Hiking Under Southern Skies

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

You must hold an NZeTA (New Zealand electronic Travel Authority). All people arriving in to New Zealand must complete an arrivals card, either upon arrival or electronically via the New Zealand Traveller Declaration website or app.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

New Zealand

• Your passport must have 1 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is required and it must be obtained in advance.

• The cost of this visa is not included in the cost of your trip.

• Your visa can be secured electronically. You may use the services of our designated visa service, Passport Visa Express, please see details on the process and the price at Passport Visa Express. If you prefer you may secure your electronic visa on your own, see the notes below for details.

Please note: Participants visiting New Zealand require a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) that they must purchase prior to travel at nzeta.immigration.govt.nz/. Links to the NZeTA mobile apps are also at this website. The cost for the NZeTA and the included International Visitor Conservation & Tourism Levy (which accounts for NZ$100 of the total) is NZ$117 via the app or NZ$123 online. Participants then receive their visa when they arrive at their entry point in New Zealand.

What about Health Care in New Zealand? Emergency medical care will be available through the sites’ usual channels, with assistance from your Group Leader. Please read the Road Scholar insurance brochure carefully and note its stipulations and limitations. Health care in New Zealand is excellent. Be sure to bring enough of any medication you are taking to last for the entire program. American prescriptions cannot always be filled in New Zealand because of the different names for products. But, just in case your medication should get lost, bring a copy of the prescription (preferably in generic terms) because you may be able to get it filled in an emergency. Please bring the complete names of all of your medications with you as you will need this information to complete health forms. It is also a good idea to carry with you such things as cold remedies, eye drops, fiber, diarrhea medicine, and other such items that you hope you won’t need, but which become essential in emergencies. It is not always easy to get to a pharmacy, and since brand names are different in other countries, this will spare you some uncertainties. Some countries require prescriptions for many of the drugs that we buy over-the-counter. The CDC recommends that the normal childhood vaccines should be up to date: Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR Vaccine), Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTP Vaccine) and Polio vaccine.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on October 29, 2026

Meet the group at Heartland Ambassador Hotel Hamilton in Hamilton

Start of Trip:  Arrival at Auckland International Airport followed by 8:30 a.m. group transfer to Hamilton.

Getting to the site: This program commences in the international arrivals hall of Auckland airport at 8:30 a.m. on the program arrival day. Participants will then be transferred as a group by coach to Hamilton. Participants arriving prior to the program's in-country arrival date, or making their own way to New Zealand independently, should ensure that they are present in the international arrivals hall at Auckland airport by 7:30 a.m. for departure from the airport by 8:30 a.m. If you intend to make your own way to Hamilton independently, please let your Group Leaders know. An InterCity shuttle bus departs Auckland International Airport Terminal at 11:25 a.m. and arrives in Hamilton at 1:15 p.m. (costing from NZ$20). Please note that you will miss your welcome lunch and visit to Hamilton Gardens.

Your trip ends on: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 in Wellington at West Plaza Hotel

End of Trip: 1:30 p.m. group transfer to Wellington Airport.

Getting to the airport: This program concludes at Wellington airport. A transfer from central Wellington to Wellington airport, departing at 1:30 p.m., is provided for all participants. Participants booking their own flights home should book their flights to depart Wellington no earlier than 3:30 p.m. on the final day of the program.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: This program commences at Auckland airport and concludes at Wellington airport. Participants arriving early or departing late will be responsible for their own arrangements to and from these airport locations. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.