South of 34° Journeys creates pre-designed private journeys through New Zealand and Australia. Every journey is fully designed in advance, including the route, pacing, accommodation and experiences. It is then delivered privately to your party, with a private driver-guide throughout the touring days shown in the itinerary. We offer two ways to travel: Private Day Journeys and Curated Multi-Day Journeys.
South of 34° was founded by Kumar Swaminathan, an Auckland-based travel designer with 13 years of experience creating private journeys across New Zealand, and more than 1,600 guests hosted. Every journey reflects that experience: places personally known, experiences personally vetted, and routes that work in practice.
A conventional group tour places you with other travellers on fixed departure dates and at a shared pace. A South of 34° journey is delivered privately for your party, on a start date chosen by you. The itinerary has already been expertly designed, but you experience it without the compromises of group travel.
Never. Every South of 34° journey, whether a single day or a multi-day journey, is for your party alone. We do not combine separate bookings or add other guests to your journey.
South of 34° journeys are exclusively for adults aged 18 and over. Couples, friends and families travelling with adult children are welcome. Journeys for families with younger children can be designed separately through XperieNZ.
Yes. South of 34° operates in both countries. From October 2026, selected Curated Journeys in New Zealand and Australia can be combined into one trip, subject to dates and availability.
A Private Day Journey is one complete day, designed in advance and delivered privately for your party. The private vehicle, driver-guide, timing and central experiences are planned together so the day flows as one connected experience rather than as transport between a list of attractions. Each journey page explains exactly what is private or exclusive within that day.
Private Day Journeys currently depart from Auckland, Queenstown and Sydney. The collection includes journeys within those regions and journeys from Auckland into Rotorua and the Whirinaki region. Each journey page shows its departure point, route and duration.
Each Private Day Journey is limited to one private party per day, normally of 2 to 6 adults. If more than six adults are travelling, contact us before booking so we can confirm what may be possible for the journey you are considering.
Choose your journey, select your date and party size, and pay the 25% deposit through our secure booking system. We confirm the arrangements within 24 hours during New Zealand business hours. If your preferred date is not shown, use Check Availability or email info@southof34.com.
No. A Private Day Journey can be booked on its own and added to a New Zealand or Australia trip you have arranged yourself or booked through another company. It can suit a free day during a longer holiday, a pre- or post-cruise stay, a visit to friends or family, or a business trip.
A Curated Journey is a pre-designed, multi-day private journey through New Zealand or Australia for adults. It brings together the route, accommodation, private travel, experiences and pacing in one complete itinerary. You choose the journey, your preferred start date and the number of adults travelling, subject to availability. A private driver-guide travels with you on the touring days shown in the itinerary.
A Private Day Journey is a complete private experience lasting one day. It can be booked on its own and added to a New Zealand or Australia trip you have arranged yourself or booked through another company. A Curated Journey is a complete multi-day itinerary that brings together accommodation, private travel and experiences across several destinations. Both are designed in advance, exclusively for adults, and delivered privately for your party.
Every Curated Journey is available from two adults. Premium Journeys can take up to 10 adults, Luxury Journeys up to 8, and Ultra Luxury Journeys up to 6. Bookings are for even-numbered parties, with two adults sharing each double or twin room. South of 34° does not offer solo bookings, single occupancy or triple-share rooms. Each journey page shows the party sizes available for that journey.
Prices are shown in US dollars per adult and vary according to the number of adults travelling. Each journey page shows the price for the eligible party sizes. All pricing is based on two adults sharing each double or twin room.
All three tiers are fully private, with a private driver-guide throughout the touring days shown in the itinerary. The difference lies in the accommodation, the depth of the experiences, the level of access, and how far each journey goes beyond the well-known. Premium covers each country at its most essential. Luxury goes further. Ultra Luxury is built around private access and personal connections with the people behind each experience.
You choose your preferred start date, subject to the availability of the accommodation, driver-guides and experiences included in the journey. Pricing may differ over Christmas and New Year and on selected peak dates.
Curated Journeys are complete, pre-designed itineraries and are not redesigned for each booking. Each itinerary’s route and pacing are carefully designed, then accommodation and experiences are selected to complement them, so that the entire journey works as a whole. Every journey reflects what we have learned from 13 years of designing private travel for more than 1,600 guests.
This means you can see exactly what you are choosing before you enquire.
We may be able to change or remove an individual experience, subject to availability and any effect on the price, but the journey itself remains as designed.
If you prefer a customised trip, XperieNZ our sister company, also founded by Kumar Swaminathan, can create a fully tailored journey around your specific preferences across New Zealand and Australia.
Every Curated Journey includes accommodation with breakfast, private transfers, travel with a private driver-guide on the touring days shown in the itinerary, experiences curated for that journey, and selected meals. Domestic flights within New Zealand or Australia are also included where they form part of the itinerary. Each journey page lists exactly what is included and excluded before you enquire.
The current Booking Terms and Conditions are linked from the website footer. Payment schedules and cancellation conditions differ between Private Day Journeys and Curated Multi-Day Journeys. Please read the terms that apply to the journey you are booking before making a payment.
Yes. We encourage travel advisors to book both Curated Multi-Day Journeys and Private Day Journeys for their clients. Trade terms apply. For Curated Journeys, email info@southof34.com. For Private Day Journeys, contact us to arrange your advisor login.
