On arrival at Auckland Domestic Airport you will be met by your private driver and vehicle and transferred to your accommodation (approximately 45 minutes journey).
This afternoon enjoy a two hour sailing excursion aboard an ex America’s Cup Yacht - NZL40 and NZL41 are America’s Cup Class yachts, both built for the 1995 America’s Cup in San Diego. The yachts offer a unique opportunity to experience sailing an authentic America’s Cup grand prix racer, the equivalent in motor racing of driving a F1 race car.
Your experience starts in the Viaduct Harbour where you meet the professional crew and are taken through a short safety briefing. The yacht then heads out of the Viaduct Harbour where the sails are hoisted and passengers become the crew, encouraged to take the helm, exert energy on the grinders or simply sit back and enjoy the action as you sail down the beautiful Auckland Harbour.
Accommodation for one night In One King and one Twin Luxury Marina View Rooms including breakfast at: Sofitel Auckland Auckland
This morning you will be met by your private vehicle and driver and transferred south to Matamata (approximately 2 hours 30 minutes journey).
Enjoy a privately guided tour of Hobbiton, located in Matamata, and discover the real ‘Middle Earth’. Set on the most picturesque private farmland, you can visit the Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies in a fascinating two hour guided tour.
The set has been completely re-built and can be seen as it appeared in the films. During your tour you will see Hobbit Holes, The Green Dragon Inn, The Mill, double arched bridge and other structures and gardens built for the films. Enjoy a refreshment at The Green Dragon Inn. Spectacular views extend across to the Kaimai Ranges from the rolling green hills of the movie set, which is still a working sheep and beef farm.
Continue with your driver to your accommodation on the outskirts of Rotorua (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes journey).
Accommodation for two nights in a Two Bedroom Villa Suite including pre dinner drinks, dinner, breakfast and light lunch at: Solitaire Lodge Lake Tarawera Rotorua
This morning you will be met at your accommodation by your private vehicle and driver for a full day of private guiding.
Enjoy a visit to Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Waters) New Zealand’s most colourful and diverse active volcanic area with dramatic geysers, mineral terraces, lakes, craters and bubbling mud pools!
Continue on to meet your private guide from Ohinemutu Village for a tour which can be catered to your interests. Experience the local lifestyle within Ohinemutu Village and see how locals have adapted to this geothermal area. Visit the ancestral meeting house and discover the role it plays within the village. Continue to St. Faith’s Anglican Church and learn about the early developments of Maori settlement and tourism in Rotorua (approximately 1 hour duration).
There is time to enjoy a stroll around the Government Gardens and Lake front area, before stopping at a local establishment for lunch (cost for lunch not included)
For some afternoon fun enjoy the Kiwi Invention of the OGO ride. OGO Rotorua is an iconic adventure experience that is great all year round. Visitors are offered multiple ride options where 40 litres of water is added (cool in summer, warm in winter).
Slip and slide with 50 litres of water down the world’s longest 350m H2OGO sidewinder track, or race one another down the two double straight 250m H2OGO tracks or stay dry and glide smoothly down our straight track on the DRYGO.
Later this afternoon you will be returned to your accommodation.
This morning you will be met at your accommodation by your private vehicle and driver and transferred to Rotorua Airport prior to your onward flight (approximately 30 minutes journey).
Fly Rotorua to Wellington (cost not included)
Upon arrival at Wellington Airport you will be met by your private vehicle and driver for your transfer to your accommodation (approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes journey).
Enroute enjoy a visit to the New Zealand's National Museum, where you can explore the great stories of this fascinating land and the people who live here. The Museum is recognised as a world leader in the new wave of innovative and interactive museum experiences, having achieved an international reputation for excellence.
Take a behind the scenes privately guided tour with highlights including the stories of New Zealand's indigenous people, the Mäori, which are celebrated in Mana Whenua, featuring many beautiful Taonga (treasures). Te Marae offers the chance to experience a unique and beautiful contemporary Marae (meeting house) designed and created by leading Mäori carvers.
Accommodation for three nights in one King and one Twin Cottage Suites including pre dinner drinks, dinner and breakfast at: Wharekauhau Country Estate Palliser Bay
This morning enjoy a 4WD farm safari to introduce you to the workings of this remote coastal ranch, which has been included today. Bordered by the Rimutaka Ranges and Pacific Ocean, this classic New Zealand Romney sheep station tour features highlights from the activities that have created New Zealand’s legendary farming heritage, and may include sheep shearing demonstrations, sheep dogs in action and daily farm events (approximately 3 hours duration).
While at leisure at Wharekauhau Lodge we recommend the following unique local experiences: - Go walking, hiking, mountain biking, quad biking or horse riding on the many tracks on the estate. - Visit the picturesque lighthouse at Cape Palliser and see seals at the colony. - Try your hand at archery, claybird shooting or surfcasting (fishing from the beach). - Take in the dramatic coastal scenery by land, or even better, by air onboard a helicopter. - Relax with a spa treatment. - Take a day excursion to the high end, boutique vineyards of Martinborough. - Enjoy the Gymnasium, Tennis, Croquet Lawn, Pentanque Field at Wharekauhau
This morning you will be met at your accommodation by your private helicopter and transferred to your accommodation at the tip of the South Island in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds (approximately 30 minutes flight).
Accommodation for two nights in a Two Bedroom Suite on a room only basis at: Bay Of Many Coves Marlborough Sounds
While at leisure at Bay of Many Coves Resort we recommend the following optional local experiences: - The never ending network of inlets, channels and islands makes up for one fifth of New Zealand’s entire coastline, and the only way to see it all is on a scenic plane or helicopter ride - The Sounds is full of marine life including dolphins, seals and sometimes even whales, all of which can be seen on scenic cruise - Charter a luxury yacht for a day out sailing through this marine playground - Put your walking shoes on and take to a section of the beautifully scenic Queen Charlotte Track which winds its way through rainforest, along deserted beaches, and atop ridgelines with stunning coastal views. The track can also be explored on mountain bike - Of course, fresh seafood is aplenty here so be sure to sample mussels, scallops, blue cod, tarakihi and snapper, and wash it all down with a bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - Try your hand at hooking a fish on a fishing charter, and have it cooked up onboard for lunch, or later back at your resort for dinner - Learn some of New Zealand’s early history at historic Ship Cove, one of Captain James Cook’s favourite anchorages - Take a cruise out to one of the handful of remote lodges for lunch or dinner - Pack a picnic hamper and be dropped off at your very own remote beach with only the odd weka (swamp hen) to disturb you - Bird watchers won’t want to miss Motuara Island, a predator free sanctuary home to some of New Zealand’s rarest birds including Little Blue Penguins, Rowi Kiwi’s, and the harmonic Bellbird - Have the staff escort you to a secret spot in the surrounding bush where you can find dozens of twinkling glow worms - Indulge in a Maori inspired spa experience at Miritu Spa - Visit Double Cove, a marine sanctuary with incredibly tame fish who will eat right from your hand - Further afield, visit the world famous Marlborough wine regions and sample her finest drops at one of the many cellar doors and restaurants available
Depart your resort aboard your private water taxi for your transfer to Picton (approximately 30 minutes journey).
On arrival at Picton you will be met by your private vehicle and driver for your transfer to Blenheim Airport prior to your onward flight (approximately 30 minutes journey).
Fly Blenheim to Queenstown (cost not included)
On arrival at Queenstown Airport you will be met by your private vehicle and driver and transferred to your accommodation (approximately 20 minutes journey).
Accommodation for three nights in a Two Bedroom Lakefront Apartment including breakfast at: Eichardt’s Lakefront Apartments Queenstown
Today you will be met at your accommodation and transferred to Queenstown Airport (approximately 20 minutes journey).
Depart Queenstown to enjoy your shared excursion to majestic Milford Sound by fixed wing aircraft - enjoy a scenic flight viewing hanging valleys, alpine lakes, and cloud-piercing summits.
On arrival at the Sound you will board your vessel to enjoy your breath-taking cruise on the fiord to the Tasman Sea. Sheer rock walls, waterfalls, and the mile high monolith of Mitre Peak serve as the background scenery while you enjoy your buffet breakfast.
After your scenic cruise enjoy an hour of relaxed paddling in the serene Harrisons’ Cove. Return to Queenstown late afternoon, flying over the magnificient Fiordland National Park (scenic flights are weather dependent).
On arrival at Queenstown Airport, you will be returned to your accommodation (approximately 6 hours duration).
While at leisure in Queenstown we recommend the following optional local experiences: - Ply the waters of Lake Wakatipu aboard the 100 year old TSS Earnslaw - Ride the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak for the best views over the town and Lake Wakatipu and for the more adventurous zip line or luge ride back down - Hike the variety of landscapes available nearby the town including lakeside, rainforest, high country, alpine and farmlands - Visit the picturesque historic gold mining town of Arrowtown and browse the boutiques housed in heritage buildings along the main street - Play on Queenstown’s world class golf courses such as Jacks Point, The Hills or Millbrook - Brave the iconic Kiwi adrenaline activity, bungy jumping, at the 134 metre Nevis River, the 43 metre Kawarau Bridge or the 47 metre Ledge - Speed down a narrow gorge mere centimetres from the rock walls on the world famous Shotover Jet - Visit any of the dozens of surreal film sites used in the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, and other movies - Sample some delicious drops at the regions leading cellar doors and restaurants such as Amisfield, Chard Farm, Peregrine and Gibbston Vineyards - Visit a remote high country station for a farm tour to watch the sheep dogs at work, see the adorable lambs, observe wool shearing or harvest your own fruit and vegetables from the orchards and fields - Of course, being the ‘Adventure Capital of the World’, there are plenty of adrenaline activities on offer including skydiving, canyoning, white water rafting, quad biking, and so much more
This morning you will be met at your accommodation by your private vehicle and driver and transferred to Queenstown Airport prior to your onward flight (approximately 15 minutes journey).
Fly Queenstown to Auckland (cost not included)
Depart Auckland