Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
New Zealand – Auckland – Waiheke Island – Napier – Blenheim – Marlborough Sounds – Queenstown
100% customisable for you
Passports at the ready: your wine-focused holiday to New Zealand begins today. Head to the airport, speed through security and celebrate with a pre-flight tipple in the lounge before boarding your evening flight to Auckland. With a speedy stopover, the journey will take around 25 hours, and because of the time difference, you'll be arriving in Auckland two days later.
After landing very early in the morning, you’ll be met and transferred to the port, where you’ll board the ferry for the 45-minute crossing to Waiheke Island. Here, check in for three nights at a comfortable hotel and spend the rest of the day settling in.
You’ll likely be tired after all that travelling, so soak up your new surroundings with a spot of sunbathing on the beach or a treatment in the spa. Come evening, enjoy your first taste of New Zealand with a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant before heading up to bed – the real adventure begins tomorrow.
Let the wine tasting begin. This morning, kick your holiday off right with a private tour of some of Waiheke Island's best wineries, led by an expert guide. Waiheke is best known for its red wine grape varietals – think Merlot and Syrah – but there are also some excellent whites to be found here, all of which will be paired with local delicacies such as Te Matuku oysters or artisan cheeses.
Once you’ve dipped your toes into Waiheke’s wines, you’ll have the chance to either visit a renowned olive oil mill, where you’ll learn about the production process and sample award-winning oils, or a craft whiskey distillery, where you’ll enjoy a tasting of the island’s small batch spirits.
Finally, round off the day with a delicious two-course lunch at a top vineyard restaurant, sampling even more delicious wines as you soak up the lush green scenery. Cheers to that.
Enjoy a long and leisurely breakfast this morning before heading out to discover the island’s art with an expert guide. As you amble along scenic streets, your guide will tailor your tour to your interests, whether that’s modernist paintings or traditional ceramics.
The rest of the day is yours for the taking. If you’re raring to go, we can organise a variety of activities, from watersports and cycling to riding and fishing. If you’d rather relax, spend your afternoon strolling around, stopping to pop into local shops, admire the scenery and sample even more of the region's delicious food and wine.
This morning, wave goodbye to Waiheke as you hop back on the ferry and meet your private driver for the transfer to Auckland's domestic airport. Here, board a speedy one-hour flight over to Napier, a coastal city in the Hawke's Bay wine region.
When you touch down, it’s another private transfer (lucky you) to your hotel set just outside the city, your home-from-home for the next three nights. Spend the rest of the day settling into your lush new surroundings – preferably with a glass of something cold in hand…
Today, fuel up with a hearty breakfast before heading out to explore Hawke's Bay’s vineyards by bicycle. Armed with a map and some expert advice, hop on two wheels and set off across the lush region – the oldest in New Zealand, no less – stopping at some seriously scenic spots for full-bodied reds and complex Chardonnays.
Suitably shattered, spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at your hotel before heading out for dinner – our clued-up Concierge is on hand to recommend the best restaurants in town.
We’ve left today free for you to enjoy at your own pace. Tired after your jam-packed day yesterday? Simply sit back and relax at your hotel, whether you’d rather dive into your holiday read, lounge poolside or snap some postcard-perfect shots of the surrounding scenery.
If you’re keen to explore your surroundings a little more, however, we can arrange a guided tour of Napier itself.
Come evening, either venture out for a tasty dinner or enjoy a sundowner in your hotel, ready for the next leg of your trip to begin tomorrow.
Begin the day with a quick one-hour flight back to Auckland, where you’ll catch the one-and-a-half-hour flight to Blenheim, set in the iconic Marlborough wine region.
When you arrive in the afternoon, you'll be picked up and transferred to your hotel, your home for the next two nights. Take some time to unpack and freshen up before venturing out to explore, then settle in for a delicious dinner at your hotel.
You’re in for a true treat today as you set off to discover this iconic wine region with an expert guide. You'll be picked up after breakfast and whisked on a private tour that showcases the highlights of this vino-rich area, whether you’d rather visit some of the biggest names in the industry, try some of the smaller producers or have a lovely balance of both.
Between beverages, sample some of New Zealand's finest produce during a delicious lunch overlooking the verdant scenery. Wonderful food and world-class wines? It doesn’t come much better than this…
This morning, swap the Marlborough wine region for Marlborough Sounds, a scenic network of sea-drowned valleys at the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. After a 25-minute private transfer to Picton, hop aboard a speedy water taxi for the half-hour crossing to the Bay of Many Coves, where you’ll be staying for three nights in a peaceful – you guessed it – cove.
The following days are entirely dedicated to remote rest and relaxation, so spend time sunning yourself on sandy beaches, swimming in the pool or soaking up the scenery from a gently swaying hammock.
If you’re eager to venture out and about, set off on serene walks along guided hiking trails, stopping to enjoy a tasty picnic. You can also hop aboard a sea kayak or paddleboard to glide along the peaceful coastline, keeping your eyes peeled for dolphins, seals and endemic seabirds along the way.
Come evening, sink into a slower pace of life with a sundowner in hand, before enjoying delicious dinners and restful nights. Pure bliss.
After a leisurely morning, transfer by land and sea back to Blenheim for the hour-and-a-half flight to Auckland. From here, board another domestic flight bound for the dramatic scenery of Queenstown, the final stop on your New Zealand wine holiday.
When you touch down in Queenstown two hours later, you'll be met and privately transferred to your centrally located hotel, where you’ll be staying for the next three nights.
It’ll be evening by the time you arrive, so don your gladrags and venture out into the town on foot, popping into local restaurants and bars to scope out this particularly picturesque part of the South Island.
On the agenda today? Wine, of course. This morning, set off with an expert guide for a delectable combination of wine tastings at cellar doors, gourmet lunch and exquisite views in the Central Otago region.
Along the way, visit three premium wineries in Gibbston, Cromwell and Bannockburn before stopping for a scenic five-course lunch (complete with wine pairings, naturally). Your expert guide will use their in-depth knowledge of local viticulture to take you to some of the best wineries around Queenstown, including New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave, where you’ll have the chance to try some of the region’s finest vintages.
After sampling everything from excellent Pinot Noirs to fantastic Rieslings, head back to your hotel for an afternoon of relaxation (read: snoozing).
It’s your final full day in New Zealand, and what better way to end it than with a bucket list activity? This morning, meet your private guide for a cruise through Fiordland National Park, home to the famous Milford Sound fjord and surrounding glaciers.
As you glide through the UNESCO-listed park, keep eyes peeled and cameras poised for mountain landscapes, towering glaciers and crashing waterfalls – along with a couple of playful dolphins, cute seals and paddling penguins, of course.
The rest of the day is yours for the taking. If you’re after one last hurrah in the extreme sports capital of the world, head out for an afternoon of bungee jumping, paragliding or canyoning; if not, simply spend your final day relaxing in this scenic setting, savouring a few final glasses and toasting to your incredible time in New Zealand.
All good things must come to an end, and today, it's sadly time to say goodbye to New Zealand. After one last breakfast in Queenstown, you’ll be privately transferred to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
This time, you’ll connect once in Brisbane and once in the Middle East, which takes around 31 hours in total. You’ll touch down in the UK the next day, armed with a camera roll full of memories and a newfound taste for New Zealand Sauvignon…
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire now
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from checking you in for your flights to our network of local Concierges
