New Zealand holidays

New Zealand’s indigenous people canoed over from Polynesia around 1250AD, long before European settlers arrived. Our holidays use Maori-owned businesses, and Maori guides when appropriate, so you can discover and support their culture. The haka, actually a welcome rather than a war dance, may be the best-known tradition, but most parts of the country have their own iwi (tribes) who will share their understanding of kaitiaki, the concept of being stewards of the land rather than owners. Key Maori cultural sites on the North Island include Hokianga harbour, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, and the ‘living village’ of Ohinemutu near Rotorua.

New Zealand boasts some of the greatest walking terrain on Earth. From multi-day epics: the famous Milford Track in Fjordland and the Karamea Track, to full-day tramps like the Tongariro Crossing, there’s no better way to experience New Zealand than by strapping on your boots for one of our walking holidays. Not that you need to be super-fit to enjoy walking here – there are many easy-going short routes too. Our trips make use of the country’s extensive network of family-run bed and breakfasts, many of which are concerned with conservation and who are doing their bit – as you are as a hiker – to leave a light touch on their landscapes.