Start your New Zealand Working Holiday adventure the best way possible – with the trip of a lifetime to see some of New Zealand’s most amazing sights! Make new friends, travel to the North Island’s best spots, and try some unforgettable adventure activities!
Year-round
7 days
C$1,699
Get all of the pre-departure support provided in our New Zealand Send-Off Package PLUS an epic week-long intro to New Zealand! Upon arrival in Auckland, hop on your pre-arranged transportation into the city centre and check in to your accommodation. Attend your welcome orientation to kick off your New Zealand Working Holiday adventure of a lifetime with your new friends.
Over the next seven days, you will explore the very best of the North Island – a mix of culture, mystical landscapes, and adrenaline-rushing activities. Read the itinerary below to see the fun that awaits!
Please do not book your flight until you have paid for your program and secured your program start date.
Start your New Zealand Working Holiday adventure as you mean to go on, with seven days exploring this country’s best assets with new mates…
Arrive in New Zealand with ease knowing we've already arranged your airport transportation and accommodation in Auckland. After checking in, catch up on sleep and grab a drink with other working holiday travellers to kick off the epic week ahead!
It’s time to set up your new life in New Zealand! In your Welcome Orientation, we will cover all the essentials: from setting up your bank account, tax number and phone, to advice on finding a job and travelling in this incredible country. We'll then head out for a walking tour to give you the inside scoop on life in Auckland (think: the best foodie hangouts, where to go out and more), capping it off with drinks. You'll be a local in no time.
Today we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of planning your working holiday with a job workshop. We'll also help get your resume 'employer ready' so that you can start applying for jobs. Next, we'll run over all the epic travel adventures you can have in New Zealand so that you can start building your bucket list for the next year - prepare to get excited! We'll finish the day taking a ferry over to Dunport – a chilled-out bay village – for dinner.
Enjoy a lazy morning in Auckland. We recommend grabbing brunch down at Commercial Bay before taking a stroll down to Wynyard Quarter. Next, we'll get back to finalizing your New Zealand working holiday plans. Our team will be on hand to answer any questions you might have so that you can hit the ground running.
Today we will leave the city and head north, stopping at Whangarei Falls before arriving in the Bay of Islands. Where crystal-clear water meets dense kauri forest, the Northland is beautiful. This region is also rich in Māori history, and you will have the chance to visit New Zealand's most historic location Waitangi - the 'Birthplace of the Nation'.
Take the day to relax and explore the beaches, bush walks and wildlife that make up the Bay of Islands. There is also the option to experience the Hole in the rock, go sea kayaking, scuba diving, parasailing and fishing (not included in the program price).
On your last full day of adventures, we will head north to Kerikeri, Northland's largest town. We will spend the morning hiking in search of towering waterfalls, before heading to the "Old Packhouse" Farmer's market for a fresh lunch and coffee (call us biased, but this coffee is the best!), heading back to Auckland for the evening.
Flights, medical insurance, visa and/or work permit application fees, local transportation, food & rent.
After getting acquainted with the North Island and meeting new friends you can decide where you want to live and work. Choose to stay in Auckland where our New Zealand support services are based or venture elsewhere. Stepabroad participants tend to work casual jobs that give them the flexibility to enjoy their New Zealand Working Holiday adventure and travel around the country.
Our team will help you get the work permit, sharpen your resume so you stand out to hiring managers, prepare you for interviews, and give you a thorough orientation on landing a job in New Zealand. The job you get will depend on your previous work experience.
Interested to chat with us to learn which program is right for you?
Ready to start planning your New Zealand Working Holiday adventure?
We typically ask for three months’ notice before you plan to leave Canada so you can make the most of our support in preparing you for your adventure abroad. Want to leave sooner? No problem, we’ll put your services on high priority!
Both have their benefits! The North Island is home to both New Zealand’s largest city and their capital. Surprised? Even though more Kiwis live in Auckland than the entire South Island, Wellington is actually the capital city of New Zealand. The North Island is full of wonder, including the geothermal town of Rotorua, the winterless Bay of Island and the laid-back surf town of Raglan. Meanwhile, the South Island is more sparsely populated but stuffed full of glaciers, rainforests and mountains. If you’re looking for farmwork, try the popular Marlborough Sounds wine district. For work in the tourism field, Queenstown is a thriving year-round or for those in the construction industry, help to rebuild Christchurch after their massive 2011 earthquake. The choice is yours!
While we have met people who have travelled to both islands in two weeks (how?!), there are so many things to see and do in New Zealand. Even though the landmass is small, New Zealand has such a large amount of diversity packed into its borders that we recommend spending at least four weeks there. Your one-week arrival tour will be a great start, but we recommend checking out more of New Zealand after you have had time to settle in. If you have the time, a two-month road trip would really allow you to immerse yourself in Kiwi culture at a more leisurely pace. Your travel coordinator will be able to discuss options to travel in more depth during your pre-departure consultation.
Our orientation includes a mixed gender dorm bed in one of the top rated hostels in the city! This is a cost efficient way to really get to know your new friends, and fully immerse yourself in the backpacker lifestyle.
If you would prefer a private room, we can speak with the hostel regarding availability, but presuming there is space this can usually be arranged. Speak to your Travel Coordinator to confirm upgrade costs and dates for your stay.
Although your adventure tour is not specifically designed to show off Lord of the Rings filming locations, there are a variety of spots all over New Zealand that are easy to access! If you are passing any areas that were used in filming, your tour guide will point them out on the way. Otherwise, Hobbiton is only a two-hour drive from Auckland, if you are a die-hard fan the in-country team can help you arrange a visit at an additional cost.
There are countless activities to try in New Zealand, but probably the most famous is bungee jumping! AJ Hacket was a Kiwi who commercialized bungee jumping back in 1988, and these days you have a variety of bungee locations to consider in New Zealand. The North Island has New Zealand’s only ocean touch jump off the Auckland Bridge, while on the South Island you will find the country’s highest jump – named the Nevis – just outside Queenstown. For those looking for a slightly less terrifying experience, zorbing was also invented in Rotorua. This is essentially being stuffed in a giant inflatable hamster ball and pushed down a hill. Trust us, it is also great fun!