New Zealand Rail and Cruise Discovery
From $11,995 per person twin share | 19 Days Rail & Cruise
Explore New Zealand’s highlights, riding on iconic rail lines and taking an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound/Patea. Take the TranzAlpine train across the Southern Alps and journey aboard the Coastal Pacific. Explore Stewart Island/Rakiura, the country’s southernmost community, visit Queenstown, cruise through Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, discover Rotorua geothermal wonders and wander the enchanting Hamilton Gardens.
Tour Departure: 2027-2029
Trip code: NRR19
New Zealand Rail and Cruise Discovery
Enjoy special Insider Experiences and optional Enhance Your Journey activities available on your premium tour, ensuring an immersive journey perfectly suited to you.
- Experiences in 16 destinations
- Locally inspired dining – a total of 31 meals
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Freedom of Choice inclusions in six locations
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Delight in a unique, interactive dining experience at Cordis Hotel’s Eight Restaurant during a farewell dinner
- 18 nights in hand-picked accommodation
- Services of an APT Tour Director and driver, plus expert local guides
- Savour a unique drinks and canapé experience on the Christchurch Tramway, New Zealand's only dining tramcar
- Encounter the Southern Ocean’s wildlife during a thrilling Monarch Wildlife Cruise in Dunedin
Tour Highlights
These are carefully crafted experiences designed to take your holiday from amazing to extraordinary.
TranzAlpine Train
Experience the romance of rail travel aboard the TranzAlpine train as you traverse the South Island from coast to coast. Admire ever-changing landscapes and spectacular gorges as you journey through the famous Southern Alps and alongside the Waimakariri River on one of the world’s most scenic rail routes.
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi Cruise
A cruise through Milford Sound/Piopiotahi draws you into a magical world of snow-dusted mountains, breathtaking scenery and engaging wildlife. Edge close to tumbling waterfalls and colonies of seals and penguins, all beneath the ramparts of mighty peaks that rise sheer from the water as they stretch to the vast sky above.
Overnight Doubtful Sound/Patea Cruise
Step aboard your ship for a spectacular overnight cruise to discover rugged peaks, hidden islets and pristine rainforests of Doubtful Sound/Patea. The fiord spans 40 kilometres and is renowned as the deepest of New Zealand's 14 fiords. While here among the epic, ancient landscape, stay alert for sightings of the country's southernmost population of bottlenose dolphins and tawaki, the Fiordland Crested Penguin.
Aoraki/Mount Cook
Journey into Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, a bewildering landscape of towering mountain peaks, alpine herb fields and epic glaciers. See New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook, and stay at the iconic Hermitage Hotel. Indulge in a delicious seasonal menu, which incorporates the finest local ingredients, at the hotel’s Alpine Restaurant.
Coastal Pacific Train
Join the Coastal Pacific train at Christchurch Station, riding it all the way to beautiful Picton in the Marlborough Sounds region. Be inspired by the magnificent landscapes nestled between the mountains and sea as you travel along one of the most picturesque rail journeys in the country.
Te Pā Tū
Enjoy a feast of Māori delicacies and performance of haka, song and storytelling at Te Pā Tū (Māori village). Over a magical evening, you will be welcomed with a haka pōwhiri (cultural welcome) and then be treated to further captivating performances while enjoying canapés, chef-selected aperitifs and a seasonal three-course dinner.
Day 1: Arrive Christchurch
- Signature Experience – Tram Ride Through Christchurch
Day 2: Christchurch
- Freedom of Choice – Akaroa Nature Cruise
- Freedom of Choice – Punting on the Avon
- Freedom of Choice – Ōtautahi Christchurch City Meander Walking Tour
Day 3: Christchurch, TranzAlpine Train, Greymouth, Franz Josef/Waiau
- Signature Experience – TranzAlpine Train
- Signature Experience – Franz Josef/Waiau
Day 4: Franz Josef/Waiau, Queenstown
Day 5: Queenstown
- Freedom of Choice – 'The Lord of the Rings’ 4WD Safari
- Freedom of Choice – Skippers Canyon
- Freedom of Choice – Dart River Wilderness Jet
- Freedom of Choice – Wine Tour
- Freedom of Choice – Best of Queenstown
Day 6: Queenstown, Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, Te Anau
- Signature Experience – Milford Sound/Piopiotahi Cruise
- Signature Experience – Taste of Fiordland Dinner
Day 7: Te Anau, Doubtful Sound/ Patea
- Signature Experience – Doubtful Sound/Patea Overnight Cruise
Day 8: Doubtful Sound/Patea, Invercargill
Day 9: Invercargill
- Freedom of Choice – Stewart Island Day Trip with Return Ferry Transfers
- Freedom of Choice – Bill Richardson Transport World and Motorcycle Mecca Guided Tour
- Freedom of Choice – High Tea at Distinction Invercargill Hotel
Day 10: Invercargill, Dunedin
- Signature Experience – Monarch Wildlife Cruise
Day 11: Dunedin, Aoraki/Mount Cook
- Signature Experience – Aoraki/Mount Cook
Day 12: Aoraki/Mount Cook, Christchurch
Day 13: Coastal Pacific Train, Picton, Interislander Ferry, Wellington
- Signature Experience – Coastal Pacific Train
- Signature Experience – Interislander Ferry
Day 14: Wellington
- Freedom of Choice – Wētā Workshop
- Freedom of Choice – Introducing Te Papa Tour
- Freedom of Choice – Seal Coast Safari
- Freedom of Choice – Garage Project's Wild Workshop Beer Tasting
Day 16: Rotorua
- Freedom of Choice – Rotorua Icons
- Freedom of Choice – Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
- Freedom of Choice – Eco-Thermal Tour
- Freedom of Choice – Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa.
- Signature Experience – Te Pā Tū
Day 17: Rotorua, Hamilton, Auckland
- Signature Experience – Hamilton Gardens Visit
Day 18: Auckland
- Freedom of Choice – Auckland Harbour Sailing Cruise
- Freedom of Choice – All Blacks Experience
- Freedom of Choice – Wētā Workshop Unleashed
- Freedom of Choice – Te Wao Nui – The Living Realm at Auckland Zoo
- Freedom of Choice – Bush and Beach Wilderness Adventure
Day 19: Depart Auckland
Freedom of Choice - Give your holiday a personal touch with a choice of included sightseeing and dining options to suit your interests.
Signature Experience - These all-inclusive, once-in-a-lifetime moments allow you to experience an unforgettable world of exclusive moments, incredible cultures and charming surprises.
Planning your next adventure is thrilling! While we hope for smooth travels, preparing for the unexpected is always smart. We highly recommend getting travel insurance when you book. Whether it's a medical emergency, a flight cancellation, a delayed suitcase, or an unforeseen event, ensure you're covered. For more info and advice, please visit: www.twac.com.au/travel-insurance or talk to your TWAC travel consultant.
Voluntary Changes
Includes booking changes requested by you, including but not limited to those changes requiring an airline ticket or a Purchase Confirmation reissue.
• Changes - $100.00 per booking + additional charges from the airline/cruise company/accommodation/other travel providers.
Name Changes Due To Passenger Error
• If the incorrect name has been advised to TWAC, charges of $100.00 per booking + any additional charges applied by the airline/cruise company/accommodation/other travel providers.
Supplier Fees
In the event the Travel Offer you have purchased is unable to proceed, and/or a travel Supplier is unable to fulfil the Travel Offer due to external circumstances (Limitation of Liability e.g. a Force Majeure event), there may be a fee or amount of money that is withheld by our Suppliers and is unrecoverable. This may be due to non-refundable airline tickets, cancellation penalties with cruise cabins or unrecoverable payments with our land/accommodation partners. TWAC has committed to these costs as your Agent and will endeavour to recover all funds committed and/or paid for your Travel Offer, but this may not be possible in all circumstances. If refunds are unavailable from Suppliers, we will endeavour to obtain a travel credit on the best terms available and communicate these outcomes to you. If TWAC cannot obtain a refund or travel service credit, or part thereof, this cost is passed on to the customer as a Supplier Fee. This fee is not revenue-raising and is paid to or withheld by our suppliers when recovering payments.
Save up to $700 per person*: This offer is valid on select trips and departure dates until 31 October 2026 or until sold out (whichever is earlier). The amounts saved will vary whether the booking is per couple or per person. Any available credit is not transferrable or redeemable for cash. To obtain this offer, a non-refundable deposit per person is due within seven (7) days of booking and final payment will be due 100 days prior to the tour's departure date. If any of these payment dates are not complied with, then the offer may be revoked. Our standard terms and conditions will also apply.
Discover the World Sale: Book by 28 October 2026 unless sold out prior. Enhanced Market Offer applicable on select tours departing in 2027. Combinable with Early Payment Discount, Travel With Friends Discount, Standard Event Discounts, 5% Future Travel Voucher. Offers are not combinable with distress offers, other exclusive/campaign offers, and VIP Agent Deals. Advertised offers on aptouring.com.au include the enhanced value. Our standard terms and conditions will also apply, refer to individual trips. Offer is valid for new bookings only, subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time.
General Information & Conditions: Offers are available for travellers departing from select countries. All pricing and save amounts are in Australian Dollars. Information is correct as at the time of publishing, but may fluctuate due to changes in surcharges, taxes or currency. A strictly limited number of offers are available on selected itineraries and departure dates in selected suites/staterooms/cabins/room categories. Offers are subject to availability, not combinable unless specified, available on new bookings only and may be withdrawn at any time. A non-refundable deposit per person is due within seven days (7) of booking. Final payment is due 100 days prior to the tour’s departure date. Your booking contract is with Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd (APT), and incorporates all of the terms and conditions. APT recommends that you read and understand your contract, and ask APT or your travel agent if you require any clarification. Our standard terms and conditions will also apply.
Although you should read all of the terms and conditions, the following is a summary of the most important:
- Our travel package is non-refundable, however you will receive a travel credit to be applied to our travel services.
- You, as our client, agree to check all documentation immediately for errors. Travel With A Cause (TWAC) does not take responsibility for incorrect dates or names supplied.
- Prices, including, in some cases, of confirmed bookings, may be subject to change.
- Some confirmed bookings are non-refundable if cancelled by you and it is your responsibility to check if this applies.
- We will be entitled to retain our service fees even if a booking is cancelled or does not proceed for any reason which is not our fault.
- It is your responsibility to make yourself aware of all information relevant to your travel plans, including but not limited to visa requirements and health precautions.
- There may be some additional fees or other incentives from Suppliers.
- We are not liable for the recent updates of any published Supplier content including websites and brochures
CANCELLATION POLICY
Tour packages are non-refundable. If your tour package is affected by Covid-19 related travel restrictions and you are unable to travel, you will receive either a free date change (credit that is specific to your original package and purchase value) or an open credit less any non-recoverable supplier fees to the value of your original purchase for use on any other tour or package available via the TWAC website.
Please note: Date change credits are subject to availability and not guaranteed until confirmed by TWAC, not the tour operator you are due to stay with.
We recommend you consider purchasing travel insurance with Covid-19 protection. The standard cancellation policy will apply if you cannot travel because you have tested positive for Covid-19.
Please note: All additional charges are payable in AUD (unless otherwise stated).
