Tuesday: Your Steam Journey Begins: Auckland – Tongariro National Park

We’ll depart from Auckland’s historic old Railway station and travel south via the Auckland waterfront, through the fertile farmland of the Waikato. We’ll follow the mighty Waikato River to Waitomo, where you can visit live Kiwis or tour the incredible limestone formations of the Waitomo Caves.

Then we’ll follow the Main Trunk Line through the King Country before travelling up one of New Zealand’s most impressive engineering feats: the Raurimu Spiral.

Wednesday: Tongariro National Park to Palmerston North

This morning you could play golf, tennis or croquet or visit the excellent Department of Conservation Visitor Centre. If you start early you have time to take the chairlift right to the top of the Mt Ruapehu ski runs.

Later in the morning we’ll drive to the ski town of Ohakune , or you can take the optional spectacular flight over the mountains. Once on board the train, we’ll travel the many spectacular viaducts of the Rangitikei Valley before descending to the Manawatu.

Thursday: Palmerston North to Wellington via Wairarapa

Today we’ll travel through the magnificent Manawatu Gorge before heading south across the Wairarapa region.

It’s one of the country’s premier wine regions and you may choose to wander around the town of Masterton or you can take either the Martinborough Wine Trail tour or a Wairarapa Gardens Tour.

For railfans, we stop en route at the Pahiatua Railcar Museum and when we get to Masterton have an excursion to the Fell Museum home of the unique and historic locomotive that used to climb the very steep Rimutaka Incline using the “Fell” system.

On our final evening in Wellington we’ll celebrate a very special dinner to farewell those leaving the North Island Steam Explorer and welcome those joining us for the South Island Steam Explorer.

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Great New Zealand Steam Journeys invites you to spend our summer gliding through our country with a steam adventure and enjoy the romance and nostalgia with fellow travellers.

Watch the whisps of smoke drift by as you pass through the “Lord of the Rings” scenery and let the motion stimulate the emotion of a bygone era!

Example six day steam train trip

Sunday/Monday: Auckland 

We welcome you with a special dinner on Sunday night and a half day sightseeing tour the next morning (cheap hotels in Christchurch and cheap hotels in Wellington). You’ll have two days to enjoy New Zealand ’s largest city. This subtropical multicultural city has a great deal to offer visitors and we have lots of optional activities for you to choose from:

Cruise on the Hauraki Gulf or Sail an America ’s Cup yacht. Take a sightseeing tour, see a Maori Cultural Experience, visit a winery or museum or take advantage of our overnight excursions to the beautiful Bay of Islands or the Thermal Wonderland of Rotorua.

Tuesday: Your Steam Journey Begins: Auckland – Tongariro National Park

We’ll depart from Auckland’s historic old Railway station and travel south via the Auckland waterfront, through the fertile farmland of the Waikato. We’ll follow the mighty Waikato River to Waitomo, where you can visit live Kiwis or tour the incredible limestone formations of the Waitomo Caves. 

Then we’ll follow the Main Trunk Line through the King Country before travelling up one of New Zealand’s most impressive engineering feats: the Raurimu Spiral. We traverse the Central Volcanic Plateau affording magnificent views of the three volcanoes used to portray Mordor and Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings movies. 

Wednesday: Tongariro National Park to Palmerston North 

In the morning drive to the ski town of Ohakune, or you can take the optional spectacular flight over the mountains. Once on board the train, we’ll travel the many spectacular viaducts of the Rangitikei Valley before descending to the Manawatu.

Thursday: Palmerston North to Wellington via Wairarapa 

Today we’ll travel through the magnificent Manawatu Gorge before heading south across the Wairarapa region. It’s one of the country’s premier wine regions and you may choose to wander around the town of Masterton or you can take either the Martinborough Wine Trail tour or a Wairarapa Gardens Tour.

For railfans, we stop en route at the Pahiatua Railcar Museum and when we get to Masterton have an excursion to the Fell Museum home of the unique and historic locomotive that used to climb the very steep Rimutaka Incline using the “Fell” system.

Friday: Wellington 

On our final evening in Wellington (cheap hotels in Wellington) we’ll celebrate a very special dinner to farewell those leaving the North Island Steam Explorer and welcome those joining us for the South Island Steam Explorer. We will take a trip up the city’s historic cable car to Kelburn and have dinner at the top of the peak where you can take in the stunning views of Wellington harbour at sunset.

More information >>

North to South Island travel is on the Interisland Line, the most reliable operator. Ships feature restaurants, bars, information centres & even movie theatres. Relax on board and witness the spectacular scenery pass by on the 3 hour interisland crossing.

Example train trip: Mainland by Rail

Cruise across Cook Strait on the Interislander to the Marlborough Sounds and Picton. Farewell the ferry and ride the Tranz Coastal train over the wine producing soils of the Wairau Valley. Returning to the coast hug the rugged seashore to Kaikoura, renowned for its lobster fishing and whale watching. Skirt the Hundalee Hills to reach Christchurch. On arrival uplift a vehicle for your South Island travel.

Departing Christchurch travel south across the Canterbury Plains with a back drop of the Southern Alps to your right. Cross over New Zealand’s finest salmon fishing rivers before arriving Oamaru. Here you may wish to visit the towns collection of fine whitestone buildings. Continue south past the picturesque Blue Skin Bay and traverse over Killmog Hill to reach Dunedin. This afternoon you may wish to join the Taieri Gorge Railway New Zealand’s spectacular historic rail journey – crossing giant viaducts and passing through ever changing scenery.

This morning is free to explore Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula renowned for its abundant wildlife. Traverse Saddle Hill to Mosgiel and the Taieri Plains. Round Lake Waihola and continue over the rolling South Otago farmland to Gore. Leaving the main highway it is on to Lumsden and Mossburn before reaching Te Anau.

More information >>