In 1893, about 24,000 New Zealand women signed a petition more than 270 metres long, and New Zealand became the first self-governing country to give women the vote. In 2027, twelve of us are going to go and look at it.

Sounds, Stars & Kindred Souls follows women's stories from that petition in Wellington to Kate Sheppard's own home in Christchurch. On the way we stay in a design hotel, a lodge you can only reach by boat, and a retreat with two hot tubs that is ours alone. We call it a Tour-Treat: half the country, half the friendships.

Why this one is different

• Every stop has a woman behind it. Restaurants, wineries, museums and guides chosen for the women who built them.

• Twelve women, maximum. Small on purpose, so everyone is known by name.

• Your own bed, always. Twin-share rooms; nobody shares a bed and nobody sleeps in a bunk.

• A retreat in the middle. Two nights at Te Mahuru Retreat in Kaikōura, just us: hot tubs under the stars, a sauna, hammocks and long evenings.

• You leave something behind. A morning with Dress for Success Wellington, and 10% of our profits go to women's programmes.

The eleven days

1. Tue 30 Mar, Wellington. Arrive. Welcome circle on Oriental Bay at golden hour, then dinner at Ortega Fish Shack.

2. Wed 31 Mar, Wellington. The 1893 petition at He Tohu, Parliament and Te Papa. Dinner at Capitol, co-owned by Kate Hutchinson.

3. Thu 1 Apr, Wellington. Lunch on the waterfront, then a private walk with Te Wharewaka o Pōneke. Cable car to the Botanic Garden; Zealandia after dark to look for kiwi.

4. Fri 2 Apr, Wellington. Heart day with Dress for Success Wellington. Story circle, then a long dinner at one of the city's great tables.

5. Sat 3 Apr, the Sounds. Ferry across Cook Strait, then a boat to Lochmara Lodge, which has no road access.

6. Sun 4 Apr, the Sounds. Walk home along the Queen Charlotte Track, or kayak the bay. Bath house, hammocks, and a tasting of Marlborough wines made by women.

7. Mon 5 Apr, to Kaikōura. The Coastal Pacific train down the coast, then two nights at Te Mahuru Retreat. Crayfish for dinner.

8. Tue 6 Apr, Kaikōura. Whale Watch Kaikōura, started by Ngāti Kurī in 1987; the seal colony at Ohau Point; hot tubs and stars.

9. Wed 7 Apr, Christchurch. A private tour of Kate Sheppard's house, with afternoon tea in the garden.

10. Thu 8 Apr, Christchurch. A private Māori food experience by waka on the Ōtākaro Avon River. Farewell dinner.

11. Fri 9 Apr. Fly home, with eleven new numbers in your phone.

Where you'll sleep

• Naumi Hotel Wellington, 4 nights. A playful design hotel on Cuba Street with an indoor pool. Your own queen bed in a Habitat Twin room, and a hotel group whose Naumi Soul programme supports marginalised women.

• Lochmara Lodge, 2 nights. Balcony rooms over Queen Charlotte Sound, reached only by water.

• Te Mahuru Retreat, Kaikōura, 2 nights. The whole lodge and cottage, just us. Two hot tubs open all night, a sauna and plunge shower, and a stargazing area with swings, hammocks and blankets.

• The Muse Art Hotel, Christchurch, 2 nights. A boutique hotel in the central city, hung with local New Zealand art, with its own restaurant and bar.

What's included

• 10 nights' accommodation, every woman with her own bed

• Breakfast daily, plus most lunches and dinners, including every meal named above

• Every experience and entry in the itinerary, with private tours throughout

• All transport in New Zealand: airport transfers, the Interislander ferry, the Coastal Pacific train, lodge boats and private minibuses

• Sarah as your host from arrival to departure

• A welcome pack, and a pre-trip call with Sarah

Not included: flights to Wellington and home from Christchurch; travel insurance (required); a few meals; drinks beyond those included; anything you buy at Dress for Success.

Price and dates

A$8,800 per woman, twin share, 30 March to 9 April 2027. Single rooms available on request. Fly into Wellington, out of Christchurch.

How to join

Register your interest below; there's no payment. In mid-November we'll invite women to secure their place with a deposit, in the order they registered. With 12 places, when they're gone, they're gone.

FAQ

I'm travelling alone. Is that normal?
It's the point. Most women come alone and leave with friends.

How fit do I need to be?
If you can walk for two to three hours on a track, you're fine, and every walk has a gentler option.

Who is Sarah?
The founder of Women Inspire Travel, who has travelled to 50 countries and hosts every day of the tour.

Where does the 10% go?
To women's programmes, including the organisations we visit.