iStock International
A glimpse of pristine New Zealand landscapes
New Zealand Itineraries
You really need a month to do New Zealand properly, but with some compromises and targeted planning, you can make do with less time. If you only have one week, limit yourself to Queenstown, where the combination of scenery, vineyards, and outdoor pursuits provide the best overall New Zealand experience. With two weeks, you can do everything covered in this guide—Auckland, the wine trail, Wellington, Queenstown, and a fly-and-cruise to Milford Sound—albeit at a harried clip with driving, ferry rides, and some internal flights thrown in. With three weeks, you can opt to spend longer in each place or tack on side trips to South Island’s impressive Fox and Franz Josef glaciers and North Island’s warm geothermal mineral pools, in spiritual Rotorua. With a month, you can do all of this—and explore the northern reaches of North Island, where the Bay of Plenty’s windswept beaches and enduring Maori traditions beckon.
$89+: Iowa Courtyard Marriott stay w/hot brkfst buffet Marriott Hotels
$349+: Discount flights to New Zealand (each way) Qantas Vacations
$1899+: New Zealand 16-day tour w/flight from Los Angeles Qantas Vacations