9-Day Essential Experiences of New Zealand Vacation from Chicago
Auckland, Wellington & Queenstown w/Flights from Chicago from $3,775*
An essential New Zealand experience with scenic train ride includes all flights, tours, hotels & transfers all in one New Zealand Vacation Package
Take This Trip
Highlights & Inclusions: - 9 Days / 7 Nights – New Zealand
- 4-Star Accommodations – Auckland (2 Night), Wellington (2), Queenstown (3)
- New Zealand Domestic Flights: Wellington to Queenstown, Queenstown to Auckland
- International Flights: Chicago to Auckland (Return)
- Scenic Rail Journey: Auckland to Wellington
- Auckland City-Sights Tour, Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, Rotorua Maori and Geothermal Experience
Permitted US Departure Dates: July 24 – September 6, 2018 departing on a Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday only.
Starting Price Can Be Found: July 24 – August 23, 2018
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Choose Your Own Wellington Adventure: |
Wellington City Highlights Tour- Fully guided city tour of the city of Wellington
- See the beautiful city center and downtown areas, surrounded by lush, hilly landscape
- Head up to Mount Victoria for stunning, 360-degree views of Wellington City
- Ride the famous Wellington cable car
See More of Wellington | Middle Earth Filming Locations Tour- See your favorite Middle Earth locations in person
- Go by coach to see film sites like the Quarry of Helms Deep, Rivendell, the Gardens of Isengard and more
- Ascend to Mount Victoria lookout for an amazing panoramic look at Wellington City
- Refreshments and morning/afternoon tea provided
See Middle Earth Film Sites |
Booking Code: ST-NZ40a or ST-NZ40c
Call: 888-359-2877 (M-F, 8:30am-5pm CT USA)
Don’t miss this amazing New Zealand vacation and scenic rail experience!
Book by: June 15, 2018
Request Quote
Packages by AboutNewZealand.com, a subsidiary of About Australia a fully bonded an ARC accredited travel company.
Trip Details
Ah, New Zealand. You may know it as the place that provided gorgeous background scenery for films such as “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” or maybe you think of it as the birthplace of bungy jumping. Or maybe you just know it as the land with more sheep than people. No matter what comes to mind when you think of New Zealand, one thing is certain:
New Zealand is an incredibly diverse and culturally rich country and this vacation package is perfect for experiencing a little bit of everything on your journey.
Begin your New Zealand vacation journey in Auckland. The “City of Sails” is the perfect starting point for your journey through New Zealand. This harbor city has played host to the America’s Cup International yachting race on the beautiful Waitemata Harbour. You’ll see incredible views from the edge of this coastal country as Waitemata Harbour looks out over 15 islands that dot the horizon.
Photo: Tourism New Zealand
A half-day tour of Auckland’s scenic highlights gives you a proper introduction to the city. You’ll see the city center and eclectic and fashionable neighborhoods like Karangahape Road and Ponsonby.
Cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge and see more of the city’s spectacular sights on your tour.
- See amazing views of Auckland’s skyline over Hauraki Gulf.
- Walk through The Domain, one of Auckland’s oldest and largest public parks.
- Take a ride along Tamaki Drive, a scenic waterfront route along the coast.
After you’ve been properly acquainted with Auckland, spend the rest of the day venturing out on your own. Return to some of the sights you’ve seen on your tour or see more of the city on your own. Tip: For a truly thrilling way to commemorate your Auckland visit, head on over to the Auckland Sky Tower. At a staggering height of 722 feet, the truly adventurous can choose to participate in a bungy jump sending you plummeting 630 feet down!
And that’s just the first day!
A full day trip on a luxury coach awaits as you are whisked away for an epic tour featuring several of New Zealand’s most cherished experiences. Pass through New Zealand’s beautiful countryside passing dairies, sheep farms and small farming settlements en route to your first stop, the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves.
Photo: Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
The Glow Worm Caves are one of New Zealand’s most treasured highlights. Follow a guide through amazing cave formations and subterranean landscape. The tour ends with a silent, drifting boat ride through a cavern that is brilliantly lit with the twinkle of thousands of tiny glow worms that call the cavern home. Think of the glow of a firefly, but with a soft blue hue. This almost indescribable cave experience definitely needs to be seen in person.
Your tour continues to Rotorua – a city that is a hotbed of geothermal activity in New Zealand, including geysers, hot springs and volcanoes. In fact, the city itself is located on the inside rim of a volcanic crater. Upon arrival in Rotorua, you’ll be introduced to a working New Zealand farm. A guide will take you around the farm on an all-terrain vehicle, where you can see how the farm works, witness a sheep shearing and hand feed the farm’s many animals.
Then, you’ll arrive at the Te Puia Institute, one of Rotorua’s most culturally-important and iconic Maori experiences. Te Puia Institute combines Maori culture of the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute along with incredible geothermal experiences. At Te Puia you’ll see:
- The thermal valley and the Pohutu geyser, colorful silica deposits, boiling mud pools and more.
- Traditional Maori woodcarving and weaving.
- The famous Maori village with opportunities to see cultural performances.
Photo: Te Puia Institute
From Auckland, the beautiful Northern Explorer rail takes you on a scenic trip to Wellington, while you take in New Zealand’s most picturesque countryside. Open-air viewing cars allow an up-close look at the beautiful rocky coasts and canyons, lush farmland and the volcanoes of Tongariro National Park.
Arrive in Wellington where and spend two nights in a centrally located hotel, within walking distance to Westpac Stadium, Te Papa Museum, the waterfront and more. Choose between two different tours to get to know this amazing city: A City Highlights Scenic Tour or a Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Film Tour
Wellington is famously known as the city where many scenes from the Lord of the Rings were filmed.
You can experience a half day tour that truly brings some of your favorite Middle Earth scenery to life on a tour that is great for fans of the movies and non-film buffs alike.
You’ll embark on an epic journey of Lord of the Rings filming locations all over Wellington. See Middle Earth come to life as you see the pristine rainforest of Rivendell, the Gardens of Isengard, the quarry of Helms Deep and much more. You will also visit Mount Victoria, the site that made Buckland come alive in the films.
If you’d rather see Wellington City proper, opt for the Wellington City Highlights Tour. You’ll become properly acquainted with the city’s beautiful downtown surrounded by picturesque rolling hills. A guided coach drives you through Wellington hot spots, including a ride on the Wellington Cable Car. A ride up Mount Victoria gives you spectacular 360-degree city views of the city.
Photo: Tourism New Zealand
Jet off to Queenstown where you’ll spend 3 days in this dynamic outdoors oriented city. Enjoy 3 days to do whatever your heart desires from the numerous outdoor nature experiences like hiking some of Queenstown’s rugged terrain, extreme adventure sports activities (skydiving anyone?), tours, the buzz of downtown and more. Even if you choose not to partake in any optional tours, there is plenty to experience on your own around Queenstown. The choice is yours.
An amazing New Zealand vacation experience can you show you all sides that this dynamic, culturally rich country has to offer. You’ll feel like you’ve seen it all with the diverse array of experiences to be had. New Zealand is renowned for its amazing culture and majestic beauty and it is important to see it all for a true look at this amazing country. Don’t risk missing out – let us do the planning and give you an authentic and unforgettable Kiwi-experience.
Let’s Plan This Trip
*Terms and Conditions:
All prices are in US dollars and correct as of June 1, 2018. Pricing is from “per person” based on Double Occupancy (2 Adults) in hotels. Single Supplements apply. Upgrades available on request (upgrade supplements apply). No refunds allowed. Changes are permitted (fees may apply). Other restrictions may apply. Not combinable with any other offer or discounted vacation package. About New Zealand reserves the right to adjust the amount of any outstanding balances at any time according to USA Exchange Rate variations. All taxes, GST & Fuel Levies are included in the Price unless specified otherwise. Prices may vary when you book your travel package and are not guaranteed until payment in full is received. Airlines, hotels and tour operators frequently change their prices as a result of rate increases, fuel surcharges, government imposed taxes or fees. Prices may increase prior to full payment for those and/or other reasons. All prices, itineraries and routings are subject to change. After full payment, prices are guaranteed except only due to an increase in government imposed taxes or fees. By paying your deposit, you understand and agree to the possibility of such increases.
Flights, where included, will be operated by Air New Zealand or their code-share partners; flight Taxes & Fuel levy included; Economy Flight Class of Service. Flights maybe based on Fares which can not be held in advance of purchase, same day ticketing may be required.
Permitted US Departure Dates: July 24 – September 6, 2018 departing on a Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday only. Weekend surcharges apply.
Starting Price Can Be Found July 24 – August 23, 2018.
Subject to availability. Blackout dates and seasonal supplements will apply; these vary by travel vendor and are subject to change without notice. Travel may be permitted outside the dates listed, but may attract seasonality or special event surcharges.
Known special event dates will increase the cost of the trip or limit availability:
Auckland: August 18, 2018
Wellington: June 15-16, September 14-15, 20-22, 27-29 & October 4-6, 2018
Queenstown: November 16, December 25-31, 2018 & January 1-5, 2019
All hotels are centrally located, inspected and approved by About Australia.
Bedding Configuration is as follows:
Auckland: 1 King or 2 Singles
Wellington: 1 Queen or 2 Doubles
Queenstown: 2 Doubles (1 King or 2 singles available at additional charge. )
Northern Explorer Rail only departs from Auckland on Monday, Thursday and Saturday only.
Contact About New Zealand directly to get a firm quote based on current prices for your preferred travel dates.
Useful Links: New Zealand Visa Requirements, New Zealand Adventure Tours, Things to do in Queenstown, Things to do in Auckland
About New Zealand Reviews
Rating of Average of 4.88 on a total of 33 Ratings
About New Zealand helped every step of the way from planning trip, answering questions and having all the documents to be used sent in a step by step procedure. Thank you
The greatest lifetime memories were made on this adventure.
The vacation was well organized. When we came face to face with a cyclone the team had our backs and made sure that our vacation continued. Each of our sleeping accommodations were amazing. (Exception Prince's Gate). Our excursions were fun, (...)
About New Zealand & Ana Musgray did an excellent job planning my honeymoon!
Our trip to New Zealand was amazing!
It's such a beautiful country with lots of friendly people! Our travel guide did amazing work setting up our flights, hotels, tours, and shuttles, making it really relaxing on our part. So thankful for the opportunity for our family!
We had a great time in New Zealand
We loved Queenstown, the room was a bit older, but a clean Hotel. All the other cities and tour packages were great and the people friendly, a lot more friendly than in the states. Can't say enough of the people there. And thanks Ana for conn(...)
Spectacular scenery
Great trip, saw great things on North and South Island
Outstanding trip and customer service
Wound up with an opportunity to take some vacation time on short notice. After reaching out with a little less than a month to go til departure, we were able to arrange the most active and exciting vacation we’ve ever done. Our agent, Ana, too(...)
A fantastic service
Really outstanding. The pre-arranged activities were really incredible, from an ocean cruise around milford sound right up to a walking tour of Hobbiton. The van was a great way to see a lot of NZ with a lot of freedom to stop whenever the moo(...)
Beautiful country
Six of us set off to New Zealand organised by About Australia and Ana and her team. Every step was smooth and organised. Every transfer worked, every hotel was clean and welcoming. The tour round the South Island was very inclusive and informati(...)
Thanks!
Thanks to Layla for planning our trip to New Zealand. Our hotels were lovely & well situated and our travel transportation worked well. The only glitch was we had to wait for our pickup shuttle at the Wellington airport for one hour as we just m(...)
I had a fabulous time in New Zealand. My accommodations were very convenient and comfortable.. Since I was traveling solo it was important that I felt safe and I did.
Excellent Support
We had a wonderful time. Every portion of the trip was well-planned and we enjoyed every stop along the way. We did have a glitch or two (not bad for 19 days traveling :-), but when we did, Ana was just an email away. Whether it was clearing up (...)
Best bucket list square I’ve ever filled!
A Great Experience!
It would actually please us greatly if our visit to Hobbiton might be the catalyst for others to visit the Shire. We’ve been Tolkien fans forever and lifting a pint in the Prancing Pony was one of highlights of our trip.
Overall Great Trip
We loved New Zealand and hope to return! 10 days was not long enough for the amount of public transportation we used. Queenstown was fun and we’re glad we added one day there to our itinerary. Our flight from Queenstown to Christ Church was ca(...)
Our trip to New Zealand was fantastic.
Darin our coordinator with About Australia did a fantastic job coordinating our trip for us. Everything went smoothly with accommodations,car rentals and all of the attractions we were going to see. We would book with them for another trip.
(...)
My wife and I had a wonderful trip to New Zealand.
About New Zealand did an excellent job of covering all the details which led to a very organized and stress free vacation! A couple of the IBIS hotels we stayed at were disappointing but on the flip side we received a nice surprise with lake vie(...)
YOU CAN'T TAKE A BAD PICTURE IN NEW ZEALAND!
We LOVED our New Zealand trip!!!!! It was the most gorgeous place we've ever been...the mountain scenery is amazing....the Rotorua geothermal area was amazing.... the entire country is AMAZING!
What a great way to spend our 40th Anniversary! Thank you!!
It was a fantastic vacation to both New Zealand & Australia (Melbourne area). Bekah arranged a self drive tour in NZ with all the tours/hotels to fit into our schedule. Amazing views of the coast, mountains, glaciers, country side & city. We esp(...)
Arranged a completely enjoyable once-in-a-lifetime trip to New Zealand
My 3-week trip to New Zealand took me to every place I had wanted to see and more besides. All of the arrangements for flights, day tours, hotels and traveling between places in New Zealand worked as planned.
We had an awesome honeymoon! Thank you!
My husband and I booked our honeymoon trip to New Zealand and Fiji through About New Zealand and were fortunate to have a great travel agent, Darin! He organized our entire itinerary with activities, drop offs/pick ups, hotel accommodations etc.(...)
It was amazing!!
We had a fantastic time and appreciate all of the help we complaining our trip and once we got there. We got stuck at the airport and had instant help. The hotels and places were fantastic. One of the best trips I've ever been on.
Koda was super helpful in arranging a flight that suited my time frame and was a great price.
Incredible Memories From Start to Finish
I recently returned from a 10 night trip to New Zealand and, WOW, the stories I could tell! I chose a trip that took me to 4 different cities (Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, and Queenstown), and each one had something special to offer. About New(...)
Exceeded expectations!
This was a very well planned trip by About Australia of both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The included itinerary was terrific and the add ons were of great value. In some cases the rooms were on the small side but adequate and co(...)
Wonderful Time!
We had a fabulous time in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. You arranged fun excursions that we all enjoyed and then a relaxing time in Fiji before we returned to the US. Especially enjoyed the tour of the Opera House in Sydney, holding a Koal(...)
It was amazing!!
We had a fantastic time and appreciate all of the help we complaining our trip and once we got there. We got stuck at the airport and had instant help. The hotels and places were fantastic. One of the best trips I've ever been on.
Amazing
Beautiful scenery everywhere you turn.
Wonderful friendly people always going out of their way to be helpful .
Best Trip Ever
Our trip to New Zealand was unbelievable. Everything was planned for us impeccably. Ana was a delight to work with. Every “t” was crossed and “I” dotted. We did not have one hiccup. Every reservation on our itinerary was made and we did not ha(...)
Perfect Adventure
Our trip covered several stops in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji over about a month. Each accommodation, shuttle, arranged tour and request was fulfilled beautifully. We couldn't have asked for a better trip, and the price was well within our(...)
Fantasic Job
I had a fantastic time in New Zealand. I only wish I could have been there longer! Thank you for putting together such a great itinerary on such short notice.
One of the best vacations ever!
Didn't know how this campervan experience was going to go but it turned out to be one of the best vacations I have ever had. About New Zealand Travel Agency had information we needed and was helpful. Obviously there are things we had to resear(...)
Read more About New Zealand Reviews
Ah, New Zealand. You may know it as the place that provided gorgeous background scenery for films such as “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” or maybe you think of it as the birthplace of bungy jumping. Or maybe you just know it as the land with more sheep than people. No matter what comes to mind when you think of New Zealand, one thing is certain:
