5/5
New Zealand: North and South Islands
14 days from Auckland to Queenstown in a small-group van: Rotorua, Tongariro, the Cook Strait ferry, Abel Tasman, the West Coast glaciers, Wanaka and Milford Sound.
14 days · Auckland to Queenstown · up to 10 guests
Mitre Peak, Milford Sound Photo: Pseudopanax at English Wikipedia, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mitre_Peak_behind_flaxes_at_Milford_Sound_foreshore.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 14 days, 13 nights
- Start and end
- Auckland to Queenstown
- Group size
- 6 to 10 guests
- Where you sleep
- HotelsA real bed every night, no tents
- Activity level
Moderate
You are happy with walks of 1 to 4 hours on most days, on formed tracks that can be steep, wet or uneven, and up to about 4 hours in the van between stops. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing (19.4 km over 6 to 8 hours, with a steep climb) is a choice for fit walkers, with an easy walk offered the same day.
- Meals included
- 13 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 8 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 2,180 (estimated price)
- Season
- November to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- Champagne Pool at Wai-O-Tapu, then a hāngī feast, haka and glow-worms at Mitai Māori Village
- Your choice of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing or an easy waterfall walk below Mt Ruapehu
- The Interislander ferry across Cook Strait and through the Marlborough Sounds, with our van on board
- A water taxi up the Abel Tasman coast and a walk back past golden beaches
- Pancake Rocks, Franz Josef Glacier and Lake Matheson at dawn on the West Coast
- Over the Haast Pass to Wanaka, then Milford Sound by coach and cruise from Queenstown
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 2,180 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Auckland, drive to Rotorua
Auckland Airport to Rotorua, about 2.5 hours
- Dinner
- Stay: Distinction Rotorua or similar
- Drive about 2.5 h
Afternoon
Your leader meets you at Auckland Airport (AKL) mid-morning, loads your bags into our 12-seat van and heads south through the green dairy country of the Waikato, about two and a half hours with a stop for lunch on the way. Rotorua sits on a volcanic plateau, and you notice it before you see it: steam drifts from vents in parks and gardens, and the air carries a faint smell of sulphur. Te Arawa, the iwi of this district, have welcomed visitors to its hot springs since the 19th century. This afternoon we stretch our legs on an easy walk in the Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest, under tall Californian coast redwoods planted more than a century ago.
Evening
Then check in for two nights and meet the rest of the group properly over a welcome dinner.
Included
- Pick-up at Auckland Airport (AKL)
- Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest walk
- Welcome dinner
Activity: Lunch on your own at a stop on the way.
Wai-O-Tapu and an evening at Mitai
Wai-O-Tapu geothermal park, a free afternoon and Mitai Māori Village
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Distinction Rotorua or similar
- Drive about 1 h

Morning
After breakfast we drive about 30 minutes south to Wai-O-Tapu, one of the most colourful geothermal areas in New Zealand. Paths and boardwalks lead past collapsed craters, bubbling mud and the Champagne Pool, a hot spring about 65 metres across whose steaming surface fizzes with carbon dioxide and whose rim glows orange from minerals in the water. Nearby, the Artist's Palette and the vivid green Devil's Bath show how varied the chemistry is.
Afternoon
We are back in town by lunch, and the afternoon is free: many guests soak in the lakeside pools of the Polynesian Spa.
Evening
In the evening we join the family who run Mitai Māori Village. Warriors paddle a waka down a forest stream, you learn the meaning behind the haka, and dinner is a hāngī, meat and vegetables slow-cooked in an earth oven. After dark a guide walks you along the stream to see glow-worms.
Included
- Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
- Mitai Māori Village evening with a hāngī dinner and glow-worm walk
Optional experiences
- Polynesian Spa
Free time: Afternoon free
Huka Falls and Lake Taupō to Tongariro
Rotorua to Ohakune via Taupō, about 2.5 hours
- Breakfast
- Stay: Powderhorn Chateau or similar
- Drive about 2.5 h
We leave Rotorua for the heart of the North Island's volcanic plateau. The first stop is Huka Falls, where the Waikato, New Zealand's longest river, is squeezed from about 100 metres wide into a narrow rock chasm and bursts out in a roaring torrent of blue-white water.
Afternoon
Lunch, on your own, is in Taupō on the shore of Lake Taupō, the country's largest lake, which fills the caldera left by huge volcanic eruptions; on clear days the snowy peaks of Tongariro National Park float across the water to the south. We follow the lake shore and then skirt the park, New Zealand's first national park, gifted by the Ngāti Tūwharetoa chief Te Heuheu Tūkino IV in 1887. Ohakune, a small mountain town on the southern edge of the park below Mt Ruapehu, is home for the next two nights.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Huka Falls
- Lake Taupō
Free time: Evening free
Activity: Lunch on your own in Taupō.
Tongariro: choose your day
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing or the Taranaki Falls walk
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay: Powderhorn Chateau or similar
- Drive about 1 h

Today you choose. Fit walkers take the included shuttle to the start of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, often called the finest one-day walk in New Zealand: 19.4 km over 6 to 8 hours, climbing past the cone of Ngāuruhoe to the Red Crater, the highest point at 1,886 metres, then down past the vivid Emerald Lakes and the Blue Lake to the Ketetahi end, where the shuttle collects you. You walk it at your own pace on a marked track. It is a serious mountain walk, with a steep climb and loose scree, and it goes ahead only when the weather allows.
Afternoon
If you prefer an easy day, your leader drives you to Whakapapa Village for the Taranaki Falls walk, a loop of about 2 hours through tussock and beech forest to a 20 metre waterfall pouring over an old lava flow, then a relaxed afternoon.
Evening
Lunch is included for everyone, and we meet again for dinner together in Ohakune.
Included
- Shuttle for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
- Or the Taranaki Falls walk from Whakapapa Village
Easier option: The Taranaki Falls walk, about 2 hours, and a relaxed afternoon.
More active option: The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, 19.4 km over 6 to 8 hours, weather permitting.
Activity: The crossing shuttles do not run in high wind or poor visibility; on those days everyone takes the lower walks.
South to Wellington and Te Papa
Ohakune to Wellington, about 3.5 hours
- Breakfast
- Stay: Rydges Wellington or similar
- Drive about 3.5 h
We drive south off the volcanic plateau through Waiouru and the farmland and river gorges of the Rangitīkei, then down the Kāpiti Coast to Wellington, about three and a half hours with a coffee stop on the way. The capital wraps around a deep natural harbour beneath steep green hills, and it is known for its cafés, its wind and a compact centre that is easy to walk.
Afternoon
After lunch on your own, Te Papa's own guides take us on a 60-minute tour of Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand, on the waterfront. You see how earthquakes and volcanoes shaped these islands, meet taonga, the treasures of Māori and Pacific peoples, and visit Rongomaraeroa, the museum's contemporary marae. Stay on afterwards if you want longer; entry to the museum is free.
Evening
The evening is yours on the waterfront, with the bars and restaurants of Cuba Street a short walk away.
Included
- Guided 60-minute tour of Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand
Free time: Evening free on the waterfront
The Interislander across Cook Strait
Wellington to Picton by ferry, then via Nelson to Kaiteriteri
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Kaiteriteri
- Drive about 3 h

Morning
This morning our van rolls onto the Interislander ferry with the group, and for about three and a half hours you are free to watch the crossing from the decks. The ferry leaves Wellington Harbour, crosses the open water of Cook Strait, the gap between the two main islands, and then threads the narrow entrance of Tory Channel into the Marlborough Sounds, a maze of drowned river valleys where forested hills drop straight into the sea. Dolphins sometimes ride the bow wave. We drive off in Picton and head west through Havelock, known for its green-lipped mussels, and over the hills to Nelson, the sunny, arty city at the top of the South Island, then along Tasman Bay to Kaiteriteri, about three hours of driving in all. Kaiteriteri is a small village on a crescent of golden sand at the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park.
Evening
Dinner together tonight.
Included
- Interislander ferry from Wellington to Picton, with our van on board
Abel Tasman National Park
Water taxi up the coast, then a walk back on the Coast Track
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kaiteriteri
- By boat

Abel Tasman is New Zealand's smallest national park and one of its loveliest: granite headlands, clear green water and golden beaches backed by native forest. From the beach at Kaiteriteri a water taxi carries us up the coast, past Split Apple Rock, a granite boulder cleaved neatly in two, and the fur seals that haul out on Tonga Island and the rocks nearby. It drops us at a bay on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of the country's Great Walks, and we walk back at an easy pace for a few hours, over headlands and down to quiet beaches, with time for a swim if you are brave.
Afternoon
Lunch is on a beach, and a second water taxi brings us back in the afternoon. If you would rather paddle, you can swap the walk for a full-day guided sea kayak trip along the same coast.
Evening
The evening is free in Kaiteriteri.
Included
- Abel Tasman water taxi, two one-way legs
- Walk on the Abel Tasman Coast Track
Optional experiences
- Full-day guided sea kayak trip, in place of the walk
Free time: Evening free
Through the Buller Gorge to Punakaiki
Kaiteriteri to Punakaiki, about 4 hours
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Punakaiki Resort or similar
- Drive about 4 h

Today we cross to the West Coast, just under four hours on the road with stops along the way. The route climbs the Motueka Valley, crosses the Hope Saddle and drops to Murchison, then follows the Buller River through its long gorge, where the road is cut into cliffs above the green water, most dramatically at Hawks Crag. At Westport we meet the Tasman Sea and turn south down one of the country's great coast roads, with surf on one side and nīkau palms and limestone cliffs on the other. Punakaiki, in Paparoa National Park, is known for the Pancake Rocks, limestone stacks layered like piles of pancakes. A short loop path leads around them and the blowholes, which roar and spout best at high tide when a westerly swell is running, so your leader times the walk to the tide.
Evening
Our resort sits right above the beach, and dinner together is tonight.
Included
- Buller Gorge
- Pancake Rocks and blowholes walk
Activity: The longest drive of the trip, about 3 hours 50 minutes plus stops.
Hokitika and Franz Josef Glacier
Punakaiki to Franz Josef, about 3 hours
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef or similar
- Drive about 3 h

We continue south along the coast through Greymouth to Hokitika, a gold-rush town of the 1860s that is now the centre of pounamu, the greenstone or New Zealand jade that Māori have long treasured for tools and taonga.
Afternoon
Watch carvers at work in the studios along the main street, then have lunch on your own; the driftwood on Hokitika beach is worth a look too. The road then runs between the Tasman Sea and the Southern Alps, through dairy farms and rainforest, to Franz Josef, Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere. In the afternoon we walk up the glacier valley on an easy track across the riverbed to a viewpoint below the ice, passing waterfalls that spill down the valley walls. The glacier has retreated a long way in recent decades, so the view is from a distance. To stand on the ice, take the optional heli-hike, which lands on the glacier for a guided walk among the crevasses.
Evening
Dinner together tonight.
Included
- Hokitika and its pounamu carvers
- Franz Josef Glacier valley walk
Optional experiences
- Heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier
Activity: The glacier valley track closes after heavy rain or rockfall; your leader checks the daily conditions.
Lake Matheson at dawn, over the Haast Pass to Wanaka
Franz Josef to Wanaka, about 3.5 hours plus stops
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Edgewater or similar
- Drive about 3.5 h

An early start for the best light of the trip.
Morning
We drive about 30 minutes south to Lake Matheson near Fox Glacier, where dark, tannin-stained water makes a famous mirror: on a still, clear morning the snowy summits of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman stand upside down in the lake. The loop around the shore takes about an hour and a half, and breakfast follows. Then comes the long, quiet road south past Bruce Bay and Knights Point, with wide views over the wild coast, before we turn inland at Haast and climb over the Haast Pass, at 562 metres the lowest road crossing of the Southern Alps. On the eastern side a short forest walk leads to the Blue Pools, where swing bridges cross water of a startlingly clear blue. The road then runs beside Lake Wanaka and Lake Hāwea to the town of Wanaka.
Evening
Dinner together tonight in this lakeside town.
Included
- Lake Matheson walk at dawn
- Haast Pass
- Blue Pools walk
Activity: Heavy rain can close the road over the Haast Pass; your leader checks before we leave.
Wanaka, then the Crown Range to Queenstown
A free morning in Wanaka, then about 1 hour over the Crown Range
- Breakfast
- Stay: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside or similar
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
A slow morning with no alarm. Wanaka is a relaxed lake town ringed by mountains and the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Walk the lakefront to the willow that grows out of the water in Roys Bay, known as That Wanaka Tree, climb Mount Iron on a loop of about an hour and a half with views over the lake and the Clutha River, hire a bike, or sit with a coffee and watch the light change on the water.
Afternoon
After lunch on your own we drive to Queenstown over the Crown Range Road, the highest sealed main road in New Zealand, with a summit at 1,076 metres. On the way we pass the historic Cardrona Hotel, built in the gold-rush 1860s, and from the top the road zigzags down with views over the Wakatipu basin to Arrowtown and the Remarkables. Check in for three nights by Lake Wakatipu.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Crown Range Road to Queenstown
Free time: Morning free in Wanaka, evening free in Queenstown
Milford Sound
Queenstown to Milford Sound by coach, with a nature cruise
- Breakfast
- Stay: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside or similar
- By boat

Today our van rests, and a coach takes the group, with your leader along, on the long and beautiful road to Milford Sound, Piopiotahi, about 12 and a half hours door to door. The route skirts Lake Wakatipu, crosses Southland farmland to Te Anau, then follows the Milford Road up the Eglinton Valley, past the Mirror Lakes and through the Homer Tunnel, cut through the granite of the Darran Mountains, before dropping steeply to the sea. On a nature cruise of around two hours you sail the length of the fiord to the Tasman Sea, beneath Mitre Peak, rising 1,692 metres straight from the water, and close under Stirling Falls. Fur seals bask on the rocks, and dolphins sometimes join the boat. Milford Sound is spectacular in rain or shine: after heavy rain hundreds of temporary waterfalls pour off the cliffs. If snow or heavy rain closes the road, we move this day to tomorrow.
Included
- Coach from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back, with your leader
- Milford Sound nature cruise
Activity: About 4 hours each way by coach. Day 13 is the backup day if the Milford Road is closed.
Queenstown: a free day
Lake Wakatipu, the Shotover River and Gibbston
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside or similar

A whole day to spend as you like in Queenstown, on the shore of Lake Wakatipu below the jagged Remarkables. Ride the Skyline Gondola for the view over the lake and town, walk through the lakeside gardens, or take the local bus to Arrowtown, a gold-mining village of the 1860s with tree-lined streets and a restored Chinese settlement. Your leader can book any of the optional outings: the Shotover Jet, spinning through the narrow canyons of the Shotover River; a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw, a coal-fired steamship that has sailed the lake since 1912; or a wine tour in the Gibbston Valley, known for Central Otago pinot noir. If the Milford Road was closed yesterday, today becomes our Milford Sound day instead.
Evening
In the evening the group gathers for a farewell dinner to toast two islands and thirteen nights on the road together.
Included
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Shotover Jet
- TSS Earnslaw cruise on Lake Wakatipu
- Gibbston Valley wine tour
Free time: Free day
Activity: The backup day for Milford Sound.
Depart from Queenstown
Drop-off at Queenstown Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
A last breakfast with the lake and the Remarkables outside the window, and a final look at Queenstown in the morning light.
Evening
Queenstown Airport (ZQN) is only about 15 minutes by road from the hotel, and your leader drives the group out at a time agreed with everyone the evening before. The flight out between the mountains is spectacular, so ask for a window seat. International flights from Queenstown go to Australia, and most journeys home to Canada connect through Auckland or an Australian city. If your flight leaves later in the day, the hotel can usually store your bags while you walk the lakefront once more or have a final flat white in town. If you would like longer in New Zealand, we can help you add nights in Queenstown, or a few days in Te Anau or Christchurch, before you fly home.
Included
- Drop-off at Queenstown Airport (ZQN)
- Aucklandstart
- Rotorua2 nights
- Ohakune2 nights
- Wellington1 night
- Kaiteriteri2 nights
- Punakaiki1 night
- Franz Josef1 night
- Wanaka1 night
- Queenstown3 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: The season runs from November to April, New Zealand's late spring, summer and early autumn; December to March is the warmest and busiest. Expect four seasons in a day in the mountains and frequent rain on the West Coast, which keeps its rainforest green. New Zealand fur seals are likely along the Abel Tasman coast and on the West Coast, glow-worms are certain at Mitai, and dolphins sometimes swim alongside boats in the Marlborough Sounds and Milford Sound.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- A first trip to New Zealand that covers both islands without long days in the van
- Walkers who want a big hike on offer with an easy choice beside it
- Travellers who like a small group and one leader from start to finish
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want to stay in one place for a week
- Anyone looking for a party or backpacker-style trip
- Step-free access at every stop: many walks are on uneven tracks
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
13 nights
Where you'll stay
Named stays, or similar where we are still confirming.
2 nights · Days 1 and 2
Distinction Rotoruaor similar
Rotorua · Hotel
2 nights · Days 3 and 4
Powderhorn Chateauor similar
Ohakune · Hotel
1 night · Day 5
Rydges Wellingtonor similar
Wellington · Hotel
2 nights · Days 6 and 7
Kaiteriteri
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
1 night · Day 8
Punakaiki Resortor similar
Punakaiki · Hotel
Above the beach
1 night · Day 9
Scenic Hotel Franz Josefor similar
Franz Josef · Hotel
1 night · Day 10
Edgewateror similar
Wanaka · Hotel
On the lakefront
3 nights · Days 11, 12, and 13
Novotel Queenstown Lakesideor similar
Queenstown · Hotel
On the lakefront
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 13 nights in 4-star hotels, twin share: Rotorua 2, Ohakune 2, Wellington 1, Kaiteriteri 2, Punakaiki 1, Franz Josef 1, Wanaka 1 and Queenstown 3
Transport
- Pick-up at Auckland Airport (AKL) on day 1 and drop-off at Queenstown Airport (ZQN) on day 14
- Our own 12-seat van from Auckland to Queenstown, driven by your leader
- The Interislander ferry from Wellington to Picton, with the van on board
- Shuttle for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
- Abel Tasman water taxi, two one-way legs
- Coach from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours leader who drives and travels with the group from Auckland to Queenstown
Activities
- Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
- Mitai Māori Village evening with a hāngī dinner and glow-worm walk
- Guided tour of Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington
- Milford Sound nature cruise
- Walks in the Redwoods, Tongariro National Park, Abel Tasman, the Franz Josef Glacier valley, at Lake Matheson and to the Blue Pools
Meals
- 13 breakfasts
- 2 lunches: at Tongariro and in Abel Tasman
- 8 dinners: a welcome dinner in Rotorua, the hāngī at Mitai, and dinners in Ohakune, Kaiteriteri, Punakaiki, Franz Josef and Wanaka, with a farewell dinner in Queenstown
Not included
- International flights to Auckland and home from Queenstown
- The NZeTA and the NZ$100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks
- Optional activities: the Franz Josef heli-hike, the Abel Tasman guided kayak, the Shotover Jet, the TSS Earnslaw, Gibbston wine tours and the Polynesian Spa
- Tips
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 2,180 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
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Good to know
Questions
What does the trip include?
13 nights in 4-star hotels, our own 12-seat van with a See Sight Tours leader who drives, the Interislander ferry, the Tongariro shuttle, the Abel Tasman water taxi, the Milford Sound coach and cruise, Wai-O-Tapu, the Mitai evening with its hāngī, a guided tour of Te Papa, 13 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 8 dinners.
How do we get from the North Island to the South Island?
On the Interislander ferry from Wellington to Picton, about three and a half hours across Cook Strait and through the Marlborough Sounds. Our van and leader cross with us, so you keep the same vehicle and the same seat from Auckland to Queenstown.
How long are the drives?
Every drive is under 4 hours. The longest are about 3 hours 50 minutes from Kaiteriteri to Punakaiki and about 3.5 hours from Ohakune to Wellington and from Franz Josef to Wanaka, all broken by stops. Milford Sound, about 4 hours each way from Queenstown, goes by coach.
Do I have to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing?
No. It is a choice for fit walkers: 19.4 km over 6 to 8 hours with a steep climb, walked at your own pace with the shuttle included. The easy option the same day is the 2 hour Taranaki Falls walk and a relaxed afternoon. The crossing goes ahead only when the weather is safe.
What happens if the weather closes the road to Milford Sound?
Heavy rain or snow sometimes closes the Milford Road. Day 13 in Queenstown is kept free as a backup, so we move the Milford Sound day to the next day.
Which airports do I fly into and out of?
Fly into Auckland (AKL), where we meet you mid-morning on day 1, and home from Queenstown (ZQN), where we drop you on day 14. International flights are not included.
When is the best time to go?
November to April, New Zealand's late spring, summer and early autumn. December to March is the warmest and busiest, with higher ferry fares. November and April are quieter and cooler, and snow is possible on the high passes and the alpine crossing.
What do I need to enter New Zealand?
Canadians and citizens of many other visa-waiver countries need an NZeTA before they travel, NZ$17 in the official app or NZ$23 online, and pay the NZ$100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy at the same time. Neither is in the trip price. Check the current rules for your passport.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 6 to 10 guests and one See Sight Tours leader who drives our 12-seat van.
Can we travel privately or on our own?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel on your own on your own dates, ask us from the dates section: we can book the same hotels, ferry, water taxi and Milford Sound cruise for you.
How much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, and differ by style: small group or private. The small group starts from CAD 8,385 per person, and a room of your own is from CAD 2,180 more. Pick your start date when you request to book, and we confirm your trip within 24 hours. Nothing is charged until then.