New Zealand from Auckland to Queenstown

New Zealand calls to the adventurous spirit in each of us. On this 10-day journey from cosmopolitan Auckland to the mountain-ringed shores of Queenstown, you will experience the full, breathtaking spectrum of Aotearoa, from glittering underground caves to steaming geothermal valleys, from the rolling green hills of Hobbiton to the towering granite walls of Milford Sound. Every day brings something that simply does not exist anywhere else on earth.

Along the way, you will sip award-winning wines on sun-drenched Waiheke Island, feel the earth rumble beneath your feet as the mighty Pohutu Geyser erupts, and sit down to a traditional hangi dinner as Maori performers bring ancient stories to vivid, powerful life. You will ride a gondola high above Queenstown and soar over ancient fjords by private charter plane, arriving in one of the world's most spectacular landscapes from the air.

This is the journey that stays with you. The friendships you build among a small circle of like-minded women will last long after you return home. New Zealand has a way of reaching into your heart and holding on. Come find out why.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1 - MARCH 18 - WELCOME TO AUCKLAND

Your New Zealand adventure begins the moment you touch down at Auckland International Airport, where a private WTA transfer whisks you into the heart of New Zealand's largest and most vibrant city. Auckland sits on a narrow strip of land between two sparkling harbors, earning its proud nickname "City of Sails." Settle into the beautifully appointed Fable Auckland, then join your fellow travelers and trip host for a warm welcome orientation. Over a delicious dinner featuring fresh New Zealand cuisine and local wines, new conversations spark and the first friendships of the journey begin.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodations: Fable Auckland or equivalent

DAY 2 - MARCH 19 - AUCKLAND EXPLORATION

After a leisurely breakfast, lace up your walking shoes and set out on a guided tour through Auckland's cultural heart. You will stroll past the iconic Ferry Building, admire the harbor from the lively Viaduct, and discover the city's fascinating layers of colonial history and modern Maori culture. Your expert local guide brings the city to life with stories you will not find in any guidebook. The afternoon is yours to wander at your own pace, perhaps exploring the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the lush Auckland Domain parklands, or the charming boutiques of Ponsonby. This evening, gather with your travel companions for dinner and share what surprised you most about this energetic, welcoming city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodations: Fable Auckland or equivalent

DAY 3 - MARCH 20 - WAIHEKE ISLAND WINE COUNTRY

Board the ferry for a scenic 40-minute crossing to Waiheke Island, Auckland's beloved wine country escape. The island greets you with rolling vineyards, silver-leafed olive groves, and the kind of unhurried beauty that makes you breathe a little deeper. Spend the day tasting award-winning wines, artisan cheeses, and locally pressed olive oils at acclaimed boutique wineries, all set against sweeping views of the Hauraki Gulf. Browse galleries showcasing New Zealand artists, and if time allows, sink your toes into the white sand of a pristine island beach. Ferry back to Auckland in the late afternoon, with the evening free for you to explore the city's vibrant dining scene on your own terms.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodations: Fable Auckland or equivalent

DAY 4 - MARCH 21 - HOBBITON AND THE GLOWWORM CAVES

Today you trade the city for the countryside, heading south through the lush, green Waikato region. Your first stop is the legendary Hobbiton movie set, nestled in the idyllic farmland of Matamata. Step through the gate into the Shire and wander past 44 perfectly crafted hobbit holes, the Party Tree, and the welcoming warmth of the Green Dragon Inn. Your guide fills the visit with behind-the-scenes stories that delight longtime fans and first-time visitors alike. After lunch, descend into the ancient Waitomo Glowworm Caves, where you glide silently by boat through a cathedral of stone while thousands of tiny luminescent creatures transform the cave ceiling into a living, glittering sky. You will emerge speechless. By evening, you arrive in Rotorua and settle into your lakeside hotel, ready for the wonders that await.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodations: Novotel Rotorua Lakeside or equivalent

DAY 5 - MARCH 22 - GEOTHERMAL WONDERS OF ROTORUA

Welcome to one of the most geologically extraordinary places on earth. This morning you visit Te Puia's Whakarewarewa Valley, where the ground itself seems alive. Steaming vents hiss, mud pools bubble like something from another world, and then the star of the show arrives: the magnificent Pohutu Geyser, erupting in a powerful 30-meter plume of boiling water several times each day. It is primal and awe-inspiring, and you will feel it in your chest. The afternoon is entirely yours, a well-earned chance to sink into a natural hot spring spa, wander Rotorua's colorful lakefront, or simply rest and soak in the extraordinary energy of this place. Rejoin the group for dinner this evening, buzzing with conversation.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodations: Novotel Rotorua Lakeside or equivalent

DAY 6 - MARCH 23 - SHEEP FARM AND MAORI CULTURAL EVENING

Your morning takes you into the heart of New Zealand's working countryside, with a visit to a local sheep farm where a Kiwi farmer shares the real, living story of an industry that has shaped this nation since the 19th century. Watch skilled sheepdogs work the hills with remarkable precision, witness expert shearing up close, and perhaps bottle-feed a lamb or two. It is charming, authentic, and utterly New Zealand. The evening brings a profound shift in tone as you return to the geothermal valley for an immersive Maori cultural experience. Sit down to a traditional hangi dinner, where meat and vegetables have been slow-cooked underground in the earth itself, filling the food with gentle, smoky depth. Then bear witness to a powerful haka performance that will stay with you long after you leave.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodations: Novotel Rotorua Lakeside or equivalent

DAY 7 - MARCH 24 - FLY SOUTH TO QUEENSTOWN

This morning you bid farewell to the North Island and board a short flight south to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. As your plane descends, the landscape shifts dramatically, and the jagged, snow-capped peaks of the Remarkables mountain range rise up to meet the crystal blue waters of Lake Wakatipu below. It is a view that takes your breath away before you have even landed. After settling into your hotel, take an afternoon gondola ride up to Bob's Peak, where a sweeping 220-degree panorama of mountains, lake, and sky stretches in every direction. If adventure calls, you can race a luge cart down the mountainside with the wind in your hair. Gather for dinner this evening, toasting the journey to come.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodations: Central Hotel Queenstown or equivalent

DAY 8 - MARCH 25 - MILFORD SOUND BY AIR AND SEA

This is the day that crowns your New Zealand adventure. Board a private charter flight over Fiordland National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, soaring above ancient rainforests, blue glacial valleys, and cascading waterfalls that plunge from cliffs no road could ever reach. Then you land near Milford Sound itself, often called the eighth wonder of the world. You step out into cool, clean air and a silence so vast it feels sacred. Board a boat for a two-hour cruise through the dramatic fjord, gliding beneath Stirling Falls and past rock faces that rise hundreds of meters straight from the sea. Fur seals bask on sun-warmed rocks, and the light changes by the minute. Enjoy lunch on board with the fjord all around you. In the afternoon, your charter flight carries you back over the mountains to Queenstown, and you arrive full of wonder.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodations: Central Hotel Queenstown or equivalent

DAY 9 - MARCH 26 - YOUR DAY IN QUEENSTOWN

Queenstown is yours today, and this beautiful lakeside town is ready to deliver whatever kind of adventure speaks to you. Thrill-seekers can try bungy jumping at the very spot where commercial bungy was born, jet boat along the Shotover River, or take to the skies paragliding over the lake. Wine lovers can head out to the celebrated Gibbston Valley vineyards of Central Otago, famous the world over for their delicate Pinot Noir. Those drawn to the outdoors might hike to a ridge with views that go on forever, or soak in the Onsen Hot Pools perched above a dramatic canyon. Or simply wander Queenstown's charming streets, discover a new cafe, and let the day unfold at its own perfect pace. Whatever you choose, this evening brings the entire group back together for a heartfelt farewell dinner, raising a glass to Aotearoa and to each other.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodations: Central Hotel Queenstown or equivalent

DAY 10 - MARCH 27 - DEPARTURE FROM QUEENSTOWN

Enjoy one final breakfast with the Remarkables rising gold in the morning light across the lake. Your private transfer arrives to carry you to Queenstown Airport (ZQN) for your connecting flight home. You leave New Zealand with a camera full of extraordinary images, a heart full of memories, and friendships forged in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Haere ra, until we meet again.

Meals: Breakfast