New Zealand: Untamed Landscapes
16 days | 19 days with Fiji extension |
Discover the splendidly diverse country of New Zealand.
This island nation is known for its stunningly varied range of natural landscapes; you’ll understand why when you cruise through the fjords of Milford Sound or ascend the peaks of the Southern Alps. Amid these spectacular untamed settings, you’ll get a taste of the welcoming Kiwi culture on this small group Adventure Tour.
Your tour package includes
- 13 nights in handpicked hotels
- 13 breakfasts
- 1 lunch
- 5 dinners with beer or wine
- 1 wine tasting
- 3 tastings
- 8 sightseeing tours
- Expert Tour Director & local guides
- Private deluxe motor coach
- 1 ferry transfer
Included highlights
- Milford Sound
- Waiho River walk
- Kiwi home-hosted dinner
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Marlborough wine tasting
- Wellington
- Te Papa Tongarewa museum
- Traditional Māori village dinner
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Itinerary
Overnight Flight2 nights
Day 1: Travel day
Cross the International Date Line in flight and “lose” a day.
Day 2: Travel day
Your flight continues to New Zealand.
Reviews
Hotels
We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
Queenstown - Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown Lakefront
This charming hotel is located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown. Guests enjoy mountain views, spacious rooms, and on-site restaurant. Nearby you’ll find walking trails, Queenstown Gardens, and several restaurants.
Franz Josef Glacier - Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
This charming hotel is located in Franz Josef, New Zealand. Guests enjoy an exceptional restaurant, a luxurious spa, and bicycle rentals. Its remote location on the West Coast offers convenient access to the Franz Josef...
West Coast Region - Scenic Hotel Punakaiki
This beachfront hotel is located in the Paparoa National Park in Punakaiki. Guests enjoy beach access, the sun terrace, and bike rentals. Nearby you'll find Pancake Rocks and Blowhole track and the Punakaiki Cavern.
Abel Tasman Region - Kimi Ora Eco Resort
This secluded hotel is located in Kaiteriteri. Guests enjoy both indoor and outdoor pools, complimentary bikes, and game room. Nearby you’ll find the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park, several beaches, and Abel Tasman National Park.
Wellington - Novotel Wellington
This modern hotel is located near the waterfront. Guests enjoy a fitness center, bar, and restaurant. Nearby you’ll find the Wellington Botanic Garden, Wellington Museum, and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Rotorua - Millennium Hotel Rotorua
This eco-friendly hotel is located next to Lake Rotorua. Guests enjoy a heated pool, spa, and free Wi-Fi. Nearby, you’ll find geothermal parklands, Te Puia Maori Arts and Crafts, and Government Gardens.
Auckland - Rydges Auckland
This vibrant hotel is located downtown. Guests enjoy an on-site coffee house, a gym, and restaurant. Nearby, you'll find Albert Park, the New Zealand Maritime Museum, and Sky Tower.
Fiji - Radisson Blu Resort, Fiji Denarau Island
This beachfront complex is located on Fiji's Denarau Island. Guests enjoy the lagoon style pools, a variety of dining options, and the luxury spa. There's also an on-site coffee house, live music, a fitness center, and a...
Flights
Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
Add our airfare and you’ll get:
- Round-trip flight for your tour
- Airport transfers at your destination
- A great price locked in today
- 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
- Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
- Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
FAQ
- In order to enter New Zealand (and the Republic of Fiji on the tour extension), U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
- We recommend having at least two blank passport pages for entry stamps.
- U.S. and Canadian passport holders must purchase an individual visa and pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy on the New Zealand government’s Electronic Travel Authority website nzeta.immigration.govt.nz prior to departure.
- U.S. and Canadian citizens are automatically issued a visa upon arrival in Fiji (on the tour extension).
- If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact each country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
- You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code NZL.
- You will walk for at least 2 hours daily across mostly flat terrain, including unpaved trails, with few hills and steep stairs.
- Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
- You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times, as well as getting in and out of boats.
- Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
- If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
- Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in Queenstown and depart from Auckland (or Nadi on the tour extension). A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
- Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
- A boat ride to the Milford Sound and Abel Tasman as well as a ferry from Picton to Wellington, are included in the price of your tour. (The tour extension also includes a flight from Auckland to Nadi.)
- All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
- Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
- Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
- Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
- Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
- We recommend lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
- A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing. Hiking boots might come in handy if you plan to do any extensive walking or hiking.
- Pack sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Bug repellent is also useful, as there can be flies during certain times of year.
- You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
- At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
- Take particular care of sun exposure and drink plenty of liquids. If you choose to go swimming, be careful of powerful surf. Make sure to obey signs and lifeguards’ orders, and always swim between the marked flags.
- If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
- If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to your departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
- You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code NZL.
- In New Zealand, there are many good local varieties of fish and seafood, excellent lamb, and fresh fruits, including kiwi and passion fruits. For lunch, tea rooms serve savory meat pies, quiche, and desserts.
- On the tour extension, Fijian cuisine is traditionally healthy and fresh, incorporating local seafood, coconut, pineapple, and tubers such as taro.
- New Zealand (plus Fiji on the tour extension) operates on the standard 220-240 volts and uses Type I plugs with three large, flat pins set on an angle.
- We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
- Not all hotels on this tour will have air conditioning.
- Your hotels may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
- Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
- There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
- Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
- You’ll travel through New Zealand Central Standard Time, which is 17 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time (ET).
- Fiji is 16 hours ahead of ET.
- When it’s noon in New York, it’s 5am in New Zealand (and 4am in Fiji on the tour extension).
- You will use the New Zealand dollar (plus the Fiji dollar on the tour extension).
- Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
- We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
- You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
- Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
- International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
- At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
- We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $4USD per person per day for your driver.
- If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
- Tips can only be paid in cash.
- If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
- The cost of porterage (when offered) is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
- Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour.
- Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
- Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
- Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.