Explore New Zealand’s North Island
Welcome to your 14-day lifelong learning journey through the heart of New Zealand’s North Island. Designed specifically for the OLLI Corps at Arizona State University, this immersive itinerary balances vibrant urban discovery with profound cultural connection. From the glistening harbors of Auckland and the geothermal wonders of Rotorua to Napier’s Art Deco streets and the creative capital of Wellington, you will explore the rich diversity of Aotearoa. More than just sightseeing, this journey invites you to connect with Māori traditions through an authentic marae visit and ancestral waka tour, while leaving a lasting positive impact through meaningful community service and habitat restoration projects.
| Travel dates | December 4* – 17, 2027 (*depart US on December 2) |
| Program fee | $5,625 |
Please find more information below on:
- Accommodation
- Program Leaders and Guides
- Registration, Payment and Cancellation
- Flights
- Pre-departure Information
- Arrival Information
- Contact Us – Request a Call Back
Accommodation
Both queen and twin room options are available at each property. Couples may request a queen room, participants travelling together may request a twin room, and participants travelling on their own in a shared room will be assigned a twin room with another participant of the same gender.
If you prefer to have your own room, you may request a private queen room for an additional single supplement fee of $1,100, however there are a limited number available.
There are also a small number of accessible rooms available. These room types typically have wide doorways, lowered fixtures, and step-free bathrooms. Accessible rooms will be allocated based on need so please advise your requirements during the booking process.
Please note: Accommodations are subject to change based on availability and the needs of the final participant group. Any changes will be finalized closer to the program date and will be at a similar standard and location.
Please view the full itinerary for more photos and details for each hotel.
Auckland City Hotel
157 Hobson St, Auckland
3-star hotel; 5-night stay. Amenities includes an on-site restaurant, Wi-Fi, 24/7 reception, elevator access to all floors, and a location close to many attractions.
Novotel Rotorua Lakeside
Lake end, Tutanekai Street, Rotorua
4-star hotel; 2-night stay. Amenities include an on-site restaurant, Wi-Fi, fitness center, 24/7 reception, and elevator access to all floors.
Scenic Hotel Te Pania
45 Marine Parade, Napier
3-star hotel; 1-night stay. Amenities include an on-site restaurant, Wi-Fi, fitness center, 24/7 reception, and elevator access to all floors.
Ibis Wellington
153 Featherston Street, Wellington Central
3-star hotel; 5-night stay. Amenities include an on-site restaurant, Wi-Fi, 24/7 reception, elevator access to all floors, and a central city location.
Program Leaders and Guides
Dr. Jessica Hirshorn
ASU OLLI Leader
Jessica is a Teaching Professor at Arizona State University specializing in intercultural leadership and global learning. A Fulbright Scholar and experienced study abroad leader, she is passionate about helping students broaden their perspectives, strengthen their cross-cultural skills, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. Jessica has traveled to New Zealand extensively and looks forward to introducing the group to this beautiful part of the world.
AUIP Study Abroad
Program Provider
ASU OLLI has partnered with AUIP Study Abroad to create and deliver this immersive program. Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, AUIP has designed faculty-led and customized study abroad programs for US universities and colleges in the South Pacific since 1971. We specialize in experiential programs across New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and Antarctica. We strive to deliver expert logistics, academic, and health and safety support, including access to our 24/7 emergency response team while in-country.
Paul Conner
Local guide for AUIP
Paul brings a lifetime of experience in education, outdoor leadership, and guided travel. With extensive knowledge of New Zealand’s history, culture, and natural environment, he has spent many years leading tours, outdoor programs, and educational experiences for diverse groups. Paul’s friendly approach, enthusiasm for sharing local stories, and commitment to creating meaningful connections make him a valued guide and contact for participants during their trip.
Candice Houghton
Program Coordinator for AUIP
Candice brings extensive experience in international education, student services, and program management. Having worked across universities in both New Zealand and Australia, she is passionate about helping participants navigate new environments and make the most of their international learning experiences. Candice will play a key role in ensuring the program runs smoothly from enrolment and will be accompanying the group on the trip, providing logistical, health and safety support and ensuring that participants feel supported throughout their experience.
Registration, Payment and Cancellation
This program is open to OLLI members only. An active OLLI membership is required at the time of reservation. Please contact Tracy Grewe at tmgrewe@asu.edu if you need to purchase a membership.
| Program Fees: |
| Program fee – $5,625 |
| Single supplement fee (in addition to program fee) – $1,100 |
To register for the program, you will complete a booking form (with details required prior to travel and agreement to the Participant Travel Terms and Conditions), along with making payment of either the full program fee, or deposit and/or fees as per the payment schedule below.
Your place on the program is confirmed once we receive your deposit payment of $300, which is fully refundable for one month following payment.
The full program fee of USD $5,625 must be paid in accordance with the agreed payment plan and settled in full by 1 September 2027. Participants are responsible for ensuring all payments are made by the applicable due dates.
Please note: Card payments incur processing fees, so to ensure full refunds (if required) please pay by ACH bank transfer.
The payment due dates are as follows:
| Payment Schedule: |
| Deposit ($300) – due at registration to secure your place |
| Payment 1 ($1,775) – due by Feb 1 |
| Payment 2 ($1,775) – due by April 1 |
| Payment 3 ($1,775) – due by June 1 |
We understand that your circumstances may change so we have a flexible cancellation and refund policy.
All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to olli@auip.com. Refunds will be calculated based on the date the written cancellation request is received. Refunds will be processed within a reasonable period following confirmation of cancellation.
No refunds will be available from 1 September 2027 onwards, including for participants who withdraw, fail to attend, or do not complete the program. We recommend that participants extend their travel insurance to cover any loss of program fees.
The organisers, OLLI and AUIP, reserve the right to cancel or amend the program where necessary. In the event that the program is cancelled by the organisers (due to not meeting the minimum number of participants required), participants will receive a full refund of all payments made.
| Cancellation Date | Refund Amount |
| Within 1 month of deposit payment | 100% refund of all payments, including deposit, but less card payment processing fees of 3.5% (if applicable) |
| After 1 month from registration and before 1 March 2027 | All payments refunded less the $300 deposit and card payment processing fees of 3.5% (if applicable) |
| 1 March 2027 to 30 April 2027 | 75% of program fee refunded (excluding $300 deposit and card payment processing fees of 3.5% (if applicable)) |
| 1 May 2027 to 30 June 2027 | 50% of program fee refunded (excluding $300 deposit and card payment processing fees of 3.5% (if applicable)) |
| 1 July 2027 to 31 August 2027 | 25% of program fee refunded (excluding $300 deposit and card payment processing fees of 3.5% (if applicable)) |
| From 1 September 2027 onward | No refund |
Flights
Flights to/from New Zealand are not included in the ASU OLLI in New Zealand program fee and are your own responsibility to book and pay for.
Should you wish to use AUIP’s recommended flight partner, please contact ScholarTrip. Their team knows of the flight windows and details for each of the destinations that they work in. Please always make sure that you have received confirmation that the program is guaranteed to run before booking any airfares.
To get a quote from ScholarTrip:
Email the ScholarTrip Flight Agent (preferred method of communication to ensure accuracy on the request):
Alan Hoyt
Sales and Operations Manager
Hours: M-F 9AM-6PM EST
Email: Alan.Hoyt@ScholarTrip.com
Phone 1-855-452-0376. ScholarTrip’s team is ready to assist 24/7/365.
Please have the following in hand when you are booking your flights:
- Your confirmation email that the trip is proceeding and your spot is confirmed, the TripCreator itinerary, and notes for your trip plans and dates, including any other locations, or early arrival/late departure plans you have to add on to your trip.
- Arrival and departure dates
- Arrival and departure airports
- Names exactly as they appear on your passport
- Any frequent flyer membership numbers
- Any special diets required for your flights
- Any need for Special Flight and Airport Assistance requirements for travel
Pre-departure Information
Before your program, think about the factors that contribute to your physical and emotional wellbeing. Traveling abroad may affect your health because so many factors of your daily health are related to your lifestyle and environment. The state of your health will have a significant impact on the success and enjoyment of your trip! Here are a few important factors to consider as a part of your planning.
Check your passport and entry requirements
Your passport should be valid for six months after the end date of your program. Begin the process immediately if you need to renew or apply for a passport for the first time.
Information for US citizens: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html/
Medical and trip cancellation insurance
It is important to understand your medical travel insurance coverage and how to use the policy. Carry proof of insurance at all times. For this program, you will be required to provide evidence of medical insurance coverage of a minimum of US $50,000 prior to departure.
We also recommend purchasing trip interruption and cancellation (IFAR/CFAR) coverage to ensure you are covered in the event of unexpected events that may mean you cannot travel.
We strongly recommend that you use a provider that you are familiar with or do thorough research. Some options are as follows:
- Scholartrip use Travel Guard for their travel insurance
- Faye Insurance
- CISI
Inform families, and any others who may need to know, about your participation in the program, provide them with emergency contact information, and keep them informed on an ongoing basis where relevant.
During the program AUIP will provide you with information for local medical centers that you can visit. You may also contact your travel insurance agent to see if they have preferred medical centers.
We recommend that you bring a small personal medical kit and check with your doctor in advance of travel to ensure you have any prescription medication that you might need.
Also of note, the sun in New Zealand has high UV radiation levels. We recommend that you purchase a sunscreen of at least SPF50 and do not bring aerosol sunscreens.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains up-to-date information on health and vaccination requirements for all countries. Visit www.cdc.gov/travel for additional information on specific infectious diseases and for more detailed country-specific information on vaccinations you are likely to need. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, you may also consult the World Health Organization’s website at www.who.int.
New Zealand does not typically require visitors to have vaccinations; however, this can change at any time. Please refer to the above webpages for the most up to date information.
Arrival Information
The program will officially begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 4, 2027, in the lobby of Auckland City Hotel. At that time, you will meet your OLLI leader, AUIP on-site coordinator and guide, and fellow participants.
Flights from the United States typically arrive in Auckland, New Zealand, very early in the morning, around 5:00–7:00 a.m. This should give you enough time to land, take your shuttle to your accommodation, store your bags, and meet the group. However, because jet lag and long-distance travel can take time to recover from, you may wish to arrive a few days earlier so you can rest and settle into Auckland before the program begins. Once you have received confirmation the program will run and you are ready to book your flights, please refer to our Flights & Pre-departure Information for additional information and contact details.
For all arrival dates, a Super Shuttle transfer will be provided from Auckland Airport to your first accommodation in Auckland city. Closer to the program start date, AUIP will forward a form requesting your flight details so we can book this transfer for you. If several program participants arrive at a similar time, AUIP may book an exclusive shuttle van; otherwise, a seat on a shared shuttle service will be arranged.
Booking Pre-program Accommodation
If you would like to arrive earlier than December 4, 2027, and extend the room booked for you at Auckland City Hotel, please email the hotel manager, Ignacio, for current rates. Payment for any additional nights is your responsibility to book and pay for, and can be arranged directly with the hotel at check-in. If you book the same room type, you should be able to remain in the same room without needing to check out and check back in.
Auckland City Hotel, on Hobson
Phone: +64 9 925 0777
Email: Ignacio@jrhnz.com
Alternatively, if you prefer to stay at a different hotel in Auckland before the program begins, AUIP recommends the following accommodations. We recommend booking directly with the hotel for the best rates and booking terms. When possible, avoid third-party booking sites such as Booking.com, Kayak, or Expedia, as they may include hidden fees or more complex booking terms.
Sudima Auckland City — 4-star hotel
Phone: +64 9 905 1719
Email: reservations@sudimahotels.com
Ibis Budget Auckland Central — budget-friendly 3-star hotel
Phone: +64 9 308 9140
Email: h6487-fo@accor.com
Avani Auckland Metropolis Residences — studios and apartments; no restaurant on-site
Phone: +64 9 377 1000
Email: SarahF@minorhotels.com.au
Request a call back (available from Nov 9th)
Click here to request a call back at a time that suits you from November 9th onwards.
Your travel provider is based in New Zealand, so the times available will be your afternoon or evening from Sunday to Thursday.
If you have specific questions to ask, it would be helpful to briefly outline these in the special request field, but this is not essential. We look forward to speaking with you soon.
