Recently named “the coolest little capital in the world” by Lonely Planet, Wellington sits at the Southern tip of the North Island. Surrounded by nature, this compact city is fueled by a powerful mix of creativity, culture, history, and cuisine. Relax at Oriental Bay, Wellington’s golden-sand inner-city beach, or delve into the many museums, art galleries, and theater shows that make up the city’s vibrant cultural scene.On the waterfront, you’ll find one of the best interactive museums in the world: New Zealand’s national museum, colloquially known as Te Papa, meaning ‘our place.’

20% of New Zealand’s coastline weaves through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, a collection of ancient sunken river valleys filled with the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The region is also famed for its culinary delights, producing nearly 80% of New Zealand’s wine and over 70% of New Zealand’s salmon and Greenshell Mussels. We will make a stop at Ship Cove (Meretoto), recognized as Captain James Cook’s favorite New Zealand base, and the location of some of the earliest sustained contact between Maori and Europeans. We will have several activity options while anchored here. Hop in an Xplorer tender and cruise the cove looking for marine wildlife. Grab your binoculars and join a fantastic bird watching walk at Motuara Island birdlife sanctuary. Slip on your trekking shoes and walk a section of the Queen Charlotte Track. If the waters are calm, you may even grab a paddle and try your hand at sea kayaking. After we raise the anchor, we will cruise the length of Queen Charlotte Sound, taking in the breathtaking scenery while we scan the horizon for marine wildlife.

Known for abundant wildlife including dolphins, seals, albatross, and the possible sperm whale sighting, Kaikoura sits in a spectacular location between the rugged Seaward Kaikoura Range and the Pacific Ocean. Seafood lovers will be pleased to know that the town’s Maori name means “to eat crayfish.” You will have the option to explore Kaikoura’s museums, galleries, and cafes, or join an included tour, such as a whale watching charter or hiking with the Expedition Team on the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway.

The charming town of Akaroa was the only French settlement ever established in New Zealand. The French-named streets and charming colonial cottages sit within the deep, sheltered Akaroa Harbour, a rocky inlet formed when the sea breached the crater of an ancient volcano. Today we will enjoy many activity options. Venture out on an included tour via land or sea: go wildlife spotting in the harbor, hike to Newton’s Waterfall with the Expedition Team, or join a 4WD penguin safari to visit White Flippered Penguin nesting sites. If you choose to explore on your own, you may stroll the charming streets of Akaroa and visit the historical cottages, museums, galleries, and French-inspired cafes.

The second-largest city on the South Island, Dunedin’s name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh. This boutique city sits within a former volcanic crater and is known for its Scottish and Māori heritage and Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

Today, you will have the choice between two included tours: an Otago Peninsula Coach Tour to scenic beaches and wildlife sites, or journey via railway through the spectacular and rugged Taieri River Gorge. In your free time, explore Dunedin at your own leisure and pay a visit to the famous Speights Brewery, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Settlers Museum, or New Zealand’s oldest botanical gardens.

The Maori name for Stewart Island is Te Punga o Te Waka a Maui, which translates as “The Anchor Stone of Maui’s Canoe,” referencing the legend of how the North Island was fished from the sea by Maui, the great hero of Polynesian mythology. Today, the island is the southernmost Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world and over 85% of the island is designated as a National Park. Stewart Island has just 28 km of road, but 280 km of walking tracks, and is a haven for New Zealand’s iconic bird: the brown kiwi (Tokoeka), which outnumber humans on the island. Blue penguins and the rare, Yellow-eyed penguins waddle along the rocky shores. Today’s activity options will include a guided birdwatching tour at Ulva Island, a guided Xplorer cruise to Princes Point Whaling Station, short or long hikes, or free time to explore the village of Oban.

No roads lead into Dusky and Doubtful Sound, so the area is only accessible by sea, making our ship the perfect vessel to explore the deep, glacially carved fjords of Fiordland National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a wild region famed for its rugged isolation, so what we will do very much depends on the weather. We may have a chance to take Xplorer cruises to see fur seals and marvel at the sheer granite walls soaring from the sea, or even go ashore at Astronomer’s point. Everything is subject to change, and we will truly be in ‘Expedition Mode.’ But rest assured, whether we go with Plan A or Plan G, we will be immersed in awe at this world-renowned wilderness!

No roads lead into Dusky and Doubtful Sound, so the area is only accessible by sea, making our ship the perfect vessel to explore the deep, glacially carved fjords of Fiordland National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a wild region famed for its rugged isolation, so what we will do very much depends on the weather. We may have a chance to take Xplorer cruises to see fur seals and marvel at the sheer granite walls soaring from the sea, or even go ashore at Astronomer’s point. Everything is subject to change, and we will truly be in ‘Expedition Mode.’ But rest assured, whether we go with Plan A or Plan G, we will be immersed in awe at this world-renowned wilderness!

On our third day of exploring Fiordland National Park, we will learn why Milford Sound was described as the Eighth Wonder of the World by Rudyard Kipling. The weather conditions will continue to determine the order we visit each location and the time spent at each site as we cruise Stirling Falls, the Overhang, Harrison Cove (where glaciers used to enter the sound), and Bowen Falls. We will keep an eye out for wildlife and enjoy opportunities to photograph one of the greatest icons in New Zealand: Mitre Peak, which rises 1,682 meters straight up from the Sound!            

The Maori name for this trio of uninhabited volcanic islets is Hautere, which translates to “flying wind.” Laying to the south of the South Island, these islets have never been inhabited apart from brief marooning or shipwrecks. The Solander islands are a designated Important Bird area: fernbirds, snipe, and white-fronted terns call the islands home, and common diving petrels and Buller’s albatross breed here. We will cruise the islands from the ship, watching birds soar through the skies and hoping to catch a glimpse of migratory whales.      

We will disembark in Bluff and take included coach transfers to Queenstown, where commercial flights are widely available from the Queenstown International Airport (ZQN). The transfers will take you directly to your Queenstown hotels or the airport, depending on your travel plans.