Tailor-made journey · New Zealand

Discover New Zealand’s South Island

Duration: 21 days
From: $13,895 pp

Plan this journey

Tailor-made, always

Every itinerary shaped around your dates, pace and preferences.

One dedicated expert

The same person from the first conversation until you return.

Decades of experience

Over 35 years shaping bespoke journeys for discerning travelers.

This extended journey through the South Island is defined by elemental beauty and the kind of quiet that allows you to shut out the world and reconnect with yourself.

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At a glance...

Over fourteen days you will drift between lakes, high-country valleys, winding passes and deep fjords. Each destination invites you to slow down, listen to the landscape and feel connected to the world in a new way. Discover some of the South Island’s most iconic locations, including Wanaka, Fiordland and the Marlborough Sounds.

Private guides, spacious pacing and thoughtful, nature-led experiences reveal the South Island at its most intimate and awe-inspiring.

Plan Your Trip

In detail

Days 1–3

Wanaka

Begin in Wanaka, a lakeside town shaped by slow mornings and long horizons. Settle into your tucked-away boutique retreat, where natural materials and open views set a gentle rhythm for the days ahead.

Explore the Matukituki Valley with your private guide, following glacial rivers beneath the towering walls of Mount Aspiring National Park. Wander alpine trails, pause beside quiet pools and enjoy a simple picnic surrounded by uninterrupted landscape.
Afternoons are for lakeside walks, art galleries, local wines and time simply spent watching the light move across the water.

Days 4–6

Aoraki / Mount Cook

Travel north along the turquoise shores of Lake Pukaki toward Aoraki, the sacred peak that dominates the Southern Alps. Your accommodation sits within one of the world’s darkest sky reserves, where nights are velvet-black and filled with unfiltered stars.

Walk the Hooker Valley Track at a gentle pace, crossing swing bridges and following the sound of glacial meltwater toward the lake at the base of Aoraki.
In the evening, join an astronomy host beneath the open sky. Telescopes reveal star clusters, planets and the faint shimmer of distant galaxies. It is a moment of immersion in both silence and wonder.

Days 7–9

Fiordland

Continue south toward Fiordland, entering one of the most ancient landscapes on earth. Rainforest drapes the valley walls, moss softens every edge and waterfalls carve their way toward the sea.

Spend a full day exploring Milford Sound. Travel through glacier-carved valleys, pause at reflective tarns and board a quiet-cruise vessel that carries you beneath sheer cliffs where waterfalls plunge straight into the dark water below.

Alternatively, explore the broader solitude of Doubtful Sound, known for its sense of untouched wilderness and profound silence.

Evenings here are for warm fires, regional cuisine and early nights under dark, star-filled skies.

Days 10–12

The Otago Coast

Journey east to the Otago Peninsula, a place of rolling green headlands and Pacific light. Your coastal retreat sits above surf-carved cliffs, where albatross circle on ocean winds.

Spend your days with a private naturalist guide meeting the region’s rare wildlife. Watch fur seals bask on warm rock shelves, wander beaches that feel untouched by time and visit sheltered coves where yellow-eyed penguins return at dusk.

There is space here for gentle hikes, photography, harbour walks and meals overlooking the slow rise and fall of the sea.

Days 13–15

Marlborough Sounds

Fly north or drive via alpine passes into the Marlborough Sounds, a labyrinth of forested peninsulas and calm, sheltered waterways. This is a place of deep quiet and restorative calm.

Your stay unfolds amid tranquil coves reached by boat. Spend your days exploring hidden bays, kayaking over glass-clear shallows or walking sections of the Queen Charlotte Track that wind through native forest with constant glimpses of blue water below.

Return each evening to unhurried meals, birdsong and the peace of a landscape shaped entirely by tides and time.

Days 16–18

Kaikōura

Travel south along coastal roads that trace the edge of the Pacific, with mountain ridgelines rising sharply to your right. Kaikōura is a rare meeting point of deep ocean and rocky shoreline, attracting wildlife in extraordinary numbers.

Join a private marine excursion to watch sperm whales, dusky dolphins and fur seals feeding in the nutrient-rich waters offshore. From the boat, watch the coastline shift between cliffs and open beaches, always backed by snow-touched peaks.

Spend time walking the Kaikōura Peninsula Track, where seabirds skim the water’s edge and the sea air rejuvenates you.

Evenings bring simple, fresh seafood and views of long, rolling surf.

Days 19–21

Christchurch

End your journey in Christchurch, a city where creativity and green space weave together. Your boutique hotel sits in the heart of the city’s arts district, steps from galleries, cafés and riverside gardens.

Spend your final day wandering the botanic gardens, visiting local design studios or strolling along the tranquil Avon River.

Plan Your Trip

Add your Do Not Disturb moment

Bungee Jumping in Queenstown Explore Queenstown’s iconic bungee jumping and skydiving with private access, expert guides, and sweeping views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables.

After Hours Vineyard Dinner in Hawkes Bay A privately arranged after-hours vineyard dinner in Hawke’s Bay, pairing seasonal cuisine and library wines in rare seclusion, curated by Do Not Disturb.

Alpine Hot Pools at Dusk A visit to Tekapo’s alpine hot pools at dusk offers rare stillness in one of New Zealand’s most elemental landscapes. As daylight fades over Lake Tekapo and the Southern Alps, warm mineral water, crisp air, andly timed darkening skies combine to create a moment of physical and mental ease.

Heli-Hike on Franz Josef Glacier A privately arranged heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier offers rare access to one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most dramatic ice landscapes. Reached by helicopter and explored on foot with an expert guide, this experience reveals the scale, movement, and fragility of the glacier far beyond what is possible from valley viewpoints.

Bay of Islands Experiencing the Bay of Islands after the last day boats return to harbor reveals a quieter side of New Zealand’s most storied seascape. With beaches emptied, light softening, and the water settling, this privately timed moment offers rare calm in a place usually defined by movement.

Glowworm Caves Entering a glowworm cave with a private guide transforms the familiar tourist route into an intimate encounter with New Zealand’s underground magic. Soft lighting and the quiet hum of dripping water, this experience offers a rare moment of calm and wonder beneath the surface.

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Our reviews

Our team brings over 35 years of experience in luxury travel, shaping bespoke journeys for discerning clients worldwide.

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Our trip was truly magical and full of core memories that will last us a lifetime.

Michael • Bora Bora Honeymoon★★★★★

“We just returned from an incredible journey through Ireland, and we couldn’t have had a better experience”

Brad • Ireland Adventure★★★★★

“This was a flawless experience. They took all our thoughts and perfectly curated the most beautiful honeymoon.”

Kris • Sicily Honeymoon★★★★★

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