Walking tour through Abel Tasman, Franz Joseph Glacier, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Routeburn Track & Mt Cook National Park

Join us as we take you to world renowned coastal and mountain trails deep into the national parks of the South Island. From snow-capped mountains and glaciers to turquoise lakes and rivers, the views will leave you speechless. Of course, when we’re having a break from walking there will be plenty of time to sample some of the best cuisine and wine that Aotearoa has to offer.

Our comprehensive 14-day journey will begin and return to Christchurch. On our first day we shall travel north to Kaikoura which is famous for its fresh seafood. Then it is on to Nelson for 2 nights where we access the famous Abel Tasman National Park. Here we shall sample the first of our “Great Walks “- a handful of walks across the country are given this status because of their amazing trails and stunning views.

We then move onto Cape Foulwind and Paparoa National Park - famous for its Pancake Rocks and blowholes. Nestled in the rainforest-clad foothills of the Southern Alps is Franz Joseph in the heart of New Zealand’s glacier country. We shall base ourselves here for another 2 nights to allow us plenty of time to explore this fascinating region.

It’s now time to taste some of New Zealand’s renowned Otago Pinot Noir outside of the gorgeous town of Wanaka. On our way to Queenstown we stop for a stunning walk at Rocky Mountain overlooking beautiful Diamond Lake.

Queenstown is renowned as the adventure capital of the world so there is no shortage of things to do on your free day. It is also full of top-notch restaurants and cafes so you will be kept busy with all the choices.

From here we head further south to Te Anau where we access the famous Routeburn Track. This is another one of New Zealand’s “Great Walks “so to spend a day “tramping” beside the banks of the Routeburn River with its gin-clear water and through native beech forest, is very special.

Today we experience two of New Zealand’s “wow” destinations – spectacular Fiordland NP and Milford Sound.

Our last 2 nights are spent at Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park which is arguably home to New Zealand’s most jaw-dropping scenery! This is where New Zealand’s most famous son, Sir Edmund Hilary, trained for his successful ascent of Mount Everest. On our final day we make our way back to Christchurch after 14 days of exhilarating sights and impressions.

Our Hotels and Cuisine

New Zealand is renowned for its delicious food and wine – it is no longer the land of “fush and chups” and BBQ!! It is now the home of fresh seafood like green lipped muscles, crayfish, bluff oysters and a huge range of freshly caught fish. There are plenty of award-winning cheeses and of course no one does lamb like the Kiwis!

When it comes to wine, the New Zealanders have certainly made a name for themselves with their Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and more recently their Pinot Noir from the Central Otago region.

During our 14 days we shall stay in a variety of accommodation styles – from ocean view villas at Punakaiki, a rainforest retreat at Franz Joseph and an alpine lodge at the base of Mt Cook.

Featured Hotels

		Edgewater Resort » Wanaka Park On the banks of Lake Wanaka, this upmarket hotel is 4 km from Roys Peak mountain.
		Rainforest Retreat » Franz Josef In a village at the foot of the Southern Alps, this laid-back lodge off the Franz Josef Highway is 6 kms from the Franz Josef Glacier and 10 kms from Lake Mapourika.
		Aoraki Alpine Lodge » Mount Cook Village Set in the heart of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park this family-owned lodge has been offering friendly and personalised service since 2005.

Tour departure dates

2024
Tour	Natural Wonders of New Zealand [14 days]
Begins	02 March 2024 \| Christchurch, NZ
Ends	15 March 2024 \| Christchurch, NZ
Price	AUD $11,326

Dates and Price to be confirmed

2025
Tour	Natural Wonders of New Zealand [14 days]
Begins	02 March 2025 \| Christchurch, NZ
Ends	15 March 2025 \| Christchurch, NZ
Price	AUD TBC

2025
Tour	Natural Wonders of New Zealand [14 days]
Begins	12 October 2025 \| Christchurch, NZ
Ends	25 November 2025 \| Christchurch, NZ
Price	AUD TBC

Feedback from previous guests

NZ was amazing. Each time I go, I'm blown away by the landscape. It's breathtaking. Our guides, Emma and Ruby were incredible. They really went out of their way to make sure we had a "gourmet" experience. We were extremely well fed, well informed and well looked after. I can't recommend them highly enough".
Sue from Perth WA, Australia

This Guinea Pig had a wonderful experience in the Land of the Long White Cloud! It is hard to get back to reality, deal with emails, create menus etc after having been looked after so well for 16 days. We were very blessed with the weather, only two days needing wet weather gear, and one of those mostly in the bus! It was interesting and depressing to see the obvious changes in the glaciers due to climate change; it has sent me to find photos from previous visits many years ago. I hope to travel again with you and am making plans for the next couple of years, just not sure how long I'll be able to continue with the hiking!
Denise from Sydney NSW, Australia

Thank you for Walkabout coming to New Zealand. As Kiwis we went with the flow and had a great time enjoying some world class walks and seeing the very best of our own country. Once we settled in after the rainy start in the Abel Tasman and began our journey down the long West Coast, we enjoyed the good company of our small Aussie group of six. Enough cannot be said of our super-energized leaders Ruby and Emma who were great fun, very professional and we always felt safe under their capable control."
John & Karen from Auckland, New Zealand


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