New Zealand Winery and Vineyard Tour Offered by WSU V & E Program January 15-30, 2019
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15 Jan, Tuesday Arrive Auckland (D)
Arrive Auckland at own arrangements.
On arrival at Auckland International Airport and after completion of customs formalities, you will be met by a Southern World New Zealand representative who will assist you to your private coach.
Known as the 'City of Sails', Auckland city extends over a narrow isthmus between the Waitemata Harbour on the Pacific Ocean, and the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea. Auckland has spectacular natural features, including 49 dormant volcanoes. This cosmopolitan city has a population of around 1.4 million and the city’s subtropical climate, lush vegetation and easy access to the coast and outdoor activities consistently earns it a place in the top five rankings in international lifestyle surveys.
A melting pot of 190 different ethnicities, Auckland is the world’s biggest Polynesian city. This diversity is reflected in the lively arts and culture scene, a wide range of food and craft markets, vineyards, a hip cafe culture and outstanding restaurants. The dozens of islands of the Hauraki Gulf form a distinctive aspect of the Auckland landscape and provide a magnet for boaties, fishing enthusiasts and hikers.
From the airport you are transferred to your hotel for immediate hotel check-in. Rooms have been pre-registered for immediate occupancy. You are at leisure for your own explorations of Auckland until your welcome dinner.
Tonight enjoy a 3-course welcome dinner including 2 glasses of wine at the Orbit Restaurant. Soaring high above Auckland you'll discover Orbit, a truly iconic New Zealand brasserie situated at the top of Auckland's Sky Tower. The dining room rotates once every hour, providing a unique experience with amazing 360° panoramas of the city, the Hauraki Gulf and beyond. Orbit offers a modern dining experience in a relaxed, open atmosphere with a delicious kiwi-inspired à la carte menu. Your experience doesn't just stop there, diners can also enjoy complimentary Sky Tower admission 45 minutes prior to and/or upon completion of dining.
Confirmed accommodation: SkyCity Grand Hotel Accommodation in a Premium Luxury City View Room for 3 nights (this includes pre-registration for early arrival on 15th, or you may arrive on the 14th, however, breakfast not incuded on morning of 15th)
Ideally situated in the heart of Auckland’s central business centre, with many of the city's most impressive attractions and eateries literally on the doorstep, this hotel offers guests a truly five-star experience. The hotel features contemporary rooms and suites with views of Auckland Harbour and the city skyline plus a luxurious day spa. The Skycity entertainment complex, featuring a 24 hour casino, Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower, plus more than 20 restaurants, cafes and bars, is right on the doorstep.
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16 Jan, Wednesday Waiheke Island (B/L)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
This morning you are transferred by coach from your hotel to Auckland wharf. At the wharf, board your ferry at the Downtown Auckland Ferry Terminal and enjoy the scenic 40 minute cruise to Waiheke Island through the beautiful Hauraki Gulf. This stunning island just off the Auckland coast boasts 92 square kilometres of beautiful beaches, vineyards, olive groves, native bush and laid back seaside villages. Some sailings will travel via the Devonport Ferry Terminal.
First settled in 950AD Waiheke was home to the Maru Iwi until centuries later the Children of Toi overran it claiming the island. During the 1820's the notorious Hongi Hika waged his bloody gulf wars eventually expelling most of the surviving inhabitants. Thick in Kauri forest, the European settled Waiheke, felling the mighty trees and loading the timber onto ships bound for both sides of the Tasman. By the 1960's Waiheke was firmly established as a popular holiday island for bach owners and day trippers with a growing resident population. Today the high speed ferries carry business people daily into Auckland City. The stands of Kauri have been replaced by lush vineyards, olive groves and pastureland. This is an island of unique art, stylish cafés and restaurants.
On arrival on Waiheke, a private coach will be available for winery visits, including lunch.
After your visits you will be returned to the wharf for your ferry back to Auckland downtown. On arrival in Auckland your private coach will transfer you back to your hotel.
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17 Jan, Thursday Auckland / Napier (B)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Today is a travel day.
Journey Auckland to Napier (421 km's/261 miles - 6 hours non-stop drive time)
Leave the city via the southern motorway and cross the Bombay Hills. Turn off the motorway onto State Highway 2 which takes you across the Hauraki Plains. The Waikato River once flowed over this land, and has left behind a flat, sometimes swampy landscape of fertile alluvial soil that is excellent for dairy farming, the area’s main industry. To the east, the craggy Kaimai Range overlooks the plains and remains a constant presence as you continue south. Pass through Matamata, a main service town that is famous for its thoroughbred horse breeding studs and as the location of ‘Hobbiton Village’ in the Lord of The Rings films. Travel to Tirau and observe the town's unusual corrugated iron buildings. From here, drive through the vast Kinleith plantation forest until you reach the outskirts of Taupo. As you approach the town the road runs past the Wairakei Geothermal Field and a short detour will take you to Huka Falls, where a look-out gives you a great view of the mighty waterfall. Finally the road drops down to the lake and the township itself which looks out across the lake to the mountains of the Central Plateau. From Taupo drive through the vast Kaingaroa Forest and into the Kaimanawa Ranges, the road then descends into the fertile Hawkes Bay Province and the city of Napier.
Napier and its neighbour Hastings, are rich farming lands supporting vast orchards, vineyards and sheep farming. Wool and fruit growing are the back-bone of the region's economy and Napier is fast gaining an international reputation for wine making. After 1931’s violent earthquake and subsequent fires most of Napier’s commercial heart was destroyed. Napier’s harbour sustained a massive upheaval and 4000 hectares of new land was formed. The people of Napier rebuilt their city which has lent an art deco flavour to the downtown area. Nowhere else can you see such a variety of buildings in the styles of the 1930s; Stripped Classical, Spanish Mission and above all Art Deco. Napier's Art Deco style is unique with its Maori motifs and the buildings of Louis Hay.
Confirmed accommodation: Scenic Hotel Te Pania Accommodation in a Superior Room for 4 nights
Hawke's Bay is one of the first places in the world to see the light each day, and this property enjoys a premium waterfront location on Marine Parade. The hotel’s slender curved form echoes the shape of the bay, and guests enjoy sweeping views out over the water. A fresh, contemporary style, the hotel is just a short stroll from Napier’s main art deco style street. The hotel has 109 air-conditioned superior rooms and suites, with all rooms facing out to the bay with floor to ceiling windows.
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18 & 19 Jan, Fri and Sat. Napier (B/L)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Winery visits, including lunch.
20 Jan, Sunday Napier (B)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Today you are at leisure for your own explorations of Napier and surroundings. Suggestion optional activities:
1.5 Hour Deco Bus Tour – NZ $45.00 per person Get out and about in Art Deco Napier. Here is your opportunity to discover the heritage of Napier outside of the city centre. Your tour will be escorted by a local driver/guide and includes the Inner Harbour, raised from the seabed by the 1931 Earthquake, the National Tobacco building and Marewa, the Art Deco suburb.
3 Hour Gannet Safari – NZ $112.00 per person Drive along the scenic coast from Napier to Te Awanga to visit the world’s largest, most accessible gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers. Travel in comfort by air conditioned 4WD through Cape Kidnappers Station traversing riverbeds, broad rolling pastures, through stands of native bush, steep gullies and breathtaking inclines. There is a stop on the way at a spectacular cliff top with panoramic views of Hawke Bay right across to the Mahia Peninsula where the amazing geology of the area can also be taken in. The 36 kilometre, three hour trip includes an informative commentary by your guide on the farming operation on Cape Kidnappers Station and an introduction to the gannets. On arrival at the gannets you can stretch your legs and take in the scenery from your position at the brink of the cliffs edge 100 metres above the ocean. Enjoy refreshments whilst watching the gannets perform around you.
21 Jan, Monday Napier / Wellington / Picton (B)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Today is a full travel day.
Journey Napier to Wellington (329 kms/204 miles – 4.5 hours non-stop drive time)
Head south today climbing out of Hawkes Bay and into the rolling sheep and cattle farmland that characterises much of your journey today. Just south of Eketahuna is the Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre, a worthwhile stop on your jounrey. The road eventually converges on the rugged Rimutaka Ranges before joining the motorway system into Wellington, New Zealand's Capital - a truly energetic, cosmopolitan city set around the shores of a pretty harbour.
Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand, is known for its vibrant arts scene, world class café and restaurant culture and active outdoor lifestyle. This creative, cosmopolitan city is surrounded by the rugged beauty of green hills and has an easily walkable downtown area set around an attractive waterfront. It offers a mixture of modern and older style buildings and the strong Victorian influence is testimony to Wellington's early establishment as the country's centre of political life. Of particular note is the Government Building built in 1876, the second largest timber building in the world. Wellington combines the sophistication of a capital with the warmth and personality of a village.
On arrival in Wellington you are transferred to the InterIslander ferry terminal to connect with your ferry to Picton. ______
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Check-in at the Interislander ferry terminal and board your vessel for the journey across Cook Strait. Depart Wellington and arrive into Picton harbour. The 92 kilometre voyage takes approximately three hours and is described as one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world.
Please note: All passengers must check in 45 minutes prior to departure.
On arrival in Picton you will be collected by your private coach for your transfer to your accommodation.
A principal gateway to the South Island, Picton is situated on the eastern arm of Queen Charlotte Sound and is a popular holiday resort as well as being the main centre of the Marlborough Sounds. It is also a very important region for water access fishing and tramping, with principal industries being tourism and boat building.
Confirmed accommodation: Yacht Club Hotel Accommodation in Superior Room for 1 night
Superbly located with spectacular views of Marlborough Sound and the wine region, this Picton hotel is a perfect destination for holiday escapes. Picton offers easy access to the idyllic South island and Queen Charlotte Sound and the hotel is only a short walk to the marina, shopping and dining precincts and ferry terminal.
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22 Jan, Tuesday Picton / Blenheim (B/L)
Enjoy a cooked breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Winery visits, including lunch.
Blenheim is the Marlborough region’s main commercial centre and the hub of its famous wine industry. From the kumara plantations of the early Maori, to the sheep farms of European settlers and present day success with grape and olive growing industries, Blenheim has long been a source of quality, bountiful produce. The surrounding Wairau Plains are dominated by rows of grape vines and scattered with wineries, with the compact, rural town making a great base to explore and indulge in the attractions of the region.
Confirmed accommodation: Scenic Hotel Marlborough Accommodation in a Superior Room for 3 nights
Located in the heart of sunny Marlborough, the hotel is just minutes walk from the centre of Blenheim and puts some of New Zealand's finest food and wine virtually on your doorstep. This property offers guests the ultimate in modern comfort and service with 54 superior and interconnecting air-conditioned guest rooms. The hotel brings a relaxed and friendly atmosphere to the heart of Marlborough Wine Country and offers a Wine Tasting with a selection of six of the best wines of the region.
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23 & 24 Jan, Wed and Thurs. Blenheim (B/L)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Winery visits, including lunch.
25 Jan, Friday Blenheim / Queenstown (B)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Today is a travel day. There will be free time before or after the flight to Queenstown.
At the required time you are transferred to Blenheim airport.
Air New Zealand flight Blenheim to Queenstown.
On arrival in Queenstown you will be met by a representative and are escorted to your coach for your transfer to your accommodation.
Located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is a year-round alpine resort nestled in a magnificent setting amid steep mountain ranges and pockets of native bush with the jagged peaks of the Remarkables Range rising from the lake. The town is compact enough to travel around on foot and features a great range of restaurants, bars and boutique stores. The lake was created by glacial action thousands of years ago and a mysterious phenomenon causes the lake to vary several inches in depth every few minutes, giving credence to a Maori legend of an ancient Taniwha (demon) still breathing beneath the surface.
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Confirmed accommodation: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside Accommodation in an Alpine View Room for 5 nights
Nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, this Queenstown hotel is centrally located just one minute from many shops, restaurants, nightlife and activities. Step outside your door and into the heart of Queenstown with easy access to all that this premier lake and alpine resort has to offer. The contemporary rooms offer a selection of spectacular alpine, garden and lake views. Each air-conditioned room features a private balcony.
26 Jan, Saturday Queenstown (B/L)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Winery visits, including lunch.
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27 Jan, Sunday Queenstown (B)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Today you are at leisure for your own explorations of Queenstown and surroundings.
Suggested optional activities are:
Milford Sound Day Excursion (Coach/Nature Cruise/Coach) – NZ $207.00 per person Board a luxury coach in Queenstown, and travel along the shores of Lake Wakatipu and through the rolling countryside to Te Anau. After a morning tea break (own expense), the coach continues along the spectacular alpine route of the Milford Road through impressive, awe-inspiring scenery. Considered one of the most beautiful drives in the world, experience this journey in comfort on a glass roofed coach, with glass above every seat. Upon arrival in Milford Sound, board an extended and leisurely cruise. Onboard you will cruise the full length of Milford to the Tasman Sea whilst a nature guide provides a detailed commentary. There is plenty of time available to explore points of interest and view the stunning scenery, including waterfalls, rainforest, the towering peaks and wildlife. Following the cruise, return to Queenstown by coach.
What to bring: Comfortable shoes, waterproof jacket, warm clothing and insect repellent.
Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise ex Queenstown – NZ $315.00 per person Board a coach in Queenstown and travel along the shores of Lake Wakatipu and through the rolling countryside to Manapouri township. From Manapouri, cruise across the crystal waters of Lake Manapouri to West Arm before boarding a coach and crossing the alpine route of Wilmot Pass through some of Fiordland’s most dense rainforest. On reaching Deep Cove, board a modern catamaran vessel for a cruise exploring the waterways of this serene and isolated fiord. There is plenty of time to explore points of interest and view the spectacular alpine scenery including waterfalls, rainforest and mountains all the way out to the Tasman Sea. A Nature Guide with specialist knowledge of the region’s history, flora and fauna provides a detailed commentary. On the return cruise, the vessel’s engines are turned off to enjoy the ‘sound of silence’ before returning to Queenstown.
What to bring: Comfortable shoes, waterproof jacket, warm clothing and insect repellent.
Half Day Skippers Canyon 4WD Tour – NZ $195.00 per person Our fully equipped 4WD vehicles venture downthe Skippers Road - hacked by hand and clinging to the sheer cliffside high above the Shotover River. Enjoy the awe-inspiring scenery from high above the gorge or down on the shores of the Shotover River, known as the richest river in theworld in the days of the goldminers.
Half Day Wilderness Safari - Jetboat & Forest Walk – NZ $249.00 per person Discover and explore every aspect of this magnificent area through a combination of exciting wilderness jet boating, an informative guided walk and picturesque back-country drive. Surrounded by breathtaking snow-covered peaks, hidden valleys, waterfalls and glacial valleys frozen in time, you’ll be thrilled by an exciting jet boat journey navigating the ever-changing shallow channels of the Dart Rivers braided river system. Your jet boat driver will stop along the way to highlight points of interest and discuss the natural and cultural significance of this exceptional area. Enjoy a guided walk through ancient native Beech forest where you’ll be fascinated by the unique flora and fauna as well as discover why New Zealand is in a very real sense the ‘Ark’ of ancient Gondwanaland. Journey by bus along a back-country route hearing stories about the surrounding countryside and stopping to view some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery that has formed the epic backdrop for many international movies, including The Lord of the Rings.
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28 Jan, Monday Queenstown (B/L)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Winery visits, including lunch.
29 Jan, Tuesday Queenstown (B/L/D)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
Winery visits, including lunch.
Early evening you are transferred to Steamer Wharf for your farewell dinner excursion to Walter Peak.
Step aboard the TSS Earnslaw and enjoy a 40 minute cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station.
Onboard, the Captain provides an interesting commentary as you take in the spectacular views of Cecil and Walter Peaks and the western shores of Lake Wakatipu. During the cruise over you may like to purchase pre-dinner drinks.The original steam engines can be seen in operation from the open viewing area. There are guided tours of the vessel available and you are welcome to visit the Fo’c’cle Gallery to view the historic displays.
On arrival at Walter Peak, disembark where you will be warmly welcomed and escorted through the beautiful gardens to the charming Colonel’s Homestead where you will be seated amidst elegant surroundings. The resident pianist provides background music and on cold nights open fires create a cosy atmosphere. Enjoy a Gourmet BBQ dinner which our chef will prepare in front of you. The menu includes an expansive array of New Zealand and local produce, from succulent meats cooked on the outdoor rotisserie or grill, a selection of delicious vegetables and salads. Then finish your meal with our irresistible desserts, New Zealand cheeses and freshly brewed tea & coffee. Two beverages are included with your meal. Following dinner you have the option of an entertaining brief farm show or relax in the bar before returning to Queenstown. A tradition is to join in the sing-a-long around the piano on the return journey.
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30 Jan, Wednesday Depart Queenstown & New Zealand (B)
Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
(10.00 am) Official hotel check-out time.
At the required time you are transferred to Queenstown airport to connect with your departure flight.
End of proposed travel arrangements with Southern World New Zealand.
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Trip Costs Converts to: USD as of July 11, ‘18* 15 – 19 Paying Passengers = NZ $7,344.00 nett, per person $4,958 20 – 24 Paying Passengers = NZ $6,808.00 nett, per person $4,595 25 – 29 Paying Passengers = NZ $6,365.00 nett, per person $4,297 Single Supplement = NZ $2,460.00 nett, per person $1,660
*This is just to give you an idea of the current conversion (1 NZD=0.68 USD). The NZ price is fixed, however the conversion rate to US dollars may change.
Deposit requirement A deposit of NZ$500 per person is due by 1 September 2018. The deposit is refundable within 14 days of payment. After 14 days of payment the paid deposit amount becomes NON-refundable.
Payment Full payment for all tour arrangements must be received no later than 1 October 2018. Payment should be made by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express only) or telegraphic transfer, as per registration form.
Registration The trip is geared toward those in the wine or grape industry,and those studying to enter the industry, but enjoyed by many. Please contact Theresa Beaver, [email protected], to request a registration form.
Cost Includes Accommodation as outlined in the itinerary Full Breakfast daily and other meals as outlined in the itinerary Hotel Porterage (where available and based on a maximum of 1 large suitcase per person) Modern, air conditioned coach transportation on a private basis with English-speaking driver/guide as outlined in the itinerary Admission fees and sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary Government Goods and Services Tax of 15% (GST) Domestic flight from Blenheim to Queenstown including 2 bags (max 23 kg each)
Cost Excludes Tips Airfares (unless otherwise specified) Airport taxes, aviation levies, environmental/conservation fees and gratuities Airport Porterage (unless otherwise specified) Accommodation pre-registration and/or late checkout unless otherwise specified Meals other than those specified Beverages Items of a personal nature (e.g. telephone calls, mini bar, laundry, etc.) Travel insurance (cancellations, loss of deposits, delays, etc.) Supplements/Optional Tours and Services/Extensions Inclusions or other expenses (other than those specified in the itinerary)
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