11-Day Mercedes Small-Group Tour of New Zealand’s South and North Islands — 7-Day South Island East & Central Route + 5-Day North Island
Explore the South Island’s east and central routes from Christchurch through Oamaru, Dunedin, Queenstown, Arrowtown, Wanaka, Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo, then fly to Auckland for Rotorua, Taupō and Hobbiton. Highlights include Otago Peninsula wildlife, Larnach Castle, Queenstown Skyline Gondola and dinner, Māori culture, geothermal parks and Agrodome. Domestic flights are not included.
Highlights
- Oamaru’s Victorian precinct and an Otago Peninsula wildlife experience
- Dunedin city sights, Speight’s brewery two-course lunch and Larnach Castle
- Queenstown Skyline Gondola with seafood buffet dinner
- Arrowtown, Lake Wanaka and the iconic solitary tree
- Mount Cook National Park, Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd
- Hobbiton, Mitai Māori Village and a traditional hangi buffet
- Wai-O-Tapu, Huka Falls, Taupō and Agrodome farm tour
Daily Itinerary
Arrive in Christchurch, a South Pacific city with a classical English atmosphere. Your guide will show you the beautiful “Garden City”: stroll through the historic Arts Centre, admire the Avon River and pass the Bridge of Remembrance. Airport pickup is available during the stated hours; city sightseeing cannot be guaranteed for flights arriving later in the day. Hotel: Hotel Elms Christchurch or similar 4-star hotel Lunch: at own expense; Dinner: at own expense
After breakfast, drive to Oamaru, a charming historic town on the east coast, New Zealand’s second-largest fishing port, known for seafood and its well-preserved Victorian precinct. Explore the old “white-stone town”, with its 19th-century limestone buildings, shops and cafés. Continue to Dunedin, the “Edinburgh of the South”, then travel along the Otago Peninsula for a ★wildlife ecology experience. At the protected reserve, observe the breeding habitats of little blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins, seals and seabirds. Hotel: Scenic Hotel Southern Cross or similar 4-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: Māori hangi; Dinner: Chinese hotpot
After breakfast, tour Dunedin: visit the University of Otago, New Zealand’s oldest university; see the fairytale-like Dunedin Railway Station, historic churches and Gothic architecture; and visit Baldwin Street, the world’s steepest street. Continue to ★Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle, and discover its Victorian architecture, family history and gardens. Enjoy a two-course Western lunch at the century-old Speight’s brewery. In the evening, arrive in Queenstown and take the 360-degree Skyline Gondola to the ★mountain-top restaurant, described as one of the world’s ten most romantic restaurants. Enjoy a seafood buffet while overlooking Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu by night. Hotel: Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront Queenstown or similar 4-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: brewery two-course meal; Dinner: Western buffet at the gondola
Enjoy a free day in scenic Queenstown, a resort town among mountains and lakes. Choose your own activities: skydiving, bungy jumping, paragliding or jet boating; a helicopter flight over snow-capped mountains and glaciers or wine tasting at a vineyard; or a relaxed walk among the street performers, cafés, sunshine and lake breeze. A Milford Sound cruise is especially recommended for waterfalls, seals and dolphins in this “eighth wonder of the world”. Hotel: Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront Queenstown or similar 4-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: at own expense; Dinner: at own expense
After breakfast, visit Arrowtown, about 21 km from Queenstown. Walk beside the Arrow River and learn about the hardship of thousands of Chinese gold miners; their modest village remains. Buckingham Street’s historic buildings now house shops and restaurants. Continue to Lake Wanaka, New Zealand’s fourth-largest lake, and see the iconic solitary tree standing in the water. In the afternoon, walk beside the lake or rent a bicycle to ride around it. Hotel: Oakridge Resort Lake Wanaka or similar Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: at own expense; Dinner: Chinese meal at a lakeside restaurant
After breakfast, travel to Mount Cook National Park. En route, stop at a renowned five-star salmon farm in the Southern Hemisphere, where salmon can be sampled at your own expense. Explore the dramatic alpine landscape; weather permitting, take an optional helicopter flight to the Tasman Glacier, the largest glacier in the South Pacific, with time on the ice. In the afternoon arrive at Lake Tekapo, whose Māori name means “night sleeping mat”. Walk by the lake, visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and enjoy the celebrated dark-sky reserve at night. Hotel: distinctive holiday home (one whole house per party is not guaranteed; each party is guaranteed a private bedroom) Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: at own expense; Dinner: salmon buffet
After breakfast, drive from Tekapo back to Christchurch (3 hours 30 minutes, two hundred fifty-five kilometres), enjoying the South Island countryside. Fly from Christchurch to Auckland; on arrival, the guide will meet you and transfer you to the hotel. The source recommends a mid-afternoon Christchurch departure; the North Island latest pickup is the stated evening time. Hotel: hotel Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: at own expense; Dinner: at own expense
After breakfast, tour Auckland: climb Mount Eden, the city’s highest point, for views over the city and volcanic remains; drive past the Harbour Bridge; and walk along Queen Street and Princes Wharf. If time permits, visit Angel Bay for harbour scenery and sunset. The guide also collects North Island-only tour guests at the airport today; the overseas guide determines the exact sightseeing arrangements. Hotel: M Social Auckland, central 5-star hotel, or similar Lunch: at own expense; Dinner: at own expense
Travel to ★Hobbiton, a filming location for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Cross picturesque sheep farms and visit Bag End, the hobbit holes, Green Dragon Inn, mill and Party Tree. Enjoy a buffet lunch in the themed tent restaurant with a glass of apple cider. Continue to Rotorua, the Māori heartland and geothermal city; visit the Government Gardens and walk by the lake. In the evening, experience ★Mitai Māori Village: see warriors paddle a canoe downstream, Māori song and dance and the Haka, and hear Māori history and legends. Enjoy a traditional hangi buffet of meat, chicken and kūmara, then walk through the forest to the old village site and sacred spring and see glow-worms in the stream valley. Hotel: Princes Gate or similar 5-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: Western meal at Green Dragon Inn; Dinner: Māori buffet feast
After breakfast, visit ★Wai-O-Tapu geothermal park and its colourful mineral pools, including the famous Champagne Pool. Continue to Lake Taupō, New Zealand’s largest lake; lunch is at your own expense. One option is the distinctive McDonald’s airplane restaurant, converted from a retired C3 aircraft. See Huka Falls and a geothermal power station. Huka Falls is a dramatic photo stop, with 22 ten-thousand litres of water per second cascading over the drop. Return to Rotorua. After dinner, you may visit the Polynesian Spa lakeside pools, a world top-10 thermal spa, at your own expense. Hotel: Princes Gate or similar 5-star hotel Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: at own expense; Dinner: Buddha-jumps-over-the-wall soup and specialty venison
After breakfast, visit ★Agrodome for a mini-farm tour. Ride a dedicated tractor across 350 acres of green pasture and meet alpacas, cows and sheep. At midday, enjoy a Western lunch at the award-winning ★mountain-top scenic restaurant on the high point of White Cloud Mountain, overlooking Rotorua’s lake, city, mountains and forest. Return to Auckland in the afternoon, ending the North Island tour. Suggested Auckland flight departure: in the evening. Breakfast: Western-style at hotel; Lunch: Western two-course meal; Dinner: at own expense
Price Table
| Item | Price NZD |
|---|---|
| Adult | NZ$4369 |
| Child aged 12–4 sharing with one adult (per-child price) | NZ$3932 |
| Child aged 12–4 sharing with two adults (per-child price) | NZ$3495 |
| Child aged 4–2 | NZ$3077 |
| Under 2 without a bed (infant receives a seat only and no other services) | NZ$1440 |
| Single-room supplement | NZ$1410 |
Departure Dates
2026-10-24 2026-11-07 2026-11-21 2026-12-05 2026-12-19 (Christmas surcharge NZD 260) 2027-01-02 (New Year surcharge NZD 280) 2027-01-16 2027-01-30 (Lunar New Year surcharge NZD 320) 2027-02-13 2027-02-27 2027-03-13
Included
- 1. Accommodation: 9 nights in star-rated hotels with breakfast and 1 night in distinctive holiday-home accommodation with breakfast.
- 2. Meals listed in the itinerary (Chinese group-meal standard for groups larger than 6: 6 guests—6 dishes and 1 soup; 7 guests—7 dishes and 1 soup; groups of 8 or more—8 dishes and 1 soup).
- 3. Transport: 12–20-seat Mercedes vehicle throughout, with a Chinese-speaking driver-guide. The driver-guide works ten hours per day; overtime costs NZD 150, payable to the guide in cash.
- 4. First-entry admission/tour inclusions (8): Speight’s brewery two-course lunch; Otago Peninsula wildlife tour; Larnach Castle; Queenstown Skyline Gondola with Western buffet dinner; Hobbiton; Mitai Māori Village; Wai-O-Tapu geothermal park; Agrodome farm.
- 5. Note: Adults and children must pay additional holiday surcharges during Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year. Ask your sales consultant for details.
Not Included
- 1. Guide gratuities (suggested NZD 6 per person per day).
- 2. Lunches and dinners at own expense, airfares, visa fees and optional activities.
- 3. Extra costs arising from circumstances beyond human control (for example, weather or hotel-room issues).
- 4. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Notes
2026.10–2027.03 (Saturday departures). Mercedes small-group tour for no more than 16 guests. 4-star itinerary, NZD 4,369 per person. Twin-share price per person; prices in NZD. Bookings within 10 days of departure may incur hotel surcharges. Contact your sales consultant with questions. Special reminders: 1. Hotel ratings may change with booking availability. If rooms are unavailable or hotel surcharges apply during major events or public holidays, the final confirmed quotation prevails. 2. If three guests request the same room, the company will arrange a triple room accommodating 3 adults. Configurations include, but are not limited to, 3 single beds, 2 double beds, or 1 double bed with 1 small bed, sofa bed or rollaway. For two guests requesting a double room, the bed is New Zealand standard double size, 137 cm × 187 cm. Twin-room configurations include, but are not limited to, 2 single beds or 1 double bed with 1 small bed. State special requests at booking; the company will try to accommodate them. The company retains final interpretation of room allocation; guests may not object or withdraw on this basis. 3. Complimentary airport transfers are provided only on the tour start and end dates. See the itinerary for transfer times and locations. Guests who miss the scheduled meeting time must catch up with the group at their own expense. 4. The company may adjust the itinerary because of flights, hotels, weather or other circumstances beyond human control. 5. Guests are strongly advised to purchase travel and personal belongings insurance. The local operator does not bear the resulting costs. Cancellation and changes: A 50% deposit per person is payable on quotation confirmation; the balance must be paid 21 days before departure. Cancellation for any reason or booking changes 30–15 days before departure, inclusive, incur a charge of 30% of the tour fare. At 14–8 days before departure, inclusive, the charge is 50%. Cancellation or changes within 7 days before departure, inclusive, receive no refund. The same refund rules apply if an epidemic prevents travel. The company is not responsible for guests who fail to meet the guide on time for personal reasons. All activities depend on local conditions. Weather or flights may require sightseeing adjustments; the company retains final decision and interpretation rights. Fully booked listed hotels may be replaced with hotels of the same standard. Booking conditions: Hotel ratings may change with availability. If rooms are unavailable or surcharges apply during major events or public holidays, the final confirmed quotation prevails. Smoking is prohibited inside hotel rooms and on balconies. Hotel smoking fines start at NZD 500. The person responsible for the room must pay any fine issued. If payment is refused, the operator's agreement with the hotel allows the hotel to submit the matter to the New Zealand small claims tribunal. Subsequent fines, litigation, visa and entry or exit issues are the individual's responsibility. Guests prone to motion sickness should bring medication and a sick bag. Conditions and limitations: The itinerary may change because of weather. If force majeure prevents an attraction visit, its fee will be refunded or a product of equivalent value arranged. Shopping during free time is a personal activity unrelated to the operator. Insurance: Travel insurance is strongly recommended to cover unexpected costs, including extra transport, cancellation fees and lost valuables. Guests who voluntarily decline insurance must bear resulting costs, including extra transport, accommodation, cancellation fees and lost valuables. If weather, war, strikes, earthquakes or other force majeure prevents travel, unused attraction tickets will be refunded according to the travel agency agreement. Other items follow supplier policies. No refund applies when guests voluntarily abandon the tour for personal reasons. The operator has limited responsibility for only the listed services and matters. It does not accept responsibility for matters outside this description, including interpersonal or personal issues, unforeseen incidents, legal or criminal matters and religious beliefs. All prices marked NZD or $ are New Zealand dollars. All conditions, limitations and itinerary descriptions are governed and protected by New Zealand laws and regulations. All text, pictures, logos and icons are copyrighted by the operator; unauthorized copying is prohibited. If an updated itinerary is available, its latest description prevails.
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Departure info
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