The Ultimate New Zealand Wine Tour

10 NIGHTS

PLEASE NOTE: We can help you add, adjust and tailor the itinerary to suit your requirements. Each clients itinerary is different. We work to your budget and take advantage of current specials in the marketplace for your time of travel.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:

3 nights Napier
2 nights Wellington
2 nights Bay of Many Coves
3 nights Queenstown
Full-day Hawke’s Bay wine tour
Art deco walking tour in Napier
Wellington city highlights tour
Martinborough full day gourmet wine tour
Boutique Wine Tour in Queenstown
Water taxi transfers
Transfers

ITINERARY OVERVIEW:

Destinations: Napier, Wellington, Marlborough Sounds, Queenstown

Experiences: Scenery, Food and Wine, Relaxation

No. of days: 11 days/10 nights

If you love wine then this is the tour for you. It covers all the major wine regions in New Zealand and includes some of the best wine tasting opportunities available. While you’re enjoying the local wines and produce scenic beauty will surround you on your travels. Interspersed with wine and food experiences you will visit great locations in New Zealand including art deco Napier through to Wellington “the coolest capital” where you find shopping, cafes, restaurants, museums and art. Enjoy the scenic Interislander Ferry from Wellington to Picton, have your camera ready, the Marlborough Sounds are stunning. You will have two days enjoying the Sounds where you can spend your time relaxing, fishing, kayaking, swimming, dolphin watching, hiking or sailing. After staying in the Sounds you’re off to Queenstown for more winery tours and breathtaking scenery. You’ll return home relaxed, rejuvenated with more appreciation about New Zealand wines, fantastic photos and memories to share with friends and family.

DAY BY DAY:

Day 1: Arrive early into Auckland and transfer to your flight to a short flight to Napier in the Hawkes Bay. Transfer to your hotel. (3 nights Hawkes Bay).

Day 2: Today you begin your New Zealand wine experience. Your tour will pick you up from your accommodation to begin a half day afternoon wine and gourmet tour around the Hawkes Bay region. Savor some internationally acclaimed wine and relax amongst a wealth of scenery. Take a behind the scenes look at a winery with a chance to learn from a local wine maker, learn about wine and food matching at one of New Zealand's top winery restaurants and indulge in gourmet platters with top local produce.

Day 3: Enjoy the morning at leisure. This afternoon you’re on a guided walking tour of Napier’s Art Deco heritage. Take a walk back in time with a guided walking tour of Napier's fascinating Art Deco Quarter. Your local guide will tell you stories of the earthquake that destroyed the city, the people they were affected, and the remarkable recovery and rebuild that was completed within two years. A truly memorable experience of the most complete Art Deco city in the world.

Day 4: You leave the Hawkes Bay today. You’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Wellington. Wellington known for its gourmet dining, café’s, museums, art, theatre and galleries. Situated on the harbor with hills in all directions you’ll have fabulous views. This afternoon you’re on an unforgettable journey around the city's dramatic highlights. Travel around the earthquake-scarred South Coast to see the site of the Wahine ferry disaster and the distant ranges of the South Island, overlooked by coastal houses perched on the steep, rocky hills. Enjoy views of the harbor from the top of Mount Victoria and ride the steep cable car up to an incredible panorama. Visit the magnificent Parliament buildings and the famous Beehive and see the gorgeous, timber-built Old St Paul's Cathedral before visiting the national museum of Te Papa. (2 nights Wellington)

Day 5: Today you’re off to discover Martinborough on a full day gourmet wine tour. This is the only wine tour in New Zealand incorporating a one-hour train journey that departs Wellington and travels along the western shore of beautiful Wellington Harbor. Visit four of the area's wineries and be informed of the characteristics of the various wines available. Enjoy lunch at a local cafés, browse the village's craft shops, galleries and the Martinborough Wine Centre with its comprehensive selection of wines from almost all of the region's wineries. The tour finishes with the choice of a delicious cheese platter an you head back to Wellington.

Day 6: You’re leaving the North Island and heading to the South Island of New Zealand today via the Interisland Ferry from Wellington to Picton. Once in Picton a water taxi will take you to your accommodation for the next 2 nights at Bay of Many Coves. Set in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds, Bay of Many Coves Resort is a luxury five-star resort hotel nestled amid a rolling landscape of untouched native bush that kisses the shoreline of the tranquil bay below.

Day 7: Day at Leisure at Bay of Many Coves. Enjoy resort activities including a sounds cruise, fishing charter, kayaking and SUP, swimming with dolphins, bird watching, sailing and hiking. There is also the option to take a transfer to Blenheim and enjoy wine tasting in the Marlborough wine region.

Day 8: Today you leave Marlborough Sounds via water taxi and transfer to the airport for your short flight to Queenstown. (3 nights Queenstown)

Day 9: Central Otago is the perfect place for a scenic wine tour and today you get to discover this on a small group tour. Travel through the rugged Kawarau Gorge and learn about the pioneering history and spirt of the area before tastings at 4 premium wineries. Sample the Pinot Noir that the region is internationally renowned for and relax amongst good company with a delicious platter lunch at the Carrick Winery.

Day 10: Day at Leisure. There are many activities to do in Queenstown ranging from adrenaline pumping bungy jumping, jet boating and skydiving to more gentle ones like cruising on the TSS Earnslaw, riding the Skyline Gondola, soaking in hot tubs and hiking. We are happy to arrange a day of fun activities for you or you can spend it relaxing.

Day 11: Today you depart for home after a wonderful 10 days relaxing and enjoying New Zealand.

GET STARTED ON YOUR TRIP TODAY!

TOP ACTIVITIES: Napier | Wellington | Marlborough Sounds | Queenstown

Customized Itinerary

All aspects of this itinerary can be changed to suit your requirements.
The itineraries provided are great introductions to your chosen destination. You can create a travel plan using the itinerary provided or make modifications to destinations, activities and accommodation and create the dream trip you want.
Not every traveler is the same, we get that and so that’s why we recommend making changes to suit your needs. In fact, we insist - we want you to have the best trip.
If you would like any recommendations for dinner or shopping areas please let us know we are happy to help and make bookings for you where necessary.

Visa requirements:

To travel to Australia you will need a US passport valid for at least 6 months and we can process an ETA Visa for free for US Citizens. We will need a copy of your Photo Page of your Passport. Nationalities of any other countries please enquire with your agent to see if you are eligible for a free ETA Visa or if you need to apply for a Visitor Visa.

To travel to New Zealand you will need a US passport valid for at least 6 months and an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority. More information on the NZeTA application requirements and process can be found on our FAQ page here.

Travel Insurance:

We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment. We will provide a travel insurance quote at the time of booking, and you are free to use our recommended insurance with Travelguard, find your own, or book without insurance.

A product that we can offer is a Cancel For Any Reason policy that will provide you with 80% back in refunds. If the cancellation is for medical reasons there is a 100% refund..

Additional information:

Downunder Journeys services travel requests from the United States and Canada for travel to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands and Tahiti. All pricing on this website is in US Dollars.

All of the sample itineraries on this website do not include airfares as the airfare price changes daily and to ensure you get the best possible price we will work with the best airfares at the time. If you happen to buy your airfare first and then need a package to fit it, we can certainly help with that as well, just let us know.

As an idea for a 2-week vacation to Australia or New Zealand we recommend a budget of around $8,000-10,000 (including economy airfare), this would be for a 4 star and above itinerary, a little cheaper if we did more moderate accommodations.