Delicious a la carte meals: 9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 7 dinners, including drinks
Comfortable air-conditioned bus transportation throughout the tour and services of a driver guide
The domestic flight on Air New Zealand between Christchurch and Rotorua, including all fees and taxes
Private airport transfers on arrival and on departure
Sights and Soul Travels' Tour Director, professional local guides, guided tours as per itinerary, all sightseeing and admission fees
All tours, events, admissions, and attractions mentioned in the itinerary
All restaurants', guides', and drivers' gratuities
Traditional Maori ceremony performance and a Maori feast
Polynesian Spa and Thermal Springs
NOT INCLUDED
Additional/optional costs may include:New Zealand visa, optional single supplement, optional early hotel check-in, optional travel insurance, any required Covid-19 related testing, optional Tour Director's gratuities, meals and optional activities not listed in the itinerary, additional hotel accommodations, telephone charges, room service, minibar, laundry, personal expenses, etc.
The tour cost does not include airfare to and from the tour’s location.
HIGHLIGHTS
Queenstown, Christchurch, and Auckland
Jet boat ride on the Shotover River
Goldrush village of Arrowtown
Gibbston Valley Winery
Cruise across Lake Wakatipu on board the 1912 vintage steamer
The Milford Sound
Mt. Cook National Park
Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley with its boiling mud pools, steaming silica terraces, hot springs, and active geysers
The Maori cultural experience and Hangi dinner
Waimangu Valley thermal reserve, with the Pink and White Terraces, Emerald Pool, a boiling lake, and colorful silica terraces
The Shire and Middle Earth on the Hobbiton Movie Set
Polynesian Spa
Waitomo Caves with glow worms
Luncheon cruise in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour
Testimonials
The scenery throughout New Zealand was stunning - the glacial lakes, snow-capped mountains, fiords, waterfalls, and endless green fields with sheep. I especially enjoyed Queenstown - the shops, the boat rides, the gardens, the lake and mountains. Visiting Hobbiton was another highlight - it was so detailed and there were many more Hobbit holes than I was expecting. - Diane from Iowa (New Zealand 2 2023)
I did both the Australia and New Zealand tours and enjoyed them immensely. The tours hit the highlights of both countries. We are always “front of the line” and every experience is just a little bit more special than the average tourist. When there was a “hitch” (bad weather for a flight), it is wonderful to relax and let S&S take care of the changes and still have a great day. The local guides are the best, especially our bus driver in New Zealand. The restaurants were outstanding for location and experience, even if you’re not a foodie! The ladies on the tour were great—- there’s a friend for everyone if you’re a solo traveller! - Barbara from Calgary (Australia 2 2023 and New Zealand 2 2023)
Great group of women! S&S planned a great tour of North and South Islands which hit all the highlights! – Marie from Pennsylvania
This was an excellent tour. Everything was first class from the accommodations to the activities. I was really happy with the value of the tour, because of all the included meals and activities. No surprises! – Madalyne from Texas
I really enjoyed the tour. The activities were well planned. The tour guides were knowledgeable and added lots to the trip. It was everything I wanted it to be. – Liz from Texas
I knew I would love New Zealand but S&S tour enhanced my experiences. All the activities were well-planned and they were well balanced with our free time. Accommodations and meals were excellent. The only regret is that the Night Sky tour was canceled due to weather but Marta found alternative activities for us to do. I really enjoyed the walking trails and saw the spectacular Mt. Cook. The spa was a real treat. I enjoyed the good times with the other women. - Jan from Minnesota
Amazing and diverse experiences in a land of contrasts. Beautiful country, memorable trip. - Arlene from Arizona
I just loved New Zealand! All the places were magnificent- Mt. Cook, Polynesian Spa, Thermal Reserves, Waitamo Caves! - Amy from New York
Looking back on everything, I was truly blessed because it was wonderful trip and it shall be etched in my memories forever. I don’t think I have any single experience that is the best; the whole trip was the best! It has been a week since I have been home and I still have the joyful exuberance if a great vacation in my head. Usually everyday life pushes the vacation memories to the back of the memory bank but not this time. When I go on a tour, I want experiences, not lots of shopping time, and we were busy on the tour most of the time seeing NZ. The hotels were all very good and the food at the restaurants was first class and I appreciated that. I personally felt that everything on the tour was a first class choice. I recall when we were on the way to the Ruakuri Cave, our bus driver made a comment that we were going past the cave with a lot of buses to a better and more private tour up the road. I appreciated at that moment that S&S paid the higher price to give us a better experience without a crowd of people. Staying at the hotel in Mt. Cook National Park with a cloudless Mt. Cook out our bedroom window was a pinch me moment. Again, I was appreciating the upscale choice of the rooms we had; I know a room with a view costs more. I truly loved every minute of the trip; even the rainy day at Milford Sound where we saw a lifetime of waterfalls in one day. Who can complain about that? We saw three rainbows on the trip, how lucky is that? - Lucy from Illinois
I could not have been more happy with the trip...everything was more than I had expected and it gave me a very well timed escape from my reality and I want to thank you for your part in making that possible. I loved it! I hope to be able to travel with your group in the future...time and circumstances will dictate that but, again, thank you. - Deborah from Florida
Kia Ora! Defined by unspoiled, picture-postcard vistas, dotted with quaint villages populated by friendly locals, New Zealand combines nature at its most sublime and dramatic with native Maori art, adventure, and history. The native Maori call it Aotearoa (the land of the long white cloud), but New Zealand has been called the God's Land and the Paradise of the Pacific since the early 1800s. New Zealanders know they live in a paradise, and they love sharing it with visitors.
The memories of the South Island and North Island tour to New Zealand will stay with you forever. You simply cannot forget a place that leaves you breathless time after time: the thundering waterfalls, the tranquil lakes, the silent glaciers, the towering mountains, and the surreal green. There are also cosmopolitan cities, flora and fauna found nowhere else on the planet, and unlimited outdoor adventures. Regularly voted the most beautiful country in the world, this South Pacific island nation is often described as a world in itself, and it takes in all climates, from the sub-tropical to the sub-Antarctic. During the tour, we'll experience the outlandishly beautiful scenery of undulating hills of green, jagged mountains, steep fjords, raging rivers, scenic beaches and active geysers and volcanoes. We'll marvel at the unusual wildlife resulting from the islands' isolation, meet the genuinely friendly locals, and experience the vibrant Maori culture. We'll indulge in gourmet, organic food and excellent wines and stay at upscale hotels, as we experience the exhilarating, clean and green nature all around.
During the ten days we'll spend in New Zealand, we'll:
Tour the cities of Queenstown, Christchurch, Rotorua and Auckland
Explore Mt. Cook National Park, including a Night Sky Tour
Marvel at the geothermal activity of Rotorua
Take part in a Pawhiri, a traditional Maori ceremony and feast
Enjoy the Polynesian Spa Retreat
Tour Middle Earth on the Hobbiton Movie Set, the bucolic setting for The Shire
Explore the Ruakuri Cave and the Glow Worm Grottos
Enjoy a luncheon cruise in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour
Stay at upscale hotels amid New Zealand's surreal green landscapes
Indulge in gourmet meals, organic produce and excellent New Zealand wines
Enjoy knowledgeable and passionate local guides, comfortable transportation and traveling in a small group
WHAT MAKES THIS TOUR SPECIAL
Accommodation at upscale, perfectly located hotels
A la carte dining at fine restaurants
Small group of the maximum of 16 women
Knowledgeable and passionate private guides
Experienced, professional Tour Director
Carefully designed itinerary, including signature New Zealand experiences
Exclusive, off the beaten track experiences, not available to larger groups
No forced shopping
What the Media Says About Us
New Zealand: For Women Only
New Zealand Is The Perfect Place To Experience A Women-Only Trip
Many people have asked me over the twelve years I’ve been a regular international traveler what my favorite destination was or is. Though I prefer my standard quip that “the next trip is always my favorite destination,’ if I was pinned down, I’d have to say New Zealand. Why? Because no other country combines so many outstanding things on two small islands. There is such a wealth of adrenaline activities, a tourist infrastructure that’s set up to make it easy for visitors, and local people who speak English and can understand our culture. The fact that it’s so far down and far away means that nearly all Kiwis have traveled abroad, so there is a lack of provincialism that’s refreshing.
