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Experiences you have as you travel often hold the longest memories. As part of their research trips, our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know New Zealand, and the best local guides. These activities reflect some of their best-loved experiences.
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Auckland highlights tour
Known as the 'City of Sails', this tour is the perfect introduction to the city as you visit several points of cultural and scenic interest; including Mount Eden with its amazing 360 degree views of the city and the city's oldest park, Auckland Domain.
Auckland tastes walking tour
Indulge in a culinary exploration as you visit two of the city's most vibrant foodie locations: Britomart and the viaduct Harbour.
Glacier boat cruise
This three-hour tour of Lake Tasman, and the front edge of New Zealand's largest glacier, is a unique opportunity to learn about this incredible remnant of the Ice Age.
Otago Peninsula wildlife cruise
The Otago Peninsula is home to some of New Zealand's rarest animals, but it is also the most accessible wildlife area on the South Island. A cruise on the peninsula allows you to view this amazing array of ocean birds and marine mammals in their natural environment.
Greenshell mussel cruise
Take a gentle cruise through the beautiful inner Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds, enjoying the scenery whilst learning about the history of mussel farming in the area, with commentary from your knowledgeable guide.
Whale watching in Kaikoura
Spot whales surfacing in Kaikoura, New Zealand. You’ll head out to sea for three hours with a responsible local tour operator and guide, where you have exceptionally high chances of viewing sperm whales, dusky dolphins, fur seals, and royal albatrosses.
Heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier
Join your crew at The Helicopter Line Officer, Main South Road to commence a heli-hike tour. A scenic 10-minute helicopter flight takes you over Franz Josef Glacier to its icefall, where the helicopter lands and you start a two-hour guided walk among its ice caves, pinnacles and seracs.
Tiritiri Matangi bird sanctuary
Tiritiri Matangi is a world-renowned bird sanctuary off the coast of Auckland. You will hike through the native bush on well-formed tracks and boardwalks as your guide identifies fauna, bird species and birdsong, as well as many other points of interest along the way.
Waipoua Forest twilight encounter
The spiritual environment of the Waipoua Forest provides a natural stage for an unforgettable encounter with some of the largest remaining kauri trees in the world.
Dart River Wilderness Safari
Board the Dart River jet-boat on a white-knuckle ride for an hour and a half up the narrow, meandering waterway, into real wilderness country.
Waiheke Island wine tour
Enjoy Waiheke's award-winning wines and locally produced gourmet delights, along with gardens and galleries, music and poetry, native birds and bush walks.
TSS Earnslaw cruise to Walter Peak High Country Farm
Affectionately known as the 'Lady of the Lake', the TSS Earnslaw has been steaming the length of Lake Wakatipu since 1912. You can watch sheepdogs in action, see the shearing or even try your hand at wool spinning. After morning or afternoon tea you then steam back to Queenstown.
Shotover River jet boat tour
The Shotover Jet is an adrenaline fuelled jet boat trip through the Shotover Canyon, which towers over you on either side. Skim around crags and boulders and then enjoy the sensation as the boat spins around 360 degrees in its own length.
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum of New Zealand. Explore areas of New Zealand's history, culture and natural environment via interactive exhibits.
Cape Reinga fly/drive
This unforgettable excursion is a five-hour tour of Cape Reinga and the extreme Northland. The day starts with a breathtaking flight over the west coast of Northland in a Cessna aircraft. This is the perfect — indeed, the only — way to put this stunning scenery into perspective.
Harbor Wildlife Cruise
This harbor cruise is one of the most picturesque in New Zealand and gives you the chance to experience the Banks Peninsula's most majestic scenery.
Farewell Spit ecotour
Farewell Spit, at the very northernmost point on the South Island, has been a sanctuary since the 1930s and is now home to over 90 species of bird including famous waders such as bar-tailed godwits, knots, curlews, whimbrels and turnstones, which spend the summer here.
Siberia Valley activities experience
The Siberia Experience offers you a selection of New Zealand's best adventurous activities all in one day.
Fiordland Navigator cruise
Perhaps one of the finest options in Fiordland, the overnight Fiordland Navigator cruise on Doubtful Sound takes you to some of the national park’s most untouched and inspiring scenery.
Swimming with seals in Kaikoura
One of the best nature activities in New Zealand, swimming with wild New Zealand fur seals in Kaikoura is a truly unique experience.
Swimming with Hector's dolphins in Akaroa Harbour
The sheltered harbor of Akaroa is an ideal place for a unique encounter with the world's smallest, rarest and friendliest dolphins, the Hector's dolphins.
Milford Sound overnight cruise
Spending a night on board the Milford Mariner is by far the best way to experience the splendor of the majestic Fiordland scenery.
Tongariro cycling
This tour, which involves walking or riding along the historic cobblestone Coach Road through a bush corridor on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, is an exciting adventure and a journey back in time.
Hole in the Rock cruise
Be whisked away by the high speed luxury catamaran for a comfortable journey out through game fishing waters to the Cape Brett Lighthouse before reaching Motukokako Island and the famous 'Hole in the Rock'. The excitement grows as you make passage through the hole and on to the majestic Grand Cathedral Cave.
Whirinaki eco-culture walk
This full day walk into one of New Zealand's most remarkable native forests takes you to the heart of the Urewera Ranges.
TranzAlpine train journey
Making the great traverse of the Southern Alps, the TranzAlpine train links Christchurch on the Pacific with Greymouth on the Tasman Sea, in a spectacular journey lasting four and a half hours.
On Yer Bike winery tour
Hawke's Bay is beautiful and most importantly flat, which makes it perfect cycling terrain. All bikes are professionally maintained and as well as safety helmets come with baskets or backpacks and visibility flags.
Tasman Glacier sightseeing flight
From the foothills of Mount Cook National Park you can take a spectacular scenic ski-plane flight which will take you up the length of the Tasman Glacier before landing on the newly fallen snow near the top.
Routeburn Track — 3 days
Climb a well-graded track to Key Summit, where you can sit among the alpine plants and partake in 'The Annual General Meeting of the Mountains'. You then descend to Lake Howden before gradually climbing through lush silver beech forest to the base of Earland Falls: quite a sight in wet weather!
Queen Charlotte Track freedom walk — 4 to 5 days
Board the motor launch that will take you to Meretoto, a significant area for local Māori. It's also known as Ship Cove, in reference to British navigator Captain Cook's five visits here for ship supplies.
Milford Track day walk
This small group excursion gives you a taste of the majestic scenery of the Milford Track without having to dedicate five days to complete the whole trail. Your lunch is included, and complimentary tea and coffee are available at the start and end of the walk.
Birding bonanza: Kiwi spotting and tour of Ulva & Stewart islands
This full-day trip is the ultimate birding and nature experience on Stewart Island. This tour also includes an opportunity to see the elusive and beautiful local kiwis, but due to their susceptibility to weather conditions the exact timing of your visit to watch them is flexible.
Huka Falls jet boat tour
This jet boat ride takes you upriver, through native bush and past thermal pools, to the very base of the Huka Falls, where 220,000 liters of water per second come tumbling over the cliff face.
Zealandia night tour
Zealandia, which encompasses the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, is an urban wildlife haven where some of New Zealand's most endangered native animals thrive in this predator-free environment. The guided night tour begins with highlights of the fully immersive and interactive exhibition, where you will discover how this safe haven was created.
Sea kayaking in Queen Charlotte Sound
This one day sea kayaking adventure takes groups of no more than eight paddlers out toward the southern end of the Queen Charlotte Sound.
Hawke's Bay wine tour
This afternoon (half day) wine tour will take you to four of the region's excellent wineries, where you will have the opportunity to taste and purchase some of the wines for which the area is famous.
Walk the Hollyford Track
This easy-paced three day valley walk encompasses crystal clear rivers, mirror-like lakes, waterfalls, reefs, sand dunes and surf, against the backdrop of the soaring, snow-capped Darran Mountains.
4x4 safari of scenes
The perfect tour for those who want the thrills of an off-road adventure but also want to discover exciting 'Lord of the Rings' film locations.
Ulva Island fauna & flora tour
Ulva Goodwillie is a Māori Eco/Nature guide who is passionate about, and absolutely committed to, Ulva Island and its protection. As a predator free island, the plants and native birds have been able to flourish as nature originally intended, and a visit to the island is like stepping back in time.
Fox Glacier heli-hiking
The Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers are two of the fastest moving in the world, sometimes at a rate of up to 20 m a year. This means that the terrain is ever-changing as crevasses close and new ones open so your guide leads you on an unplanned route which is a true adventure.
Wellington food tour
Spend time behind the scenes with a personal guide at some of Wellington's excellent food venues.
Milford Sound nature cruise
Once in Milford you will board the Milford Mariner for a nature cruise of two and a half hours which leads you the full length of the sound and into the Tasman Sea.
Te Anau Glowworm Caves
Travel by small boat and walkways in small groups through cathedral-like caves with waterfalls, whirlpools and beautiful rock formations before drifting through the 'glowworm grotto': an unforgettable experience.
America's Cup Sailing
This is a two-hour excursion offering the opportunity for you to participate in sailing these grand prix racing machines. Passengers become the crew and are encouraged to take the helm, exert energy on the grinders or simply sit back and enjoy the action while sailing around the beautiful Waitematā Harbour.
Mitai Māori night
This evening of Māori culture is both entertaining and educational. The cultural display, performed by a talented local cast, consists of the formal welcome, traditional dances and Māori weaponry display, as well as the arrival of the warriors by ancient canoe.
Sightseeing flight over Mount Cook
This unique flight encompasses Aoraki (Mount Cook), Westland and Tai Poutini national parks, traversing 200 kilometers of New Zealand's most beautiful and spectacular alpine scenery.
Tonga Island seal & beach walk
The first part of the excursion starts with a cruise up the coastline, passing golden beaches and secluded bays, to Onetahuti (Tonga Bay), where you visit Tonga Island, which is home to the largest seal colony in the park and has many species of seabird and sometimes penguins.
Tongariro National Park guided walk
This one day walk traverses the stark and spectacular volcanic terrain of Mount Tongariro, and is one of the most fascinating treks in the world. This walk is led by an expert guide who will provide informative commentary, so finding your way will not be a problem.
Doubtful Sound overnight cruise
Once on board the Fiordland Navigator you will cruise through hidden waterways where bottlenose dolphins are frequently seen playing and riding the waves under the bows, fur seals bask on outcrops around the fiord, and at times the rarest penguins in the world can be observed.
Coastal Pacific
Linking the port of Picton with the city of Christchurch, the Coastal Pacific railway offers a fantastic opportunity to discover the east coast of the South Island.
Flight over Fox & Franz Josef glaciers
This is a 30-minute scenic flight that will take you high above the spectacular scenery of both Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, with views across to Mount Cook and Mount Tasman.
One Day Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly
You will be flown down to Milford Sound in a twin-engine aircraft, from which you can enjoy the majestic views of the Southern Alps, Lake Wakatipu, Mitre Peak and the sounds.
Swimming with dolphins
This four-hour trip departs from Paihia and Russell in the morning or afternoon on a jet-powered catamaran from which you will meet one of nature's most charming creatures in the warm waters of the Bay of Islands.
Marlborough Sounds cruise
Over the course of the trip you will learn about Māori culture and history, and enjoy the amazing biodiversity of the Sounds whilst slowly sailing round the sheltered inland waterways.
Dolphin swim
This three-hour excursion is perhaps the best way in the world to swim with dolphins. Kaikoura attracts dolphins all year round, hugely increasing the chances of being able to get in the water with these incredible creatures.
Kiwi Dundee nature & coast
This full day excursion provides a sample of many of the highlights of this stunning peninsula. The guides at Kiwi Dundee will introduce you to areas of scenic beauty and historic significance, and will endeavor to tailor the day to the preferences of the group.
Chris Jolly's Cruise on Lake Taupo
A scenic cruise taking you out onto Lake Taupo, to the Māori rock carvings and to historical points of interest in Whakaipo Bay.
Small group tour with MoaTrek
A family-run company offering smaller group tours, ranging in length and covering either both the North and South Island.
Te Rā guided cultural experience
Te Puia is one of New Zealand's leading attractions and comprises the Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley, as well as staging many excellent cultural performances.
