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New Zealand · 21-26 days

New Zealand Grand Tour: Both Islands

36.9°S · 174.8°E
At a glanceThe full length of New Zealand in one trip, north to south. Once you have flown this far, this is how to make it count rather than seeing half the country.
~25h flight estimate21 to 26 days£60 to £350+ per dayEasy going
Before bookingEntry rules, health advice and local conditions change. Always check current official advice.Check current FCDO advice

The itinerary

  1. Auckland2 nights
  2. Bay of Islands2 nights
  3. Rotorua2 nights
  4. Wellington2 nights
  5. Christchurch2 nights
  6. Franz Josef2 nights
  7. Wanaka3 nights
  8. Queenstown4 nights
  9. Milford Sound1 night
  10. Dunedin2 nights

Why this trip works

This itinerary combines natural landscapes, adventure, history and culture, and road trips across Auckland, Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Wanaka, Queenstown, Milford Sound, and Dunedin. Bringing the stops together gives the holiday a clearer progression and makes better use of the outward journey than booking each place separately.

How flexible is it? This itinerary can credibly be planned with a balanced to very active daytime pace, serene to balanced evenings and mixed to hotspot crowd settings within its fixed route. The typical version has active days, quiet evenings and a popular setting. The quiz selects the closest credible version rather than treating it as one fixed product.

Best time to go

The strongest travel period is November to March. April and October are good quieter alternatives. Getting around is mainly by road transfers or a hire car and ferries.

Jan22°CBest
Feb22°CBest
Mar20°CBest
Apr17°CShoulder
May14°COther
Jun11°COther
Jul11°COther
Aug13°COther
Sep15°COther
Oct17°CShoulder
Nov19°CBest
Dec21°CBest

Cost

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £60 a day at the budget end, around £120 a day mid-range, and £350+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £3490 to £4870 per person. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes. Available accommodation spans simple, comfortable, premium and luxury. The quiz prices the highest available tier that fits your selected minimum and total budget.

Places on this trip

Frequently asked questions

How long do you need for New Zealand Grand Tour: Both Islands?

This itinerary works best over 21 to 26 days across 10 stops: Auckland, Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Wanaka, Queenstown, Milford Sound, and Dunedin.

When is the best time for this trip?

The strongest travel period is November to March. April and October are useful quieter alternatives.

How much does it cost?

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £60 a day at the budget end, around £120 a day mid-range, and £350+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £3490 to £4870 per person. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes.

Other multi-stop trips

NZ Highlights (both islands): Auckland-Rotorua-Queenstown New Zealand · 8-12 days ~23h flight estimate£60+/day4 stops NZ North Island: Auckland-Bay of Islands-Rotorua-Wellington New Zealand · 8-12 days ~23h flight estimate£55+/day4 stops NZ South Island: Christchurch-Franz Josef-Wanaka-Queenstown-Milford New Zealand · 10-16 days ~23h flight estimate£60+/day5 stops Australia & New Zealand Combined: Sydney-Queenstown Australia, New Zealand · 9-16 days ~20.5h flight estimate£65+/day3 stops Queenstown & Milford Sound New Zealand · 6-8 days ~25h flight estimate£70+/day3 stops South America Grand Loop: Peru, Bolivia, Chile & Argentina Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina · 24-30 days ~13h flight estimate£35+/day8 stops
Torn between ten tabs?Two minutes of questions, up to seven strong matches, realistic cost ranges and every trade-off spelled out.
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