Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
New Zealand – North Island – South Island – Auckland – Cooks Beach – Rotorua – Waipara – Lake Tekapo – Queenstown
100% customisable for you
The ‘I do’s’ have been said and the bags are packed: your love-laced honeymoon to New Zealand begins today. Head to the airport, breeze through security and settle into the lounge with a celebratory tipple before boarding – the first of many just-married cheers.
It’s a 30-hour overnight flight to Auckland, with a short stop in an Asian hub along the way, so snuggle up in your seats and try to catch some shut-eye before landing.
New Zealand is a long way from home, so the time difference means it’ll be day three of your trip by the time you touch down in Auckland. You’ll be met at the airport and privately transferred to your hotel in the heart of the city – your base for the next two nights.
Head out for a bite to eat and a wander to stretch your legs, before retreating to the hotel to relax. With an 11-hour time difference to contend with, it’s perfectly acceptable to surrender to the jet lag and enjoy an early night. Tomorrow promises plenty more excitement...
Hopefully, after an early night, you're both bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and raring to go for your first full day in Auckland.
Spend some time strolling hand in hand around the city, hitting up any local cafés, museums or leafy parks that catch your eye.
Later today, catch the 45-minute ferry to the dreamy Waiheke Island, where rolling vineyards bask in the blissful New Zealand sunshine. The payoff? Some seriously good Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay. Drift between cellar doors and experience how a quick wine tasting has a funny way of turning into a full-blown love affair with your new favourite vintage...
Nothing quite rivals the romance of a good sunset, so as dusk falls this evening, climb up Auckland’s Mount Eden (a dormant volcano), and watch the sky shift through a spectrum of fiery colours as the city skyline begins to twinkle. Just don’t forget to immortalise the moment with a honeymoon selfie.
Ready for the first leg of your New Zealand road trip? Pick up the keys to your hire car this morning for the two-and-a-half-hour drive east to Cooks Beach, set on New Zealand’s wild Coromandel coast.
If you fancy a little detour along the way, pull up at Hunua Falls and follow the sound of cascading water to its crystal-clear pool before the road twists and turns through the native woodland of Coromandel Forest Park, where a network of hiking trails awaits.
And when your spouse suddenly starts excitedly pointing out of the window, there’s a good chance they’ve just clocked the azure waters of Cooks Beach. Here, check in to your oceanfront villa – your peaceful retreat for the next three nights.
Drop your bags and make a beeline for the beach, taking your pick between a sun-drenched lounger or a palm-shaded patch of sand, perhaps with a cocktail to celebrate your arrival?
Don your swimwear this morning, then make your way to the waterfront. Here, slip into a kayak, grab your paddles then glide side by side... at least until one of you inevitably decides that the race is on.
Follow your guide through the protected waters of the Cathedral Cove Reserve (known as Te Whanganui-a-Hei in Maori), keeping score of all the weird and wonderful rock formations along the way. Then, drift by Cathedral Cove’s mighty stone arch, a natural masterpiece shaped by centuries of pounding Pacific waves.
This coastline teems with wildlife, so keep your eyes peeled, and fingers crossed, for playful dolphins parading through the waves and seabirds soaring overhead. You’ll likely also spot some adorable New Zealand fur seals snoozing on the sun-warmed rocks. Hearts are sure to melt.
All that paddle power is bound to work up a mighty appetite, so round off the day at a local diner, where seafood and crispy fries are a match made in heaven.
Craving some beach time? You’re in for a real treat today.
Lather on a generous spritz of sunscreen, then roll out your towel on Whangapoua Beach, basking in the oh-so-glorious sunshine and enjoying intermittent dips in the sea.
Nothing says New Zealand quite like a beach barbecue, so make New Chums Beach your lunch spot this afternoon. Fire up one of the free-to-use barbecues and pile your plate high with smoky sausages and chargrilled vegetables, best enjoyed under the shade of swaying palms.
Then, perhaps head to Hot Water Beach, where all you need are a couple of buckets and spades (and a little determination) to strike gold, and by gold, we mean the naturally warming hot springs beneath the sand.
And if you’re not all beached out, venture further out to Opoutere Beach, a castaway-style patch of sand, where things are blissfully quiet.
Cap off the day sun-kissed, salt-speckled and satisfied with another seafood supper, as the setting sun casts everything in a golden glow. Cheers to that.
Fire up the hire car again this morning for the easy-breezy three-hour drive south to Rotorua.
When you arrive, settle into your charming guesthouse – your home away from home for the next three nights. The rest of the day is all yours to enjoy, so perhaps make a beeline for the pool... or the cocktail bar.
Then keep those good vibes going (and bypass any dinner deliberations) with a restaurant recommendation from our local Concierge, just tell them what you’re both craving.
All honeymooners deserve a proper dose of R&R, so this morning, head to the Rotorua Spa, a traditional bathhouse nestled in the heart of Whakarewarewa Forest. Sink into the soothing geothermal waters as wisps of steam curl through the air, while the gentle trickle of the nearby Puarenga Stream provides the soundtrack.
Feeling suitably pampered? It’s time to crank the adventure back up – you’re in New Zealand after all.
A short drive brings you to Wai-O-Tapu, a geothermal spectacle shaped by centuries of volcanic activity. Sure, there’s an unmistakable whiff of sulphur in the air, but it’s a small price to pay for an otherworldly landscape of bubbling mud pools, steaming fumaroles and spurting geysers. Then come the real showstoppers: mineral-rich pools glowing in surreal shades of azure and fiery orange, long treasured by Maori communities for their healing properties.
The Maori know a thing or two about good food, too. Tonight, seek out a traditional hangi; a feast of meat and vegetables cooked low and slow over glowing coals.
You’ve had a good spin around the North Island; now it’s time to see what the South has in store. Make the short drive to Rotorua Airport, where you’ll return your hire car before boarding the two-hour flight to Christchurch. Let your spouse claim the window seat – you'll soon hear a running commentary of oohs and aahs as New Zealand’s spectacular South Island reveals itself below.
When you touch down, pick up the keys to your hire car and buckle up for the 30-minute drive north to Waipara, tracing the sparkling waters of Pegasus Bay along the way.
When you arrive, check in to your cosy cottage for the night, then drop your bags and spend some time exploring your new remote surroundings. Perhaps stretch our legs on one of the nearby nature trails, or simply enjoy a lazy afternoon, making a good dent in your holiday reads.
Tonight, find a table for two somewhere local and see what’s cooking on this side of New Zealand.
Another day, another road trip. This morning, it’s a three-and-a-half-hour drive west to Lake Tekapo, so roll the windows down, tune into our destination-specific playlist and let the singalong commence...
When you arrive, settle into your peaceful lakeside retreat – your hideaway for the next three nights.
Spend the rest of the day strolling around the lake, breathing in the fresh mountain air and soaking up the alpine charm. If your other half is an avid birdwatcher, they’ll be in their element, as this area is home to an abundance of elegant black swans, paradise shelducks and soaring Australasian harriers.
Nights in Lake Tekapo can be pretty chilly, so as night falls, cosy up by the crackling fire with steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Toast a few marshmallows while you’re at it – bonus points if they emerge golden rather than charcoal...
Fuel up with a hearty breakfast this morning – you have quite the adventure ahead.
After a one-hour drive to Mount Cook National Park, pull on your walking boots and follow one of the nature trails, where glacier-fed rivers zigzag through the valleys and every bend reveals another dizzying view. The undisputed star of the show is Aoraki, New Zealand’s tallest mountain, standing at a lofty 12,200ft.
The magic continues after dark with a stargazing experience at Mount John Observatory, set slap-bang within the Aoraki Mackenzi International Dark Sky Reserve, one of the best locations in the world for gazing up at the cosmos.
Guided by an expert astronomer, peer through powerful telescopes at a sparkling celestial canopy, discovering constellations and distant planets. And if you’re lucky enough to spot a shooting star, consider it the universe’s way of sprinkling a little extra romance to your honeymoon.
Set your sights (and your sat nav) on Queenstown this morning, then embark on the three-hour drive west. It’s a seriously scenic journey, where dense woodland gives way to rugged mountains draped in ribbons of mist, so don’t forget to leave some time for the inevitable photo stops.
When you arrive, check in for three nights at your centrally located hotel. The rest of the day is all yours, so perhaps take a stroll through one of the nearby parks, where exotic blooms flourish and native birds flit through the canopy. If luck’s on your side, you may also catch a glimpse of the elusive kiwi – a flightless bird that inspired New Zealanders’ famous nickname. They’re quite the local celebrity.
When hunger strikes this evening, seek out a local shellfish seller and discover why this city has earned such a stellar reputation for their oysters.
Excitement levels are sure to be sky-high this morning (quite literally) as you board a small plane bound for Milford Sound.
When you land, climb aboard your cruiser and admire the views as your captain charts an epic course around this world-famous fjord. Just try not to think too hard about the fact that parts of the water beneath you is 2,000ft deep...
Drift past the thundering Lady Bowen and Stirling Falls, where torrents of water tumble down the cliffs, sending swirling mist high into the air – so keep your waterproofs at the ready.
As you go, keep your eyes peeled (and camera poised) for bottlenose dolphins, Fiordland crested penguins and New Zealand fur seals. Visit during the spring, and you’ll be in for an even bigger spectacle, as this is when humpback whales parade through these waters on their annual migration.
A day like today deserves some bubbles. Back in Queenstown, duck into one of the town’s quirky bars, order something sparkling and toast to another honeymoon highlight.
Start the day the Kiwi way with a velvety flat white and an outrageously good pastry. And when the caffeine kicks in, hit the road for the one-hour drive to Glenorchy.
When you arrive, bundle aboard a speedboat (and hold on to your hats) as your skipper powers through the twists and turns of the Dart River, throwing in a few heart-racing 360° spins for good measure.
The pace then slows as you pull into an ancient beech forest for a guided hike, where winding woodland trails through moss-draped trees and emerald ferns create a wonderfully peaceful contrast to the adrenaline-pumping antics of the river cruise.
Back in Queenstown this afternoon, ask our local Concierge for another restaurant recommendation, who’ll know just the spot for a romantic candlelit dinner.
Rise and shine bright and early this morning, wolf down some breakfast, then set off on the hike to Ben Lomond’s 5,700ft summit. It’s a bit of a leg-burner, but the views over Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps are worth every puff and pant.
Then, come back down to Earth (meaning Queenstown) and embark on the short drive to the airport, where you’ll return your trusty hire car before boarding your overnight flight back home. You’ll likely have at least two stops along the way, where you can have a mooch around duty-free and perhaps pick up a last-minute gift for your spouse.
All in all, you’ll spend around 30 hours in the air; plenty of time to flick through your photos, smile at the memories made and pitch your next trip ideas to each other…
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.
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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
