Small group walking tour of New Zealand

Haere mai ki Aotearoa – Welcome to the Land of the Long White Cloud.

This morning (time to be confirmed),the group and your private guide (Jean-Michel Jefferson) will meet at the Heritage Hotel in Auckland and start your journey North to Russell (drive time: 4 hrs. approx.).

Welcome dinner this evening is confirmed for 06:00pm at the hotel with the group.

This charming town is the perfect base for exploring the Bay of Islands. Russell holds an important place in New Zealand’s history, being the country’s first sea port, its first European settlement and New Zealand’s first capital in nearby Okiato. The town’s streets retain their original layout and names from 1843, and many of its historic buildings can still be visited today.

After breakfast, we will pick up our pre-packed lunch and board the ferry at the jetty in front of our hotel and take the 40 min journey to Urupukapuka Island.

Ferry details: 08:30am – Paihia Wharf (Pier 7) to Otehei Bay Travelling on Explore service 0830PRO (arriving 9:15 a.m.)

We will disembark at Otehei Bay and visit the Island Conservation Centre before heading off on your day walk. Here we can learn about the island’s fascinating prehistoric and colonial history, as well as the ground-breaking work of Project Island Song and DOC to restore native bird life to the recreation reserve.

Urupukapuka Island is packed with fantastic walking tracks, ranging from 1-hour strolls to 5-hour hikes, so whatever your stamina level we will find something for you. The most notable of these is the 7.3km Urupukapuka Island Archaeological Walk. This track, designed to be walked in a clockwise direction, can be accessed from most of the larger beaches on the island, and if a 5-hour trek is a bit too much for you, it can be broken down into two shorter 2.5-hour walks. As well as boasting some of the most spectacular panoramic views imaginable, you will be taken past many of the dozens of pristinely preserved archaeological sites on the island, some of which may be up to 1000 years old. From prehistoric Māori pa, villages, gardens, and food storage, right up to early 20th Century buildings used by famous author Zane Grey, there are countless historic sites to explore on Urupukapuka Island.

Return to Russell by ferry: 12:15pm: Otehei Bay to Paihia Wharf (Pier 7) Travelling on Explore service 1215ORP (arriving 1:00 p.m.)

After breakfast we depart Russell and drive to Puketi Forest (1.5hrs drive) where we meet our private walking guide. We enjoy an intimate 3-hour guided walk through Puketi Forest, the ancient kauri rainforest (15,000 hectares). With over 360 indigenous species of plants, this subtropical rainforest is one of the most diverse in New Zealand. Learn to recognise and name some of the native trees: the mighty kauri, tawa, rimu, totara and nikau (New Zealand’s native palm tree) to mention just a few. Listen and maybe see the native birds: tui, fantail, pied tit, fernbird and kukupa. Spot the Northland green gecko and tusked weta. Learn more about the unique flora and fauna. Discover what’s threatening New Zealand’s subtropical rainforests: possums, stoats, ferrets and kauri dieback and what we can do to protect the ecosystem.

After breakfast we depart Auckland and continue Southbound to Sanctuary Mountain. (2hrs drive). We meet our guide for a privately guided tour of the Tuatari Wetlands. We discover the secrets of the Tautari Wetland and learn why wetlands need to be restored. We will hear the story of the people behind the wetland; the family who gifted the land to the Trust. Walk along the inside of our multi-species predator-proof fence and find out how we keep the wetland pest-free. Explore the Tuatarium with your guide for an insight into the fascinating world of tuatara – their history, life cycle and unique physical characteristics and hear about how they came to be at Sanctuary Mountain. The wetland is also home to a breeding pair of flightless takahē. A species once thought to be lost forever, the takahē made history when they were rediscovered 1948. Encountering a takahē for the first time can transport you to a pre-historic world! Please note: Viewing of takahē may be restricted during their breeding season (Oct-Jan).

Early morning breakfast is included at the hotel this morning, before heading to the meeting point to meet our private hiking guide. Today we will hike half-day a Volcanic Explorer Guided Walk. Enjoy the beautiful landscape of the Tongariro National Park with this half-day tour. We will start on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing track and head up to Soda Springs before returning to the start.

We will have a more leisurely start today as you recover from yesterday’s big hike. We then travel to Rotorua to check in for your flight to Queenstown (1hr 45mins drive).

Flights included:

NZ8150 Rotorua to Auckland Departing 11:00am and Arriving 11:40am

NZ 621 Auckland to Queenstown Departing 12:25pm and Arriving 14:15pm

On arrival at Queenstown Airport, we will pick up our new vehicle and drive to Wanaka (1hrs drive).

New Zealand’s South Island hosts the purest natural landscapes you’ll ever experience. From wildlife to wineries, from glacial valleys to star-filled skies, nature’s best flourishes against a palette of dramatic scenes.

After breakfast we will drive to Makarora (1hr drive) to start our Siberia Wilderness Adventure in Makarora with a 10-minute scenic helicopter flight, taking in aerial views of the towering ice-carved mountains and glaciers.

We land in the remote Siberia Valley and enjoy a relaxing 3-hour unguided walk on a well-marked track. You will then rendezvous for a fast-paced 30-minute return jet boat ride through the icy blue waters of the Wilkin and Makarora Rivers.

A packed lunch is included today.

Today is a free day for the group to explore.

Wanaka is set against the pristine alpine backdrop of Mount Aspiring National Park . Crystal clear lakes and rivers are fed from the glaciers of Mt Aspiring National Park and is the backdrop to the stunning landscapes of the region. There are a number of options today such as exploring the Mount Aspiring National Park wilderness, or a trek up to the instagram famous Roy’s peak, or hiking around the lake or perhaps a late afternoon wine tasting from the local wineries which are known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Your driver/guide will be available to advise on activities and offer transfers where possible.

After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Te Anau today with stopping off at Mavora Lakes for a short walk on the way, ending in Te Anau for the evening (drive time: 4 hours 30 minutes).

The quaint and peaceful township of Te Anau is nestled on the edge of a lake of the same name and is known as the “‘Gateway to Fiordland”. Fiordland National Park is the largest of New Zealand’s 14 National Parks with an area of approximately 12500 sqkm and is a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. We will stay three nights at Distinction Luxmore Hotel. Distinction Luxmore is conveniently located in the heart of Te Anau’s town shopping centre and a short stroll from Lake Te Anau, the South Island’s largest lake.

After breakfast at the hotel we will meet our hiking guide who will join us on our Kepler Track hike. A packed picnic lunch is included today. We begin with a short helicopter flight over scenic Lake Te Anau, beech forest and alpine areas to land near Luxmore Hut on the Kepler Track. From this Department of Conservation Hut we explore the alpine tussock fields and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding Fiordland mountains. From here we have the possibility of ascending to the summit of Mt Luxmore if fitness levels, the weather and time allows. After time in the alpine area, we hike down the mountain on the well-formed Kepler Track. The track descends through mountain and silver beech forest and passes under towering limestone bluffs to the sandy beach of Brod Bay, the pick-up point for the rewarding water taxi trip back to Te Anau. From Luxmore Hut it is a downhill walk (8 km) requiring a medium level of fitness. If you wish to explore past the Hut and toward the Summit there would be an additional 1-3 hours of hiking up and down. Your guide provides an opportunity to learn about the natural and human heritage of Fiordland, with plenty of stops for photographs, bird-watching and interpretation along the way.

What to Bring: Comfortable walking boots/shoes, waterproof jacket, warm clothing including thermal hat and gloves, sun hat, water bottle, and day pack. Walking poles are optional and may be provided by tour operator, if requested.

After breakfast at the hotel, we meet our hiking guide who will join us on our Milford Track hike. A packed picnic lunch is included today. We will experience a guided walk on the ‘finest walk in the world’. Departing from the Milford Sound end, this 11 km walk meanders alongside the cascading river to the spectacular waterfall Giants Gate, and is suitable for all abilities. The Milford Track walk is in the lush west coast rainforest at sea level. This tour includes water taxi transfers and a scenic cruise in Milford Sound. We will cruise along calm waters between sheer cliffs, carved out by centuries of ice erosion, catching sight of majestic Mitre Peak and cascading waterfalls that thunder into the depths below – it’s no wonder Rudyard Kipling described it as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’.

Today we transfer to Queenstown, where we meet our private driver for a back road 4wd adventure from Te Anau to Queenstown and end it by taking a shared Earnslaw cruise, Queenstown.

This leisurely 90-minute cruise across Lake Whakatipu showcases some of Queenstown’s spectacular alpine scenery, while offering you plenty of time to explore a piece of Queenstown’s living history – the over one hundred year-old TSS Earnslaw. Inside a visit to the engine room reveals the giant steam engines at work. Close by, we will be able to view the collection of historical photos in our mini-museum, check out the bridge, or, if you’d rather, kick back and enjoy a wine or beer or some café food at our on-board Promenade Café and Bar. The TSS Earnslaw has carried many famous visitors, including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip and even President Bill Clinton.

Today is a free day in Queenstown, but we suggest a drive over the Crown Range and stop for lunch at the iconic Cardrona Tavern (at own cost) before descending into the Queenstown Basin. We can stop off at historic Arrowtown and have some free time to explore the area. If desired, some of the group can go on various short walks in the area.

Tonight we will enjoy a group farewell dinner at Botswana Butchery.

Our walking tour of New Zealand concludes after breakfast.