New Zealand, Aotearoa in the native Maori language, is known for its stunning natural landscapes, mountain ranges, and diverse ecosystems. This trip begins in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. While in Abel Tasman National Park, travelers can enjoy beaches, take in views of granite cliffs, go kayaking, or go sailing. Travelers will then visit the town of Westport. From here, the group will drive down to Punakaiki for the Pancake Rocks trek, learning how these fascinating geological features were formed. Next, travelers will be taken to Franz Josef, a famous glacier that is approximately seven thousand years old. At Franz Josef, travelers can take a helicopter flight to see the glacier from above, hike, or kayak. Queenstown, the next stop on this trip, is a well-known adventure destination where travelers can go horseback riding, bungee jumping, jet boating, or enjoy a vineyard tour. From Queenstown, travelers will take a day trip to Milford Sound, one of the wettest places on Earth, with gorgeous mountains and an average of 182 millimeters of rain annually. Travelers will then return to Queenstown before departing to Tekapo, home to gorgeous blue water surrounded by mountains. After hiking and visiting Tekapo’s hot springs, travelers will then visit Christchurch. This is one of the largest cities in the country and is known as the Garden City. This trip’s last stop is Kaikoura, a destination for all things marine life. Here, travelers can go whale watching, kayaking, or hiking.
This is a 16-day trip that costs $2,249. It is an 18-Thirtysomethings trip catering to travelers ages 18-39. The trip is led by G Adventures, a sustainable, small group tour company that has been leading travelers for 35+ years. They have been pioneers in community tourism and their trips directly benefit the local communities they visit. They have a responsible travel effort called G For Good and partner with the nonprofit Planeterra, dedicated to ensuring communities touched by tourism benefit from it. They were rated one of CATALYST PLANET’s 8 Best Sustainable Travel Companies.