12-Day Luxury Premium Vacation in New Zealand

Recharge your batteries from your work-stressed environment and indulge in the luxuries of New Zealand. During this vacation, the itinerary will take you to some of the most luxurious retreats in our country, and you will enjoy the finer things in life.

Voyage through time as you marvel at New Zealand's vast treasure of rugged natural beauty, inspiring indigenous traditions, haunting colonial echoes and cosmopolitan delights. Gaze over the Pacific Ocean at sunrise. Sip Pinot Noir is nestled amongst the peaks of the Southern Alps on the edge of Mount Aspiring National Park. Enjoy a therapeutic soak in your private lakeside spa.

Day 1: Auckland Arrival - Ferry to Waiheke Island (2nights)

Airport Meet and Greet, transfer to our lodge at Waihke Island.
Waiheke Island is a haven of beautiful vineyards, olive groves, and beaches, just a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland. Explore the Island's white sandy beaches, walking trails, and beautiful scenery. Waiheke was named fifth in Travel and Leisure's "Best Islands in the World" category, beating top destinations overseas.

Day 2: Waiheke Island

Explore Te Motu Arai Roa (The Long Sheltered Island), where you’ll learn about Waiheke's cultural significance, our Polynesian roots, and our past, present, and future. Listen to the ancient stories of our people and get an insight into the world of Te Ao Māori.
Your personal local guide will take you on unique boutique wine, whiskey, and cultural experience tours on Waiheke Island. The island is also home to boutique distilleries and breweries and an abundance of world-class restaurants. All locally owned and operated, they produce an exceptional range of Gin, Craft Beer, Vodka, and Liqueurs.

Day 3: Auckland - Lake Taupo (2 nights)

Waitomo Caves - Under the green hills of Waitomo lies a labyrinth of caves, sinkholes and underground rivers. The area's name comes from the Maori words wai (water) and tomo (hole). Explore a World of Glow Worms with our Private Cave Tours on our Family Farm! Tours are designed to be incredibly fun and adventurous. Prepare for a genuine, authentic caving adventure that takes you to untouched glow worm caves and reveals stunning limestone formations in their purest state.
Lake Taupo is on New Zealand's North Island and is in the caldera of Taupo Volcano. The beautiful Lake Taupō is about the size of Singapore—more of an inland sea. Just north of Taupō, New Zealand's most visited attraction is the magnificent Huka Falls, where more than 220,000 litres of water thunder over the cliff face every second.

Day 4: Lake Taupo - National Park (Volcanos)

Take A heli flight to the World Heritage-listed Tongariro National Park, flying around Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Ruapehu’s crater lake.
Undoubtedly a geothermal wonderland, Taupō is home to boiling mud pools, steaming vents and impressively coloured volcanic rock formations. Visit one of the local geothermal parks with us. You can also hike/mountain bike on one of the many trails and play a round of golf or kayak along the lake shore. TCrystal clear, fast-flowing rivers run throughout the volcanic Taupō region, making the area an internationally renowned trout fishing haven.

Day 5: Lake Taupo - Flight to Marlborough (2 nights)

On New Zealand's South Island, Marlborough is the largest wine-growing region and home to the world-renowned Sauvignon Blanc. Take a wine tour or explore the Marlborough Sounds.
In the heart of the Marlborough Sounds, this picturesque port town is home to great cafés, restaurants, galleries, and specialty shops.

Day 6: Marlborough Sounds

Enjoy long sheltered inlets, clear waters and sandy bays. Hike through the forest or kayak around the headlands to discover a fresh location each day. To truly get away from it all, take a single or multi-day hike along the scenic Queen Charlotte Track. Or stay amongst the secluded bays in waterside accommodation, some only accessible by boat or helicopter.
Indulge in luxury spa and massage treatments at Marlborough Sounds Luxury Lodge.

Day 7: Marlborough Sounds - Christchurch/Akaroa (2 nights)

On our way to Christchurch, we stop at the picturesque coastal town of Kaikōura, which is the perfect place for marine life encounters, coastal walks, and tucking into a plate of crayfish. Kaikōura's environment is truly spectacular – the village is caught between the rugged Seaward Kaikōura Range and the Pacific Ocean. In winter, the mountains are covered with snow, adding to the drama of the landscape. Kaikōura’s unique talent is marine mammal encounters – whales, fur seals, and dolphins live permanently in the coastal waters.
More than a decade after two earthquakes devastated Christchurch, it is being rebuilt and reimagined. Some of the eye-catching blue-stone heritage buildings may have gone, but in their place are new spaces designed for modern city living. This includes more green spaces, with the most considerable swath of land twice the size of Central Park in New York.

Day 8: Akaroa

Akaroa is one of Aotearoa, New Zealand’s most loved towns. It is famous for its French cuisine, spectacular harbour, sightseeing, and rare dolphins. This small seaside town on Banks Peninsula has a fascinating history.
Local family-owned & operated 2-hour dolphin nature cruise. Discover breathtaking scenery, the Hector’s dolphins and other fantastic wildlife aboard our luxurious catamaran.

Day 9: Akaroa - Christchurch - Mt Cook (2 nights)

Lake Tekapo is about 3 hrs drive southwest of Christchurch in the Mackenzie Basin. The township faces north across the remarkable turquoise-coloured lake to the mountainous drama of the Southern Alps. Lake Tekapo gets its intense milky-turquoise colour from the fine rock flour (ground by glaciers) suspended in the water.
Picturesque by day and dazzling by night, Lake Tekapo is part of a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, making it the perfect spot for stargazing.

Day 10: Mt Cook National Park

Visit Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park to glimpse Mt Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand. See glaciers and snowy peaks set under a star-studded sky.
Taking a helicopter flight is a totally unique experience. It takes you from Tekapo, winding through our remote alpine valleys, all the way up close to the mighty Aoraki / Mount Cook at over 3724 meters. Learn all about our high country areas before crossing into Mount Cook National Park for some fantastic views of our highest peaks and longest glaciers. The flight includes a snow landing on Liebig Dome (7700′), where you can enjoy a panorama view of Aoraki Mount Cook and surrounding mountains. ** Snow may be limited in February and March.

Day 11: Mt Cook National Park - Queenstown/Earnslaw (2 nights)

Central Otago is known for its wine, cycling, and powerful landscapes on New Zealand's South Island. Taste your way around the sunny Pinot Noir vineyards, cycle the Otago Central Rail Trail, or explore picturesque heritage towns.
With its towering mountains and lakeside location, Queenstown is a hub of adventure, bursting with adrenaline and fun.
Heli Picnic at Middle Earth Waterfalls. Fly through the Moonlight saddle and over the Richardson Mountains to Mt Earnslaw, past the blue ice of the hanging glacier before descending to land on the valley floor, over 1000 metres below. Enjoy an unforgettable picnic under the numerous waterfalls and dramatic hanging glaciers. You'll have time to take lots of photos and explore a bit – walk behind the waterfalls to dip your toes into the icy water if you dare!