New Zealand Vacation Quote
Thank you for choosing Chelwick Travel Co for your vacation to New Zealand. Prices on this proposal are not guaranteed. Availability changes frequently and prices are subject to fluctuations. Itineraries confirmed and booked within 24 hours have a higher chance of price consistency
Trip Overview
Destination: New Zealand
Travel Dates: October 2026
Group Size: 2 Adults
Contact Us
Agent’s Name: Sara Chelwick
Email: chelwicktravelco@gmail.com
Phone Number: (949)432-9024
Itinerary
Oct 16
Depart LAX
Oct 17
In Flight
Oct 18
Upon arrival in Auckland rent a car and drive to Rotorua (2 hours). Enjoy a leisurely evening in Rotorua.
Oct 19
In the morning enjoy white water rafting on the Kaituna River. In the afternoon head over to the Mitai Maori Village or Te Pa Tu to experience the local culture.
Oct 20
In the morning head to Hobbiton for a tour. Enjoy a leisurely drive back to Rotorua stopping along the way or heading straight back to spend the afternoon exploring Rotorua.
Oct 21
In the morning enjoy a Canopy Zipline and then relax at Hell’s Gate in the afternoon.
Oct 22
Depart Rotorua in the morning and make your way to Waitomo Caves to see the glowworms. Consider a glowworm caving adventure. After a morning with the glowworms make your way to Auckland for an evening flight to Christchurch.
Oct 23
Upon arriving in Christchurch pick up your van rental. Consider a hotel for the night.
Oct 24
Spend the morning at Christchurch Adventure Park. After lunch, make your way to Ashburton Lakes region for your first night (about 2 hours from Christchurch).
Oct 25
Spend the day making your way from Ashburton Lakes to Lake Tekapo (about 2 hours driving) Stop along the way to explore and hike.
Oct 26
Enjoy your morning making your way from Lake Tekapo to Wanaka. Spend the afternoon wine tasting and exploring Lake Wanaka.
Oct 27
In the morning make your way to Queenstown (1 hour drive) and enjoy a thrilling Canyon Swing. Enjoy lunch in Queenstown and take some time to explore.
In the evening make your way toward Te Anau and Fiordland National Park (2 hour drive from Queenstown). OR Return your van and exchange for a rental car and stay in a hotel in Queenstown for the night
Oct 28
Spend the day exploring Milford Sound or opt for a more off the beaten track Doubtful Sound.
Choose an overnight boat tour that includes kayaking on the sound.
Oct 29
Enjoy your morning on the sound before returning to shore and making your way back to Queenstown to fly to Auckland for the night
Oct 30
Enjoy a leisurely morning in Auckland before flying home in the evening
Activities & Tours
Wanaka
Central Otago is one of New Zealand’s top wine regions, producing well-respected reds and whites in alpine vineyards, but it’s risky to sample wines and drive around the region. On this afternoon tour, visit four boutique wineries and taste some of their award-winning offerings. Learn the secrets behind the wines from the winemakers themselves, and enjoy a platter lunch matched with award-winning wines. The small-group tour provides an intimate atmosphere.
$175/person
Roam the South Island’s mountainous countryside by bicycle or e-bike with this bike hire package. Explore the Wanaka and Hawea trails while riding through grade one and two family-friendly trails. Take in the plateaus and mountains that make up the region’s striking geography. Ride along the Hawea and Clutha rivers and via Albert Town to Wanaka.
$78/person
Inject some thrills into your sightseeing as you whip down Central Otago’s Clutha River at high speeds on a thrilling jet boating experience. Race around Lake Wanaka and down the winding river, through rapids and tunnels, tight channels and tighter corners, on this compact and comprehensive journey that’ll get you back to shore in time for your afternoon or evening plans.
$80/person
Queenstown
Thrill-seekers in New Zealand’s ‘adventure capital’ will love free-falling over the river on the Shotover Canyon Swing. A jump instructor prepares both first-timers and seasoned daredevils to swing solo or tandem along a special rope and cable system suspended between two cliffs. You’ll swing safely in a secure harness and hear encouragement throughout your pendulum ride above the Shotover River.
$185/person
Ideal for thrill seekers, this experience lets you take a jet boat ride on the Shotover River. Experience adrenaline-fueled fun as the jet boat skims the water’s surface at high speed and fishtails into 360-degree spins. Hold on tight as the captain maneuvers the jet boat over rapids and through narrow canyons during one heart-pounding adventure you won’t soon forget.
$125/person
Explore Lake Wakatipu by boat on a 1.5-hour cruise from Queenstown. As you travel to the end of the lake, you can see stunning lakeside homes, a variety of bird life, Kawarau Dam, and the magnificent scenery that surrounds Queenstown. Get unobstructed views from the sundeck or stay warm in the heated cabin, and have the option to purchase drinks from the onboard bar.
$48/person
Fiordland National Park
Board the ‘Milford Mariner’ for a Milford Sound overnight cruise along this pristine waterway, situated in New Zealand’s impressive Fiordland National Park. Cruise the entire length of the fiord before your captain anchors in Harrison Cove. Then, spend the night in a private single or twin-share en suite cabin, including a 3-course buffet dinner and breakfast. Listen to a nature guide on board and make use of provided kayaks to explore waterfalls and glacial-carved cliffs like Mitre Peak.
$207/person
This Doubtful Sound overnight cruise takes you over Manapouri Lake to this South Island gem in the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park. Board the ‘Wanderer,’ a 3-mast motorized boat designed on a traditional scow, and cruise past soaring granite peaks in New Zealand’s second-largest fiord. Learn from an onboard nature guide about wildlife such as fur seals, penguins, and bottlenose dolphins. Then spend the night in a comfortable cabin, including a 3-course dinner and breakfast.
$463/person
Rotorua
Soar through a 1,000-year-old native New Zealand forest on six ziplines reaching speeds up to 37 miles (60 kilometers) per hour. Cross suspended swing bridges and explore treetop platforms while looking out for native birds such as toutouwai and kererū. This half-day guided eco-adventure includes free digital photos, wet-weather gear, and return transport, with every booking supporting forest restoration. Suitable for families and groups of all ages.
$120/person
Get an authentic introduction to Māori culture the way few tourists do, with an evening at the Mitai Māori Village in Rotorua. See men in traditional dress paddle down the river in a waka (canoe) and be captivated by the displays of weaponry. Watch a haka war dance and poi performance, and spot glowworms in their natural habitat. This evening experience includes round-trip hotel transport and a traditional buffet hangi feast, so you don't have to worry about a thing.
Mitai Maori Cultural Experience
$110/person
While in Rotorua, the North Island’s heartland of traditional culture, attend an evening event at Te Pā Tū featuring a Māori cultural performance and a 3-course seasonal fusion feast. Learn about Māori customs tied to the lunar calendar while enjoying song, drama, and tradition in a forest village setting. Hotel pickup and return transfers from Rotorua are included for convenience.
$175/person
Go on an adrenaline-filled rafting excursion down the Kaituna River on a half-day adventure tour from Rotorua. The river tumbles past a subtropical rainforest lining a deep canyon. Raft over Tutea Falls—a thrilling experience for first-time or experienced rafters. The tour operates in all seasons and there are several departure times daily so you can choose one that suits your schedule.
Kaituna River White Water Rafting
$80/person
Experience one of the wonders of New Zealand’s natural world on this glowworm caving adventure in Waitomo. Pull on your boots and helmet before heading through the private farmland and native forest to the Mangarongapu Cave system with a local guide and small group. With your headlamp to light the way, hike around huge boulders and through shallow streams, and marvel at the millions of bright green glowworms illuminating the rocky limestone.
$132/person
Enjoy one of New Zealand’s original tourist attractions: a tour of the magnificent Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Your guide—who may be descended from the Māori chief who first discovered the caves—leads you underground and tells you about the cultural significance of this site. Hop into a boat and glide on an underground river, enjoying the light show put on by millions of tiny bioluminescent insects hanging above.
$52/person