See why New Zealand is quipped the ‘adventure capital of the world’!  Join us on a journey of trekking through National Parks, kayaking in Marine Reserves, white water rafting in a class III-IV river to the ocean and exploring multiple glaciers.

At the end of the day, you will be warmly welcomed to each exclusive lodge where you can relax and enjoy the world class New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Day 1: Arrive Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a sunny and vibrant town at the top of the South Island providing the perfect location to begin your trip. Your guides will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your hotel. If you arrive early, you’ll have time to freshen up before wandering around town. In the early evening you’ll meet your guides for an orientation meeting, followed by a delicious welcome dinner.
We begin the trip with an orientation meeting at 4pm, followed by an early dinner at 6pm (as people will be jet lagged, and NZ is 3 hours behind PST/6 hours behind EST). It is super helpful if all guests arrive in time to attend the orientation meeting at 4pm, so that we don’t have to repeat it.

Accommodations: Rutherford Hotel, Nelson
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Hike Abel Tasman National Park
Drive to Kaiteriteri to board a boat into Abel Tasman National Park. Hike to our wilderness lodge in Awaroa Bay on the Abel Tasman Coast Track known for its stunning coastal scenery and golden sand beaches.

Accommodations: Awaroa Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 1-hour private van transfer, boat transfer into the National Park
Activity: 9 kms/5.5 miles hiking, 4-5 hours

Day 3: Sea Kayak Abel Tasman National Park
Kayaking from Awaroa Bay we paddle along the coastline to Tonga Island Marine Reserve. Perhaps we’ll be rewarded with sights of dolphins, fur seals, or little blue penguins on the way. Arriving at Onetahuti Beach, we trade our paddles for hiking shoes and spend about an hour hiking back to the lodge with time to relax before dinner.

Accommodations: Awaroa Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activity: 6.5-8 kms/4–5 miles kayaking, 4–5 hours; 1.6 kms/1 mile hiking, 1 hour

Day 4: Buller River Rafting/West Coast
We travel by boat out of the National Park to Kaiteriteri, and board the trip vehicle to travel along the Motueka Valley, an area known for its fruit orchards and hop plantations. Continuing on to the small town of Murchison we follow the Buller River out to the West Coast, stopping on the way for a class III-IV rafting trip to experience exhilarating whitewater as the river surges through granite gorges topped with lush beech forest. On arrival at the wild West Coast we take a scenic coastal drive to our beachfront hotel in Punakaiki, the perfect venue to view the sunset.

Accommodations: Punakaiki Resort
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 4:30-hour private van transfer; boat transfer out of the National Park
Activity: Class III-IV whitewater rafting

Day 5: Hike Paparoa National Park
Spend the morning hiking near Punakaiki in Paparoa National Park, a unique area containing dramatic limestone formations formed 30 million years ago when marine flora and fauna settled on the ocean floor. After lunch continue on to the town of Hokitika. The rest of the afternoon is at our leisure to explore the wild beach adjacent to the hotel or to check out the artisan stores in town, many of which include carvings of locally sourced jade (known here as greenstone or pounamu).

Accommodations: Beachfront Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 1:30-hour private van transfer
Activity: 10 kms/6 miles hiking, 3 hours (460′ elevation gain & loss)

Day 6: Hike at Okarito
Continue south to the seaside hamlet of Okarito and hike through lush rainforest on a trail above the ocean. At the top, take in 360-degree views of the area, showcasing the glaciated Southern Alps as they rise dramatically above the rainforest to the East, NZ’s largest unmodified wetland to the north, the wild and rugged coastline and Tasman Sea to the west and south. On a clear day, enjoy stunning views of New Zealand’s highest peak, Mt. Cook (known in Maori as Mt. Aoraki).

Accommodations: Te Waonui Forest Retreat
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Transportation: 2:30-hour private van transfer
Activity: 5 – 10kms/3-6 miles hiking, 2-3 hours (518′ elevation gain & loss)

Day 7: Franz Josef Glacier
Explore the stunningly beautiful and dynamic Franz Josef area on foot in the morning and hike up to the terminal face of the glacier. Spend the afternoon on another local hike and/or relaxing at our 5 star lodge, visiting a café in town, or soaking in local hot pools.

Please note the photos on day 7 are the day we spend in Franz Josef Glacier. The trip includes a walk up the Waiho valley to the front of the glacier.

We recommend these two optional extra activities (not included in the trip price), which are weather dependent, and can only happen on days with clear skies (less than 50% of the time):
i) a 40 minute helicopter scenic flight over Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, and weather permitting, over the top of the Southern Alps for views of Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park (and the Tasman Glacier) on the eastern side: NZ$575: https://www.heliservices.nz/franzjosef/

ii) Glacier heli hike with Franz Josef Glacier Guides: $695: https://www.franzjosefglacier.com/choose-your-experience/glacier-heli-hike/

Accommodations: Te Waonui Forest Retreat
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Activity: 8-10km/5-6 miles hiking, 3-4 hours
Optional Activity (not included): Scenic helicopter flight and/or Heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier

Day 8: Wilderness Adventure in Mt. Aspiring National Park
This incredibly scenic drive takes us through South Westland, over the Southern Alps via Haast Pass and into the Southern Lakes District, an area where deep blue bodies of water are surrounded by large snowcapped mountains.

We break up the drive by stopping in Makarora to board a helicopter for a spectacular flight that takes us deep into Mount Aspiring National Park, and into the heart of the 2.6 million hectare South West New Zealand World Heritage Area.

Landing in the incredibly remote and beautiful Siberia Valley we’re surrounded by an awe inspiring backdrop: the high mountains that make up the backbone of the Southern Alps are all around us. Once the helicopter disappears from the skies above we have ample time to enjoy this area. We enter native beechforest and hike above the Siberia and Wilkin Rivers before meeting our jet boat for an exhilarating ride down river to Makarora.

Following the shores of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, we arrive at the idyllic lakeside town of Wanaka to end an amazing day.

Accommodations: Oakridge Resort, Wanaka
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 4:30-hour private van transfer, scenic helicopter flight, jetboat
Activity: 8 km/5 miles hiking, 2-3 hours (460′ elevation gain with 1115 ‘ elevation loss)

Day 9: Hike in the Southern Alps around Wanaka
Diamond Lake/Rocky Mountain: 7 km’s/4.5 miles hiking, 3 hours (1520’ elevation gain & loss). Transportation: 1-hour private van transfer

We spend the morning and early afternoon hiking the Diamond Lake/Rocky Mountain hike, which has stunning alpine views of Lake Wanaka and Mount Aspiring National Park. In the afternoon there are a few hours of free time set aside to relax or wander around the town of Wanaka.

Accommodations: Oakridge Resort, Wanaka
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10: Fiordland National Park/Te Anau
Another impressive drive is in store today as we wind our way up and over the Crown Range and down into the Wakatipu basin and on to Queenstown. Continuing below the Remarkable Mountain Range and shores of Lake Wakatipu we enter the rolling hills and farms of Southland on our way to the lakeside town of Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland National Park.

Free time in the afternoon with lectures.

Accommodations: Distinction Luxmore Hotel, Te Anau
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 3-hour private van transfer

Day 11: Milford Sound/Hike the Routeburn Track
We follow the shores of Lake Te Anau and enter Fiordland National Park via the Eglington Valley. From here the drive into Milford Sound is truly spectacular. Board a boat for a cruise on Milford Sound to experience close up the serenity of New Zealand’s most renowned fjord: vertical granite walls rise high above from which waterfalls cascade down into the ocean.

After departing Milford Sound we arrive at “The Divide” of the Southern Alps to hike a section of the famous Routeburn Track. Hike up to Key Summit, and get rewarded with panoramic views of Fiordland National Park. We finish the day back in Te Anau, which provides a picture perfect setting for our farewell dinner.

Accommodations: Distinction Luxmore Hotel, Te Anau
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: 3.5-hour private van transfer
Activity: 5 miles hiking, 3 hours (1300’ elevation gain & loss)

Day 12: Queenstown, departure day
After breakfast, depart Te Anau for Queenstown and connect with flights home. Or choose to extend your stay on your own and explore Queenstown further.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Transportation: 2-hour private van transfer to Queenstown airport or Queenstown hotels

Optional trip extensions from Te Anau, beginning on day 12; join an exclusive multi-day guided hike on:
i) the Milford Track (5 days, 4 nights): hike 54 km/33.5 miles
ii) the Routeburn track (3 days, 2 nights): hike 32km/20.1 miles
iii) the Hollyford Track (3 days, 2 nights): hike 39.5 km/ 24.5 miles. Includes a wilderness jetboat ride and scenic heli-flight out to Milford Sound

Rutherford Hotel, Nelson – ****: Downtown hotel with plenty of opportunity to explore the city on foot out the front door

Awaroa Lodge, Abel Tasman National Park – ****: Wilderness lodge with amazing food

Scenic Hotel Punakaiki, Punakaiki – ****: oceanfront rooms in the best located hotel in Punakaiki

Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika – ****: best beachfront hotel in the area

Te Waonui Forest Retreat, Franz Josef Glacier – *****: fabulous 5-star hotel

Oakridge Resort, Wanaka – ****: one bedroom apartments with outdoor hot pools throughout the property

Te Anau Hotel & Villas, Te Anau – ****: located on the Te Anau lake front, a short stroll from the Te Anau town center