Gourmet Wine Tour of New Zealand

Depart your hometown to Auckland

Cross the International Date Line.

Haere Mai – Welcome to New Zealand. Upon arrival, we will be met and transferred to our hotel by a private coach. This afternoon we will enjoy a private sightseeing tour of Auckland including visits to Mt Eden, the Domain Gardens and historic Parnell Village.

Tonight we enjoy a delicious ‘Welcome to New Zealand’ dinner at the Orbit revolving restaurant.

This morning we cruise across Waitemata harbor to Waiheke Island where we will be met at the wharf by our local guide for an informative wine tour. Since the 1970s, the Islands's Mediterranean climate has seen the growth of a flourishing wine industry with low quantities of high quality fruit. We’ll visit several vineyards, such as Cable Bay, Mudbrick, Stonyridge and Te Whau, to name but a few. We will also take time for a relaxing lunch at one of the top vineyard restaurants on the island. Late in the afternoon, we will be transferred back to the wharf to connect with the ferry back to Auckland and our hotel.

The drive today takes us south through the Waikato Valley, a major dairy and horse raising area to the Waitomo Caves region. Here we will enjoy a guided tour of the Waitomo Cave complex with its winding passages and immense caverns to view the fascinating glowworms and magnificent stalagmites and stalagtites. From Waitomo, we   continue across the bush-clad Mamaku Ranges to Rotorua, the center of the geo-thermal region.  This evening, we’ll experience a traditional Maori hangi dinner and concert on a historic Marae (Maori sacred meeting grounds).  

This morning we enjoy the sights of Rotorua including visits to Te Puia to view the geo-thermal activity - gushing geysers, boiling mud pools, steaming vents and colourful mineral terraces. This afternoon we board our coach and journey through Taupo and across the Kaimanawa Ranges to the art deco city of Napier, center of the Hawkes Bay wine region.

It is all about savouring the wines and foods of the region today! We will sniff, swirl and taste a selection of stunning wines at 5 different wineries including a delicious degustation lunch.  And all this while driving through stunning scenery with vine-filled rolling hills and even a few sheep along the way!  We will meet like-minded people and share an appreciation for this region's fantastic wines. Wine varieties will include Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc as well as Pinot Gris and Viognier. 

Another great day today as we travel south through the rolling farmlands of Hawkes Bay into the Wairarapa region, New Zealand's fifth largest wine region. The region enjoys a sunny, dry climate with vines planted on free-draining, low vigour soils, resulting in intensely flavored grapes. Pinot Noir makes up 60% of plantings. Other varieties include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. We take time to visit Martinborough to visit some of the small boutique wineries, before driving over Rimutaka Hill to the the New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. Tonight we enjoy dinner at one of Wellington’s trendy restaurants with fews of the Bay and surrounding hills.

After breakfast at our hotel, we have a short transfer to the wharf to board our ferry for the scenic cruise across the Cook Strait to Picton on the South Island. On arrival, another short drive takes us to the idyllic Marlborough wine region. Forty years ago, there was hardly a commercial grape grown in the Blenheim area.

Now the Marlborough district is the top wine producing area of New Zealand, with its wines winning awards around the world. Well known wineries are Cloudy Bay, Delegats, Allan Scott, Nobilo, Framinghams, Villa Maria and Wither Hills. 

Accommodation: Novotel Blenheim

After a relaxing morning, we are off to explore the Marlborough region with our experience guide. Our day will include boutique winery visits for private tastings, a behind the scenes tour, a walk amongst the vines with the local vintner and, of course, a delicious gourmet lunch with a selection of wines from the region to tempt your palate.We will meet great people who know wine and love sharing their passing for wine with us. Wineries will include Auntsfield Estate, Te Whare Ra, Cloudy Bay and Nautilus, with lunch at Wither Hills. 

A scenic 5 hour drive along the east coast today takes us to Christchurch, the South Island’s largest city and known as “the most English City outside England.” Our drive also takes us across the farmlands of the North Canterbury Plains and the Waipara wine district, where the area's micro-climate makes it ideal for growing grapes. On arrival in Christchurch, we enjoy a city tour with views of Hagley Park and we’ll get a close-up view of Christchurch is rebuilding from the devastating earthquake. After checking in to our hotel, we will head out for dinner at a local restaurant.

A stunning drive today take us over Burke’s Pass and across the Southern Alps with views of Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain and a stop at the Church of the Good Shephard on the shores of Lake Tekapo. We continue on to the Lindis Pass before descending into Central Otago and passed the Clutha River and Lake Dunstan, then through Kawarau Gorge to the mountain resort town of Queenstown.

The Central Otago region is an exciting new region of grape growing and wine production and is attracting the attention of wine lovers worldwide. The area has poor, schist soils and harsh winters, but long warm summer days - ideal conditions for growing some of the world's best grape varieties. Our tour will showcase the region's award winning wines and fine cuisine with a platter-style lunch, including a tour at Gibbston Valley Winery and four other vineyards in the Gibbston Valley, Cromwell and Bannockburn region. 

An early start today as we depart Queenstown and drive to Manapouri for a full day excursion to Doubtful Sound. We cross Lake Manapouri by launch and meet up with a coach which will take us across Wilmot Pass for our first glimpse of the Sound. Time to cruise this remote and pristine fjord with its stunning scenery and wildlife. Take time to enjoy the 'sound of silence' when the catamaran's engines are turned off and stand in awe at the magnificent surroundings of rainforests, mountains and waterfalls. If we are lucky we may even see the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins and fur seals which like to bask on the rocks. At the end of the day, we retrace our steps back to Queenstown and our hotel. 

A free to relax or enjoy some of the activities Queenstown has to offer: jet boating, bungy jumping, golfing, guided walks, lake cruising, shopping!  Tonight we get together for a ‘Farewell” dinner including, of course, a selection of wines from the region. 

Via Auckland.

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport to connect with our flights home.