STEM: New Zealand

Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure.

Explore Auckland through Tour Director–led sightseeing that highlights the city’s coastal geography and bicultural history. Visit Mission Bay to see how the harbor shapes daily life, explore the Auckland War Memorial Museum to learn about Māori heritage and New Zealand history, and travel to Maungawhau (Mount Eden), a former Māori settlement, for panoramic views over the city and Waitematā Harbour.

Each evening, time is set aside to update your Reflection Journal and share the thoughts and insights from the day.

Ecosystem management is championed here as the key to environmental restoration. Instead of focusing on a single species, the entire system is considered. A U.S. marine science master’s student will guide you through models of nature reserves and marine monitoring. You’ll also take part in a hands-on laboratory session, investigating biological indicators.

Explore coastal marine ecosystems on a STEM-focused excursion to Leigh. Study how catchment systems connect rainforests to the open ocean and how healthy ecosystems maintain balance. Visit the Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre to examine a 50-year model of ecosystem recovery through predator protection. During fieldwork on the rocky shore, investigate biodiversity, observe key species, and participate in a hands-on lab session comparing kina (sea urchin) health inside and outside the reserve.

Discover the geographic diversity from Auckland to Tauranga. In just 140 miles, you'll traverse five distinct geographical landscapes, including volcanic fields and subtropical rainforests.

Travel through New Zealand’s rich food belt, where fertile volcanic soils support the growth of a wide variety of crops. Descend into the lowlands formed by flooding from the Waikato River, entering the heart of the country’s dairy farming region. Cross the Waihou River and move into the Coromandel Ranges, a mountain spine following a major tectonic fault line. Arrive at Karangahake Gorge on the Ōhinemuri River, known for its clear water flowing from the surrounding mountains.

Take a guided walk along the Ōhinemuri River as it winds through Karangahake Gorge and ancient volcanic rock. Follow the riverside trail past lush rainforest and historic gold mine remains, learning about early mining practices, environmental impact, and how the landscape has recovered as nature reclaimed the site.

Visit the Waihi Gold Discovery Centre to explore gold mining past and present, with a focus on the science behind extraction. Learn how gold and silver are released from quartz through a sequence of chemical reactions, then examine modern mining methods at Martha Hill that reduce environmental impact. Today, the operation runs almost entirely beneath the town, with little visible surface evidence.

Explore macro environments through a hands-on study of watersheds, forests, and river systems. At McLaren’s Falls Park, examine how rainforests, geology, streams, and soils interact within a high-rainfall watershed. Fieldwork includes rainforest exploration, stream discharge measurements, water-quality testing using biological indicators, and a lunch break during the day.

Study rivers and estuaries as interconnected, low-energy systems where freshwater meets the sea. During an intertidal marine ecology session, examine wetland and estuary environments to assess how upstream watershed management supports conservation. Use aerial imagery to trace river flow and tidal movement, conduct plankton studies to understand marine food systems, and complete transect surveys along the Wairoa River to measure sediment deposits and shellfish populations as indicators of ecosystem health.

Observe how the Wairoa River flows into Tauranga Harbour and out to the Pacific Ocean from Mount Maunganui (Mauao), a coastal landmark overlooking the estuary. Learn how tidal movements circulate seawater through the harbour, carrying nutrient-rich plankton along the coast to support marine food chains. This walk is weather dependent.

Make yourself a Maori designed craft souvenir to take home. Learn the Maori war dance - the Haka and a poi action song to bring meaning to the Maori cultural ways of teaching and learning.

Learn how New Zealand prioritizes natural breeding over genetic modification to ensure food quality, consumer trust, and premium agricultural standards. Explore how science and technology are used to monitor and restore degraded environments, including forests and wetlands, through proven protocols that support community-led conservation and long-term environmental wellbeing.

Visit a working kiwifruit orchard and learn how the Coastal Bay of Plenty’s climate and soil create ideal growing conditions.

Take part in a hands-on wetlands conservation project focused on habitat restoration and environmental stewardship. Learn how wetlands filter water, store sediment, and support biodiversity while visiting a major restoration site that is home to the critically endangered matuku. Activities include guided learning on wetland ecology, native tree planting for carbon offsetting, maintenance of previously restored areas, and a concluding debrief on water monitoring, ecosystem health, and long-term conservation impact.

Before you see Rotorua, you may smell it first: sulfur. It’s a fitting introduction to a city shaped by geothermal forces. Rotorua offers a striking look at volcanic activity, with steam rising across the city from several thermal areas. One of its geysers erupts multiple times each day, sending water high into the air.

Enjoy a scenic cruise on Lake Rotoiti, a large volcanic lake in the Bay of Plenty region. Accessible only by boat, the lake is known for its remote Manupirua Hot Springs along the shoreline. Take in the geothermal landscape during the cruise, enjoy lunch onboard, and spend time relaxing in the naturally heated hot pools surrounded by forested scenery.

Rotorua is a leader in sustainable tourism, balancing growth with strong environmental and community values. Many local businesses are signatories to the Sustainable Tourism Charter and work to protect natural and cultural resources while supporting the local economy. Sustainable tourism in Rotorua is guided by four pillars: environmental, economic, social, and cultural.

Sit back and enjoy the ride as the Skyline Gondola lifts you high above Rotorua and Lake Rotorua for sweeping views of the region. At the top, take an exciting Luge ride through more than a kilometer of Redwood forest, choosing your own pace along the track. Ride the chairlift back up for additional views, and take time to explore the Jelly Belly Room and the jelly bean art gallery at the summit.

Explore Māori culture through the lens of waiora, the source of life, and the concept of kaitiakitanga, or environmental stewardship. Learn how language, storytelling, and tradition preserve cultural knowledge, and examine how Māori and European cultures interact today. At Te Puia, discover how geothermal activity in the Taupō Volcanic Zone shapes Rotorua and supports living traditions, including the Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, where heritage is passed on through fine arts and oral history.

Explore how conservation, renewable energy, and technology intersect in New Zealand. Visit a kiwi hatchery to learn how science increases survival rates of this iconic species, tour the Hobbiton film set to examine movie technology and storytelling, and study renewable energy at the Waikato River’s oldest hydroelectric plant, operating for nearly a century.

Enjoy a fun, educational experience set on scenic farmland, where students learn about New Zealand’s sheep breeds through a lively, world-famous show, followed by time in the Farmyard Nursery.

Visit the Arapuni Hydroelectric Scheme and walk above the power station on an aerial walkway to see how potential energy is captured and converted into electricity. Built between 1924 and 1929, it was the first high dam on the Waikato River and has operated for nearly a century with minimal maintenance. Powered by rainfall, it offers a clear example of long-term, sustainable hydropower.

Step into the world of The Shire on a guided visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, located on a working sheep farm. Learn how the detailed outdoor set was created, from handcrafted props to cinematic illusions used during filming. Your guide shares behind-the-scenes stories before the visit concludes at the Green Dragon Pub.

The Māori term for intergenerational guardianship is kaitiakitanga. It reflects the responsibility of a community to care for land, water, and natural resources, ensuring they are protected and sustained for future generations.

Enter a limestone cavern that has been used for tourism for 120 years. See glow worms within the underground world created by underground streams. See how the habitat is managed with high numbers of tourists entering the caves. Stop and see the monitoring devices that measure CO2 and humidity levels inside the cave. Later in the afternoon, take a guided walk into a lesser known cave system that is reminiscent of the Forests of Lothlorien in the Lord of the Rings! Explore the erosion processes that occur on limestone rock. Discuss the science involved in maintenance of such habitats.

Students take part in a student-led reflection session to look back on the week’s experiences, discuss personal and group achievements, and bring closure to the service journey. Time is set aside for final journal entries and optional sharing in a supportive group setting.

Throughout the program, time is set aside for discussion, guided reflection, and writing about self-discovery and lessons learned. As John Dewey said, “We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience.”