At the Edge of the World – New Zealand
15 days · South Island · With Christine Marsan
Key highlights
From
19/12/2026
To
02/01/2027
8980 $
per person
Christchurch
Departure City
15 days
Duration
Arrival city
In a world where leaders are constantly being called upon, taking a step back becomes essential. This retreat in New Zealand offers a unique space to reflect, recharge, and nourish your vision within one of the most powerful natural environments on the planet.
This journey has a rare distinction: it crosses Christmas and New Year in the heart of the wildest and purest nature on Earth.
These two moments make this journey far more than just an experience—they make it a turning point in your life.
Your Sacred Journey
Highlights
A journey at the antipodes of ordinary tourism
15 days of total immersion in the wildest and best-preserved nature on the planet — fjords, glaciers, primary forests, and glacial lakes.
Christmas at the foot of the Mount Cook glaciers
On December 25th, a ceremony of gratitude and light facing ancient glaciers. The most unforgettable Christmas of your life.
New Year’s Eve under the stars of Fiordland
On December 31st at midnight, a shamanic ceremony of passage on the shores of Lake Te Anau. Enter 2027 transformed, grounded, and fully alive.
Christine Marsan
35 years of experience in guiding human transformation.
An intimate human group
16 people maximum. Bonds that last. An experience like no other.
A comprehensive transformation program
8 workshops, 5 shamanic ceremonies, 3 silent walks, kayaking, a Milford Sound cruise, and glowworm caves. Every day is designed to go deeper within yourself.
The most powerful place on the planet
Milford Sound — a UNESCO World Heritage site. 160-meter-high fjords, waterfalls, dolphins, and absolute silence.
An accessible price for this level of experience
8980 USD for 15 days in New Zealand, including nature lodges, a full initiatory program, and unforgettable year-end celebrations — international flights not included.
There are journeys that change a life. Not because the landscapes are beautiful—though those of New Zealand are among the most spectacular on Earth. Not because the program is well-crafted—though it is. But because something within you, there, at the end of the world, settles, releases, and awakens. This journey is one of those. For 15 days, you will cross the South Island of New Zealand—its ancient glaciers, its majestic fjords, its untouched primary forests, and its unreal blue lakes. These are territories of rare power, preserved from the modern world, where nature still speaks to those who know how to listen. You will not be a tourist. You will be an initiatory traveler. Guided by Christine Marsan—social psychologist and specialist in human transformation—you will experience an outer and inner journey every day. Landscapes become mirrors. Ceremonies become doorways. Silences become answers.
Day 1 · Dec 19
Arrival · Christchurch
Arrival in Christchurch after a 26-hour journey. Transfer to the lodge. Total rest — no activities. Light group dinner. First informal meeting. The journey to New Zealand is long; it is recommended to leave home on December 17, 2026. When purchasing your tickets, ensure your final destination is Christchurch.
Theme: Arriving, setting down your luggage.
Day 2 · Dec 20
Christchurch · Recovery & Grounding
A gentle day to recover from jet lag. Visit the Christchurch Botanic Gardens — one of the most beautiful in the Southern Hemisphere. Mindful walk along the Avon River. Christine’s Workshop: First circle — Who am I, and what have I come here to find? Practices: Opening circle · Mindful walking · Yoga. Theme: Settling into the inner journey.
Day 3 · Dec 21
Route to Lake Tekapo
Drive across the Canterbury Plains. First contact with the lunar landscapes of the interior. Installation at the lodge facing the turquoise lake. Meditation by the water at sunset. Official opening ceremony of the journey under the starry sky. Practices: Meditation · Opening ceremony. Theme: Entering the journey.
Day 4 · Dec 22
Lake Tekapo · Earth Energy
Sunrise facing the lake. A contemplative day — mindful walk around the lake, soak in natural thermal springs. Christine’s Workshop: Identifying what you carry and what you have come to release. Evening ritual under the stars — one of the clearest skies in the world. Practices: Yoga · Mindful walking · Transformation workshop · Star ritual. Theme: Connecting to the earth and to oneself.
Day 5 · Dec 23
Mount Cook · The Power of What Lasts
Route to Mount Cook. Ancient glaciers, dizzying cliffs, absolute silence. Meditative walk in the Hooker Valley facing the glaciers. Christine’s Workshop: What in you is as solid as this mountain? What needs to melt? Grounding ritual at the foot of the glacier. Installation at the Mount Cook lodge. Practices: Meditative walk · Mountain ritual · Journaling. Theme: Discerning what is permanent from what must transform.
Day 6 · Dec 24
Mount Cook · Silence & Vision
A full day in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Silent walk — 3 hours without speaking in the wilderness. Chimegmaa’s Workshop: Mongolian nomadic teachings — living in harmony with natural cycles. Shamanic fire ceremony in the evening. Practices: Silent walk · Nomadic teachings · Fire ceremony. Theme: Listening to what nature says when we are truly silent.
Day 7 · Dec 25
Route to Wanaka for Christmas
Scenic drive via the Cromwell Valley — spectacular gorges, glacial lakes, vineyards. Installation in a secluded lodge on the shores of Lake Wanaka, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Sunset meditation. Free evening.
Theme: Transition and letting go.
Day 8 · Dec 26
Wanaka · Reconnecting to the Living
Sunrise kayaking on Lake Wanaka. Christine’s Workshop: Transform’Actor — becoming the actor of your own transformation. Free afternoon in nature. Evening sharing circle around the fire — mid-journey, everyone shares what has already transformed within them. Practices: Kayaking · Transform’Actor workshop · Mid-journey circle. Theme: Being fully present to what is transforming.
Day 9 · Dec 27
Primary Forest · Mount Aspiring
Full day in Mount Aspiring National Park. Primary forests, waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes. Shamanic vision ritual by the water — Chimegmaa guides a ceremony of connection to nature spirits. Return to Wanaka in the evening. Practices: Nature immersion · Shamanic vision ritual. Theme: Seeing clearly what you truly want to create.
Day 10 · Dec 28
Wanaka · Integration & Freedom
Entirely free day — everyone chooses their own pace. Hiking, reading, personal meditation, swimming, exploration. Optional workshop with Chimegmaa in the late afternoon: Energy nuggets — how to maintain your transformation in daily life. Group dinner in the evening.
Theme: Integrating at your own pace.
Day 11 · Dec 29
Route to Te Anau · Fiordland
Drive to Te Anau through the Southland plains. Entry into Fiordland National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage site. Installation on the shores of Lake Te Anau. Walk in the temperate primary forest. Sunset meditation.
Theme: Entering the unknown with confidence.
Day 12 · Dec 30
Te Anau · Deep Fiordland
Exploration of Fiordland Park — virgin forests, underground lakes, hidden waterfalls. Te Anau Caves and their glowworms — bioluminescence in total darkness. Christine’s Workshop: Deep transitions — how to navigate difficult passages without losing oneself. Shamanic liberation ceremony in the evening. Practices: Exploration · Transitions workshop · Liberation ceremony. Theme: Crossing the darkness to find your light.
Day 13 · Dec 31
Milford Sound · The Most Powerful Place
The highlight of the journey. Majestic fjords, 160-meter waterfalls, dolphins, seals, absolute silence. Cruise through the fjords. Liberation ritual facing the ocean — each person entrusts to the water what they wish to leave behind. Christine’s Workshop: Humanity 3.0 — what new version of yourself is emerging for the New Year? Return to Te Anau in the evening to celebrate the New Year. Practices: Cruise · Water liberation ritual · Humanity 3.0 workshop. Theme: Letting go in the face of immensity — being born to oneself.
Day 14 · Jan 1
New Year
Final morning in nature. Closing circle — everyone shares what they are taking from this journey and what they commit to embodying upon their return. Collective gratitude ritual — Chimegmaa guides a Mongolian ceremony of thanks to the spirits of the places visited. Drive to Queenstown. Final group dinner. Practices: Closing circle · Mongolian gratitude ritual. Theme: Integration and commitment to a new life.
Day 15 · Jan 2
Return
Early start. Final silent walk. Flight Queenstown → Auckland. Connection Auckland → Paris. Returning transformed. Services end upon arrival in Auckland.
What You Will Experience
- 8 transformation workshops with Christine Marsan.
- 5 shamanic ceremonies — Opening, Fire, Vision, Liberation, Gratitude.
- 3 silent walks in the wild.
- Ceremony under the starry sky of Tekapo.
- Sunrise kayaking on Lake Wanaka.
- Te Anau Glowworm Caves.
- New Year’s cruise in the fjords of Milford Sound.
- 1 full free day for personal integration.
Included
- Guidance by Christine Marsan and the travel organization by Sacred Origins Travel.
- Mindful walking practices, meditation, and sharing circles.
- Shamanic consultations and rituals offered throughout the journey.
- Accommodation for the duration of the stay (retreat centers, nature lodges, or cozy guesthouses—not necessarily luxury, but warm and inviting locations).
- Transfers and local transportation during the program.
- Activities scheduled in the program (hikes, ceremonies, visits to natural sites, stargazing in Tekapo, exploration of the Fiordland fjords).
- Supervision and group support throughout the entire journey.
- Reflection periods, workshops, and sharing spaces specifically for leaders.
Not included
- International flights to New Zealand.
- Travel insurance (cancellation, assistance, repatriation).
- Personal expenses.
- Meals not mentioned in the program.
- Drinks and extras at the accommodations.
- Any potential additional individual consultations and tips.
- Any activity not included in the program
Please take a moment to read these notes — they matter, both for you and for us.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Who is this journey for?
For anyone who feels it is time to take stock and start the year differently, and especially for leaders who need to step back, recharge and clarify their vision. No previous experience of shamanism is needed.
How do I get to Christchurch?
The journey from Europe takes about 26 hours. We recommend leaving home on 17 December 2026 and making sure your ticket has Christchurch as final destination. International flights are not included.
What is included in the programme?
8 transformation workshops with Christine Marsan, 5 shamanic ceremonies, 3 silent walks, sunrise kayaking on Lake Wanaka, the Te Anau glowworm caves and a cruise on Milford Sound, plus one free day for personal integration.
How do we celebrate Christmas and New Year?
On 25 December we hold a ceremony of gratitude and light at the foot of the Mount Cook glaciers. On 31 December at midnight, a shamanic ceremony of passage welcomes the New Year on the shores of Lake Te Anau, in Fiordland.
What is the weather like?
December is early summer in New Zealand: long days and pleasant temperatures, but mountain weather can change quickly. Bring layers, a waterproof jacket and good walking shoes.
Is it physically demanding?
The journey suits anyone in normal good health. Walks are taken at a mindful pace, and long drives are broken up with stops in nature.
How do I book?
Fill in the booking form on this page. You will then receive an email to pay a 30% deposit, which confirms your place.
Continue exploring
Booking
Booking reminder: upon receipt of the information entered in the form below, you will receive an email to proceed with the 30% deposit payment and confirm your booking. If any information is missing, we will contact you to finalise your trip together.