2022 & 2023 Guided Tours - Cosmos® Affordable Tours

Highlights of New Zealand (3360)

11 Day Tour from Auckland to Queenstown

2026 Tour Details View 2025 Tour Details »

Your affordable New Zealand tour begins in Auckland with a two-night stay to start exploring this fascinating country. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city, including the Domain -- its park surrounding a dormant volcano. You’ll travel through the lush farmland of Rotorua, home to New Zealand’s Māori (indigenous Polynesian people) culture, bubbling geothermal sites, and the setting for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. You’ll learn about the region’s natural wonders, agricultural and creative traditions, and the Māori culture. Your value-minded New Zealand guided vacation continues with big sights to see throughout the north island. You’ll travel past New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupo, and enjoy lunch at a local farm in Marton. Go sightseeing in the New Zealand capital of Wellington and take in its vibrant art and dining scene. See the Beehive and Parliament buildings, then take in the sweeping views of the harbor from Mount Victoria.

Embark on one of the world’s most scenic ferry rides across the Marlborough Sound keeping an eye out for dolphins, penguins, or whales on your way to Christchurch. Explore the land of towering mountains, rugged coastlines, and vast plains of New Zealand’s south island as you venture on to Queenstown. Enjoy free time to explore this “adventure capital” before your breathtaking cruise on Milford Sound. Here, be awed by waterfalls, sheer cliff walls, and tropical rainforests surrounding the marine home of seals, penguins, and dolphins. This budget-minded tour of New Zealand is nothing short of spectacular. Enjoy the idyllic and fantastic scenes around each turn in your escorted vacation from Auckland to Queenstown.

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Select Cosmos South Pacific vacations are limited to an average of just 20 guests per departure. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Cosmos escorted tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery South Pacific vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

Dates & Prices Book Online
800.268.3636
Save $300 per couple on select 2026 Cosmos Europe or North America Vacations when booking as a Group of 8+*
Highlights of New Zealand map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 2 Lunches, 1 Dinners

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand! Hotel rooms are available for immediate check-in. A pre-night is not required for early check-in.

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Day 2 AUCKLAND

This morning begins with a welcome briefing to meet fellow passengers and your Tour Director. Then, enjoy a sightseeing tour, discovering firsthand why Auckland is regarded as one of the best places in the world to live. See the Domain, the city’s oldest park, developed around an extinct volcano. Highlights also include charming Parnell Village, bustling Queens Street, and the Viaduct Harbour. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 AUCKLAND–ROTORUA

Leave Auckland this morning and journey through lush farmland to Rotorua, home to New Zealand’s Máori culture and geothermal wonders. Our first stop is Te Puia where a guided tour allows you to see bubbling mud, pools of boiling water, and the famous Pohutu Geyser, the largest active geyser in the southern hemisphere. You’ll also have a chance to witness traditional Máori carving and weaving along with a Máori cultural performance. Then, visit Agrodome to learn more about one of the country’s major industries--sheep! This evening is at leisure.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 ROTORUA

Today is free to explore more of Rotorua. You may wish to take an optional excursion to visit magical Hobbiton, the set used as the Shire in the movie trilogies, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Other options include a zipline and canopy tour, helicopter and floatplane flights over the volcanic valley, or a relaxing soak in a natural hot spring at the Polynesian Spa. Indulge in an evening of singing, storytelling, and sizzling meats and veggies prepared on underground hot stones in true Máori fashion. Hang out with an optional Hangi dinner with a side of authentic cultural performances in the indigenous Polynesian tradition.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 5 ROTORUA–LAKE TAUPO–MARTON-WELLINGTON

Today, continue your journey on the North Island traveling past Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake. Stop in the historic town of Marton to visit a local farm for lunch. During your time here, tour a tour of the farm and learn about the importance of the sheep industry to the local economy. Continue to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city known for its vibrant art scene, world-class restaurant culture, and active outdoor lifestyle.

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 6 WELLINGTON

This morning, a sightseeing tour includes the famous Beehive and Parliament building and panoramic views of the city and harbor from the top of Mount Victoria. The remainder of the day is yours to explore on your own.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 WELLINGTON–INTERISLANDER FERRY–PICTON–CHRISTCHURCH

Today, enjoy a special treat as you sail from Wellington to Picton and enjoy the spectacular Marlborough Sound on one of the most scenic ferry journeys in the world. Make sure to have your camera ready as dolphins are frequent traveling companions of the ferry. On occasion, you might even spot a pod of whales or some penguins swimming by. Continue to Christchurch, the largest city on the South IsIand for an overnight stay.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 8 CHRISTCHURCH–LAKE TEKAPO–QUEENSTOWN

Our journey continues across New Zealand’s South Island today. This is the land of towering mountains, rugged coastlines, and sweeping plains. Stop at beautiful Lake Tekapo for a visit to the picturesque Church of the Good Shepherd. Later, arrive in Queenstown, the “Adventure Capital,” for a 3-night stay. This evening you may want to take the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak, where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu below.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 9 QUEENSTOWN

A full free day to explore on your own. It’s full steam ahead with an optional ride on the historic TSS Earnslaw Steamship to Walter Peak Farm for a delicious lunch or dinner. Browse your favorite boutique or art gallery, or take a heady helicopter ride over the Remarkables Mountains. Tonight, join your Tour Director and travel companions for a festive farewell dinner.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 10 QUEENSTOWN. EXCURSION TO MILFORD SOUND

Today, enjoy a full-day excursion to breathtaking Milford Sound. Cruise to see cascading waterfalls, sheer cliff walls, tropical rainforest, wildlife including seals and dolphins, and fantastic scenery. It’s sure to be a highlight of your trip! Return to Queenstown late this evening.

NOTE:
The excursion to Milford Sound may occur on Day 9, based on weather and road conditions.

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 11 QUEENSTOWN

Your vacation ends this morning. You may also choose to extend your time in Queenstown and explore more on your own. Extra nights are available for purchase.

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Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

JULIET HUDSON - TD

Escorting tours for more than 15 years

“Passionate about sharing the best of what Australia and New Zealand has to offer and ensuring that each of our guests experience the trip of a lifetime is why I love being a Tour Director. I enjoy finding ways to showcase and immerse our guests in the destinations we visit, bringing the itinerary to life, and adding special touches with "meet the locals" experiences, morning "power walks," "local wine tastings," and "where to eat" menu boards. I love sharing my destination knowledge and helping guests, with beaming smiles on their faces, make wonderful holiday memories.”

Tour Director - JULIET HUDSON - TD

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.