Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
New Zealand – South Island – North Island – Fiji
100% customisable for you
Rise and shine – it's time to saunter over to the South Pacific. Head to the airport, whizz through security and slip away to the lounge for some peace and quiet before departure. Flights to New Zealand connect through Southeast Asia and take around 21 hours. Because of the time difference, you’ll arrive two days after taking off, so footrests up and eye masks on.
After landing in Queenstown, grab your bags and meet your private driver for the transfer into the city centre. Check in for the next two nights, then drop your bags, divvy up the sides of the bed and freshen up.
If you’re raring to go this afternoon, hit the streets for a preliminary stroll around the city centre; if you’re shaking off a bout of jetlag, simply kick back and enjoy the facilities at your hotel. Rest assured, there’s plenty of exploration to come.
Wake up bright and early this morning to make the most of your first full day in the charmingly nicknamed ‘Adventure Capital of New Zealand.’
Kick off with a quintessential Queenstown outing – a cruise through the famous Milford Sound fjord. Declared the Eighth Wonder of the World by none other than Rudyard Kipling, this untouched gem is a certified showstopper – the ideal start to your adventure on the flip side.
It might be hard to follow that one, but a spot of R&R never fails. Head to the Shotover River Canyon this afternoon for a sumptuous soak in one of the private pools built into the side of the cliff. Cue oohs, ahhs and musings of ‘this is the life.’
Marvellously mellowed out, return to your hotel this evening to freshen up before dinner – your Concierge will be on hand with restaurant recommendations.
Wave goodbye to Queenstown this morning as you check out, collect your hire car and set off on the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Twizel. This calls for plenty of snacks and a killer playlist – we have our own destination-specific one if you fancy.
Twizel is a playfully named place perched between a trio of lovely lakes (Ohau, Benmore and Pukaki) and mountain peaks. It’s a handy base for exploring the surrounding landscapes and offers some serious scenery between excursions.
When you arrive this afternoon, settle in for the next two nights in a cosy little lodge. Following some post-car-journey stretching, kick back with a glass of wine while gazing out at the picture-perfect view before dinner.
Fuel up on a hearty breakfast this morning to prepare for your day of discovery in and around Twizel. The showstopper here is Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, an immense and spectacular hiking destination.
Lace up your hardiest pair of shoes today to set off on either a leisurely stroll or a full-blown hike. The park offers a variety of trails suitable for all fitness levels, meaning everyone can enjoy this UNESCO-listed alpine region at their own pace.
This evening, we recommend heading back out after dinner. As part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, Twizel’s sky is particularly clear, and nothing sets the scene for sleep quite like gazing up at a crystal-clear night sky.
This morning, load up the hire car and buckle up for the three-and-a-half-hour drive to Christchurch. Road trip tunes at the ready...
After pulling into the city, check in for a two-night stay in a conveniently central hotel. Then, drop your bags and hit the streets. Christchurch is New Zealand’s cultural hub, so don’t hesitate to explore the shops, restaurants, museums and even the well-manicured suburbs while you’re here.
Having racked up quite the step count, turn your thoughts towards dinner this evening. If you haven’t already, opt for a seafood-centric meal tonight.
All aboard: today, you’re hopping on the TranzAlpine train. Regarded as one of the best train journeys in the world (high praise, indeed), this route links Christchurch to the town of Greymouth via Arthur’s Pass National Park.
The journey factors in five hours of free time in the park, allowing you to make the most of the wealth of walks and hikes on offer. You’ll also have plenty of time to perch in front of a lovely lunch between wanderings (yes, please).
Ride the rails back to Christchurch this evening to arrive in time for another delicious dinner in the city. Then, fit to burst, sink into a sumptuous stack of pillows tonight.
Trade road trips for a short internal flight this morning as you head to Christchurch Airport. Here, return your hire car and catch the one-hour-and-50-minute flight to Rotorua, on the North Island.
After landing, collect a second hire car and gear up (sorry) for the hour-long drive to Taupo, home to New Zealand’s largest lake. This is your base for the next three nights, so unpack, unwind and scope out your suave new digs.
Keep things simple this afternoon with some downtime in your hotel before tucking into a delicious dinner and falling into bed. Tomorrow brings a world of adventure...
Indulge in a decadent breakfast this morning before donning your sunnies and taking to the skies (yes, really). Today, you’ll be flying over the active volcanoes of Tongariro National Park.
Aboard a small plane, soar over Mount Ruapehu (9,177ft), Mount Ngauruhoe (7,515ft) and Mount Tongariro (6,516ft), before taking in the view of Lake Taupo. If the magnitude of these volcanoes alone isn’t enough, it’s also worth mentioning that Mount Ngauruhoe has something of an acting pedigree – the volcano portrayed ‘Mount Doom’ in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
After your aerial ascent, return to solid ground this afternoon and slip away to your hotel for some refreshments and a scroll through your camera roll before dinner this evening.
Tickets at the ready – today, you’re off to the Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park. After breakfast this morning, journey north out of Taupo to reach this geothermal attraction and its plethora of colours.
Here, swathes of steam rise around crashing waterfalls, bubbling springs, mud baths, silica terraces and spouting geysers. Among these geysers, the Diamond Geyser is the most famous, intermittently exploding up to 30ft high. Elsewhere, there's the Ruatapu Cave (a real rarity, since caves are hardly ever found in geothermal sites).
Spend as long as you like today exploring the park's trails, stairs and walkways, before heading back for your final night in Taupo.
Bid Taupo a fond farewell this morning as you load up the car and prepare to set off on the three-hour-and-15-minute drive to Auckland – the ‘City of Sails.’
After arriving, check in for an overnight stay in another delightfully charming hotel, then drop your bags and hit the streets. Still a relatively small city with a big heart, Auckland is brimming with bars and restaurants where warm Kiwi hospitality flourishes.
Give New Zealand a fitting send-off this evening by reaching out to your local Concierge to help you reserve a table at the swankiest spot in town.
Leap out of bed bright and early this morning to kick off the Fiji leg of your South Pacific adventure. Head to the airport, return your hire car and hop on a three-hour flight to Nadi, the international gateway to the country.
Once you’ve cleared customs and grabbed your bags, meet your private driver for the transfer to Denarau Island, where you’ll hop on a catamaran to glide to the even more remote Matamanoa Island.
Having reached these secluded shores, head to your resort and check in to a seriously sumptuous room for three nights in paradise. This calls for a celebratory drink, don’t you think?
The next few days are yours to spend as you please. When you’re not sipping on umbrella-topped cocktails surrounded by coconut trees on a strip of white sand, delve into the transparent waters lining the coast, where corals bloom and fish flock. Grab your mask and snorkel to take a closer look.
Matamanoa is also within reach of the spot where Tom Hanks’ Castaway was filmed. So, if you’d like to – very briefly – glimpse what it would be like to be marooned here, hop on a short boat trip to the uninhabited island of Monuriki.
Back on the beach by your resort, you can play volleyball, cricket or bowls. Or, of course, you could simply kick back with an engrossing holiday read to soak up the sun between a string of mouth-watering meals. Sounds dreamy, right?
Delight in another bountiful breakfast this morning before checking out and hopping on a catamaran to transfer back to Denarau Island. This time, you’ll be privately transferred from the port to a hotel to spend the night here.
The rest of the day is yours to spend as you please. If you fancy delving back into the water, wade into the ocean from the beach or simply sink into the hotel pool.
If you’ve had your fill of aquatic adventure, take it easy by lying on a sun lounger with a book, podcast, cocktail or the sloshing sounds of the ocean to keep you company. It doesn’t come much better than this.
Sadly, your South Pacific sojourn comes to an end today. Eke out as much enjoyment as possible by luxuriating in a slow start and a leisurely breakfast this morning before packing your things and checking out. Then, you’ll be privately transferred back to Nadi Airport to fly home.
Your return flight connects through North America and takes just under a day, so you’ll spend the night on board and arrive in the UK the following morning. While the sun may have set on your far-flung adventure by this point, the memories (and all those photos) are sure to last a lifetime.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire now
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from checking you in for your flights to our network of local Concierges
