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WHAT TO EXPECT

Spectacular Scenery

Marvel at the fjords, lakes & mountains

Cultural Experiences

Enjoy a Māori evening in Rotorua

Boat Trips

Spot wildlife & natural wonders

South Island Serenity

Explore idyllic beauty & primeval land

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey with your fellow solo travellers to explore the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Traverse breathtaking mountain ranges, encounter natural marvels like thermal springs and geysers, and immerse yourself in the splendour of National Parks and serene lakes. Commencing our adventure in the northern hub of Auckland, the ‘City of Sails,’ we navigate the scenic Bay of Islands, roam the geothermic wonders of Rotorua, and step back in time to the 1930s in Napier. Our exploration culminates in the ‘windy city’ of Wellington, the vibrant capital.

Transitioning to the South Island, our expedition unfolds against the backdrop of the Southern Alps, where the majestic Mount Cook captivates with its awe-inspiring presence. Amidst the vast expanse of lakes, we embark on the scenic Tranz Alpine train journey, and for those seeking an extraordinary experience, the option to soar to Franz Joseph Glacier awaits. This journey promises an immersive encounter with the diverse landscapes and captivating wonders that define the unparalleled beauty of New Zealand.

Activity Level:

What's this?

What's Included

  • Return flights
  • Room for sole use
  • Welcome drink
  • Solos board - Breakfast daily, one lunch and six dinners
  • Sightseeing programme as listed in the day by day itinerary
  • Cruise along Milford Sound, Queen Charlotte Sound, Bay of Islands and Lake Wakatipu
  • Board the famous Tranz Alpine Railway
  • Māori experience in Rotorua
  • Accompanying Solos Tour Leader

Itinerary

  • Depart UK
  • Arrive into Auckland
  • Auckland to the Bay of Islands
  • Bay of Islands cruise
  • Bay of Islands to Auckland with city tour
  • Waitomo Caves
  • Rotorua
  • Napier
  • Napier to Wellington
  • Wellington
  • Cruise from North Island to the South Island
  • Tranz-Alpine rail journey and Franz Joseph
  • Scenic drive to Queenstown
  • Queenstown
  • Milford Sound
  • Te Anau and Twizel
  • Mount Cook
  • Christchurch
  • Depart New Zealand
  • Return to the UK

What’s Extra

  • You do not need a visa to enter New Zealand if you are a visitor staying less than 6 months. You do need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA). Cost from NZD $17
  • Insurance – see here
  • Meals, drinks, tips, personal expenses and all services not note specifically mentioned in the program
DAY 1

Overnight flight from the UK

We begin our journey to the other side of the world, departing the UK this evening, for a connecting flight, arriving in New Zealand two days later.

 

DAY 2

Continue on to New Zealand

Due to flying around the world and time zones, we lose a day on the way out, don’t worry, we get it back on our return.

DAY 3

Arrival into Auckland

Welcome to New Zealand! We transfer to our hotel, joining our fellow solo travellers this evening for a welcome drink and dinner.

  • Dinner Included
DAY 4

Head to the Bay of Islands

Today we depart Auckland and travel north over the Auckland Harbour Bridge. We visit the Reed Memorial Park in Whangarei, featuring a magnificent elevated canopy walkway through a remnant kauri forest. Maturing kauri trees known to be at least 500 years old can be easily viewed close-up during our walk, whilst also taking in views of New Zealand’s native bush, meandering streams, and the Whangarei Falls – a picturesque waterfall that drops vertically for 26.3 metres over basalt rock cliffs.

From Whangarei, we continue north, reaching Paihia (the main town of the Bay of Islands), a stunning region of 144 secluded islands, peppered with natural wonders and marine life. Regarded as the birthplace of New Zealand as a bi-cultural nation, the Bay of Islands is rich in both Māori culture and early European history.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 5

Cruising through the Bay of Islands to Russell

This morning, we enjoy a cruise out into the Bay, meandering around the idyllic beaches of the islands that make this area so popular. Continuing on to Cape Brett and the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’ where, conditions permitting, the boat travels slowly through before returning to the lovely seaside settlement of Russell which retains a quaint colonial charm. We return to Paihia by ferry at our leisure.

This afternoon can be enjoyed at leisure.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 6

Sightseeing in Auckland

After a leisurely start to the morning, we depart the Bay of Islands and travel south. Following the Twin Coast Discovery Highway through Whangarei to Auckland City, we cross the Harbour Bridge. On arrival, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of the ‘City of Sails’, with panoramic city and harbour views from Bastion Point, trendy Parnell Village, the lovely bays of the waterfront drive and the vibrant Viaduct Harbour area. We also head to the Auckland Museum for a guided tour which gives an excellent introduction to the artistic legacy and cultures of the peoples of the Pacific; the monumental carvings, buildings, canoes and taonga (treasures) of the Māori; and the diversity of cultures which now combine to form the rich tapestry of race, nationality and creed that is modern New Zealand.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 7

Waitomo Caves and on to Roturua

This morning, we depart Auckland and travel south through the southern suburbs of Auckland then over the Bombay Hills and through the lush Waikato Valley, famous for its highly productive dairy industry and on to the Waitomo Cave region. Enjoy a guided tour of the famous limestone caves including a boat ride on an underground river into the magnificent Glow-worm Grotto. We continue across the bush clad Mamaku Ranges to Rotorua, in the heart of New Zealand’s famous thermal region.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 8

National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa & Māori culture experience

This morning, we visit the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa – the world leaders in kiwi husbandry, egg incubation systems, hatching techniques and kiwi chick rearing. Your visit here will showcase how Kiwi recovery programmes play their part to bring this treasured icon back from the brink of extinction on the New Zealand mainland.

Afterwards, we enjoy a Redwood Treewalk Day Walk located in Redwood Grove and consisting of 21 suspension bridges traversing between 22 Californian coastal redwoods that are 115-years old. The elevated walkways give us a unique view of the native undergrowth below from up to 12-metres above the ground.  At 553-metres long, the walkway allows plenty of time to appreciate the beauty of the forest.

After some free time in the city, we visit Te Puia and the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Centre for a guided tour, followed by the Te Po (the night) experience – an immersive feast of indigenous cultural storytelling, entertainment and food.  The guided tour provides a premier Māori culture experience, combined with an introduction to the magnificent geothermal activity in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Whilst in the valley, we see the boiling mud pools, steaming silica terraces, hot springs and geysers, including the famous Pohutu Geyser which can erupt up to 30 metres high, depending on its mood.

After dinner, we enjoy a cultural performance, where highlights include waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
DAY 9

Shores of Lake Taupo and on to Napier

We depart Rotorua and travel via New Zealand’s largest pine tree forests to Taupo, stopping en- route at Huka Falls to marvel at the mighty Waikato River thundering through the narrow canyon. Continuing through the resort town of Taupo and around the shores of Lake Taupo which is New Zealand’s largest lake and a world-renowned trout fishery. We travel across the Rangitaiki Plains to Hawke’s Bay, and the seaside city of Napier. Napier was devastated by an earthquake in 1931 and was rebuilt during the period when Art Deco Architecture was fashionable. The area is also one of New Zealand’s top grape growing regions, with some of the country’s best-known wines coming from Hawke’s Bay.

This afternoon we have a 1.5 hour guided Art Deco Walking Tour. The tour will commence at the Art Deco Centre with a viewing of the 1931 Earthquake film, where you will hear of the devastation of the city and the stories of the people it left behind.  Then we embark on a 1-hour walk with a professionally trained Art Deco Trust guide, who will bring Napier’s fascinating architectural history to life as we stroll through the compact Art Deco Quarter in the vibrant city centre.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 10

Journey from Napier to Wellington

Today we travel south by coach through Hastings and the Hawkes Bay sheep and cattle farming country to Woodville, before driving on through Wellington’s northern suburbs and into New Zealand’s capital city,  built on the hills around a magnificent natural harbour.

  • Breakfast Included

 

DAY 11

Sightseeing Tour of Wellington

This morning we depart for a sightseeing tour of Wellington. Highlights include visits to the Parliament Building, the Lady Norwood Rose Gardens, Mt. Victoria, Oriental Bay, Wellington Harbour, and Marine Parade. We ride the cable car to Kelburn to enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the city and harbour.

Finishing the sightseeing tour with a visit Te Papa, the superb National Museum, we spend the remainder of the day at leisure to explore Wellington City.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 12

Cruise to the South Island

Today we jump aboard a cruise though Wellington Harbour out onto the Cook Strait on the Interislander and through New Zealand’s only true sound – the picturesque Queen Charlotte Sound into Picton. The bustling port of Picton is the terminal for inter-island ferries, and gateway to the ‘Mainland’ – the South Island’s self-proclaimed nickname.

After arriving in Picton and meeting our South Island driver, we board the coach and travel south along a thin ledge of land pinned between the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and the rugged ranges to Kaikoura, where the mountains meet the sea. From here, we travel south across the farmlands of the North Canterbury Plains, before arriving in Christchurch to soak up the sights of the ‘Garden City’ – also known as ‘the most English city outside of England’, en route to the accommodation in Christchurch.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 13

Tranz-Alpine Rail Journey

From Christchurch, we traverse the Southern Alps aboard the famous Tranz-Alpine rail journey to Arthurs Pass. From our carriage, we will see the fields of the Canterbury Plains and farmland, followed by the spectacular gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River. Our train then climbs into the Southern Alps. Crossing Southern Alps, into the village of Arthurs Pass where we will be met by the coach to continue our journey to the West Coast – or  ‘the Coast’ as locals call it, stopping in Hokitika where a visit is made to the Greenstone and Glass Blowing factories. Further south, we tour the Westland National Park – home of Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.

While here, there is the option to take a 20 minute scenic helicopter flight to get up close, and touch the snow glacier of Franz Joseph.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
DAY 14

Heading south towards Queenstown

Driving towards the southern end of the South Island’s West Coast Road, there is a strong sense of entering a primeval land, and a feeling of total isolation. Arriving at Haast, we are surrounded by a landscape of rainforest, wetlands, sand dunes and surf-pounded shingle beaches. This wilderness forms part of the Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area, so designated because South Westland and Fiordland have some of the most dramatic forest and mountain scenery and natural resources in the world. From the Westland National Park, travel through the Haast River valleys and over the Haast Pass to Makaroa and onto the upper reaches of Lake Wanaka. Travelling past Lake Hawea, we reach the popular Lake Wanaka – the starting point of the mighty Clutha River. This afternoon, we travel via Cromwell following the Kawarau Gorge Road into Queenstown. Tonight is free for us to explore the local restaurants, cafes and bars.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 15

Free time in Queenstown

Today is spent at leisure in Queenstown, with a variety of sightseeing activities available at an additional cost. Options include jet boating, guided walks, lake cruises on vintage steamer TSS Earnslaw, four-wheel-drive excursion focussing on film locations used in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, river rafting or if you dare – bungee jumping!

This evening, enjoy a taste of rural life in New Zealand. Steeped in Queenstown’s pioneering history, the experience commences with a cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the 1912 vintage steamship – the TSS Earnslaw. We disembark at Walter Peak High Country Farm, one of the first farms set up in the region and still a working farm.  In the ambience of the Colonel’s Homestead, we enjoy a delicious gourmet BBQ dinner which the chef will prepare in front of us. After dinner, enjoy an entertaining brief farm experience, including a sheep shearing demonstration. On the magical night-time cruise home, enjoy the camaraderie of a sing-along with the ship’s pianist or breathe in the fresh night air on the moonlit decks as we watch the lights of Queenstown draw nearer.

  • Breakfast and dinner included.
DAY 16

Scenic Cruise down Milford Sound

We depart early this morning and travel around Lake Wakatipu and through Te Anau and the Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound. Fiordland National Park, part of the UNESCO Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area, is one of the great wilderness areas of the Southern Hemisphere. The scenery is spectacular, with lofty mountains and deep valleys carved out by Ice Age glaciers. There are clear rushing streams and leaping waterfalls set in magnificent native rainforest. We board a comfortable vessel for a scenic cruise down Milford Sound, past towering Mitre Peak to the Tasman Sea. Seals and dolphins are often seen in the clear waters of the fjord. A picnic lunch will served on board. Following the cruise, we board the coach to retrace your journey back to Te Anau, travelling via the Cleddeau Gorge, Homer Tunnel and the lovely Eglinton Valley.

  • Breakfast & Lunch Included
DAY 17

Te Anau and Twizel

Today we retrace our journey back to Queenstown Junction, calling into Arrowtown – a township with a colourful history set on the banks of the Arrow River. Many of the original sycamore trees, planted by the goldminers, cover the town’s cottages and stone buildings. In its heyday, Arrowtown was a rough and ready frontier town. There are many beautiful and interesting walks around this historical area or we may wish to visit some of the excellent art galleries, cafés or boutiques that now line the main street. From Arrowtown, we travel north through the rugged Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell in a popular stone-fruit growing area. Passing pretty Lake Dunstan and crossing the distinctive Central Otago countryside to the dramatic Lindis Pass which links Central Otago with the Mackenzie Basin, we arrive at Twizel in the late afternoon. Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant tonight.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
DAY 18

Mount Cook

This morning we depart Twizel and drive along the shores of Lake Pukaki into Mt Cook National Park. At the heart of New Zealand’s most spectacular alpine region is Mt Cook, at 3754 metres the highest peak in Australasia. We can enjoy some time at Mt Cook Village.

Retracing our journey back along Lake Pukaki, we continue to Tekapo to see the magnificent blue waters of Lake Tekapo. Here, we also visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and the statue of the Collie dog, before travelling the vast Mackenzie Basin, over Burke’s Pass through Fairlie, Geraldine, Ashburton and across the Canterbury Plains into Christchurch.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 19

Christchurch

This morning, we depart on a sightseeing tour of Christchurch City. Highlights include Cathedral Square, the River Avon and Hagley Park.

The remainder of the day can be enjoyed at leisure, with an all-day pass on the restored heritage Christchurch Tram included so we can enjoy a journey in style through the changing face of Christchurch’s city centre.  Knowledgeable drivers will inform us about the city, its landmarks, and local sights.  Our day-long ticket allows us to get on and off the tram as often as we please. The journey takes us to the appropriate stops for Punting on the Avon and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens Tour. Cathedral Junction, the Avon River, Gothic-style Arts Centre, the Canterbury Museum and New Regent Street are just some of sights to be seen from the comfort of the tram or accessed from the 17 stops en route. Board at any of the 17 Tram stops and get on and off with your ticket throughout the day. The Trams run every 15-20 minutes.

Tonight, we enjoy a farewell dinner at the Curators House, situated in a heritage building in the lovely Botanic Gardens. With its own kitchen garden, fresh regional produce is served, with a Spanish influence.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
DAY 20

Flight home

After breakfast, we will be transferred from the hotel to Christchurch Airport for our flight back home.

  • Breakfast Included
DAY 21

Arrive back into the UK

Today we arrive back in to the UK

Accommodation

New Zealand

We stay in comfortable hotels throughout as detailed below (or similar);

  • Grand Millennium Hotel Auckland – 2 nights
  • Kingsgate Hotel Autolodge Paihia – 2 nights
  • Distinction Hotel Rotorua – 2 nights
  • Scenic Hotel Te Pania – 1  night
  • James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor – 2 nights
  • Quality Elms Hotel – 1 night
  • Scenic Hotel Franz Josef – 1 night
  • Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront – 2 nights
  • Distinction Hotel Luxmore – 1 night
  • MacKenzie Country Hotel – 1 night
  • Quality Elms Hotel – 2 nights

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Our Reviews

“I’m sure you will enjoy it, I have been on three solos holidays to date and the people I’ve met have been great.”

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“The feeling you have once you go away on your own is worth all the nerves before! I was so very anxious the first time but now having done it 4 times, I love it!”

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