Learn More

Customize Your Trip

Let our in-house trip experts create your perfect adventure. Whether you'd like to travel as a private group on our New Zealand Nature Explorer or you'd like to create an itinerary all your own, simply fill out the form to the right or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Please note that on this Make It Private departure we have a minimum group size of ${minGroupSize}.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
New Zealand Nature Explorer
New Zealand Nature Explorer
Learn More
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Thank you for your interest!

We'll be in touch soon to help with your private trip!

Download Trip Details

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

PDF thumbnail

Get our downloadable trip details in PDF format, a handy resource for your travel planning. Inside, you'll find all the info from our website—highlights of the trip, itinerary, accommodations, and full details on dates, prices and logistics—plus a few extras!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Download Trip Details
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Your download awaits…

Thank you for your request! Click here to see your trip details PDF now. You'll also receive it by email momentarily.

Ask a Question

Ask a Question

Fill out our form to receive additional information about our New Zealand Nature Explorer, or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Ask a Question
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Thank you for your note!

We'll be in touch soon.

WWF Logo

Learn More

Customize Your African Safari

Let our in-house safari experts create your perfect African adventure. Whether you'd like to travel as a private group on this safari or you'd like to create an itinerary all your own, simply fill out the form to the right or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Please note that on this Make It Private departure we have a minimum group size of ${minGroupSize}.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Learn More
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Thank you for your interest!

We'll be in touch soon to help with your custom African safari!

Sunset over the mountains at Milford Sound, New Zealand

New Zealand Nature Explorer

Dates, Prices & Info


Trip Dates

Mouse over or tap the departure dates to see trip prices.

  • Departure
  • Return
  • Notes
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14195
  • Oct 11, 2025
  • Oct 22, 2025
$14195
  • Oct 18, 2025
  • Oct 29, 2025
$14195
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14195
Pair with our Ultimate Australia trip
$14195
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14195
  • Dec 4, 2025
  • Dec 15, 2025
$14195
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14195

Mouse over or tap the departure dates to see trip prices.

  • Departure
  • Return
  • Notes
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14995
  • Jan 18, 2026
  • Jan 29, 2026
$14995
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
Pair with our Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South trip
$14995
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
  • Nov 8, 2026
  • Nov 19, 2026
$14995
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
Pair with our Ultimate Australia trip
$14995
  • Dec 5, 2026
  • Dec 16, 2026
$14995
  • Departure
  • Return
  • Notes
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
  • Jan 20, 2027
  • Jan 31, 2027
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
  • Nov 9, 2027
  • Nov 20, 2027
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Australia South or Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
  • Nov 22, 2027
  • Dec 3, 2027
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Pair with our Ultimate Australia trip
Price not confirmed. Please contact us.
Trip Prices
Quality & Value Guarantee
  • Trip Price
    $13695 - $13995 (+internal air)

Internal Air: $996 (this will be listed separately on our invoicing)
Single Occupancy: $1995. Click here to learn how you can avoid the single supplement.
Deposit: $500 per person (nonrefundable)

Trip prices are per person based on double occupancy and are given in U.S. dollars.  Please read our Payment & Refund Policy here. 

Quality & Value Guarantee

Mouse over or tap dates above to view prices for specific departure dates.

  • Trip Price
    $14995 (+internal air)

Internal Air: $996 (this will be listed separately on our invoicing)
Single Occupancy: $1995. Click here to learn how you can avoid the single supplement.
Deposit: $500 per person (nonrefundable)

Trip prices are per person based on double occupancy and are given in U.S. dollars.  Please read our Payment & Refund Policy here. 

Group Size
Limited To 11 Travelers

A very important feature of our New Zealand ecotourism expedition is the limited group size, as nature travel is most meaningful when experienced in the company of fewer travelers.

Make It Private

Take this trip on a private basis, traveling exclusively with your immediate family, multi-generational family or group of friends.

Click for details.
Make It Custom

Take this trip on a private basis, traveling exclusively with your immediate family, multi-generational family or group of friends.

Click for details.
Included
  • Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s), local guides and lodge staff, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day, private boat tour in Milford Sound, private boat tour to Mou Waho Island, all kayaking equipment, some gratuities, airport transfers for those arriving by air on Day 1 and final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.

  • Internal air fee includes: Flights from Invercargill to Stewart Island and back to Invercargill, and private chartered scenic helicopter flight from Milford Sound to Queenstown, including scenic glacier and alpine lake landings, plus any additional taxes and fees on these flights (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).

Not Included

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, some alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees (if any), optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes (if any), required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance.

Physical Requirements

Moderate
This itinerary includes several walks of approximately two to three miles over several hours each in varying conditions and environments that can include steep, uneven and/or slippery terrain. Travelers must be able to walk a minimum of two miles at a time in order to participate on this trip. Many days involve long drives on winding roads over mountain passes; the highest altitude we reach is 3,000 feet. We spend a moderate time on boats, where conditions may be rough. Guests prone to motion sickness may wish to take precautions. Guests are required to embark and disembark from water taxis and small planes unassisted which will involve steps. There are a variety of night walks offered throughout the itinerary. The group will be led at times by a dim light carried by the guide. Depending on how much time it takes to locate the elusive Kiwi birds, it is possible that we will be walking in the dark for several hours. Travelers may have the opportunity to participate in optional kayaking, weather permitting. Though no prior kayaking experience is required, general fitness and mobility, including the ability to get into and out of a kayak, are essential. Those travelers who would like to take longer or more strenuous hikes may have opportunities to do so. While travelers are not required to participate in all activities, should you opt out of the day's scheduled activities, we cannot always guarantee that alternatives will be available.

On custom or private departures with smaller groups, our ability to accommodate varying levels of physical abilities or interests is limited, since these trips are staffed with a single Expedition Leader who may be assisted, pending availability, by local guides.

Important Information About This Trip

The South Island of New Zealand is vast, and we attempt to take in as much of this beautiful land as possible without rushing, from mountain passes to ocean fjords. Our comprehensive exploration covers more than 900 miles, and the trip involves a fair amount of driving. There are three days with more than three hours of driving and several other days where we will be in the vehicle for two to three hours. These are scenic drives that we break up with activities and short stops. They’re always worth the windshield time, allowing us to visit iconic nature destinations like Steward Island, Milford Sound, Lake Wanaka and the beautiful Wilderness Lodges at Lake Moeraki and Arthur’s Pass. Our Expedition Leader knows the land and its flora and fauna intimately as well as its less-visited sites.

New Zealand’s climate is quite complex and varied. Travelers should expect a cool, temperate climate on the South Island, with alpine conditions in the mountainous areas. Mountain chains extending the length of New Zealand provide a barrier for the prevailing westerly winds, dividing the country into dramatically different climate regions. The west coast of the South Island is the wettest area of New Zealand; thus, when traveling in this region, you should be prepared to encounter some rain. The areas just to the east of the mountains are the driest. Keep in mind you should be prepared for chilly wet weather.

Most of New Zealand experiences between 23 and 63 inches of rainfall spread throughout the year, with a drier period during the summer. Parts of the west coast can get 300 inches a year! The temperatures during your adventure will range from 45°F to 90°F.

There are varying benefits based on seasonality traveling to New Zealand from their spring to fall. During our trips the following seasonality can generally be can be expected:

October and November: spring transitioning to summer
December and January: summer
March: summer transitioning to fall

Sunshine hours are relatively high in areas that are sheltered from the west, and most of New Zealand experiences at least 2,000 hours annually. The midday summer solar radiation index (UVI) is often very high in most places and can be extreme in northern New Zealand and in mountainous areas. Autumn and spring UVI values can also be high in most areas.

Mandatory Insurance

Since the areas we travel to are remote and wild (that's why we go there!), we require that all guests have, at minimum, medical evacuation insurance for this program. This is for the safety of all guests. We require that your chosen independent insurance plan includes at least $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage.

To protect your investment and to provide peace of mind while you travel, we also strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance. Plans may cover everything from medical treatment to trip cancellations and delays and lost luggage. Please contact our office if you would like more information about the medical evacuation and comprehensive travel insurance policies we offer by calling 800-543-8917.

Getting There & Getting Home

Please arrive in Dunedin by 4 pm on Day 1 in order to join your group for a welcome dinner beginning at approximately 7 pm. For those who wish to participate in an optional tour of Dunedin (at no additional cost), please plan to arrive no later than 1 pm on Day 1 and you will be met by your Expedition Leader at 3 pm in the lobby. For those that are traveling on the North Island pre-trip extension, you will be joined with the group in time for the start of the optional tour. You may depart Christchurch any time on the final day.

If your trip begins after August 2025, please plan to arrive in Dunedin by 12 pm on Day 1.

We can serve you best if Natural Habitat Adventures’ Travel Desk makes these reservations for you, as they are intimately familiar with the special requirements of this program and can arrange the most efficient and cost effective travel for you. Please call us at 800-543-8917. Note that while we offer you the best possible rates available to us on airfare and additional nights' accommodations, you may find special web rates or better fares online.

Questions?
We've Got Answers!
Talk with an Adventure Specialist
Call Our Boulder Office at 800-543-8917 or contact your travel advisor.
new-zealand-explorer

Request Your 2025/2026 Catalog

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Image of Catalog

Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly 100 nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo
Request Your 2025/2026 Catalog
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Continued - Page 2 of 2
To help us customize your catalog request, please tell us more about your travel needs:
Thank you for requesting a catalog

We’ve received your request. If you have any questions about our trips, please feel free to contact an Adventure Specialist today by calling 800-543-8917.

Send Me Travel Emails

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list!

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Me Travel Emails

Get the Inside Scoop on the

World of Nature Travel

Our weekly eNewsletters highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Us a Message

Send Us a Message

Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Us a Message
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Thank you for your message

We'll be in touch soon with a response.

Refer a Friend

Refer a Friend,
Get $250 Off

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Refer a Friend

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Thank you for the referral!

We've received your friend's information.

View Digital Catalog

View Our 2025/2026

Digital Catalog

Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
View Digital Catalog
Text Messaging Policy

Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.

Happy browsing!

Thanks for requesting access to our digital catalog. Click here to view it now. You'll also receive it by email momentarily.

Our Trips

Polar Bear Tours

African Safaris

A sea lion swims near the photographer underwater in the Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Tours

Alaska Adventures

U.S. National Parks Tours

Canada & the North

Europe Adventures

Mexico & Central America Tours

South America Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

A close-up of two king penguins on South Georgia Island

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Photo Expeditions

Adventure Cruises

Women's Adventures

Family Adventures

New Adventures

Questions? Call 800-543-8917

Instagram logo An icon representing Instagram, a social media platform. Youtube logo An icon representing Youtube, a social media video platform. tiktok logo An icon representing tiktok. Twitter logo An icon representing Twitter, a social media platform. Facebook logo An icon representing Facebook, a social media platform.
Contact Us

Have a question or comment?
Click any of the buttons below to get in touch with us.

Hours
Mountain Time

  • 8 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday

  • 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday

  • Closed on Sunday

Call 800-543-8917
Questions? Click to Chat
Questions? Click to Chatchat