Gourmet
The itineraries below are just an example of what we can arrange for your holiday – contact us for a personalized itinerary, designed specifically for your needs.
Suggested Gourmet Itinerary - North Island Wine & Dine
Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand’s trade capital and centre of greatest population with a diverse mix of Polynesian, Asian, Maori and European cultures. After collecting your car at the airport, the day is free for you to spend at leisure. On Day 2 take a pleasant ferry ride across to Waiheke Island for a tour which takes you to some of the island’s wineries and art galleries and introduces you to its emerging olive growing industry. You may like to make a morning visit the Auckland Fish Market on Day 3, this market sells not only fish but fruit, veges, delicatessen goods and premium-grade meat. Continue on to Rotorua in the afternoon for a 2 night stay. Try your hand at fishing while enjoying a delicious BBQ meal aboard a Lake Tarawera cruise on Day 4. Whilst on the cruise you will learn about the history of Rotorua and the surrounding thermal area and have the opportunity to swim in the natural hot springs alongside the lake. This evening attend a Maori cultural performance and try a ‘hangi’ (a traditional Maori feast). Drive through to Napier on Day 5. Located in the fertile farming province of the Hawke’s Bay, Napier was rebuilt in the Art Deco Style following a devastating earthquake in the 1931. The oldest wine growing area in New Zealand, chardonnay and red grape varietals grow particularly well here. Day 6 can be spent on a guided culinary tour of the area, including visits to markets, wineries, specialist food producers and beautiful scenic spots. Alternatively, you may wish to explore the area on your own or take a walking tour of the city’s unique Art Deco buildings. Leave the Hawkes Bay on Day 7 and drive to the picturesque village of Martinborough in the Wairarapa. Host to the Taste Martinborough Wine & Food Festival, Martinborough is quaint but sophisticated and home to numerous wineries and several small but exceptional restaurants and boutique stores. Spend a night soaking in the country atmosphere of the tiny town before departing for Wellington on Day 8. New Zealand’s capital, Wellington is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse range of cafes, restaurants and bars. Spend two nights here and take a guided walking tour of specialist food stores, cafes, a boutique coffee roaster and then lunch at one of the city’s top restaurants, or visit a local brewery for a beer tasting. For those wanting a rest from the delights of food, Te Papa Tongarewa, the National Museum of New Zealand is well worth a visit. Depart Wellington on Day 10.
8 nights/9 days, Auckland to Wellington
Suggested Gourmet Itinerary – Taste of New Zealand
Arrive in Napier for a 2 night stay. Napier is the centre of the Hawkes Bay region, a successful farming, fruit growing and wine making region. Take a tour of the local wineries, restaurants, gourmet food suppliers and farmer’s markets on Day 2. Drive south to Martinborough on Day 3. This small village supports a large number of wineries which are scattered around the surrounding Wairarapa countryside. Spend a night here and make the short journey through to Wellington, the ‘café capital’ on Day 4. Wellington has the highest concentration of eating establishments in New Zealand and has much to offer food enthusiasts. Spend Day 5 at leisure exploring Wellington – if you need some guidance we can organize a guided walking tour of the cities top specialist food stores. Cruise or fly to the South Island on Day 7 and stay for 2 nights in Blenheim. Take a wine tour of the surrounding Marlborough wineries on Day 8 or, in season, cruise around the Marlborough Sounds and visit a mussel farm, enjoying fresh mussels and other local produce for lunch. Drive south to North Canterbury on Day 9, spending the night near the Waipara Valley, an emerging wine making area. Continue on to Christchurch on Day 10, a leisurely drive that gives you plenty of time to stop at wineries along the way. Enjoy a night in Christchurch before driving to Mount Cook on Day 11. Stay in the heart of the Mount Cook National Park, with views over New Zealand’s highest mountain. Drive on to Queenstown on Day 12 for a 3 night stay in the beautiful mountain resort town. Take a private tour, lead by a local winemaker, of a selection of Central Otago wineries, stopping also for a cheese tasting and lunch at your preferred winery. The following day is free for you to enjoy Queenstown at your leisure. Depart Queenstown on Day 14.
14 days/13 nights, Napier to Queenstown.
Gourmet Accommodation Ideas
