- - Orientation tour of Rotorua with Trip Leader
- - Orientation tour, marae visit, workshops and hangi dinner at Kohutapu Lodge
- - Visit Huka Falls
- - Orientation tour of Taupo with Trip Leader
- - Orientation walk of Wellington with Trip Leader
- - Cook Strait ferry crossing
- - Orientation walk of Christchurch with Trip Leader
- - Visit Lake Matheson
- - Stay in the scenic Franz Josef Glacier region
- - Visit Wanaka
- - Orientation tour of Queenstown with Trip Leader
- - Visit Church of the Good Shepherd
Your dream trip starts here
Get Social: New Zealand
Trip Overview
Worth noting…
On this trip, you’ll get two in one – your Trip Leader is also your Driver.All optionals are weather-dependent.
Tales From Topdeckers
Trip itinerary
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Auckland (North Island, New Zealand) – Waitomo – Rotorua
1You’ve got your home life, and home friends... and home routine. But this is your chance to leave it all behind. Ready? Meet us in Auckland and say kia ora to your fellow Topdeckers. First stop on our Kiwi adventure: Waitomo Caves. A glowworm-studded labyrinth of underground caves and rivers – this place is like something out of a sci-fi movie. Spend your free time exploring Ruakuri Cave on foot. Cruise through the magical grotto. Or dare your new travel fam to strap in for a unique blackwater rafting experience (disclaimer: you’re gonna get wet). Later, you’re heading to Rotorua where you’ll get your bearings on a walk around town with your Trip Leader. Then, it's food o’clock. Tuck in to some delish dishes and make that stomach smile.
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Included Today
- Orientation tour of Rotorua with Trip Leader
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Optional extras
- Waitomo Caves (boat cruise): from $75
- Ruakuri Cave: from $70
- Blackwater rafting at Waitomo Caves: from $170
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Included Today
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Rotorua – Kohutapu
2To say Rotorua has it ‘going on’ would be the understatement of the century. We’re talking: adrenalin-pumping activities, geothermal spas and nerd-central movie sets. And you’ve got all day to embrace it – hell yeah! For the LOTR fans (or closet fans), take a walk through Tolkien’s dreams at the Hobbiton movie set. Adrenalin junkie? Get your hit on a rapid ride down the mighty Kaituna River. Or play Tarzan on a sky-high canopy tour. Later, we’ll receive a traditional welcome at Kohutapu Lodge. Visit a working marae, enjoy a haka demo, and level-up your crafting skills during a weaving workshop. Then, we’ll tuck into a hangi with the gang. This is as authentic as it gets.
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Included Today
- Orientation tour, marae visit, workshops and hangi dinner at Kohutapu Lodge
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Optional extras
- Visit the Hobbiton movie set: from $150
- Zipling canopy tour: from $179
- Whitewater rafting in Rotorua: from $139
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Included Today
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Rotorua – Huka Falls – Taupo
3Bye bye Rotorua – today we’re leaving the city behind and heading for some of Mother Nature’s best bits. First: we’ll make a stop at roaring Huka Falls and play spot-the-extreme-kayaker as they tackle the immense 11-metre plunge down the canyon falls. Then: we’ll take in the A-Mazing views over Lake Taupo (FYI, this lake’s the size of Singapore – but with more fish, fewer airports). Finally, we’ll roll on to our accommodation and have a whip around Taupo’s best bits. Afterwards, there’ll be time to grab some snacks and chill out with your travel fam. You deserve it.
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Included Today
- Visit Huka Falls
- Orientation tour of Taupo with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Taupo
4Dramatic volcanic peaks dominating the horizon. Rugged terrain that looks like you landed on Mars. And intense turquoise lakes gathered in steep valleys. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is one of the best one-day hikes in the world – and it 100% deserves the rep. You’ve got a full day to find your Samwise up Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mt Doom), soak up all the I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E views and wish you’d broken in those new hiking boots. If being on the water is more your vibe – there’s a Lake Taupo sailing excursion on the cards too. Or why not head to Wai-O-Tapu to admire its bubbling geysers and kaleidoscopic geothermal pools? Back at base camp with the group, sit back with a cold beverage and crack open that new pack of playing cards. Who knows Rummy?
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with a local guide (October to April): from $395
- Visit to Wai-O-Tapu hot springs: prices available locally
- Sailing on Lake Taupo: from $75
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Meals
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Taupo – Wellington
5Next up: Wellington. Get your bearings around the capital on an orientation tour before we head to Mt Victoria for 360-degree views over the harbour. Then: the rest is up to you. Grab lunch along Cuba Street. Soak up the rays at Scorching Bay. Treat yourself to a Snickers milkshake at Fidel’s Cafe. And spot a kiwi bird (or two) at the Zealandia ecological sanctuary. Tonight, dinner’s on you – but with more bars and restaurants per capita than New York, you’re not going to be stuck for options. Trust us.
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Included Today
- Orientation walk of Wellington with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Wellington
6What’s that? A free day to do whatever floats your boat? Yes please. Get your Middle Earth fix at the Weta Workshop. Head to the (free *punches the air*) Te Papa Museum for a dose of NZ history. Or jump on the Wellington Cable Car for all the vintage vibes. Tonight: gather the crew, grab some fresh ‘fush and chups’ from The Chippery and head down to the harbour for dinner-with-a-view. This is livin’.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Weta workshop: from $49
- Visit to Te Papa Museum (free)
- Wellington cable car: from $6
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Meals
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Wellington – Abel Tasman (South Island)
7Wave goodbye to the North Island – we’re heading across the Cook Strait into the gobsmackingly beautiful Marlborough Sounds. Sounds familiar? Chances are you’ve picked up a bottle (or two) of Savvie B from this region. Then: onwards to Abel Tasman! Home of some of New Zealand’s most pristine beaches. Get in.
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Included Today
- Cook Strait ferry crossing
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Abel Tasman
8Free day = your chance to do your own spontaneous this-is-what-I-came-here-for thing. Ever heard of the Abel Tasman National Park? Think: golden sandy beaches. Picturesque turquoise bays. Lush native forests. And cute locals (of the wildlife kind). Hire a kayak and head out on a seal-spotting adventure. Soak up bird’s eye views of both islands with an EPIC skydiving experience in nearby Motueka. Or activate adventure mode with a full day’s canyoning. This is your moment.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Guided kayaking and seal-spotting tour in Abel Tasman National Park: from $220
- Full-day canyoning in Abel Tasman National Park: from $295
- Skydiving in Abel Tasman National Park: from £329
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Meals
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Abel Tasman – Kaikoura
9From one stunning coastline to another – we’re making tracks to the East Coast today. Spot the wild fur seals getting their tan on as we roll into B-E-A-Utiful Kaikoura. Options here = soak up the laid back atmosphere in town, take a hike around the peninsula for sunset, keep your eyes peeled for Giant Sperm Whales on a whale-watching tour, or get your butt down to one of the seafood caravans on the foreshore for some fresher-than-fresh crayfish. Fact: Kaikoura literally translates to ‘eat crayfish’ – so you know it’s gonna be good.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Whale watching in Kaikoura: prices available locally
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Meals
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Kaikoura – Christchurch
10Next stop: the South Island's largest city. After having most of the CBD demolished by a devastating earthquake in 2011, Christchurch has rebuilt itself into a VIBING hub of quirky bars, restaurants and cafes. After getting the run-about-town with our Trip Leader, you’ll have the rest of the afternoon off to do whatever you want. Need some suggestions? Head to Little High Eatery: a hip marketplace full of locally run food trucks. After, gather the gang and head to Rockpool for pool tables and a pumping dance floor.
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Included Today
- Orientation walk of Christchurch with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Christchurch – Hokitika – Franz Josef Glacier Region
11One minute you’re sipping lattes in the city, next minute you’re off to one of New Zealand’s most famous glaciers. En-route, we’ll make a photo stop in historic Hokitika. Head to the beach and find the quirky sculpture made by the locals. Gift a pounamu (greenstone) to your new travel BFF for good luck. Or gather the gang and give ‘mountain oysters’ a try (hint: Google it first). Then, we'll roll into the jaw-dropping Franz Josef Glacier region. After grabbing dinner in town with the group, you could seek out the resident glow worms on an after-dark adventure – just ask your in-the-know Trip Leader.
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Included Today
- Visit Hokitika
- Stay in the scenic Franz Josef Glacier region
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Franz Josef Glacier Region
12Rise and shine! If the weather is good, you’ll have the chance to explore this chilly playground on an optional heli-hike. Strap on your crampons and pile into the chopper – we’ll head up to 800m above sea level to explore the maze of ice formations with an expert local guide. Or go all-out with a scenic flight that’ll leave you with goosebumps and a full camera roll. There’s also an out-of-this-world kayaking trip through the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary up for grabs.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Heli-hike excursion in Franz Josef Glacier region: from $749
- Scenic flight over Franz Josef Glacier: from $325
- Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary kayaking experience: prices available locally
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Meals
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Franz Josef Glacier Region – Wanaka – Queenstown
13This morning, we’ll make tracks to Wanaka: a lakeside, alpine town with some ‘holy-sh*t’-worthy scenery. It’ll then be time to turn our attention to the adventure capital of the world: Queenstown. Get the lay of the land with your Trip Leader, then spend the rest of the afternoon wandering around the bay area or holed up with your crew in World Bar. With world-famous teapot cocktails, it’s the perfect spot to make a plan for the next few days.
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Included Today
- Visit to Wanaka
- Orientation tour of Queenstown with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Included Today
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Queenstown
14If Queenstown had a Tinder profile it would read: fun-filled outdoor enthusiast – looking for a fellow adrenalin junkie to share adventures with. And all its pics would be of people throwing themselves off extreme heights. Swiping right? Hell yes! Skydiving. Bungy jumping. Jet boating. White water rafting. Canyon swinging. You want it, this place has it. And you’ve got 24 hrs to embrace it all. Or jump on an optional day trip to the totally mesmerising Milford Sound. The main event? A cruise on the Milford fjord complete with thundering waterfalls, razor-edge cliffs and resident seals. This place is National Geographic on steroids (like Schwarzenegger steroids). Tonight, we’ll regroup in Queenstown – gather the fam and see if the nightlife here really lives up to the rep.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Scene Milford Sound cruise (including lunch): from $245
- Jet boating in Queenstown: from $159
- Canyon swinging in Queenstown: from $259
- Bungy jumping in Queenstown: from $265
- Skydiving in Queenstown: from $335
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Meals
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Queenstown
15Today = options. Didn’t tick everything off? We’ve got your back – here’s another free day we prepared earlier. Head into Mount Aspiring National Park on a Wilderness Jet adventure. Jump in a funyak down the Dart River (like a kayak, but better). Or conquer the wild Shotover River on an adrenalin-pumping whitewater rafting experience. If you’d rather cruise in the slow-lane, sip your way through the Otago region or get your Fergburger take-away and head up to Queenstown Gardens for stunning views over The Remarkables. And tonight? Head to the Cookie Bar. We’re talking: warm cookies, freakshakes, s’more, ice-cream...*wipes drool from chin*.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Optional extras
- Funyaking in Queenstown: from $429
- Wilderness Jet adventure in Queenstown: from $299
- Whitewater rafting down the Shotover River: from $219
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Meals
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Queenstown – Lake Tekapo
16Fuel up with an included brekkie 'cos we're heading to Lake Tekapo. Press your nose to the coach window and soak up all the stunning views racing past. Nestled between towering mountains, it’s the perfect place to spend the last night of our Kiwi encounter. Add one of New Zealand’s most photographed buildings to your camera roll with a visit to the Church of the Good Shepherd. The rest of the day is up to you. Go for a stroll along the shoreline (it’s absolutely covered in colourful lupins between Nov and Feb). Fancy a spa day? Head to the Tekapo Springs hot pools for a soothing soak. Then: we’re gonna give this trip the send-off it deserves at tonight’s final group dinner. Afterwards, look to the heavens during an optional star-gazing experience. Lake Tekapo sits within a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, so prepared to be WOWED.
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Included Today
- Visit to the Church of the Good Shepherd
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Optional extras
- Visit Tekapo Springs hot pools: from $37
- Dark Sky stargazing in Lake Tekapo: from $50
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Included Today
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Lake Tekapo – Christchurch
17Ok, nobody panic – the adventure is coming to a close. But we’re sure as hell not done yet! Squeeze in one last pano at Lake Tekapo before we make tracks for Christchurch. 17 days. 2 islands. 1 country. Countless thrills, spills and good times. One HUGE adventure. You embraced it all and shared the ride with a bunch of strangers who are now like family. But it’s time to say goodbye. Reunion trip next year? 100%.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Meals
What's included
Included experiences
Accommodation
- 3 nights in lodges, 13 nights in hostels
Transport
Optional activities
- FYI: these are optional activities available locally. Things might change – prices are here to give you a rough idea.
- Waitomo Caves (boat cruise): from $75
- Ruakuri Cave: from $70
- Blackwater rafting at Waitomo Caves: from $170
- Visit the Hobbiton movie set: from $150
- Zipling canopy tour: from $179
- Whitewater rafting in Rotorua: from $139
- Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with a local guide (October to April): from $395
- Visit to Wai-O-Tapu hot springs: prices available locally
- Sailing on Lake Taupo: from $375
- Weta workshop: from $49
- Visit to Te Papa Museum (free)
- Wellington cable car: from $6
- Guided kayaking and seal-spotting tour in Abel Tasman National Park: from $220
- Full-day canyoning in Abel Tasman National Park: from $295
- Skydiving in Abel Tasman National Park: from $329
- Whale watching in Kaikoura: prices available locally
- Heli-hike excursion in Franz Josef Glacier region: from $749
- Scenic flight over Franz Josef Glacier: from $325
- Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary kayaking experience: prices available locally
- Scene Milford Sound cruise (including lunch): from $245
- Jet boating in Queenstown: from $159
- Canyon swinging in Queenstown: from $259
- Bungy jumping in Queenstown: from $265
- Skydiving in Queenstown: from $335
- Funyaking in Queenstown: from $429
- Wilderness Jet adventure in Queenstown: from $299
- Whitewater rafting down the Shotover River: from $219
- Visit Tekapo Springs hot pools: from $37
- Dark Sky stargazing in Lake Tekapo: from $50
Views & Reviews
Latest Reviews
Average rating based on 19 reviews-
Ciara April 2024
Fantastic trip, our guide Guy was very good. He was very knowledgeable on everything, and booked everyone onto all the activities they wanted, and I felt very safe with him as our driver and guide.
The only reason I took off a star was because of the awful state of some of the accomodation. Particularly Nomads, after our stay in Nomads in Wellington, where the Accomodation was filthy, and the beds unsafe (not unrealistic standards I think), we were so upset to find out we were staying with them again for four nights in Christchurch, when the itinerary still had LYLO hostel on it (which is of a much higher standard). The breakfast in Wellington was awful and made a lot of us sick, the breakfast in Christchurch was lovely. It was very good having breakfast provided in the mornings. The bathrooms in the Blue Dolphin Accomodation were all broken. And the facilities in the rock climbing accommodation were all dirty.
The activities were great fun, the experience in the Māori village was a great way to get everyone comfortable with each other on the first night.
It would have been nice to have gone down a bit more south, considering there’s a lot of driving, a few more hours wouldn’t make a difference.
Overall, I had a great trip, saw so much of the beautiful country and had so much fun with the other travellers.
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Emily April 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this trip!! Our guide Guy was brilliant & super knowledgeable. We were incredibly lucky with the weather so managed to do pretty much everything on the itinerary. New Zealand is incredible and I would 1000% recommend this trip as we got to see so & do so much!
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Anonymous April 2024
It was a very fun trip! It was definitely a lifetime experience in NZ. Our guide Guy was very nice and fun. He always told very interesting facts about NZ and gave very good recommendations for food, action, etc.
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