Our trips in New Zealand

How to choose your trip to New Zealand?

The first question to ask yourself concerns duration. For a first trip, we rarely recommend less than two weeks, as the country stretches 1,600 km from north to south with sometimes slow roads. A trip of 13 to 17 days allows you to discover an island in depth, for example the South Island between Christchurch, the west coast glaciers, Queenstown and Fiordland. To combine both islands without driving continuously, plan for 18 days or more, including the Wellington-Picton ferry crossing and a return domestic flight. Beyond that, three weeks open the way to less visited regions like Northland, the Catlins or Stewart Island.

Different types of trips

Our team builds three main families of itineraries. Cultural trips focus on meeting with the Māori iwi, the marae of Rotorua, Te Papa museum in Wellington and historic sites in the Bay of Islands. Adventure trips include hiking on the Tongariro Crossing or Routeburn Track, kayaking at Abel Tasman, glacier walking at Franz Josef and observing endemic wildlife. Family trips prioritize short stages, educational farms on the Coromandel Peninsula, natural hot springs and dolphin-watching cruises in Akaroa or Kaikoura.

What is the best season?

The austral summer, from December to March, remains the most requested period: temperatures between 18 and 28 °C, long days until 9 p.m. and all Great Walks accessible. February and March offer a good compromise with less crowds than the year-end holidays. Autumn from April to May dresses Wanaka and Central Otago in copper tones, ideal for photographers. Winter from June to September attracts skiers and southern lights enthusiasts, some passes close then and Fiordland becomes rainier. October and November correspond to spring, lambs in the pastures and still gentle prices.

Our quality commitment

Each New Zealand itinerary is developed by Maud, lead travel advisor at our Wellington office, who travels the roads of both islands herself to test accommodations, guides and service providers. The New Zealand office is registered with Atout France and benefits from APST financial protection, so you travel with the legal security of a French agency and the on-the-ground knowledge of a team based locally. English-speaking phone assistance remains available 24/7 during your stay.