Angela's time with APT in New Zeeland
Day 1, Arriving in Christchurch
Arriving into Christchurch at 2am, I was more than ready to get to my hotel. Thankfully the Sudima offers a free airport shuttle and 24-hour check-in. I was asleep by 2:30am and woke up around 9am, ready to head to the Christchurch Gondola—on the other side of the city.
Pro tip: the bus is super convenient, but they only take cash (found that out the hard way). After a quick dash to Woolworths, I was back on track. The views from the top of the gondola were absolutely incredible, with 360° views over the city and out to the mountains and ocean. I was lucky to get a clear day and could have stayed up there for hours.
After that, I visited the Antarctic Centre (again—because I loved it so much last time). This place is a must-do. We braved –18.4° windchill, met some adorable huskies and penguins, walked through an ice cave, and rode the Hagglund—still 100% bumpy and 99% satisfaction lol.
Later, we moved to the Commodore Hotel, a family-run property with a heated indoor pool and a little waterfall outside our balcony. We had a lovely welcome dinner and met our group—early night for most of us with a 6am breakfast ahead.
Day 2, Arthur’s Pass, Hokitika & Franz Josef
We hit the road early and normally this stretch would be done by train, but with maintenance underway, we drove—and honestly, I think we got the better end of the deal. Arthur’s Pass was stunning. We stopped for waterfall photos, passed Castle Hill (used in Narnia), and made our way to Hokitika for lunch and jade shopping.
Unfortunately, clouds rolled in by the time we got to Franz Josef, so no heli flight for us. But we still did a short rainforest walk to the base of where the glacier was 100 years ago. The scenery was so lush, and our hotel had rooms nestled in the rainforest with heated flooring—such a treat!
Day 3, Haast to Queenstown
We left Franz Josef to clear skies and got to see the Glacier from the bus as we drove out. We made a quick stop at Haast for a jet boat ride—16km of pure, fresh glacier meltwater and absolutely stunning scenery. There were a few spins at the end (so much fun!) and even a Jack Russell named Lofty riding along with us.
Lunch was a roadhouse with picture-perfect mountain views, and the drive into Queenstown was just gorgeous. I was surprised to find the lake actually splits the town—I always pictured it outside the city! We passed all four ski mountains on our way in.
That night we took a boat over to Walter Peak Station for dinner and a sheep show—complete with a lolly wall and a buffet that absolutely lived up to the hype. It was freezing, but worth it!
Today was a freedom-of-choice day and I picked the “Best of Queenstown” tour—and I’m so glad I did. We started with stunning views over the city, then visited Arrowtown (which gave big Hahndorf vibes), and did a cheese and wine pairing at a local winery.
To top it off, we cruised across Lake Wakatipu right to our lunch spot, and in the afternoon, a group of us checked out the Ice Bar (yes, it’s really -7° and you drink from ice cups). Dinner was up at Skyline Queenstown
—a buffet with everything from sushi to a chocolate fountain and even a giant parmesan wheel.
Day 5, Te Anau & Milford Sound
Probably the most picturesque day so far. We left early and drove through stunning alpine landscapes to reach Milford Sound, stopping at Mirror Lakes and a few other scenic spots.
The Sound itself was incredible—waterfalls everywhere and even a pod of dolphins. It was cold but magical. We cruised on the Milford Mariner, had lunch onboard, and wrapped up with a hot chai in hand. Back in Te Anau that night, we were all so glad we didn’t have to do the long drive back to Queenstown.
Day 6, Dunedin
After a delicious buffet breakfast (shoutout to the pancakes and perfectly cooked bacon), we hit the road east to Dunedin, cruising past rolling farmland and wide-open plains. We had a quick pit stop in Gore, where I tried a local Cheese Roll – it’s basically cream cheese and French onion soup mix rolled in bread and toasted. Surprisingly yum – I’m definitely trying it at home!
In Dunedin, we stopped at Baldwin Street – officially the steepest in the world – for a quick photo. From there, it was into town where we were dropped off at the Octagon. We had two hours to do our thing: some went shopping, others grabbed lunch or checked out a brewery. I opted for a beautiful Japanese meal (I’d been here before) with a few others and then caught up with more of the crew for a cheeky pint.
In the afternoon, we made our way to the stunning Lanarch Castle. It’s perched on a volcano and filled with history, character, and a fair bit of scandal. Our private tour covered it all – from the incredible carved wood interiors (materials were brought in from all over the world) to the dramatic family history. You can actually stay at the castle too – they’ve got hotel-style rooms, stables, and even 5-star accommodation. It’s honestly a must-visit.
That night, we had a local wine tasting and a 3-course dinner back at our hotel, and later a bunch of us headed to a nearby bar for drinks and laughs.
Day 7, Mt. Cook
This was one of those magical days. The light in the morning as we made our way north was stunning – like a sunrise that went for hours. First stop: the Moeraki Boulders. These are large round rocks half-stuck in the sand on Koekohe Beach. They’re not massive, but they make for fun photos.
We grabbed lunch in Omarama (cute town, great souvenir shop), and then it was off to the Hermitage Hotel at Mt Cook. After a quick check-in and layering up in our warm gear, we set off for the Glacier Explorer tour.
The walk to the lake is about 1.5km and needs to be done in under 20 minutes – they run a tight schedule and if you’re late, you miss out. We all made it (just!) and then hopped in speedboats on Tasman Lake. Seeing actual icebergs, learning about how they form, holding 400-year-old ice – it was absolutely mind-blowing.
The lake was once completely covered by the glacier. Now it’s 7km long and 240m deep in parts. And the colour of the water – this eerie grey-blue – comes from glacial silt. It was absolutely freezing, but totally worth it. Some of the group went stargazing later that night, and I would’ve loved to do both if we had an extra night there.
Day 8, Mt Cook to Christchurch
Honestly, this was my favourite day of the entire trip. Woke up to a clear blue sky and barely a breath of wind – perfect conditions for the one thing I’d been hoping for… a helicopter ride!
We’d missed out earlier in Franz Josef due to bad weather, but APT had been working behind the scenes to make it happen – and we got lucky. I was in the last group to fly, so had a bit of nervous waiting time, but it was so worth it.
Flying over Mt Cook and the lake we’d explored the day before gave me a whole
new perspective. Then we landed on the Tasman Glacier – 2,400m above sea level. The snow crunched underfoot, the views were just endless. We took a million photos, tossed snow in the air (accidentally hit someone, sorry!), and just soaked it all in.
On the way back, we flew over Franz Josef and Fox Glacier too – seeing the western coastline we’d been near earlier in the trip. Everyone came off buzzing.
We stopped at Lake Tekapo and visited the beautiful little Church of the Good Shepherd, then headed to Geraldine for a hearty lamb shank lunch. Once we reached Christchurch, we checked into the hotel and headed off for a tram ride through the city, complete with drinks and canapés.
Our farewell dinner was full of laughs, poems, stories and hugs. It was the perfect way to wrap up what was honestly one of the best trips I’ve ever been on.
Trip Highlights:
✅ Helicopter over Mt Cook and landing on the glacier
✅ Lanarch Castle and its colourful history
✅ Cruising Tasman Lake and holding 400-year-old ice
✅ Watching the extended sunrise across the South Island
✅ Starry skies, good food, new friendships
Final Thoughts:
This trip was everything I hoped for – eye-opening, scenic, and so well put together. APT really delivered. There’s something magical about New Zealand – the landscapes, the little towns, the people. And doing it with a great group just made it all the more memorable.
If anyone’s ever on the fence about exploring NZ – just go. You won’t regret it.
