THE NIFTY DUCKS NEW ZEALAND COLLECTION
Travel, thoughtfully yours.
Explore the 15 itinerariesFARAWAY. YET ENTIRELY YOURS.
From sheltered bays to alpine lakes, New Zealand rewards curiosity and time to linger. These fifteen journeys are starting points, shaped around the places that move you and the way you like to travel.
Choose your chapter
Hover over a marker or choose a region to discover its character. On mobile, tap a region below the map.
Selected regions · markers show approximate locations
Map geography: Natural Earth
MORE WAYS TO EXPLORE · New Zealand
Find a lodge that suits your pace, or leave an evening open for the southern sky. Connect these experiences with the places you want to explore, allowing time for both discovery and quiet.
Plan these experiences with Ed ↗Showing all 6 experience ideas
Taupō, North Island
Make the Waikato River your backdrop at a lodge with roots in fly fishing. Huka offers a peaceful base for Lake Taupō cruises, walking and regional exploration, with gardens and riverside spaces that invite an unhurried afternoon between outings.
Choose activities around your interests; guided outings and transport should be arranged separately as required.
Hawke’s Bay, North Island
Pair Hawke’s Bay food and wine country with a stay on a dramatic coastal peninsula. Cape Kidnappers combines a working farm setting with golf, countryside experiences and conservation-focused outings, offering reasons to linger beyond a single round on the course.
Confirm farm, conservation and golf arrangements in advance; activities depend on the selected program.
Lake Wakatipu, near Queenstown, South Island
Stay above Lake Wakatipu with mountain views and Queenstown’s adventures within reach. Matakauri balances a quiet lakeside setting with regional dining, wellness and options such as winery touring or scenic flights, allowing the pace to shift between exploring and relaxing.
Plan outings around weather and travel time; confirm any flight or winery arrangements separately.
Mount John, Lake Takapō/Tekapo, South Island
Head up Mount John with astronomy guides to explore the southern night sky within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Telescope viewing and naked-eye interpretation bring the constellations into focus, adding an evening experience to a Lake Takapō stay.
For ages 10 and above; includes walking on a gravel incline and steps. Outdoor viewing depends on weather.
Aotea/Great Barrier Island, North Island
Add an island night under the stars to an Aotea escape. Good Heavens offers guided seaside stargazing with binoculars and a telescope, helping visitors find constellations and understand the southern sky in a setting with very little artificial light.
Coordinate island transport and several nights if possible; moon phase and cloud cover shape the experience.
Tekapo Springs, Lake Tekapo, South Island
Combine an introduction to the southern night sky with a warm-water soak at Tekapo Springs. The guided evening pairs astronomy with time in a hot pool, offering a slower way to round off a day exploring the Mackenzie region.
Bring swimwear and check age requirements; cloudy conditions can replace telescope viewing with an indoor astronomy experience.
These are ideas to shape around your trip. Experiences, accommodation, access needs, and transport are confirmed for your dates. Linked itineraries are starting points we can adapt around the experiences you choose.
Planning requests open a secure inquiry form hosted by FORA Travel.
PLAN WITH A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
FIFTEEN JOURNEYS. ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES.
Choose a travel style, follow a favorite landscape, or simply see what catches your eye. Every journey can be adapted around your dates, interests, and pace.
Showing all 15 journeys
01Auckland · Rotorua · Queenstown · Milford Sound
Harbor days, geothermal landscapes, and mountains reflected in still water. Meet New Zealand through a few unforgettable places, with thoughtful guiding and enough time to enjoy the journey between them.
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02Auckland · Canterbury High Country · Queenstown
Beautiful stays, generous hospitality, and a landscape that invites you to pause. Pair Auckland’s sophistication with a high-country retreat and the Southern Lakes, shaped around the experiences you value most.
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03Auckland · Rotorua · Napier · Wellington
Island vineyards, local tables, and a capital with a generous appetite. Follow the North Island through food, wine, and culture, allowing long lunches and conversations with local hosts to shape your days.
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04Christchurch · Hokitika · Franz Josef · Wānaka · Queenstown
Rainforest on one side, mountain horizons on the other. Follow the South Island’s changing landscapes through the West Coast and Southern Lakes, pairing guided adventures with comfortable places to return to.
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05Queenstown · Te Anau · Milford Sound
Steep green walls, shifting clouds, and waterfalls that appear after rain. Give Fiordland room to reveal itself through a comfortable base, knowledgeable guides, and time on the water.
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06Christchurch · Lake Tekapo · Aoraki / Mount Cook · Wānaka · Queenstown · Te Anau
Turquoise lakes, alpine roads, and little towns worth staying for. Take a spacious southern circuit with scenic stops, thoughtfully chosen overnight stays, and time to follow a view a little farther.
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07Bay of Islands · Hokianga · Rotorua · Napier · Wellington
Listen to the people who know these places deeply. Explore Aotearoa through Māori-hosted encounters, history, art, and hospitality, with coastal and geothermal landscapes adding their own sense of place.
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08Auckland · Bay of Islands · Hokianga
Sheltered water, quiet beaches, and forest giants. Travel north for a gentler escape that combines time on the coast with local history and guiding rooted in the landscape.
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09Queenstown · Arrowtown · Wānaka
Lake light, mountain air, and a few favorite places enjoyed properly. Stay longer around Queenstown and Wānaka, balancing good food and gentle exploration with the pleasure of an unhurried morning.
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10Auckland · Rotorua · Napier · Wellington · Christchurch · Queenstown
Two islands, many perspectives, and time to connect them thoughtfully. Combine harbor life, Māori-hosted experiences, regional flavors, and alpine scenery, giving each chapter enough space to feel distinct.
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11Auckland · Rotorua · Christchurch · Queenstown
Curious minds, shared discoveries, and plenty of room to play. Bring the family together through engaging guides, geothermal wonders, and lake days, with comfortable stays and activities matched to everyone’s interests.
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12Auckland · Rotorua · Queenstown
Warm mineral water, thoughtful stays, and a little breathing room. Create an escape around restoration and discovery, choosing fewer experiences and enjoying them with care.
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13Christchurch · Canterbury High Country
A welcoming city, then open skies and the quiet of the high country. Consider a lodge escape where landscape, local food, and thoughtful guiding become the heart of the stay.
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14Christchurch · Lake Tekapo · Aoraki / Mount Cook · Wānaka
Lakes by day, stars after dusk, and mountains that change with the light. Slow down across the Mackenzie region and Southern Lakes, letting the landscape lead the experience.
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15Wellington · Picton · Kaikōura · Christchurch · Hokitika
Harbor departures, coastal encounters, and an alpine crossing. Connect Wellington with the South Island through a journey that gives the water, wildlife, and West Coast their own chapters.
Explore This JourneySuggested durations are starting points. Routes, accommodations, and experiences are tailored and confirmed during planning.
Train travel · New Zealand
Connect New Zealand’s landscapes by rail, with regional dining in Scenic Plus and time to explore before and after your journey.
Premium scenic day service
Follow the coast between Christchurch and Picton, passing Kaikōura and the vineyards of Marlborough with hosted dining along the way.
About 6 hours one way.
A daytime scenic service; hotels are arranged separately. Scenic Plus is currently not wheelchair accessible. Scenic Class is a separate, accessible option.
Explore this trainPremium scenic day service
Connect Auckland and Wellington through the heart of the North Island, enjoying changing landscapes and regional flavors.
About 11 hours one way.
A daytime scenic service; hotels are arranged separately. Scenic Plus is currently not wheelchair accessible. Scenic Class is a separate, accessible option.
Explore this trainPremium scenic day service
Cross the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps between Christchurch and Greymouth, with regional dining served at your seat.
About 5 hours one way.
A daytime scenic service; hotels are arranged separately. Scenic Plus is currently not wheelchair accessible. Scenic Class is a separate, accessible option.
Explore this trainWe’ll confirm dates, accommodation, access needs, and inclusions, then connect the train with the rest of your trip.
Plan a train journey ↗Explore train journeys worldwide →Requests open a secure inquiry form hosted by FORA Travel. Daytime trains and sleeper journeys offer different experiences; arrangements are confirmed for your dates.
WĀNAKA, SOUTH ISLANDA LITTLE SPACE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
A winding road deserves time. Choose fewer stops for a slower escape, or allow room for flights and recovery on a wider journey. We will refine your route around the season, the connections, and you.
Explore hotels and resorts in my Client Portal, or ask me to help you choose.
Search for your destination and dates in the portal. Sign-in required.
Requests open a secure inquiry form hosted by FORA Travel.
PERSONAL TRAVEL PLANNING
Tell Ed what draws you to New Zealand. Together, we can turn an idea into a journey that feels thoughtfully yours.