New Zealand Amplified (Southbound)

17 Days | An unforgettable journey through the Land of the Long White Cloud

3.4 out of 5 based on 5 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
USD $3,355
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When it comes to inspiring scenery, fascinating culture and inviting locals, New Zealand is as good as it gets. From the volcanic landscapes of the North Island to the snow-dusted scenery of the South Island, there’s always something remarkable to look at. Set off on a 17-day adventure through the beaches of the Coromandel Peninsula, bubbling hot pools of Rotorua, endless waters of Lake Taupo and cityscapes of Wellington. Cross to the Cook Strait and encounter the glory of the South Island, from Kaikoura’s abundant wildlife to Queenstown’s high adrenaline activities and Franz Josef Glacier’s icy beauty.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Accommodation on this trip is in mixed-gender multi-share dormitory style hostels with shared facilities. We are aware of a system functionality limitation incorrectly indicating "twin-share" when you manage your booking on our website.

Trip overview

Map of New Zealand Amplified (Southbound) including New Zealand
Start
Auckland, New Zealand
Finish
Christchurch, New Zealand
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
New Zealand
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Basix
Ages
Min 18
Group size
Min 6 - Max 16
Trip code
PHRWC
We’re in the process of figuring out how much CO2-e this trip generates. In the meantime, find out more about our climate commitments and carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Visit a Maori village where profits from your visit are fed back into the community, learn the haka and Maori weaving before tucking into a traditional hangi dinner.
  • Experience the geothermal delights of Rotorua, watch New Zealand’s largest geyser erupt and observe adorable kiwis in a nocturnal house at a conservation centre.
  • A little piece of paradise awaits on the Coromandel Peninsula – dig your own natural hot tub on Hot Water Beach and check out the much-photographed Cathedral Cove.
  • Calling all adventure seekers! Queenstown is overflowing with adrenaline-pumping activities, so dive straight in or sit back with a glass of world-class local wine.
  • All aboard for one of the world’s most spectacular train journeys – take the famous TranzAlpine through the Southern Alps from the West Coast to Christchurch.

Is this trip right for you?
  • This trip is operated and run by Haka Tours, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Haka customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Haka Tours to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time in New Zealand.
  • Accommodation on this trip is in mixed-gender multi-share dormitory style hostels with shared facilities. Dorms generally consist of 4-8 beds (private rooms are available on request).

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 September 2023 to 04 June 2025.

View the itinerary for departures between 05 June 2025 - 31 August 2026

Map of New Zealand Amplified (Southbound) including New Zealand

Inclusions

Meals

16 breakfasts, 1 dinner

Transport

Private Vehicle, Train, Ferry

Accommodation

Multi-share hostel with shared facilities (16 nights)

Activities
  • Coromandel Peninsula - Hot Water Beach
  • Rotorua - Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
  • Coromandel Peninsula - Cathedral Cove
  • Murupara - Hangi Dinner
  • Rotorua - Pohutu Geyser
  • Rotorua - Visit Te Puia Maori Village
  • Murupara - Learn to Weave Flax
  • Murupara - Learn the Haka
  • Murupara - Village Tour with Maori Elder
  • Tongariro National Park - Scenic Drive
  • Wellington - Mount Victoria Lookout
  • Marlborough - Cook Strait Ferry Crossing
  • Kaikoura - Visit to a Seal Colony
  • Lake Tekapo - Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd
  • Christchurch - City Tour
  • Queenstown - Kawarau Gorge
  • Arrowtown - Village visit
  • West Coast - Haast Pass
  • West Coast - Lake Hawea Lookout
  • Franz Josef - Carve your own Pounamu Necklace
  • Greymouth - Tranz Alpine Train Journey
  • Hokitika - Mountain Jade Greenstone Factory
Add on activities
  • Coromandel Peninsula - Cathedral Cove Kayaking - NZD175
  • Rotorua - Forest Ziplining Canopy Tour - from - (3.5hrs) - NZD249
  • Rotorua - River Sledging - NZD135
  • Rotorua - ZORB - from - NZD40
  • Rotorua - Whitewater Rafting - NZD129
  • Rotorua - Redwoods Nightlights Tree Walk - NZD37
  • Rotorua - Guided Glowworm Kayak, Hot Pools & Dinner - NZD300
  • Taupo - Water Touch Bungy - NZD235
  • Taupo - Skydive - from - NZD660
  • Taupo - Lake Taupo Sailing Adventure - NZD69
  • Taupo - Tongariro Crossing Return Shuttle to/from Trail Head (Nov-Apr only) - NZD130
  • Wellington - Weta Workshop Cave Tour - NZD55
  • Kaikoura - Dolphin Encounter - NZD120
  • Kaikoura - Whale Watching - NZD250
  • Kaikoura - Albatross Encounter - NZD185
  • Kaikoura - Wildlife Kayaking - NZD140
  • Lake Tekapo - Tekapo Springs Hot Pool - NZD50
  • The Crater Experience - NZD120
  • The Summit Experience - NZD190
  • Lake Tekapo - Hike up Mt John - Free
  • Queenstown - Kawarau Bridge Bungy - NZD265
  • Queenstown - Canyoning - NZD239
  • Queenstown - Shotover River Jet Boat Ride - NZD135
  • Queenstown - Lord of the Rings 4WD Tour - NZD270
  • Queenstown - Canyon Swing - from - NZD590
  • Queenstown - Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Day Trip - NZD665
  • Queenstown - Milford Sound Coach-Cruise-Coach Day Trip - NZD245
  • Queenstown - Skydiving - from - NZD415
  • Queenstown - Nevis Bungy - NZD395
  • Queenstown - Milford Sound Coach-Cruise-Fly Day Trip - NZD749
  • Queenstown - Skyline Gondola - NZD52
  • Queenstown - Dart River Funyaks - from - NZD429
  • Queenstown - Time Tripper - NZD15
  • Wanaka - Happy Hour on the Lake - NZD59
  • Wanaka - Mou Waho Island Cruise & Guided Nature Walk - NZD159
  • Wanaka - Skydiving - from - NZD379
  • Wanaka - Flying Lessons - NZD388
  • Wanaka - Mou Waho Island Cruise - NZD119
  • Wanaka - Waterfall Climbing - from - NZD199
  • Franz Josef - Glacier Lake Kayaking - NZD165
  • Franz Josef - Glacier Heli Hike - NZD795
  • Franz Josef - Heli Experience with Snow Landing - NZD325
  • Franz Josef - Skydiving - from - NZD399

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. This trip starts in Auckland on Day 1 at 8am. You will depart the city immediately after the welcome meeting. This trip ends on Day 17 in Christchurch and you are free to leave at any time.
2. Accommodation on this trip is in multi-share hostels. Multishare typically includes 4-8 beds. You may be required to share with group members of a different gender, couples and non-Intrepid travellers outside of your group. People travelling together may occasionally be separated due to rooming configurations.
3. A single supplement (with shared bathroom facilities) is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. If you are a single traveller this will give you a single room, if you are travelling as a couple a double room will be allocated to you. The single supplement excludes Day 4 (Murupara) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
4. This trip requires a minimum number of booked customers to guarantee the departure. Your Booking Agent will advise at time of booking if the departure has met minimum numbers. If minimum numbers are not met, you will be advised no later than 56 days out from departure (prior to full payment due). We recommend arranging flights and related travel services once your departure is guaranteed. In the event that your departure is cancelled due to minimum numbers not being met, a full refund will be provided of monies paid.
5. This trip is operated and run by Haka Tours, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Haka customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Haka Tours to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time in New Zealand.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

3.4 out of 5 based on 5 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Alice · Traveled November 2023
Review submitted 08 Dec 2023

Nicola · Traveled April 2023
New Zealand was very beautiful with its high mountains, lakes, colourful leaves, hot springs and Maori culture. I very much enjoyed the ferry from North to South island and ferry to Waiheke ialand. The train journey from Greymouth to Christchurch was great and shopping for greenstone or pounamu too :)
Review submitted 30 Apr 2023

Jessica · Traveled March 2023
I hate to write this because I've done several trips with Intrepid over the years and have only ever had wonderful experiences, but this trip was so disorganized and I would not recommend doing this basic style trip until some logistics improve. The trip is run by Haka Tours which Intrepid partners with. I landed in New Zealand three days before my trip to an email that my trip had been canceled due to staffing shortages. I'm not sure how they did not know this in advance. Luckily I was flexible and able to get rebooked on the next trip which started nine days later, but I had to cancel my plans and rebook things last minute which ended up costing me double. The tour itself was led by someone who was new to the company and didn't have the best organizational skills. The company scheduled some pre-booked activities for times that didn't fit into the itinerary. We had to book our own activities because the guide didn't feel comfortable and got overwhelmed. We missed some included activities. The hostels are hit or miss. Some are new and modern, others old and basic. Be aware that the rooms range from 4-20 beds, they are mixed-gender rooms and you could be staying in a room with people not from your tour group which I did not expect. Some hostels only had one outlet for everyone to share, sometimes the wi-fi didn't work, sometimes the shower water was cold, etc. Hostels don't include breakfast so the guide is responsible for buying groceries for communal breakfasts. All things to keep in mind. On a positive note, New Zealand is a beautiful country with stunning landscapes and so much to offer! I enjoyed the itinerary and the included activities and I would definitely go back and explore more on my own.
Review submitted 03 Apr 2023

Anita · Traveled December 2022
Tour was extremely disappointing, 3 tour guides which one was just a driver (last one was amazing). Missed lots of included activities and those which were not due to poor organisation. Hostel were horrible.
Review submitted 08 Jan 2023

Rebecca · Traveled July 2022
I did the NZ Amplified (Southbound) 17 day tour - the best experience and tour I've done; knowledge and super friendly guides and group; extreme sports and activities to do along the way. Highly recommend.
Review submitted 29 Jul 2022
New Zealand Amplified (Southbound)
From
USD $3,355