for Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere tours, train rides through alpine tundra, Milford Sound/Piopiotahi cruises in the company of dolphins and whales, glowing Waitomo Caves tours… and some down time amid wineries and city restaurants that take home awards.

Wildlife & nature

This Tour Also Features

  • Christchurch City Tour
  • Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk
  • Huka Falls
  • Interislander ferry crossing
  • Maori Village Experience & Hangi (dinner), Rotorua
  • Milford Sound Cruise
  • TranzAlpine Rail Journey
  • TSS Earnslaw cruise & dinner at Walter Peak high country farm, Queenstown
  • Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
Tour full itinerary
Itinerary
Day One - Welcome to Auckland
Tour day 1
Auckland - City of Sails

Welcome to Auckland, New Zealand’s City of Sails. Flights can arrive any time prior to 4.00pm. After check-in, you can explore Auckland. Take a walk down Queen Street to the main shopping precinct or to the Viaduct Harbour and the Auckland Waterfront region. This recently developed area of central Auckland has cafes and restaurants galore. Take a seat in the sunshine, enjoy a glass of one of New Zealand’s famous Sauvignon Blanc’s and watch the maritime activity on Waitemata Harbour. This evening, meet your fellow travelling companions and your AAT Kings Travel Director at a welcome reception back at your hotel.

Staying in:

  • Holiday Inn Express, Auckland (1 night)

Return to Top

Day Two - Auckland – Rotorua
Tour day 2
Maori Cultural Performance Rotorua

A city sights tour will start your morning in Auckland. Travel to the Auckland War Memorial Museum for views across Auckland City and the Waitemata Harbour. After leaving Auckland you will follow the meandering trail of the Waikato River to Waitomo Caves. Tour the amazing limestone caverns and sail through the still waters of the sparkling Glow Worm Grotto. From Waitomo to Rotorua you will venture through the King Country region which was at the centre of the New Zealand Wars in the 1860s. On arrival in Rotorua an orientation tour takes in views of Lake Rotorua. Tonight, we experience Te Puia's world-famous hāngī buffet dinner. Enjoy spectacular geothermal views while dining on a range of delicious New Zealand flavours. The menu is smartly sophisticated – infusing Māori flavours, with an array of global cuisines and cooking styles. After dinner you will get to enjoy a cultural performance that will take place in their beautifully carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. Witness a pōwhiri (traditional welcome), waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka. The evening culminates with hot chocolate and steamed pudding surrounded by steam and the geyser terrace bathed in coloured light.

Staying in:

  • Ibis Rotorua Hotel (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Speciality Dinner

Return to Top

Day Three - Rotorua Free Time
Tour day 3
Thermal Reserve

Today is your chance to experience the scenic wonders of the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua. You could explore Rainbow Springs Nature Park & The National Kiwi Hatchery, take a ‘behind the scenes’ tour through the working kiwi nursery and hatchery. Visit Te Puia and join a guided tour through the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve, home to famous Pohutu Geyser and the bubbling beauty of the mud pools. Later, why not spend a little more time experiencing the thermal wonders, with a soak in the hot mineral waters of the Polynesian Spas? Your AAT Kings Travel Director will assist you in booking all of your chosen optional experiences.

Staying in:

  • Ibis Rotorua Hotel (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast

Return to Top

Day Four - Rotorua – Wellington
Tour day 4
Rotorua Town Hall

Say Haere Ra (goodbye) to Rotorua this morning and journey out through pine forests and farmland to a little hidden spot, the turquoise torrent of rapids known as Huka Falls. The road ahead unfolds in a broad panorama of Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake. The stunningly blue fresh water of Lake Taupo is home to some of the best trout fishing in the world. You will then journey south over the Central Plateau, New Zealand’s main volcanic area. In a country of contrasts, perhaps nothing is more striking than the three peaks of Tongariro National Park rising starkly from the surrounding plateau of tussock and near desert. Pass through several small towns along the road to Wellington, each with their own personality and quirks. Probably the quirkiest of all would have to be Taihape… the self-proclaimed gumboot capital of the world. Travel along the Kapiti Coast, the traditional summer playground of the inhabitants of Wellington city. And as you follow the state highway, the Kapiti Coast becomes New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington.

Staying in:

  • Travelodge Wellington (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast

Return to Top

Day Five - Wellington – Picton
Tour day 5
Wellington Cable Car

After a city sights tour of Wellington taking in New Zealand’s parliament buildings, and a visit to Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand, enjoy some time at leisure. Indulge in Wellington’s renowned coffee culture or take a walk along Lambton Quay - the heart of the central business district of Wellington. This afternoon, your AAT Kings crew and coach will join you on board the Interislander for a cruise across the Cook Strait, from the North Island to the South. Surprisingly it takes longer to cruise up the Tory Channel and Queen Charlotte Sound to Picton than it does to cross the open ocean of Cook Strait. You will meander through a maze of arms and inlets into the sleepy seaside village of Picton. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Staying in:

  • Picton Beachcomber Inn (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Return to Top

Day Six - Picton – Christchurch 
Tour day 6
Whale Watching near Kaikoura

Today we travel south passing through Kaikoura known for its abundant wildlife and its sperm whale population (an optional whale-watching flight is available). Travel along the Pacific Ocean coast and across the colourful Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. Tonight, speak with your Travel Director about dining recommendations in Christchurch’s inner city.

Staying in:

  • Ibis Hotel Christchurch (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast

Return to Top

Day Seven - Christchurch – Omarama
Tour day 7
Cathedral in Christchurch

This morning you may wish to take a brief walk around the city centre and Cathedral Square before departure. See how Christchurch is rebuilding after the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, and pop into the Transitional Cathedral in Latimer Square, the temporary home of the Christchurch Cathedral. It is the world’s only cathedral made substantially of cardboard! After a Christchurch city sights tour, you will head out over the patchwork countryside of the Canterbury Plains to soak up some spectacular sightseeing. Sweeping views across the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo framed by a backdrop of rugged hills and snow-capped mountains provide stunning alpine photography opportunities. You will view the little stone-hewn Church of the Good Shepherd and the bronze statue of a collie dog, the touching tribute to the sheepdogs which helped develop the Mackenzie Country. You may want to take in Mount Cook National Park from the air this afternoon, on a scenic flight out over New Zealand’s highest peak, the Southern Alps and on to Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers (Optional Experience – at own expense). Your day finishes in the heart of the Mackenzie Country at Omarama. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Staying in:

  • Heritage Gateway Hotel (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Return to Top

Day Eight - Omarama – Dunedin
Tour day 8
Aerial View of Dunedin and Otago Bay

Your day starts with a journey along the Waitaki River, which marks the boundary between the regions of Canterbury and Otago, and with its large catchment it is an ideal source of hydro-electric power. From the Waitaki Valley you will then travel through to the township of Oamaru, with its stately tree-lined streets and its famous white limestone buildings. As well as shipping limestone to the bigger cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin for construction of their Town Halls and various churches, Oamaru locals made sure that their own town represented the best in limestone building the mid-late 1800’s had to offer. This afternoon you will make your way down to the Southernmost New Zealand city, Dunedin. With the rest of your free afternoon you may wish to take part in an optional excursion to see more of the region. Take a Wildlife Cruise out to Otago Peninsula, visit the Speights Brewery – a New Zealand institution or explore the city with its many museums, cafés and shops.

Staying in:

  • Scenic Hotel Dunedin City (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast

Return to Top

Day Nine - Dunedin – Te Anau
Tour day 9
Dunedin Railway Station

This morning you have some free time in Dunedin. You may want to journey out to the gorgeous Larnach Castle – New Zealand’s only castle. Or you may just wish to roam around the beautiful grounds of New Zealand’s first university, Otago University. Dunedin, also known as the Edinburgh of the South, has strong connections to its northern hemisphere sister city, even down to sharing many of the same street names – so take a wander down George Street, noting Dunedin’s Scottish ancestry. This afternoon travel through lush green pastures, crossing sheep-filled farming land. New Zealand is internationally known for its sheep farming, and these are sights many visitors to this country recognise as typically ‘New Zealand’. You are sure to find the perfect sheep photo here! As your journey continues, the rolling, grassy hills once again turn back into heavily forested, rugged mountains, and you meander your way up into the Fiordland National Park to the South Island’s biggest lake and the town of Te Anau. This evening you have the opportunity to head out across the lake to the Glow Worm Caves for a tour (Optional Experience – at own expense). Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Staying in:

  • Distinction Luxmore Hotel (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Return to Top

Day Ten - Te Anau – Milford Sound – Queenstown
Tour day 10
Scening Cruise in Milford Sound

Today is one of those days where you will want to have your camera battery charged, and ready to go! After leaving Te Anau, you will journey through the Fiordland National Park and out to Milford Sound on one of the most scenic roads you could hope for. Travel through native rainforests, beech forests, alluvial flats and meadows. You will stop at Mirror Lakes where, as the name suggests, you can see the stunning mountain scenery perfectly reflected in the waters of the lakes. Then on to the Homer Tunnel, man’s attempt to master the sheer rocky ranges, still left rough-hewn around the edges. As you emerge out the other side of the tunnel, you are presented with one of the world’s most dramatic alpine drives, down through the Cleddau Valley. You will have a stop at the Chasm, where the roaring Cleddau River has carved its way through solid rock, and then it’s on to Milford Sound, where you will cruise the waters of this natural wonder. Your cruise meanders down the sound, taking in the Bowen and Stirling Falls as they plummet from glacial hanging valleys sharply into the sea, and the sheer pinnacle of Mitre Peak, rising from the deep waters of the fiord. From the spectacular scenes of Milford Sound, you will travel on to the beautiful sights of Queenstown. An orientation tour skirting around the shores of Lake Wakatipu, takes you into the city centre.

Staying in:

  • Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast

Return to Top

Day Eleven - Queenstown Free Time
Tour day 11
Lake Cruise in Queenstown

Explore exciting Queenstown your way! Take the opportunity to encounter a Queenstown legend and ride the Shotover Jet Boat or venture out on a Skippers Canyon Scenic Tour. If laid-back and relaxed is more your idea of fun, then join a Wine Tour and sample some of Central Otago’s award-winning wines or visit our native birds at Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park. Your AAT Kings Travel Director will assist you in booking all of your chosen optional experiences. After a day of activity, sit back and enjoy a peaceful evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard New Zealand’s oldest steamship, the TSS Earnslaw, to Walter Peak Station. Launched in 1912, the TSS Earnslaw is the largest and grandest vessel ever to ply Lake Wakatipu. Today, the TSS Earnslaw is believed to be the only coal-fired passenger carrying vessel still operating in the southern hemisphere. Partake in a gourmet BBQ Highlight Dinner at Walter Peaks’ Colonel’s Homestead and then enjoy an entertaining after-dinner farm show providing a glimpse into high-country farm life. On the cruise back to Queenstown, join in a vintage sing-along or grab your partner for a dance across the polished wooden floors of the Earnslaw.

Staying in:

  • Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Speciality Dinner

Return to Top

Day Twelve - Queenstown – Franz Josef
Tour day 12
Franz Josef Glacier

This morning you will leave the alpine wonderland of Queenstown behind, and begin the passage through Central Otago and out to Westland. On the way out of the Queenstown region, you will stop and visit the faithfully restored gold mining settlement of Arrowtown. As you amble down the beautiful tree-lined avenues, past the 19th century wooden buildings, you will feel like you have stepped into a movie set. From here you will travel over to Cromwell, situated next to the sparkling pristine waters of Lake Dunstan, where you will stop in at a local orchard for a taste of some of the town’s delicious stone fruit. It is a day of gorgeous lakes, as after Dunstan, you will travel further into Central Otago and view the vivid blue waters of Lake Hawea, followed by Lake Wanaka, where the shoreline is charmingly lined by poplars and willows. Following an ancient greenstone trail, you will travel over Haast Pass, marking a change from the alpine scenery of the Southern Lakes, to the rainforest marvel of the wild West Coast. View the sheer drop of Thunder Creek Falls and the grand sight of Mt Hooker, flanked on three sides by extensive glaciers. Our final destination for today is the extraordinary rivers of ice that make up Franz Josef Glacier. You may want to get up close and personal with the glaciers on a helicopter flight. Your flight will hover over the snow face and may land high up in the valley so that you can walk across the ice fall – subject to weather conditions (optional – at own expense). Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Staying in:

  • Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier (Graham Wing) (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Return to Top

Day Thirteen - Franz Josef – Christchurch
Tour day 13
TranzAlpine Train at Station

If weather conditions are unfavourable on Day 15, you will get another chance to fly up to the glaciers this morning or you might want to take a stroll through the small but lively Franz Josef village. Then you head off to the drift-wood strewn beaches of Hokitika. As well as being one of the few West Coast communities to embrace its coastal landscape, Hokitika struck it rich in the resource's stakes. Here you will visit a pounamu factory (native greenstone or jade), for the chance to see master carvers at work creating intricate pieces of jewellery and art. Maori tradition says it is bad luck to buy pounamu for yourself, so if you fancy a trinket of your own, make sure you have someone there to purchase it for you. From Hokitika, you will travel inland to the small settlement of Arthur’s Pass. Here you will board the TranzAlpine train to Christchurch city. This spectacular train journey dates back to 1914 and is rated as one of the world’s most scenic train trips. The train forges through tunnels and over viaducts with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, beech forests, gorges and river valleys. This evening, join your AAT Kings Travel Director and Driver, and your new-found friends for a Farewell Dinner.

Staying in:

  • Ibis Hotel Christchurch (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Return to Top

Day Fourteen - Farewell from Christchurch
Tour day 14
AAT Coach on Road

Your AAT Kings New Zealand holiday concludes this morning after breakfast. Your flights can depart any time today.

Meals included: Breakfast

Return to Top

Tour quick quote
Get an Instant Quote
Step 1: Select a chosen start date
Step 2: Select number of passengers and room configuration
Select the number of adults per room type
Double room (based on 2 adults in 1 room, 1 bed)
Twin room (based on 2 adults sharing 1 room with 2 beds)
Single occupancy (based on 1 adult in one room)
Twin share (share-match female traveller) (You will be paired with another female traveller in a twin room)
Twin share (share-match male traveller) (You will be paired with another male traveller in a twin room)
No pricing loaded - please choose another date or contact us
Your quote for this tour:
Start date:
End date:
Guests:
Rooms:
The total cost for this tour package is: NZD$0
This quote is based on vehicles to accommodate your party in the vehicle type. We suggest changing the car type or contacting us for the best options.
Save and send a copy of this quote to

NOTE: Quotes are subject to the availability of specific accommodation and other inclusions. Our touring experts will be in touch with you regarding this. Costs quoted in currencies other than New Zealand dollars (NZ$) are estimated on today's exchange rate and are subject to change and may fluctuate. The NZ$ value will not change. Terms and Conditions apply.

Remember - we can create this itinerary with any style of accommodation or customise it to suit your interests and timeframe. Just contact us here.

Tour departure list
Departure dates and prices
This tour has 19 departure dates.
All prices are in
Starts Status Twin/Double (2 people sharing) Single occupancy You save  
Apr 25, 2023
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
limited space left
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,356
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,531
save
NZD$349
Enquire
Sep 26, 2023
(Tuesday)
Hot deal
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,505
now NZD$6,017
was NZD$8,615
now NZD$8,127
save
NZD$488
Enquire
Oct 17, 2023
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,505
now NZD$6,156
was NZD$8,615
now NZD$8,266
save
NZD$349
Enquire
Nov 7, 2023
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,505
now NZD$6,156
was NZD$8,615
now NZD$8,266
save
NZD$349
Enquire
Nov 14, 2023
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,505
now NZD$6,156
was NZD$8,615
now NZD$8,266
save
NZD$349
Enquire
Nov 28, 2023
(Tuesday)
was NZD$6,505
now NZD$6,156
was NZD$8,615
now NZD$8,266
save
NZD$349
Enquire
Dec 5, 2023
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,505
now NZD$6,156
was NZD$8,615
now NZD$8,266
save
NZD$349
Enquire
Dec 12, 2023
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,505
now NZD$6,156
was NZD$8,615
now NZD$8,266
save
NZD$349
Enquire
Jan 9, 2024
(Tuesday)
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Jan 16, 2024
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Jan 23, 2024
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Jan 30, 2024
(Tuesday)
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Feb 13, 2024
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Feb 20, 2024
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Feb 27, 2024
(Tuesday)
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Mar 5, 2024
(Tuesday)
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Mar 12, 2024
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Mar 19, 2024
(Tuesday)
Guaranteed
departure date
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
Mar 26, 2024
(Tuesday)
was NZD$6,705
now NZD$6,347
was NZD$8,880
now NZD$8,522
save
NZD$358
Enquire
All prices are in
Contact form
Enquire about this tour

See our privacy policy here

Tour recommendation
Other tours you might like
14 days Map
14 Day Grand Pacific Tours Signature Panorama
View Tour
 
14 days Map
Grand Pacific Tours 14 Day Affordable Panorama
View Tour
 
13 days Map
Grand Pacific 13 Day Classic Fighters New Zealand Tour
View Tour
 
Can we help?
Call us on +64 3 443 0812

Our friendly support team is just a phone call away.

Contact Us Today