FAMILY VACATION
Activity Level 2
Hikes on our Level 2 adventures are considered easy to moderate in difficulty.
Read more about the Active Range
Price
from USD 5651/per adult + tax
Operated by our sister brand Austin Adventures
Activity Level 1
Suitable for most fitness levels, our Level 1 adventures are the perfect introduction to adventure travel.
You'll typically experience two half day activities per day, done at an easygoing pace.
Activity Level 2
Hikes on our Level 2 adventures are considered easy to moderate in difficulty.
Those who enjoy half-day hikes with enough elevation gain to elevate their heart rate will enjoy these adventures.
Activity Level 3
Those who take on our Level 3 tours are looking for more challenging hikes that will raise their heart rate.
While not our most strenuous trips, you'll definitely feel accomplished after a day on the trails. A solid base of fitness is advised.
Activity Level 4
Be prepared for some serious physical activity on our Level 4 trips. The fitter you are, the more you'll enjoy it, as most hikes will be challenging.
Hikes may include rock scrambling, river crossings, and off trail adventures.
Activity Level 5
On our Level 5 trips get ready to conquer back-to-back days of long hikes or summitting peaks at altitude.
We require a high level of fitness as adventurers will be met with plenty of challenges and sometimes extreme conditions.
Explore incredible landscapes of the South Island of New Zealand as a family, from Christchurch to Queenstown and back again, on our 13-day New Zealand Family vacation. Along with two incredible guides who take care of every last detail, you'll be amazed by the new challenges and activities your family will accomplish together. From jet-boat rides on the Rakaia Gorge to staying overnight in Mt Aspiring National Park and visiting a high country sheep station near Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, you'll step away from the busy modern world and into the giant playground of mother nature. You won't have to worry about where to stay, what to eat, navigating the mountain roads or deciding what to do each day - we'll take care of it all for you. Enjoy a family vacation, without a worry in the world, on our New Zealand Family Adventure.
Click map to explore.
Our Trip Itinerary contains all the exciting details you can expect to do on our trips. Get a clear picture of the adventures on this trip.
DOWNLOAD ITINERARY PDFDay 1
We’ll meet your family in central Christchurch and make our way south to Methven and the Ōpuke Thermal Pools and Spa, a unique experience where we can relax while soaking in Southern alpine views. The Discovery Pools around offer family-friendly exploration for all ages in the crazy river, leap of faith jump pool, or the star lit caves.
Methven Motels, Methven Resort, or Brinkley Resort, Methven
Lunch, Dinner
Day 2
After a hearty breakfast and relaxed start to the morning, we have an adventure planned that will knock your socks off – a fun jet boat ride through the winding Rakaia Gorge! Jet boats were originally invented by New Zealander Bill Hamilton to navigate our narrow, shallow rivers. You’ll be jetting down rapids, braided river sections and through shallow water just six inches deep in places. This thrilling, yet safe activity is suitable for the whole family. Then we’ll head to Peel Forest for a hike amongst ancient podocarp trees and many varieties of ferns. Many of New Zealand’s athletes, including our famous rugby team, the All Blacks, wear the fern as a national symbol.
After lunch, we’ll travel inland to Aoraki/Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, and Lake Pukaki – an unreal turquoise-blue-coloured glacial lake. Tonight, the wide open spaces, regular clear evenings and lack of artificial light provide us with the perfect opportunity to gaze at the Southern Hemisphere’s constellations, including the southern cross.
Aoraki Mt Cook Alpine Lodge or Distinction Mackenzie Country Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
0.6 miles (1 kilometer), 1-2 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 98 feet (30 meters) ascent, 98 feet (30 meters) descent
Day 3
We have a few hikes to choose from in this spectacular national park and our favorite is the stunning day hike (weather permitting) to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. It’s a bit of a hike, though it’s a real achievement for the whole family to share and you’ll remember the view from the Sealy Tarns Hike and the surrounding peaks of the Southern Alps forever! Of course, we always have plenty of options, so there are easier hikes available for you too, such as an impressive hike up the Hooker Valley to a glacial lake (complete with icebergs!) at the base of Hooker Glacier.
Aoraki Mt Cook Alpine Lodge or Distinction Mackenzie Country Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sealy Tarns Hike: 3.2 miles (5.1 kilometers), 4-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,132 feet (650 meters) ascent, 2,132 feet (650 meters) descent
Hooker Valley Hike: 5.6 miles (9 kilometers), 3-4 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 328 feet (100 meters) ascent, 328 feet (100 meters) descent
Day 4
Today we’ll head through the mountains to Queenstown. We’ll stop along the way for some of the best ice cream in the whole of New Zealand – you’ll soon find out why! We’ll then continue on through fruit orchards and vineyards before arriving in Queenstown.
After lunch, excitement levels will be high as we head off for a family rafting trip in Skippers Canyon. Set in a deep, beautiful, rose-lined schist gorge, it’s a spectacular float trip – perfect for the whole family. From June to September, rather than rafting which is closed for the winter, we take a lift on the gondola up Bob’s Peak for stunning views over the region and thrilling downhill rides on the luge.
Scenic Circle Heartland Hotel & Scenic Suites or Heritage Hotel, Queenstown
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5
This morning we’ll replace the hustle of Queenstown with the beauty of beautiful and isolated Glenorchy at the furthest and most stunning end of Lake Wakatipu. We’ll explore the small town, with the option of a short hike if you’re keen, and a picnic lunch will be provided.
This afternoon, we’ll cross Lake Wakatipu on board the historic steamship TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Station. A guided farmyard tour led by our friendly rural host will get us up close with the friendly farm animals, including sheep, cattle, alpacas and farm dogs. A dinner buffet with local and homegrown produce will follow at the Walter Peak’s Homestead Restaurant, a beautifully restored colonial homestead surrounded by sweeping, elegant grounds.
Scenic Circle Heartland Hotel & Scenic Suites or Heritage Hotel, Queenstown
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
0.2 mile (0.4 kilometer), 0.5-1 hour
Day 6
All the comforts of civilization are packed into this tiny resort town: restaurants galore, sidewalk cafés, stylish lounge bars, day spas, and boutiques. There’s plenty of family entertainment here too: luge rides, a gondola, lakeside playgrounds, mini golf and a cinema. There are also some more adventurous optional activities such as horse trekking, kayaking, fishing, winery tours, hang gliding, mountain biking, bungy jumping, jet boating and skydiving as well as some great hiking opportunities. Or you can just soak up the atmosphere and lounge about reading a book. Your guides will happily share their favorite haunts and point you in the right direction for your free day today.
A great winter option (June to September) is to spend a couple of days skiing or snowboarding at one of four local ski areas: Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona or Treble Cone.
Scenic Circle Heartland Hotel & Scenic Suites or Heritage Hotel
No meals
Day 7
After leaving Wanaka, we’ll venture up the Matukituki Valley and hike two to three hours into Mt. Aspiring National Park to reach our home for the evening – a spacious mountain hut nestled in a valley in the middle of nowhere. The track meanders past majestic peaks, fresh mountain streams, and natural beech forest. You’ll be carrying a sleeping bag, a few spare clothes, and some food, so your pack won’t weigh much more than a regular day pack. The scenery is off the charts with Mt. Aspiring rising 9,951 feet (3,033 meters) into the blue sky. It’s amazing how far you’ll feel from civilization after this relatively short walk! Tonight your guide will whip up dinner in the backcountry kitchen while you and the kids relax by the fire.
Mt Aspiring Hut, Mt Aspiring National Park
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5.6 miles (9 kilometers), 3-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 197 feet (60 meters) ascent
Day 8
We have a leisurely start today, enjoying breakfast and a cuppa while admiring the view, before hiking back to the trailhead. Along the way, we might encounter the cheeky kea again – this time in its natural habitat – they’re really inquisitive and like to get pretty close at times!
Back in Wanaka, we’ll have lunch before some free time. Lake Wanaka is the fourth largest lake in New Zealand and surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains. Whether you’re skipping stones on the lake’s edge or exploring the shops, Wanaka is a great spot to rediscover simple pleasures. Tonight we’ll mingle with the ‘coasters’ in the tiny township of Haast, exchanging tales of our adventures at the local restaurant in front of a roaring fire.
World Heritage Hotel, Haast
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5.6 miles (9 kilometers), 3-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 197 feet (60 meters) descent
Day 9
This morning, we’ll journey up the wild West Coast, stopping on a deserted beach to stretch our legs and keep an eye out for friendly dolphins passing by. A little further north takes us to Lake Matheson for a short walk, where you’ll be rewarded with awesome vistas of the Southern Alps. After settling into our accommodation in Franz Josef, we can head out after dark with flashlights for a short night walk to search for the native glowworm while listening to some of New Zealand’s nocturnal birdlife, such as the morepork owl.
Rainforest Retreat, Franz Josef
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
1.7 miles (2.8 kilometers), 1-2 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 33 feet (10 meters) ascent, 33 feet (10 meters) descent
Day 10
It’s an early start this morning for our kayaking trip on Lake Mapourika, a tranquil ancient lake formed during the last ice age. This is an awesome activity, run by specialist kayak outfitters, and it’s equally suitable for beginners and experts alike. With some 140 glaciers making their way down from the Southern Alps, this area is fittingly known as glacier country. Few sights equal the spectacle of two of these giant frozen rivers (Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers) imperceptibly grinding their way down through the temperate rainforest to just 820 feet (250 meters) above sea level. Our hike will take us into the Waiho River Valley and offer views of the terminal face of the Franz Josef Glacier. Afterwards we’ll return to Franz Josef for the night where you'll have dinner on your own.
Rainforest Retreat, Franz Josef
Breakfast, Lunch
Kayaking: 2-3 hours
3 miles (4.8 kilometers), 2-3 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 66 feet (20 meters) ascent, 66 feet (20 meters) descent
Day 11
Today we’ll head further up the coast to experience the West Coast Treetop Walk, an adventure among giants. This walk will take you up above the forest floor, allowing you to pass through an ancient canopy of rimu and kamahi trees. We’ll then continue to Hokitika, where you can check out the local art galleries and pounamu carving workshops (pounamu is Maori for jade). The beach here is a great place for playing games or making sculptures out of driftwood. Then we’ll head back through to Arthur’s Pass, the highest pass over the Southern Alps, to settle in for the night.
Arthur's Pass Motel, Arthur's Pass
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
2-3 hours
Day 12
Today, after breakfast, we’ll head off to check out the Conservation Centre in Arthur’s Pass and learn about the Kea, the only true alpine parrot in the world! Afterward, we’re off to the ultimate hide-and-seek spot, Castle Hill. It’s a bit of a climb to the top, but it’s worth every step as we arrive at an eerie limestone landscape where much of the movie ‘Narnia – the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ was filmed. During a visit a few years ago, the Dalai Lama called this natural labyrinth ‘the spiritual center of the universe’!
Darfield Motels
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
2 miles (3 kilometers), 1-2 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 164 feet (50 meters) ascent, 164 feet (50 meters) descent
Day 13
This is the last day of your trip, and we’ll head on to Christchurch, with our last stop the International Antarctic Centre which offers a variety of experiences to learn about Antarctica, including chilling out in an Antarctic storm, riding an Antarctic Hägglund and seeing Little Blue Penguins.
After our Antarctic experience we’ll farewell our family and wave you off feeling refreshed, invigorated, and with lasting memories of the adventures, great food, stories, laughs and fun times you’ll have had with us in New Zealand!
Not applicable
Breakfast, Lunch
This trip is operated by our sister brand Austin Adventures
Looking for an adult-only departure? Check out the Ultimate South Island Adventure or the Ultimate North Island Adventure.
By paying in full we are able to pass on savings to our guests, but please note that by opting for this payment plan, your booking becomes non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-changeable. This offer is only valid for reservations where the trip is no sooner than 180 days from the departure date at time of booking.
We highly recommend that you purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance. We recommend Redpoint Insurance — you can find details here.
*Terms and conditions apply - read more here
Our passion for exploration is rooted in a strong connection to the natural beauty of our home, New Zealand, and the drive to venture beyond its shores to discover a world different to our own.
We bring your adventure dreams to life. The best journeys don’t just take you places; they inspire you to be curious, ignite your spirit, and find a new sense of freedom – they can even change your life!
Feel the heart and soul of each place you visit with our local people on the ground and knowledgeable guides, who take great care to ensure a truly authentic and immersive experience. This is the real deal.
Feel like you're in a world of your own, with unique itineraries to take you away from the usual tourist traps. Enjoy exhilarating activities like hiking, biking, rafting, and kayaking, to explore the very best of each destination.
We take the time to get to know you to ensure you have the very best experience on our trips. Our small group adventures are big on flexibility — no matter what your version of "active" is, we have options on each trip to suit every individual.
Imagine a vacation that's fully guided, and everything is taken care of and included in the trip price — all accommodations, activities, transport on-trip, most meals, and more! Effortless and value-packed.
