Explore Epic Scenery and Unwind in Nature

A Family Tour Around New Zealand

DAYS 1 & 2 Fly to New Zealand

Your family tour around New Zealand begins today with an evening flight to Auckland, which takes 24 hours with a stop in Singapore. Although the flight is undeniably long, our Sharky and George fun packs will keep the children entertained along the way, and get them excited for all they'll see when they land.

DAY 3 Family Fun at Lake Taupo

After a light breakfast, it's time to make the one-hour-and-15-minute drive to the north shore of Lake Taupo, which sits at the heart of New Zealand's North Island, both geographically and metaphorically in Maori legend. There's an option of two activities today - a jetboat ride through Huka Falls, or a fishing trip. The fishing trip sees you head out on a catch-and-release voyage on the water with incredible views for a relaxing experience, while the jetboat ride is an adrenaline-filled adventure that sees you speeding past cliffs along a river at 50 miles per hour. It's not for the faint-hearted!

DAYS 4 & 5 Workshop and Wildlife in Wellington

Today you'll say goodbye to your hire car and head to Taupo airport for a domestic flight to Wellington, the country's capital. This quirky, coastal city is full of culture, and you'll have two chances to experience it in two very different ways across the next two days.

Firstly, take the family to Weta Workshops to learn about and see the inner workings of the film industry, from the special effects makeup used to transform actors into monsters to the robotic stars of the show. You'll even have the opportunity to get hands on and try your hand at making your own creations, whether that's using make-up, learning to sculpt or creating a keepsake from leather.

To experience another side of this city on your family tour of New Zealand, its time to head to the huge animal sanctuary Zealandia. This vast sanctuary is home to myriad species of flora and fauna, specialising in helping conservation efforts for endemic New Zealand species. Visiting this national treasure at nighttime means that you'll be able to see the many nocturnal species, including the iconic kiwi bird.

Aside from these two contrasting and interesting experiences, take some time to simply stroll around the city and soak up its sights and culture. Wellington is a great destination for foodies, especially seafood lovers. Treat the children (and yourselves) to freshly caught fish (and chips), and as the city is so small and walkable, why not visit a local, family-friendly pub where the parents can sample craft beers that micro-brewery-mad Wellington is famed for, while the children enjoy mocktails.

DAY 6 Flying to Queenstown

It's an early start for the family today as you need to make the two-and-a-half-hour drive from your remote lodge to Nelson Airport. From Nelson, it's a three-hour flight to Queenstown, where you'll be staying for the final four nights of your family tour of New Zealand.

On arrival in Queenstown, you'll be picked up and transferred to your luxury hotel in the heart of the city and will have the rest of the evening to explore, relax and eat, soaking up the views of the surrounding mountains and lakes.