G Adventures
Best of New Zealand: Mountain Biking & Black-Sand Beaches
Best of New Zealand: Mountain Biking & Black-Sand Beaches
Now’s the time to explore New Zealand on your terms with this tour that’s affordable for young travellers. They say good travel happens on small islands. Regardless of whether or not that’s an actual saying, the small islands of New Zealand pack plenty of exploratory punch. Go from kayaking in Raglan to hiking in Abel Tasman National Park to cruising remote fjords and taking in some Insta-worthy views. But if you’re short on travel dollars, fear not; this trip squeezes in the very best of both the North and South Islands into an affordable, action-packed 21-day itinerary where you’ll move swiftly without feeling rushed.
Highlights
Learn about Maori culture, get an adrenaline rush in Rotorua and Queenstown, discover Abel Tasman National Park by foot and boat, Cruise through the remote fjords of Milford Sound
Accommodation
Hostels and basic lodges (20 nts multishare)
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Group Size Notes
Max 20, avg 16
Meals Included
20 breakfasts, 6 dinners
What’s Included
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment – Meet Your CEO and Group
Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends
Your Hands-On Moment: Surf Lesson, Raglan
Your Big Night Out Moment: Wellington
Your Discover Moment: Franz Josef
Your Discover Moment: Queenstown
Your Big Night Out Moment: Wellington. Sea kayaking excursion. Maori cultural experience. Lake Taupo Sailboat trip. Visit to a seal colony. Walks in Franz Josef and Abel Tasman National Parks. Fiordland NP visit. Milford Sound nature cruise. Orientation walk in Christchurch. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
| Day 1 |
A veritable paradise on Earth, Auckland combines the best of both worlds – a thrilling urban metropolis surrounded by striking natural areas, sparkling blue water, and colorful wildlife. New Zealand’s cultural and recreational hub, beautiful Auckland has something for everyone. Museums, art galleries, and other culture-rich sites abound near Auckland’s city center. History buffs will appreciate the Auckland War Memorial Museum or the New Zealand Maritime Museum on Viaduct Harbour, while art enthusiasts will relish in the vast art collections housed at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki. Be sure to peruse the famous Maori Portraits exhibit, a display featuring powerful portraits of the Maori peoples indigenous to New Zealand and Polynesia. You won’t have to venture far from the city to experience some of New Zealand’s most iconic natural wonders! Rugged Rangitoto Island is perfect for hikes, surrounded with stunning volcanic rock and lava fields, and provides a spectacular vantage point to observe Auckland across the harbor. Maungawhau, or Mount Eden, is another of the city’s volcanic wonders; its verdant crater is a sight to behold and remains one of Auckland’s most visited attractions. Head to Waiheke Island to visit Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary, a protected wildlife sanctuary where some of New Zealand’s most eye-catching fauna roam, or hit the beaches of Waitakere Ranges Regional Park to take in the glittering ocean views and soak up some sun. Travel two hours south to marvel at New Zealand’s rolling green hills when you explore the immersive set for The Shire, the fictional village from the ever-popular Lord of the Rings novels and film franchise. Auckland, New Zealand awaits you! |
| Day 2 |
A veritable paradise on Earth, Auckland combines the best of both worlds – a thrilling urban metropolis surrounded by striking natural areas, sparkling blue water, and colorful wildlife. New Zealand’s cultural and recreational hub, beautiful Auckland has something for everyone. Museums, art galleries, and other culture-rich sites abound near Auckland’s city center. History buffs will appreciate the Auckland War Memorial Museum or the New Zealand Maritime Museum on Viaduct Harbour, while art enthusiasts will relish in the vast art collections housed at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki. Be sure to peruse the famous Maori Portraits exhibit, a display featuring powerful portraits of the Maori peoples indigenous to New Zealand and Polynesia. You won’t have to venture far from the city to experience some of New Zealand’s most iconic natural wonders! Rugged Rangitoto Island is perfect for hikes, surrounded with stunning volcanic rock and lava fields, and provides a spectacular vantage point to observe Auckland across the harbor. Maungawhau, or Mount Eden, is another of the city’s volcanic wonders; its verdant crater is a sight to behold and remains one of Auckland’s most visited attractions. Head to Waiheke Island to visit Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary, a protected wildlife sanctuary where some of New Zealand’s most eye-catching fauna roam, or hit the beaches of Waitakere Ranges Regional Park to take in the glittering ocean views and soak up some sun. Travel two hours south to marvel at New Zealand’s rolling green hills when you explore the immersive set for The Shire, the fictional village from the ever-popular Lord of the Rings novels and film franchise. Auckland, New Zealand awaits you! |
| Day 3 |
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| Day 4 |
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| Day 5 |
Natural wonders await you in the steaming, geothermally active North Island city of Rotorua, New Zealand. Pohutu Geyser erupts several times per day, and blistering mud pools provide a truly unique sightseeing experience. When in Rotorua, tourists also visit its living Maori village, as well as Te Puia (New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts institute), where weaving and woodcarving is featured. Those not afraid of heights can get a bird's eye view on the Skyline Rotorua gondola, and more earthbound souls can reinvigorate themselves at the Polynesian Spa wellness center, with its hot pools and therapies. |
| Day 6 |
Lake Taupo, New Zealand offers a premier trout fishing experience. The famed sight fishing for large Brown & Rainbow trout is arguably the finest in the world. Located New Zealand's North Island, Lake Taupo is an all year round sight fishing destination. Surrounded by high country lakes, rivers and mountain streams, the spectacular New Zealand scenery is sure to amaze. |
| Day 7 |
On Cook Strait sits Wellington, New Zealand's charming windy city. Must-sees here include the waterfront, the lovely beaches, and the Wellington Cable Car that takes riders to botanical gardens. For cultural exposure, visit The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, with its Maori national treasures and art gallery. Wellington Zoo is another key attraction, and features Tahi, a one-legged kiwi, as its mascot. |
| Day 8 |
Abel Tasman National Park, located at the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island, is a paradise for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Renowned for its golden beaches, lush forests, and crystal-clear waters, the park offers an array of activities, from hiking to kayaking. The Abel Tasman Coastal Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walks, stretches over 60 kilometers and provides breathtaking views of the coastline, making it a must-do for visitors. The park's unique combination of pristine beaches and native bush creates a haven for wildlife, including the little blue penguin and the New Zealand fur seal. Kayaking along the coast offers the chance to explore secluded coves and spot marine life up close. For those interested in history, the park is named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, the first European to sight New Zealand in 1642. Fun fact: Abel Tasman National Park is the smallest national park in New Zealand, yet it boasts some of the most stunning landscapes and diverse ecosystems in the country, making it a must-see destination for anyone traveling to New Zealand. |
| Day 9 |
Abel Tasman National Park, located at the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island, is a paradise for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Renowned for its golden beaches, lush forests, and crystal-clear waters, the park offers an array of activities, from hiking to kayaking. The Abel Tasman Coastal Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walks, stretches over 60 kilometers and provides breathtaking views of the coastline, making it a must-do for visitors. The park's unique combination of pristine beaches and native bush creates a haven for wildlife, including the little blue penguin and the New Zealand fur seal. Kayaking along the coast offers the chance to explore secluded coves and spot marine life up close. For those interested in history, the park is named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, the first European to sight New Zealand in 1642. Fun fact: Abel Tasman National Park is the smallest national park in New Zealand, yet it boasts some of the most stunning landscapes and diverse ecosystems in the country, making it a must-see destination for anyone traveling to New Zealand. |
| Day 10 |
Accessible glacier located on New Zealand's South Island. Visitors can take guided hikes of Franz Jose to view its tunnels, crevasses and caves. |
| Day 11 |
Accessible glacier located on New Zealand's South Island. Visitors can take guided hikes of Franz Jose to view its tunnels, crevasses and caves. |
| Day 12 |
This beautiful resort town has a little something for everyone! Whether you are into skiing and snowboarding, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, or mountain biking there is no end to the year around adventure sports you can take advantage of. If you love wine, Queenstown lies close to the center of a small wine producing region, including The Two Paddocks vineyard which is owned by actor Sam Neill. If you're a movie buff, Queenstown and the surrounding area were used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. |
| Day 13 |
This beautiful resort town has a little something for everyone! Whether you are into skiing and snowboarding, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, or mountain biking there is no end to the year around adventure sports you can take advantage of. If you love wine, Queenstown lies close to the center of a small wine producing region, including The Two Paddocks vineyard which is owned by actor Sam Neill. If you're a movie buff, Queenstown and the surrounding area were used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. |
| Day 14 |
This beautiful resort town has a little something for everyone! Whether you are into skiing and snowboarding, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, or mountain biking there is no end to the year around adventure sports you can take advantage of. If you love wine, Queenstown lies close to the center of a small wine producing region, including The Two Paddocks vineyard which is owned by actor Sam Neill. If you're a movie buff, Queenstown and the surrounding area were used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. |
| Day 15 |
This beautiful resort town has a little something for everyone! Whether you are into skiing and snowboarding, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, or mountain biking there is no end to the year around adventure sports you can take advantage of. If you love wine, Queenstown lies close to the center of a small wine producing region, including The Two Paddocks vineyard which is owned by actor Sam Neill. If you're a movie buff, Queenstown and the surrounding area were used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. |
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| Day 17 |
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| Day 18 |
Welcome to Christchurch, a picturesque city with English heritage. This South Island destination is currently in the midst of an exciting regeneration and rebuilding after damaging earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Here, the new mixes with the old in enchanting ways, with edgy modern architecture and old buildings sitting side by side.
In this explorable New Zealand locale, the Avon River winds through the center of the city, while lush green spaces are plentiful at Christchurch Bonatic Gardens and Hagley Park. Can't-miss attractions include the International Antarctic Center (featuring frozen tundra simulations), the historic Canterbury Museum, and punting on the Avon, also known as flat-bottomed boat rides! |
| Day 19 |
Welcome to Christchurch, a picturesque city with English heritage. This South Island destination is currently in the midst of an exciting regeneration and rebuilding after damaging earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Here, the new mixes with the old in enchanting ways, with edgy modern architecture and old buildings sitting side by side.
In this explorable New Zealand locale, the Avon River winds through the center of the city, while lush green spaces are plentiful at Christchurch Bonatic Gardens and Hagley Park. Can't-miss attractions include the International Antarctic Center (featuring frozen tundra simulations), the historic Canterbury Museum, and punting on the Avon, also known as flat-bottomed boat rides! |
| Day 20 |
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| Day 21 |
On Cook Strait sits Wellington, New Zealand's charming windy city. Must-sees here include the waterfront, the lovely beaches, and the Wellington Cable Car that takes riders to botanical gardens. For cultural exposure, visit The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, with its Maori national treasures and art gallery. Wellington Zoo is another key attraction, and features Tahi, a one-legged kiwi, as its mascot. |
| Travel Dates | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
04/19/25 - 05/10/25 |
Starting At $4,199 |
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|
05/24/25 - 06/13/25 |
Starting At $3,569 |
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|
06/07/25 - 07/05/25 |
Starting At $3,899 |
Get A Quote | |
|
07/19/25 - 08/30/25 |
Starting At $3,314 |
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|
09/13/25 - 11/29/25 |
Starting At $4,199 |
Get A Quote | |
|
12/06/25 - 02/28/26 |
Starting At $4,499 |
Get A Quote | |
|
03/07/26 - 05/23/26 |
Starting At $4,199 |
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|
06/06/26 - 08/29/26 |
Starting At $3,899 |
Get A Quote | |
|
09/12/26 - 11/28/26 |
Starting At $4,199 |
Get A Quote | |
|
12/05/26 - 12/26/26 |
Starting At $4,499 |
Get A Quote |
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission.
Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
