Short answer: a New Zealand backpacker tour costs from $1,999 for a 9-day group tour of one island, and from $4,399 for 17 to 21 days across both islands, with accommodation and a group leader included and most meals extra. Shorter Abel Tasman trips start from $259. The big single activities run from $66 for the Waitomo Glowworm Caves to $789 for a Milford Sound day with a scenic flight back to Queenstown.
Prices are per person in AUD (including the New Zealand trips), from our current listings (October 2026), and can change. Every New Zealand tour and activity in one list, sorted by today’s price: New Zealand tours by price.
The price ladder
| Format | What you get | From |
|---|---|---|
| Single activity | One big day or a few hours: caves, jet boats, skydives, flights | $66 |
| Abel Tasman, 2 to 3 days | Guided kayak camping, or sea shuttles for walking the track | $259 |
| 9-day group tour, one island | Hostels, transport, leader, included activities | $1,999 |
| 17 to 21 days, both islands | The same, end to end, Auckland to Queenstown | $4,399 |
9 days, one island
- NZ Adventure North, 9 Days Auckland to Wellington from $1,999: 8 hostel nights, 6 meals, all transport and a group leader, for 18 to 45s. Waitomo and Hobbiton, Rotorua, a Māori culture day, Lake Taupo, then Wellington. Every itinerary activity is in the price, with no pay-on-arrival extras.
- NZ Adventure South, 9 Days Christchurch to Queenstown from $1,999: 8 hostel nights, 7 meals, all transport and a leader. Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook, Wanaka, Queenstown, with the Milford Sound cruise, Wanaka kayaks and a jet boat included.
What the money gets you: a bed every night, every transfer, and the headline activities paid for. Bungy and skydiving are optional extras.
17 to 21 days, both islands
- NZ Adventure, 17 Days Auckland to Queenstown from $4,399: both 9-day legs back to back, 16 hostel nights, 13 meals, and all transport including the Wellington to Christchurch flight. Compare it with $1,999 plus $1,999 for the two legs booked separately, then remember the 17-day already includes that flight between the islands.
- New Zealand Highlights 21 Day Tour from Auckland from $4,569: 20 nights of accommodation and a group leader for 18 to 35s, groups of 8 to 20. Included: a welcome dinner and drink, the Hobbiton Movie Set tour, Hell’s Gate geothermal spa and a Lake Taupo catamaran cruise to the Māori rock carvings. The route runs Coromandel, Rotorua, Taupo, Wellington, Christchurch, Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook, then five days in Queenstown.
Abel Tasman: two or three days for less
The Abel Tasman Two Day Kayak Classic from $739 is a guided overnight paddle: double sea kayak and all safety gear, tents, mattresses, a beachside campsite and all meals, with the guide doing the cooking. Transport to the start is a separate add-on.
The Abel Tasman 3 Day Passport from $259 is sea shuttles only: drop-offs and pickups at points across the park on three separate days, so you walk most of the coastal track and sleep in town. Lunch and accommodation are not included.
The big single activities
| Activity | Where | From |
|---|---|---|
| Waitomo Glowworm Caves | Waitomo | $66 |
| Hobbiton Movie Set Tour | Matamata | $105 |
| Kaituna White Water Raft | Rotorua | $109 |
| Shotover River Canyon Jet Boat Ride | Queenstown | Enquire |
| Black Abyss (abseil and blackwater tubing) | Waitomo | $259 |
| 12,000ft Tandem Skydive | Taupo | $266 |
| Tandem Hang Glide (Sept to April) | Queenstown | $299 |
| The Grand Circle (helicopter with alpine landing) | Queenstown | $369 |
| Queenstown Tandem Skydive, 15,000ft | Queenstown | $466 |
| Dart River Jet Boat & Funyaks | Glenorchy | $479 |
| Milford Sound Experience, Coach, Cruise & Fly | Queenstown | $789 |
Queenstown is where the bill climbs. The Milford day is a coach in, a two-hour small-boat cruise on the fjord and a 40-minute scenic flight back. For which activities suit which island, see our New Zealand adventure activities guide.
What’s included and what’s extra
Group tours (9, 17 and 21 days): accommodation and a group leader are included on all of them, and all transport is listed on the 9 and 17-day tours. Meals are partly included (6, 7 or 13 meals on the 9 and 17-day tours; a welcome dinner on the 21-day), so most meals are extra. Flights and travel insurance are listed as extra on the 9 and 17-day tours. Bungy, skydives and other optional activities are extra.
Activities: photo and video packages are extra on the skydives, the jet boat, the raft and the hang glide. Hotel pickup is not included on the Queenstown 15,000ft skydive or the Shotover jet; the Grand Circle and the hang glide include transport from Queenstown.
Abel Tasman: transport to the start is extra on the kayak trip. On the 3 Day Passport, buses from Nelson cost extra each day, while transfers from Motueka are free for 9am sailings.
FAQs
How much is a 2-week New Zealand tour?
There is no 14-day group tour in our listings. The nearest are the 9-day one-island tours from $1,999 and the 17-day both-islands tour from $4,399.
Is food included on New Zealand group tours?
Some of it. The 9-day tours include 6 or 7 meals and the 17-day includes 13, so budget for most meals yourself.
Is Milford Sound included?
On the South Island 9-day and the 17-day tours, yes, the cruise is included. On its own, the Milford coach, cruise and fly day is $789 from Queenstown.
Which is better value, North or South Island?
Right now, the North Island 9-day and the South Island 9-day are the same price ($1,999). Pick on the itinerary: the North for Waitomo, Hobbiton and Rotorua, the South for Mount Cook, Wanaka and Milford Sound.
What age are the tours for?
The 9 and 17-day tours are for 18 to 45s; the 21-day Highlights tour is for 18 to 35s.
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