New Zealand Birding Tour
The Australia and New Zealand Grand Tour
This is Part 3 of the Grand Tour
Part 1 is September 14 - 20, 2026, 7-day tour in the Sydney, Australia area
Part 2 is September 20 – 29, 2026, 10-day tour of New South Wales
Part 3 is September 29 – October 10, 2026, 12-day tour to New Zealand
If you sign up for all three tours, it is a total of 27 days
Part 1, The Sydney Opera and Birding Festival: We will go birding in and around the Sydney area, and travel to birding areas that are within a 1-hour drive from Sydney. Please the Sydney Opera and Birding page for more details.
Part 2: We will travel through New South Whales, starting and ending in Sydney, making a loop through the countryside for a 10-day tour of birding. Please see our New South Wales Tour page for more details.
Below you will find the details of Part 3
- Travel Dates: September 29 – October 10, 2026
- Group Size: 5 travelers, spots left = 5
- Trip Length: 12 days
- Rate per person: $5,920 per person (based on double occupancy), an extra $1,500 for single occupancy.
- Rates include: Lodging, breakfast, lunch on days 2 - 11, dinner on days 2 - 11, daily birding tours, airport transfer, airfare from Dunedin to Wellington, Wellington to Picton round trip ferry ride, and basic travel insurance.
- Not included: International flights, Airfare* to the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) and/or Churchchrist (CHC) and/or Auckland (AKL), New Zealand, snacks, alcohol, lunch on days 1 and 12, dinner on days 1 and 12, and trip cancelation insurance.
- Adventure level: Easy, please check the "Welcome" page for definition
- Reservations: To reserve a spot on the trip, a non-refundable 30% deposit is required, and the non-refundable balance is due six months prior to the trip.
*Special note about airfare: If you are signing up for Parts 1 and/or 2 and 3, we recommend buying a one-way ticket to Sydney and then a one-way ticket home from Auckland (AKL). You will also need to purchase a one-way ticket from Sydney (SYD) to Churchchrist (CHC) on Air New Zealand for about $350. Please contact us for details.
2026 Itinerary for Part 3
We are still working on this itinerary and will be adding more details and hotel links.
This tour will start in Christchurch, New Zealand, on the south island, where we will spend 5-days traveling and birding the southeast coast. From there we will fly to the north island to the city of Wellington. From Wellington we will travel and bird the central park of the island and end the tour in Auckland.
Day 1: Arrival in Christchurch or stay over in Sydney
If you were on the Part 2 tour, this day you will be on your own because some guests might be leaving, and some guests might be arriving, and that will be the activity for the day while we get reorganized in between tours. Your hotel will be included for the night and breakfast, but lunch and dinner are not included. Shuttle transfer from the Sydney Airport (SYD) to the Sir Stamford Circular Quay Hotel where we will stay for the next 6-nights. The Sydney Airport is a 20-minute drive from our lodging. No activities for the day. Lunch and Dinner on your own. If you are only signing up for the New Zealand trip, then you will meet us at either the Christchurch airport or the hotel on “Day 2”. Please contact us for the details about this option.
Day 2: Fly to Christchurch, South Island
We will be taking the morning flight on Air New Zealand from the Sydney Airport (SYD) to the Christchurch (CHC) airport. It is a non-stop 3-hour flight. With the time change, the flight usually arrives in the afternoon. We will travel to our hotel for check-in and dinner. Our hotel is located close to several good birding areas: The Groynes, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, Styx Mill Walkway, and the Roto Kohatu Reserve.
Day 3: Timaru
From our lodging in Christchurch, it is a 2.5 hours drive to the town of Timaru. We will take our time getting there stopping at the best birding locations along the way. Our hotel in Timaru is located close to Little Blue Penguins Nature Preserve.
Day 4: Dunedin
From Timaru it is a 2.5 hour drive to the town of Dunedin where we will spend 2-nights. There will be numerous stops along the way for birding. Locations will be determine by recent birding sightings.
Day 5: Dunedin
A full day birding the Dunedin areas of Cape Sauders and Sandymount.
Day 6: Fly to Wellington, North Island
From Dunedin we will fly to Wellington located on the north island. It is a 1-hour morning flight. Once in Wellington, we will head to our hotel for early check-in and get some birding done in the afternoon. Our hotel is located close to the Wellington Botanical Gardens and close to the ferry terminal.
Day 7: Wellington
Today will be a ferry ride, round trip to Picton on the south island. We hope to see numerous pelagic birds, such as the White-capped Albatross, Buller's Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Northern Giant Petrel, and Australasian Gannet. It is a 3.5 hour ferry ride each way, so a full day on the water. This ferry is a large passenger ferry that also carries vehicles.
Day 8: Waimarino
From Wellington, it is a 4-hour drive to Waimarino where we will spend 2-nights. We will follow the west coast with stops at the Waikanae Estuary, Foxton Beach, and the Manawatu estuary. Our lodging is located close to Tongariro National Park and is a good birding spot as well.
Day 9: Waimarino
A full day birding the Waimarino area and Tongariro National Park.
Day 10: Hamilton
In the morning we will bird areas close to the national park. From Waimarino, it is a 2.5 hour drive to the village of Okoroire. We will be staying in the countryside at a good birding location, which is also only a 15-minute drive the Hobbit movie sets.
Day 11: Auckland
From Okoroire, it is a 2- hour drive to our lodging that is located close to the Auckland Airport. We will take out time getting there with many stops for birding, including the Robert Findlay Wildlife Reserve, the Miranda Pukorokoro Shorebird Center, Widgery Pond, Puhinui Reserve, and sites close to the airport.
Day 12: Fly Home
There will be a shuttle to the airport for your flight home.
Follow
