16-Day Golden Years
New Zealand Tour
A Relaxed Private Journey Through the North and South Islands
Discover New Zealand at a comfortable pace on a thoughtfully planned 16-day private itinerary created for mature travellers.
Travel from Auckland and Rotorua to Wellington, Christchurch, the West Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound and Dunedin, combining private touring with scenic train journeys, wildlife experiences, Māori culture and some of New Zealand’s most memorable landscapes.
With carefully planned travel days, comfortable accommodation and time to enjoy each destination, this itinerary offers a relaxed and rewarding way to experience both islands without feeling rushed.
Tour at a Glance
📅 16 Days
A well-paced journey across both islands
🚐 Private Touring
Private drivers and selected guided experiences
🛏️ Tailored Accommodation
Comfortable hotels with premium upgrades available
🗺️ North & South Islands
Auckland to Dunedin and Christchurch
Experience New Zealand your way with a custom private itinerary designed around your interests, pace and travel style. From private driver-guides and premium accommodation to scenic touring, activities and local support, we create seamless journeys across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Queenstown-Based Luxury Travel Specialists | TIA Member | 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist | Local Support
Tour Route Map
Follow the journey from Auckland through the North Island, across Cook Strait and down through the South Island to Christchurch, Franz Josef, Queenstown, Milford Sound and Dunedin.
Tour Highlights
From geothermal landscapes and Māori culture to scenic trains, glaciers, wildlife, peaceful lakes and dramatic fiords, this relaxed journey brings together many of New Zealand’s most memorable experiences.
Auckland | Waitomo Glowworm Caves | Hobbiton | Rotorua
Māori Culture | Wellington | Zealandia | Cook Strait Ferry
Coastal Pacific Train | Christchurch | Akaroa | TranzAlpine Train
Franz Josef Glacier | Queenstown | Walter Peak | Milford Sound
Dunedin | Otago Peninsula | Royal Albatross Centre | Moeraki Boulders
A Real Client Experience
“Celebrating 60 years of marriage demanded a very special vacation. Kathy listened to our requests, interests, and demands and produced an itinerary that exceeded our expectations. From Auckland to Queenstown and Milford Sound we enjoyed a private guided tour of a most beautiful land. But even Paradise has the occasional rainstorm or wind. Kathy was ready to check-mate the weatherman and adjust the plans. Her biggest challenge was managing the news (before we arrived in New Zealand) that my wife had developed a rare allergy called Alpha-Gal, which meant she could not eat meat or dairy products. Kathy alerted every chef on our itinerary, and they were all prepared to meet her dietary issues.”
Alan Payne
Is This Tour Right for You?
Ideal for mature travellers wanting a comfortable, well-planned journey through both islands.
✓ Private touring with personal service
✓ Scenic trains, ferry travel and selected flights
✓ A relaxed pace with time to rest and explore
✓ Iconic scenery, Māori culture and wildlife
✓ Accommodation and activities arranged for you
✓ Flexible to suit your mobility and interests
Is This Tour Right for You?
This 16-day New Zealand itinerary is ideal for mature travellers who want to experience the highlights of both the North and South Islands at a comfortable pace. It combines private touring, scenic train journeys, ferry travel, carefully selected experiences, local guidance, and time to relax and enjoy each destination.
It is a great fit if you want:
A well-planned first visit to New Zealand, covering Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch, the West Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound, and Dunedin.
Private touring instead of a large coach tour, with greater comfort, flexibility, and personal service.
Iconic scenery and experiences, including Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Hobbiton, Māori culture, the Cook Strait ferry, the Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine trains, Franz Josef Glacier, Milford Sound, and the wildlife of the Otago Peninsula.
A thoughtfully paced journey that reduces unnecessary driving by combining private transport with domestic flights, scenic trains, and ferry travel.
Help choosing suitable accommodation, activities, and transport without having to organise every detail yourself.
A balance of guided touring, scenic travel days, cultural experiences, wildlife encounters, and free time to explore or rest.
This itinerary can be adjusted to suit your mobility, interests, accommodation preferences, travel style, and preferred pace.
ITINERARY
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Included: Private Airport Transfer
Welcome to New Zealand. You will be met at Auckland Airport and privately transferred to your accommodation.
The remainder of the day is free to settle in, rest after your flight or begin exploring the waterfront and central city at your own pace.
Auckland is known as the City of Sails and is set between two beautiful harbours. Its waterfront restaurants, museums, galleries and parks make it an enjoyable place to begin your journey.
Optional experience: Auckland Harbour Dinner Cruise
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Included: Private Tour via Waitomo and Hobbiton
Depart Auckland with your private driver and travel south through the rolling countryside of the Waikato region.
Your first major experience is a guided tour through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Travel by boat beneath thousands of tiny glowworms while learning about the limestone formations and underground cave system.
Continue to the Hobbiton Movie Set for a guided journey through the landscapes made famous by The Lord of the Ringsand The Hobbit films. See the Hobbit Holes, gardens, Party Tree, Mill and Green Dragon Inn before travelling onward to Rotorua.
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Day 3: Rotorua
Included: Private Rotorua Touring, Wai-O-Tapu and Te Pā Tū
Spend the day discovering Rotorua’s geothermal landscapes, Māori culture and natural attractions.
Visit Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland to see colourful volcanic craters, steaming vents, bubbling mud pools and the famous Champagne Pool.
This evening, enjoy the Te Pā Tū Māori cultural experience. Learn about Māori traditions through storytelling, song and performance before sharing a seasonal hāngī-inspired dinner.
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Included: Airport Transfers
Transfer to Rotorua Airport for your flight to Wellington. On arrival, you will be met and privately transferred to your accommodation.
New Zealand’s compact capital is set around a picturesque harbour and is easy to explore. Spend the remainder of the day visiting the waterfront, enjoying the city’s cafés or exploring Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum.
Please note: The domestic flight can be arranged and added to your itinerary.
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Included: Zealandia by Night Tour
Enjoy time during the day to explore Wellington at your own pace.
This evening, join a guided Zealandia by Night experience. The protected eco-sanctuary is home to many of New Zealand’s native birds and wildlife, with the evening tour offering the possibility of hearing or seeing species that become more active after dark.
Suggested daytime experiences:
Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum
Wellington Cable Car and Botanic Garden
Wētā Workshop Experience
Wellington waterfront and city sightseeing -
Included: Cook Strait Ferry and Coastal Pacific Train
Today combines two of New Zealand’s most scenic forms of travel.
Cross Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton by ferry, passing through the sheltered waterways and forested hills of the Marlborough Sounds.
From Picton, board the Coastal Pacific Train and travel south between the mountains and Pacific Ocean. The journey follows the Marlborough wine region and Kaikōura coastline before arriving in Christchurch.
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Included: Private Akaroa Day Tour
Travel privately across Banks Peninsula to Akaroa, a picturesque harbour village known for its French heritage, historic cottages and peaceful waterfront.
Enjoy time to explore the village, browse its shops and galleries or have lunch overlooking the harbour before returning to Christchurch.
Christchurch combines beautiful gardens, English heritage and modern architecture. Depending on timing, you may also wish to explore the Botanic Gardens, Riverside Market or central city.
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Included: TranzAlpine Train and Private Touring
Board the TranzAlpine Train in Christchurch for one of the world’s great scenic rail journeys.
Travel across the Canterbury Plains and through the Southern Alps, passing braided rivers, mountain valleys, beech forests and Arthur’s Pass National Park.
Your private driver will meet you on the West Coast and continue south through Hokitika and rainforest scenery to Franz Josef.
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Enjoy a relaxed day in the small West Coast village of Franz Josef, surrounded by rainforest, mountains and glacier landscapes.
Visit accessible glacier viewpoints or spend time enjoying the village and surrounding scenery.
Optional experiences:
Glacier scenic helicopter flight
Helicopter flight with a snow landing
Franz Josef Glacier heli-hike
Guided nature walk
Waiho Hot TubsAll helicopter activities are weather dependent.
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Included: Private Scenic Tour to Queenstown
Travel south along the wild West Coast before crossing the Southern Alps through Haast Pass.
The route passes rugged coastlines, rainforest, rivers, waterfalls and mountain valleys. Stop at selected viewpoints before continuing beside Lakes Wānaka and Hāwea.
Arrive in Queenstown, beautifully positioned beside Lake Wakatipu and beneath the Remarkables mountain range.
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Included: TSS Earnslaw Cruise, Walter Peak Dining and Farm Experience
Enjoy a leisurely morning exploring Queenstown or relaxing at your accommodation.
Later, cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship to Walter Peak High Country Farm.
Enjoy a gourmet BBQ meal in a beautiful lakeside setting, followed by a farm demonstration before returning to Queenstown by boat.
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Included: Private Milford Sound Tour and Cruise
Travel privately from Queenstown through Te Anau and Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound.
The Milford Road is one of New Zealand’s most spectacular journeys, with alpine valleys, rainforest, clear lakes, waterfalls and towering mountains.
On arrival, join a cruise beneath the dramatic cliffs of Milford Sound, passing waterfalls and wildlife habitats before returning to Queenstown.
A scenic flight back to Queenstown can be added, subject to weather and availability.
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Included: Private Tour to Dunedin
Depart Queenstown and travel through the historic landscapes of Central Otago.
The journey passes former gold-mining settlements, rocky hills, vineyards and rural communities before arriving in Dunedin.
Known for its Scottish heritage, Victorian architecture and university atmosphere, Dunedin is also the gateway to the wildlife and coastal scenery of the Otago Peninsula.
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Included: Private Otago Peninsula Tour and Wildlife Experiences
Travel with your private guide along the Otago Peninsula, enjoying harbour views, rolling farmland and rugged coastal scenery.
Visit a protected penguin conservation area and learn about the work being undertaken to support New Zealand’s endangered penguin populations.
Continue to Taiaroa Head and the Royal Albatross Centre, home to the world’s only mainland breeding colony of northern royal albatross.
Wildlife sightings depend on the season and cannot be guaranteed.
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Included: Private Scenic Tour to Christchurch
Travel north from Dunedin with your private driver.
Stop at the Moeraki Boulders, where large spherical stones are scattered along Koekohe Beach, before continuing to Oamaru.
Oamaru is known for its Victorian precinct, preserved limestone buildings and historic streets. Continue north through the Canterbury countryside and arrive in Christchurch for your final evening.
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Included: Private Airport Transfer
Your 16-day New Zealand journey concludes with a private transfer to Christchurch Airport.
You may fly to Auckland to connect with your international flight or depart directly from Christchurch, depending on your travel arrangements.
Please note: Domestic and international flights can be arranged separately where required.
Enquire Now About This Itinerary
This itinerary is a starting point and can be tailored around your travel dates, interests, preferred pace and accommodation style.
FAQs
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Yes. This itinerary has been designed with mature travellers in mind, with a comfortable pace, well-planned travel days, scenic touring, quality accommodation and time to enjoy each destination without feeling rushed.
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This tour can be arranged as a private New Zealand holiday, with private transfers and selected private touring days. Some experiences, such as scenic trains, ferry crossings, cruises and cultural experiences, may be shared with other travellers.
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Yes. This itinerary is only a starting point. We can adjust the route, pace, accommodation style, activities and transport to suit your interests, travel dates, comfort level and budget.
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As a guide, this 16-day New Zealand tour starts from approximately NZD $15,000 per person, depending on your travel dates, accommodation choices, room type, transport style, private guiding requirements and included activities.
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Your package can include accommodation, airport transfers, selected private touring, scenic train journeys, ferry travel, cruises, guided activities and local travel planning. We will provide a tailored quote based on your preferred travel style and inclusions.
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No. International flights are not included. Domestic flights within New Zealand can be arranged and added to your package if required.
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No. This tour can be arranged with private drivers and transfers, so you do not need to self-drive. A self-drive option may also be available for travellers who prefer more independence.
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The tour is designed to be comfortable and flexible. Most activities involve gentle sightseeing, scenic travel, cultural experiences, cruises and guided visits. More active options, such as glacier activities or longer walks, can be added or removed depending on your ability and interests.
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Yes. Please let us know about any mobility considerations, walking limitations or health requirements when you enquire. We can adjust the pace, touring style, accommodation locations and activities where possible.
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Yes. Milford Sound is included as one of the major highlights of this itinerary. The day usually includes a scenic road journey through Fiordland National Park and a cruise on Milford Sound, with the option to add a scenic flight if weather allows.
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This itinerary works well from spring through autumn, generally October to April, when conditions are pleasant for scenic touring. Some train journeys and activities may have seasonal schedules, so early planning is recommended.