A slow, cinematic crossing of both islands — Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine in Scenic Plus, the Interislander in Premium, and the country's most awe-inspiring landscapes strung together by rail rather than road.
Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific & TranzAlpine — all in Scenic Plus, with open-air viewing carriages.
Interislander crossing in the Premium Lounge — mimosas, seafaring breakfast, Marlborough Sounds unfolding.
Two of Aotearoa's most cinematic landscapes — fiord and glacier country in the same journey.
Zealong high tea, Te Pā Tū Summer Harvest, Walter Peak farewell — signature moments, not fillers.
Land, taxes, return international economy airfare and New Zealand visa — all in one clear, itemised price. Group size 20.
International airfare (economy)
Visa
Fixed departure. Group size 20. Departures ex-Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad & Bangalore.
Both variants are 17 days, Auckland to Queenstown, at the same land price. Pick the one that matches the traveller.
Arrive into the City of Sails. Check in, read your welcome letter from your Tour Director, and meet your fellow travellers over a welcome dinner.
Board the Northern Explorer in a Scenic Plus carriage. Glide from the Waitematā Harbour to the green pastures of Waikato. Afternoon at Zealong Tea Estate for a tea ceremony and Signature High Tea, followed by a Sunset Dinner Cruise at Raglan.
A bespoke 2-hour tour of Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari — ancient forests, native flora and Māori Rongoā Rākau medicinal traditions. Lunch stop in Otorohanga, then the Waitomo Glowworm Caves by boat.
Comfortable coach transfer south to Rotorua. Stop to walk through Government Gardens before checking in.
Morning suspended above the forest floor on the Redwoods Treewalk Treetops Experience. Evening at Te Pā Tū for the Summer Harvest Experience — Māori storytelling, seasonal cuisine and performance under the stars.
Transfer to Taumaranui to re-board the Northern Explorer in Scenic Plus. River gorges, ravines and open-air carriage moments before the coastal run into Wellington.
A city-introduction tour to orient you, then the day is yours — Te Papa, Zealandia, Cuba Street's cafés or the Botanic Gardens. Group dinner tonight.
Say poroporoaki ki te motu raki (good-bye to the North Island). Cross Cook Strait in the Premium Lounge on the Interislander — mimosas, seafaring breakfast and Marlborough Sounds views. Afternoon Marlborough wine tour on arrival.
Board the Coastal Pacific for the run along the Kaikōura coastline — Pacific on one side, Kaikōura ranges on the other. Fresh, locally harvested pāua tasting en route.
Morning Dolphin Encounter — swim with (or watch) wild dusky dolphins in their open ocean home. Afternoon coach to Christchurch.
City tour by tram and a leisurely afternoon in the Botanic Gardens, Riverside Market or the Cardboard Cathedral.
One of the world's great rail journeys — Canterbury Plains, Waimakariri Gorges, the Southern Alps tunnel, then the wild Tasman coast. Custom Greenstone experience and guided walk at Hokitika Gorge.
Coach south through West Coast rainforest to Franz Josef. Optional helicopter flight over the glacier at own cost.
A five-hour drive of constantly-changing landscape through the Haast Pass. Lakes Hawea and Wanaka open up before you arrive into Queenstown.
Full-day expedition to Milford Sound with a nature cruise beneath the fiord's cascading falls and vertical rock walls.
Free morning for Skyline Gondola, jet boat, wineries or simply the lake. Evening TSS Earnslaw steamship across Lake Wakatipu for a Farewell Dinner at Walter Peak Farm.
A leisurely breakfast, then transfer to Queenstown Airport for your onward flight home.
Everything below is covered in the all-inclusive price — flights, visa, trains, ferry, hotels, meals and every listed experience.
*Tour inclusions may vary slightly depending on the season of departure and rail scheduling. Any change is confirmed before booking.
All departures are 17 days, Auckland to Queenstown, at the same all-inclusive price. Group of 20 — cohorts close early.
Don't see a date that suits? We can open a private cohort for groups of 10+.
A slow, escorted rail journey with meaningful cultural depth — designed for people who have travelled the world and now want the country, not the checklist.
Well-travelled to Europe, Australia, Japan or the US. Prefer comfort over adventure, don't want to drive, and value scenery, good food and organised touring. The trains, Premium ferry lounge and escorted format remove all logistical effort.
Doctors, senior executives, business owners, government officers, retired defence, academicians. The routing replaces repeated domestic flights with scenic trains and comfortable coaches — reasonably mobile travellers appreciated.
Three of the great scenic trains of the world — Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine — plus glaciers, fiords, coast and mountain in one continuous, unhurried thread.
The Rotorua routing gives a broad, refined introduction — Waitomo, Māori culture, Wellington, Marlborough, Kaikōura, Christchurch, West Coast, Franz Josef, Milford Sound and Queenstown — without ever feeling like a basic coach package.
For guests who have already done Auckland → Rotorua → Queenstown. Adds Zealong Tea Estate, Raglan, Sanctuary Mountain, Pāua Pearl Farm, a custom Greenstone experience, Hokitika Gorge and the Rowi kiwi conservation visit.
Ideal for mature honeymooners who enjoy wine, scenic trains, good restaurants, nature and shared experiences. Less suited to young honeymooners seeking privacy, nightlife or fully independent travel.
Widowed travellers, senior solo women, professionals travelling alone. The Tour Director, organised transportation and small-group environment provide structure and reassurance. Single supplement quoted on request.
Alumni groups, doctors' associations, senior leadership circles, photography clubs, railway enthusiast groups and couples travelling with friends. Private Indian departures, dedicated Indian meal arrangements and pre/post-tour extensions available.
Speak to a Feelivacation advisor. We'll walk you through both routings, current departure dates and put a soft hold on your carriage and hotels while you decide.
