Explore New Zealand in 9 Days: Affordable Non-Self-Driving Tour for $1,300

📞Phone card 74+82
[Airplane R]: Round-trip ticket from Guangzhou 4098+303 (Auckland-Christchurch) +743 (Queenstown-Auckland)
🚕Didi: 59.5
🏨Hotel: 2,264.89
🚌Bus fare: (Christchurch-Tekapo, Tekapo-Wanaka, Wanaka-Queenstown) = 1,656.93
[Fisherman’s hat R] Hobbit/Glowworm Caves one-day tour: 1384/person
🍚Meals: 2352.94
Total cost: 74+82+4098+303+743+2264.89+1656.93+1384+2352.94+59.5 = 13,018.26

Itinerary:
Day 1️⃣:
Arrive at the airport and check into the hotel – Stay in Auckland
Day 2️⃣: (Picture 1)
Join a group tour to Hobbiton + Waitomo Glowworm Caves – Stay in Auckland
(⚠️No photos or videos allowed in the glowworm caves, so no pictures, but it’s quite beautiful inside, like a galaxy🌌)
Day 3️⃣:
Take a boat from Prince’s Wharf to Devonport – Climb Mount Victoria for a view of the Auckland Sky Tower – Fly to Christchurch in the evening – Stay in Christchurch
Day 4️⃣:
Riverside Market – Christchurch Gondola🚡 – Cardboard Cathedral⛪️ – Stay in Christchurch
Day 5️⃣:
8:30 bus to Lake Tekapo – Church of the Good Shepherd – Stay in Tekapo
Day 6️⃣:
12:50 bus departure – Lake Wanaka – Lone Tree – Explore the city – Stay in Wanaka
Day 7️⃣:
2:40 bus departure – Queenstown – Queenstown Gondola – Weekend market – Stay in Queenstown
Day 8️⃣
16:50 flight to Auckland (Airline system crash led to arrival at 10 PM
Day 9️⃣
Auckland market (Weekend markets, you can search on XHS for many themed markets) – 22:00 flight home
🔔Reminders:
[One R] Auckland public transport payment methods:
1.

Credit card, remember to tap on and off, not tapping off will charge the full fare, free transfer within half an hour, when using a credit card, do not lock the card at night as the bus fare is deducted at night, if it cannot be deducted, the bus company will blacklist your account, making it unusable‼️
2.

Auckland transport card (There is an orange vending machine to the right after exiting the airport, download the AT Mobile app for self-recharge, online recharge is not real-time, usually takes 1-3 days, for immediate recharge, go to a convenience store or train station) Picture 12
[Two R] In Christchurch and Queenstown, buses do not accept credit card payments, cash or local transport cards can be used (transport cards are not interchangeable between the three places, each place has its own)
[Three R] 🎫Bus booking website (City buses have only one departure per day, book in advance)
https://www.

intercity.co.nz/book-a-trip/booksearch
[Four R] Recommend renting a car!! Without a car, it’s really inconvenient, leading to missing out on many places
[Five R] Pictures 16, 17, 18 have self-driving routes for reference
[Six R] Many hotels have kitchens where you can cook meals