The Big Tiki
(Auckland to Christchurch Summer)
Financing available at checkout
The one that unearths the best of NZ, covering both islands in 19 unforgettable days
Visiting Auckland, Paihia, Rotorua, Lake Taupo, Mount Ruapehu, Wellington, Christchurch, Franz Josef Glacier, Queenstown, Te Anau, Lake Ohau, Parry Kauri Park, Huka Falls, Picton, Kaikoura, Arthurs Pass, Hokitika, Haast Pass, Wanaka, Milford Sound, Arrowtown, Lake Tekapo
Is this trip for me?
Travel Style
In-Depth Explorer
Group Size
Average 45 people
Transport Style
Coach
- Only $200 deposit to book
- Part pay financing available with UpLift
- No change fees
- No booking fees
What's included?
18 nights accommodation
10 nights in Hotel, 1 night in Contiki Special Stay, 7 nights in Lodge
24 Meals
6 Dinner, 18 Breakfast
Team
Expert Trip Manager, Driver and Local Guides
Transport
All transport included during the trip
Experiences
21 included, 39 optional that you can add
- Hurl yourself with reckless abandon down rolling hills & valleys in a giant inflated rubber OGO ball, Rotorua
- See bubbling geothermal mud pools & tuck into a traditional Maori ground-smoked hangi dinner, Rotorua
- Face your fears with a thrilling Tandem skydive in nature's best outdoor playground, Queenstown*
- Experience the exhilaration of a Harbour bridge bungy jump, Auckland*
- Take on the thrill of a hair-raising river rapids ride on the Shotover Jet boat, Queenstown*
- Live out all your LOTR fantasies with a guided tour of Hobbiton, Matamata
*This experience is a Free Time Add-on and not included in trip costs
Request more info
The Big Tiki (Auckland to Christchurch Summer)
21 Inclusions
Experiences that are included with your trip
- See the 'City of Sails' harbour made famous by the America's Cup
- Check out Whangarei & Kawakawa's famous Hundertwasser toilets
- Get a dose of history with a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds Tour
- Tuck into a true Kiwiana fish'n'chips dinner, seafood chowder or NZ Lamb salad overlooking the Bay of Islands in Paihia
- Visit Hobbiton and take a guided tour of the set made famous by the "Lord of the Rings & Hobbit" movies
- Experience a traditional Maori cultural performance and feast on a ground-smoked hangi dinner
- See (and smell) Rotorua's bubbling geothermic mud pools
- Take a behind the scenes tour of the of a Kiwi conservation project at the Rainbow Springs Kiwi Encounter
- See an active stratovolcano with Mt Ruapehu
- See more of the sights made famous in the "The Lord of the Rings"
- Tuck into coffee and cake in one of Wellington's cafes, including a 'Heart parcels' brownie with proceeds going towards supporting the homeless
- Join our 2019 Changemaker Parris Quinn in handing out 'Heart Parcels' food to Wellington's homeless (from Oct 2020 - selected departures)
- Check out the cafe & restaurant scene in Wellington, voted the coolest little capital in the world
- Spectacular drive along the Kaikoura Coast & visit to a seal colony
- View a native greenstone carving demonstration in the goldrush town of Hokitika
- Stop at AJ Hackett's Kawarau Bridge
- Cruise the glassy waters of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Milford Sound
- Experience rural NZ country life with a farm visit in Te Anau
- See Mt. Cook across the beautiful blue glacial Lake Ohau
- See the historic Church of the Good Shepard
- Stop at Lake Pukaki, Lake Tekapo & Geraldine
39 Free Time Add-Ons
Optional experiences that you can choose from and pay for on your trip
- Take a day trip to Cape Reinga at the very top of New Zealand's North Island NZ$117
- Carino Day Sailing NZ$130
- Discover the Bay NZ$149
- Island Adventure Fast Boat NZ$78
- Glide through NZ's Bay of Islands on a Parasailing experience in Paihia From NZ$95
- Auckland Bungy NZ$165
- Live life on the edge with a climb over Auckland's iconic harbour bridge NZ$130
- Sky Walk Sky Jump NZ$225
- Take a walk on the wild side with a Sky Walk around Auckland's 328m high Sky Tower NZ$150
- Get a multi-sensory icecream extravaganza with a Giapo Chef's Table icecream experience NZ$45
- Go white water rafting down the crashing Kaituna River NZ$99
- Hike the unique volcanic landscape of Mt Tarawera, Rotorua NZ$149
- Explore native rainforest at dawn with breakfast & coffee followed by ziplining on a Contiki Exclusive Rotorua Rainforest Canopy tour NZ$149
- Cook your kai (food) the traditional way over an active steam vent at Te Puia Maori Village, followed by a guided tour & hands-on weaving experience NZ$84
- Chris Jolly Dinner & Party Cruise NZ$80
- Take a leap over the lakeside town of Taupo with a tandem skydive From NZ$299
- Experience the rush of a Huka Falls Jet boat ride NZ$115
- Glacier Country Kayaks NZ$115
- Across Country Quad Bikes NZ$160
- Scenic Helicopter Flight and Glacier Landing From NZ$245
- Helihike NZ$439
- Carve your own pounamu (jade) pendant using traditional Māori methods with a master carver at Franz Josef
- Group Photograph NZ$19
- Queenstown Wine Trail
- Swing through the tree tops on a Ziptrek Zipline tour in Queenstown NZ$189
- Enjoy dinner with unparallelled views at Queenstown's Skyline restaurant NZ$85
- Canyon Swing NZ$215
- Funyaks NZ$359
- Take your happy hour in sub-zero temperatures at Queenstown's Ice Bar experience NZ$20
- Canyon Fox NZ$150
- Take the plunge on the world's OG bungy at Kawarau Bridge, Queenstown NZ$205
- Jump off the third highest bungy platform in the world at AJ Hackett's Nevis Bungy in Queenstown NZ$275
- Get a thrilling perspective of Queenstown's skyline with the famous AJ Hackett Ledge bungy NZ$205
- Go all out with Thrillogy - 3 of Queenstown's world class bungy jumps including the historic Kawarau Bungy, the freestyle Ledge Bungy, and the hair-raising Nevis Bungy NZ$420
- Take the swing of your life on the 300m Nevis Swing, one of the world's biggest canyon swings in Queenstown NZ$210
- Get your adrenalin pumping with AJ Hackett's Ledge Swing with sweeping views of Queenstown NZ$165
- Queenstown Adventurer Canyoning NZ$199
- Be awed by the magical twinkle of the Te Anau glowworm caves NZ$98
- Grand Traverse Scenic Flight NZ$340
Itinerary
175 Reviews
Sorry! The reviews aren't available for the chosen filter.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are flights included in my trip?
International flights to/from the destination your trip starts and ends in are not included in the cost of the trip, and must be purchased separately. You can book these independently if you want to shop around for the best quote, or through your travel agent.
Any flights you take during your Contiki are included in the cost of your trip. On certain Australian trips we use planes to get you from A to B as quickly as possible, and all of this is included.
What documents do I need to travel?
Depending on your nationality, you may require visas to enter Australia & New Zealand. You are fully responsible for obtaining all necessary visas prior to the departure of your trip. Contiki is not legally permitted to knowingly allow anybody who does not have a valid visa (if required) to join a trip. Visa & other entry & exit conditions such as currency, arrival/ departure taxes, customs & quarantine regulations change regularly, so make sure you stay up-to-date before you travel. See here for more info: https://www.australia.gov.au/information-and-services/immigration-and-visas
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/options/visit
It is also essential that you have any necessary vaccinations & comply with all laws of the countries visited.
What are the luggage restrictions?
On our Australia & New Zealand trips, you can bring one bag or suitcase of 73cm x 50cm x 25cm (29” x 20” x 10”), with a max weight of 20kg (44lbs) plus one piece of hand luggage suitable as a carry-on for flights.
What do the Contiki team do?
People are at the heart of everything we do, and our team is what makes our trips the best. Our worldwide On-Road Team, locally based staff & network of Local Guides are all extensively trained & widely travelled, & are the best in the business. But we know it’s not just about training, it’s about passion & our team have it in their blood.
Your Trip Manager is like your walking, talking guidebook – just for you. They plan your itinerary every day, organise your food and accomodation and book your Free Time Add ons, and because they know everything about where you’re going, you will too. Your Drivers are the experts on getting you from A to B efficiently and safely in Australia & New Zealand. They know their way around like the back of their hands & they’ll drop you at your door & unload your bags for you. Local Guides provide specialist knowledge when you need it, like when you’re journeying into the bush, and will always help you avoid the tourist traps.
How do I redeem the % off deal?
Our great deals and offers are only in market for a limited time are subject to pay in full deadlines. If you cannot pay in full by the specified date shown alongside the offer/deal you can still lock in the trip date of your choice at our Standard Price where normal payment terms of pay in full 45 days prior to your trip departing apply. Visit the deals page for the full terms & conditions. Discounts apply to the land portion of your trip price only (this excludes taxes, included flight costs, extra accommodation & optional activities. Your trip price does not include the costs of international flights that start or end your trip).