The squad had a final blow-out at Logan Park yesterday morning and then disbanded at lunchtime with players scattering to all parts of the country.
The squad, minus its All Blacks, has been in camp for the past five weeks and will get together again on January 9 when the focus will switch much more to the playing of the game.
The team gathered on November 21 with coach Jamie Joseph putting an emphasis pre-Christmas on strength and conditioning, some parts of their game and defining team culture.
Joseph said with injuries to key players and All Blacks away on leave, the side was limited in what it could do in regards to the game plan before Christmas.
The players did manage a visit to Queenstown and Glenorchy when All Blacks Andrew Hore, Hosea Gear and Jimmy Cowan joined the other players in a camp in Paradise, near Glenorchy.
"We had a good talk about last year, what worked for us really well then and what we can do as a team. With the All Black guys coming along that really to me shows the passion and commitment these guys have to this team," Joseph said.
The players also got out among the community, cleaning up beaches and gardens, chopping firewood and planting trees.
"With only two of the guys from the team from Dunedin the players had to get out and see what and who the Dunedin community is. And some of them worked really hard that week.
"Chopping up wood, I don't think the guys have worked as hard. They are fit and rugby fit but doing that sort of work was really different for them."
The team has had its usual list of injured players, with captain Jamie Mackintosh and lock Josh Bekhuis both having a limited time in training as they recover from operations.
Midfield back Shaun Treeby had an operation on his knee after a limited ITM Cup season and is slowly getting back up to speed.
Joseph said the side had planted seeds in terms of a game plan and worked on different areas of its game.
The players will get back together in early January although backs Colin Slade and Kendrick Lynn will be busy during the time off with both of them getting married.
Even when the side comes together again it will still be disjointed as the All Blacks have promotional activities a week after getting back.
The squad has a camp planned in Wanaka, starting on January 23, a repeat of last year, which Joseph said was very successful.
Joseph will be visiting family in Marlborough for a holiday.
The Highlanders have their first pre-season game against the Crusaders on February 3 and their first competition game against the Chiefs in Hamilton on February 25.
