New Zealand Wine Trail Tailor-Made Tour

Itinerary Highlights

Enjoy locally produced specialty foods, succulent fresh New Zealand oysters, and award-winning olive oil on Waiheke Island
Discover flavoursome white wines and full bodied red wines of New Zealand's Hawkes Bay region
Cycle through the vineyards of the south island's Marlborough wine region
Take a tour through New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave and enjoy a gourmet wine barrel-cooked lunch with matching wines
Best time to travel November to April

What's Included

Accommodation Throughout
Car Hire
Domestic Flights
International Flights

14 nights from £5,365 per person

All of our holidays are tailor-made to your requirements by an expert Travel Specialist

01244 435 806

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On this wonderful seven-night self-drive tour, take a journey through regions that account for more than 80% of New Zealand’s world-famous wine production! You will encounter award-winning wineries, eateries, farmer’s markets and artisan food producers, collecting incredible memories along the way.

Discover tranquil Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf, a haven of beautiful boutique vineyards, beaches and producers of delicious artisan cheeses and specialty foods. Drive through New Zealand's many wine producing regions including Te Kauwhata, Hawkes Bay, Martinborough, Marlborough and Waipara. Take in the stunning scenery along the way, anything from rolling countryside, volcanic landscapes, geothermal parks, towering mountain peaks and wild surf beaches.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Auckland

On your arrival at Auckland Airport, you will be met and transported to your city centre hotel. The remainder of the day is free for you to explore the city and the waterfront. Head to the observation deck on the 51st floor of Sky Tower for panoramic views of Auckland and the harbour or take a ferry across to the harbourside suburb of Devonport with its upscale cafes and seafood restaurants.

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Atrium at Hotel DeBrett at Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

exterior of sofitel auckland viaduct harbour auckland

sofitel auckland viaduct harbour auckland

Day 2 Waiheke Island Wine Tour

Hop on a ferry across to the delightful Waiheke Island where you will join a small group food & wine tour. Enjoy locally produced specialty foods, succulent fresh New Zealand oysters, and award-winning olive, accompanied by wines from some of the Island’s top boutique vineyards. Treats may include artisan cheeses, oysters straight from Te Matuku Bay & wild honey. A lunch platter at one of the area's top vineyard restaurants is also included.

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Day 3 Auckland to Rotorua (150 miles)

This morning leave Auckland in your rental vehicle, suburban scenery soon gives way to green countryside. You may wish to stop at the wine growing area of Te Kauwhata. You will follow the Waikato River for much of the journey and pass-through Hamilton where you can enjoy attractions such as river cruises, gardens, and museums. For those that are fans of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy, you can stop off for a guided tour of Hobbiton™.

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Day 4 Rotorua Cultural Experience

Enjoy a free day to explore the attractions of Rotorua before this evening’s cultural experience. Highlights include seeing fierce warriors in traditional dress paddle an ancient warrior canoe down the Wai-o-Whiro stream. Experience a pohiri and wero (traditional welcome ceremony), be captivated by the songs and dances of the Te Arawa people, complete with the fiery “Haka” Maori war dance and an authentic hangi dinner that includes a hot selection of succulent New Zealand meat and poultry, delicious vegetables, and fresh salads.

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Day 5 Rotorua to Hawkes Bay (150 miles)

Hawke's Bay

Depart Rotorua on the road to Taupo where you will pass geothermal parks and drive through large tracts of plantation pine forest. Just before you enter Taupo stop at Huka Falls, an impressive sight from the riverside or for the adventurous book Hukafalls Jet for an exhilarating 30-minute jet boating experience on the Waikato River to the base of the falls. The drive from Taupo to Napier is beautiful, offering varied scenery from gentle plains and huge vistas to rugged hills and beautiful valleys. The cities of Hastings and Napier were devastated in 1931 by a huge earthquake, as a result both cities have a great deal of Art Deco architecture. Hotel - Craggy Range

Day 6 Hawkes Bay Wine Tour

Hawke's Bay

Discover New Zealand’s original ‘Wine Country’ on our Classic Wine Tour that aims to show you a cross-section of Hawkes’s Bay wineries. You will visit 3 – 4 winery cellar doors, some maybe household names you may recognise, and others are boutique producers. Whether you are a newcomer to wine, a lover of fresh and flavoursome white wines, or maybe a devotee of full-bodied red wines, you will discover that Hawke’s Bay produces some of the finest examples of both. Each visit you will enjoy a wine-tasting as well as a mid-afternoon Cheese Platter at one of the wineries. Hotel - Craggy Range

Day 7 Hawkes Bay to Martinborough (190 miles)

Continue your journey south towards Masterton, points of interest include the antique shops of Woodville and a wildlife sanctuary at Mt Bruce. From Masterton to Martinborough you will pass through friendly Wairarapa townships including Featherston where you can stop to visit the locomotive museum. Martinborough offers more than 25 boutique vineyards and several fabulous restaurants.

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Villa Bedroom at Peppers Parehua, Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand

Henry Bunny Room at The Martinborough Hotel

Day 8 Martinborough Wine Tour

Hosted by a local expert guide, this is a highly personalised experience. You will meet local people and see behind the scenes of premium wine brands and artisan food producers, tasting your way through the region. Savour a delicious lunch matched with premium local wines. Explore the historic township of Greytown which has beautiful examples of Victorian Architecture and discover the regions award-winning pinot noir.

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Day 9 Martinborough to Marlborough (130 miles including ferry crossing)

Today your journey takes you to Wellington, the country’s capital city, where you will drop your rental vehicle to take the scenic ferry crossing through the Cook Strait and Marlborough Sounds to Picton on the north island. Here you collect another rental vehicle to continue your wine trail tour of New Zealand. Hotel - The Peppertree

Day 10 Marlborough Wine Tour by Bicycle

Wind along bike paths and quiet country roads on this guided bicycle tour of the vineyards of Marlborough. a bit short on time. You will stop at least 3 select wineries with your knowledgeable guide and have the chance to try the delicious cool climate wine varieties of Marlborough. Enjoy the incredible views of the Richmond Range, Wither Hills, and Wairau Valley as you cycle from one vineyard to another. The pace is leisurely, and the terrain is gentle, ensuring easy riding no matter what your skill level.

Day 11 Marlborough to Christchurch (190 miles)

Take State Highway 1 through the coastal foothills and Awatare Valley. The road then reaches the Pacific Coast where you will have the ocean to one side and the dramatic Kaikoura Range to the other. Kaikoura is renowned for its wildlife experiences including kayaking with dolphins and whale watching cruises to spot Minke, Humpback and Southern Right Whales. You can also hike to see fur seal colonies. Continue south to Christchurch, taking time to stop at the vineyards and olive groves of the Waipara region and the surf beaches of Amberley and Waikuku.

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Entry Hall at Otahuna Lodge, New Zealand

Day 12 Queenstown

Today you will fly from Christchurch to the “adventure capital of the world”, Queenstown. Take in the breath-taking scenery of Lake Wakatipu and the spectacular mountain range “The Remarkables”. Queenstown offers a plethora of activities for the adrenaline junkie, whether you feel the need to bungee jump off a bridge attached to a giant rubber band, be catapulted into the air, race through narrow canyons in a jet boat or white-water raft down the Kawarau River, it is all here for you to do. Hotel - QT Queenstown

Day 13 Queenstown Gourmet Wine Tour

Join a small group tour to experience an indulgent and diverse full day showcasing the very best sights and tastes from the Central Otago region. Your guide will lead you on a tasting journey through three contrasting Central Otago wine sub-regions; Gibbston, Bannockburn and Cromwell. Included are a guided tour through New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave, a gourmet wine barrel-cooked lunch with matching wines, a lovely cheeseboard, and take-home chocolates. Hotel - QT Queenstown

Day 14 Queenstown

Today is a day of leisure for you to take in the natural beauty of your surroundings. We can arrange a whole host of experiences for you incluidng a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Farm for morning or afternoon tea or a gourmet BBQ buffet lunch or dinner. Explore the Dart River by jetboat and funyak or take a scenic flight over the mountain peaks for a cruise at Milford Sound. Hotel - QT Queenstown