21 Day Luxury New Zealand Self Drive Itinerary

‘Haere Mai’ … Welcome to New Zealand. Now you can relax - you are officially on holiday. Everything has been taken care of, we will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your accommodation.

Enjoy a relaxing day exploring Auckland, also known as the ‘City of Sails’.  Situated amongst a cluster of extinct volcanic cones, next to a large harbour that bustles with life, both on water and on land. The Auckland isthmus straddles a slim piece of land with a coastline facing both the Pacific Ocean and, on the wild West Coast, the Tasman Sea. Take time to stroll around the Viaduct Harbour, sit in a cafe and enjoy your surroundings - this is a friendly easygoing city.

Some Activities and sightseeing options if you have time:

Accommodation: Auckland - 2 nights

Waiheke Island is to Auckland as the Hamptons are to New York – the former being on a much smaller scale. Home to beautiful beaches and holiday homes, Waiheke Island produces some outstanding wines. Just 35 minutes by ferry from Auckland, across the beautiful Hauraki Gulf is this tranquil little paradise. Since the late 1970's Waiheke Island's benign climate has seen the growth of a flourishing wine industry. A "small is beautiful" philosophy yields low quantities of extremely high-quality fruit, which is made into internationally award-winning wines. 

Private Wine Connoisseur's Tour including lunch

Indulge your passion for fine wine in this exclusive tour to three of Waiheke's top wine producers. Taste a selection of premium wines and learn about them from the winemaker. Weather permitting, you may also tour the vineyard. You will be accompanied by experienced guides, who have completed a Bob Campbell Wine Diploma course, and are themselves a great wine enthusiasts.

Finish with a superb lunch at any one of the delightful vineyard restaurants. 

An exciting day awaits this morning. Journey to the emerald pastures and rolling hills of The Shire, where Hobbiton was brought to life on a private farm in Matamata. This idyllic village blurs the line between fantasy and reality. Set to the scale of a 3ft Hobbit you’ll feel like you’ve walked into a magical world of smoking chimneys, bluebells, and the Green Dragon Inn.

Visit Bag End as well as the other 43 Hobbit Holes on this fully guided 2.5hr Hobbiton tour. Learn about the production of the movies – how did they make Gandalf appear so tall? Why was this exact site chosen to build Hobbiton? The passion and knowledge gleaned from your guide brings this authentic Middle-earth experience to life.

Continue your journey to the geothermal city of Rotorua.

Approximate Distance: 252 km | 157 miles  Total Driving Time: 3 hours 15 mins

Accommodation: Rotorua - 2 nights

Despite being so close to Rotorua, Lake Rotoiti is an idyllic spot. A place where people come to enjoy the peace and beauty of the lake. With an abundance of wildlife, a beautiful bush-clad shoreline, and pockets of untamed thermal activity, Lake Rotoiti has a lot to offer.

The yacht is beautifully presented to offer a unique eco cruising experience. She blends her original character and style with the latest comfort. The cruise can be as relaxed or as active as you like, with a range of activities on offer from trout fishing, sight-seeing, sailing, swimming, or taking a soak in Lake Rotoiti's natural hot pools that are only accessible by boat.

View the mighty Huka Falls and the Wairakei Geothermal project before stopping at Lake Taupo, the largest in New Zealand. Continue across the Central Plateau to the Hawkes Bay region and Napier, often regarded as the world's Art Deco Capital. On arrival, enjoy a locally guided walking tour of the city.

Art Deco Napier 

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- the style of the 20th Century - in such a concentrated area.  Napier is the world’s finest example of the Art Deco age and your guide will bring Napier's fascinating architecture to life for you as you take an easy stroll through the compact Art Deco Quarter in the vibrant city centre.

Approximate Distance: 240 km | 149 miles  Total Driving Time: 3 hours 10 mins

Accommodation: Napier - 2 nights

Hawke’s Bay is home to the oldest winery in New Zealand. The story began with a group of French missionaries who sailed to New Zealand in 1838, with little more than their faith and a few vines. Today, Hawke’s Bay is the second-largest viticultural region in New Zealand, producing local and international award-winning wines.

With such an extensive range of vineyards to choose from, your guides will take you to your preferred wineries to meet a winemaker for a behind-the-scenes look into the local wine industry. Or if you prefer, simply taste while enjoying the beautiful settings as you are driven around the region in our modern, comfortable vehicles.

Whether it is a fruit-driven Hawke’s Bay sauvignon blanc, a rich, complex chardonnay or a Bordeaux or Rhone-style red, your taste buds will be tantalised and you will be introduced to some of the characters and personalities behind these award winning wines.

Leaving the Hawkes Bay’s vineyards and orchards you are soon travelling through rolling farmland as you drive into the rural heartland of the Wairarapa region.

Stop at historic Greytown to view excellent examples of Victoria colonial architecture. The village has a mix of art galleries, boutique shops, cafes and restaurants making it one of New Zealand’s premier shopping destinations.  Time for a shop before travelling over the Rimutaka Ranges and down to our capital city Wellington. 

Check out the city's sights and head up Mt Victoria for stunning views over the harbour before heading down to see the Houses of Parliament and the distinctive 'Beehive', and Wellingtons Cathedral. You are staying right in the heart of Wellington's vibrant hub of museums, theatres, galleries, boutiques and cafes.

Approximate Distance: 326 kms | 203 miles  Total Driving Time: 4 hours 25 mins

Accommodation: Wellington - 2 nights

Named the ‘coolest little capital in the world’ by Lonely Planet, enjoy a relaxing day exploring Wellington. Located in at the southernmost end of New Zealand's North Island, Wellington is the nation’s capital city. A magnificent landscape of steep sided hills sits beside a beautiful harbour, and the city itself bustles with a vibrant creative culture. Renowned for its eclectic, arty atmosphere, Wellington is a real kiwi cultural treat and numerous galleries and character-filled shops line its colourful streets. 

 Here are some suggested excurions in and around Wellington

Board the Interisland Ferry, sit back and enjoy New Zealand hospitality on the three-hour journey across Cook Strait which connects New Zealand’s North and South Islands - This is one of the most scenic in the world. The journey offers a dramatic view of both the North and South Islands. As you enter the picturesque Marlborough Sounds keep an eye out for wildlife such as seabirds, dolphins, seals, whales, and orca that make the sounds home.  Enter the South Island through Picton, a picturesque harbour town located at the head of the Queen Charlotte Sound.

Approximate Distance: 27 kms | 17 miles  Total Driving Time: 25 mins

Accommodation: Blenheim - 2 nights

Enjoy the natural beauty of the Marlborough Sounds with the indulgent Greenshell Mussel Cruise, featuring freshly steamed mussels paired with a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for the ultimate wine/food match.

Relax and unwind while you cruise the tranquil Pelorus Sound and Kenepuru Sound aboard a luxury launch on this half-day exclusive tour. Visit a mussel farm and take in the natural beauty of this tranquil environment; learn about the history of the Marlborough Sounds and the pioneering families who have settled here.

Stop in picturesque coastal Kaikoura where you can visit a New Zealand Fur Seal (Kekeno) colony, before travelling on to Christchurch, the South Island’s largest city. In Kaikoura you might like to take a flight or cruise to view whales.

Approximate Distance: 320 kms | 199 miles  Total Driving Time: 4 hours 25 mins

Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 night

Today head westwards through the Canterbury plains, you will find a superb location for some great photos at Lake Tekapo. Tekapo is one of three significant, neighboring lakes that border the Mackenzie Valley in New Zealand's South Island. Golden tussock grass carpets the surrounding hillside and roll away into the distance where the Southern Alps frame the horizon. The charming 'Church of the Good Shepherd' sits alone on its shores and the views to our highest mountain, Aoraki Mt Cook are remarkable. 

Approximate Distance: 290 kms | 180 miles  Total Driving Time: 3 hours 45 mins

Accommodation: Lake Pukaki - 2 nights

Experience the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake and its icebergs, in the National Park. A unique guided experience departing Mt Cook village by bus to the beautiful Tasman Valley followed by a 1/2hr gentle alpine walk. Board your MAC boat, and explore the Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake, where you will discover the ever-changing ice face of the Glacier and icebergs, making each trip different from the last due to changing winds and currents. Knowledgeable guides, enhance your experience with their expertise and passion for this amazing alpine environment. Have you ever been alongside, discovered or touched an iceberg?

Later today, there is time to enjoy one of the many bush walks and optional ski-plane and helicopter flights are available subject to weather conditions.

Some recommended excursions around the National Park.

Queenstown, located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by the magnificent Southern Alps, is New Zealand's most celebrated destination.

Offering a wealth of accommodation to suit all travellers, there is huge diversity in the experiences to be enjoyed - from adrenaline activities such as bungee jumps and sky diving, adventurous excursions like jet-boating and hiking through to superb golf, gourmet food and wine tours or romantic hot air ballooning.

Approximate Distance: 263 km | 163 miles  Total Driving Time: 3 hours 30 mins

Accommodation: Queenstown - 3 Nights

The ideal way to get the full Milford Sound experience, this combination flight and boat cruise delivers the two best perspectives of this world-famous fiord. Flying over the spectacular alpine scenery of the Southern Alps, you'll land in Milford.

The Milford Sound, an amazing 22km-long fiord dominated by Mitre Peak. A cruise on Milford Sound will be an essential component of your time in Fiordland. Tall waterfalls, vertical rock faces, and seals are some of the things you’ll remember. An underwater observatory is an option with most cruises.

Upon return to Milford you'll board your helicopter again to be whisked away for a remote alpine or glacier landing with magnificent views and plenty of time for photographs before returning to Queenstown.

The surrounding area is known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards and the natural landscape with wild rivers, high peaks and deep canyons has allowed Queenstown to developed an exciting array of outdoor adventure activities - and there's plenty to choose from.

But if you are just want to chill out then Queenstown's compact downtown area is relaxed during the day and huge fun at night. In any season, you can count on stylish designer shops and many trendy restaurants offering a kaleidoscope of dining experiences.

Recommended excursions around Queenstown:

Accommodation: Queenstown - 2 Nights

Wanaka Town is located on the southern shores of Lake Wanaka, embraced by the Southern Alps, Wanaka is Otago's second resort town after Queenstown. The crystal-clear waters of Lake Wanaka, New Zealand's fourth-largest lake, reflect the snow-capped peaks of Mount Aspiring National Park.

Here you can absorb the unstoppable beauty of pristine wilderness and know that it will be easy to find a great restaurant for dinner. The township of Wanaka is a magnet for visitors who want to find the perfect combination of outdoor adventure and indoor luxury.

Approximate Distance: 68 km | 42 miles  Total Driving Time: 1 hour

Accommodation: Wanaka - 1 Night

For a slice of paradise, drive past a trio of fantastic lakes including Lake Dunstan, Hawea and Wanaka before traversing the Haast Pass where the Thunder Creek Falls makes for some more great photos. A short stroll amongst emerald rainforest refreshes you prior to your arrival at Franz Josef - the world's most accessible glacier.

Approximate Distance: 350 kms | 217 miles  Total Driving Time: 4 hours 55 mins

Accommodation: Franz Josef - 2 nights

This is a fantastic introduction to an enthralling world of ice. The Franz Josef Heli Hike starts with a thrilling flight, high above the rugged terrain, you will land on the glacier, ready to undertake a three hour guided glacier hike.

Your friendly guide will lead you through some of the most pristine and awe-inspiring glacier scenery in the world. Your guide will choose your route carefully as you go and, with an eye for the most spectacular ice formations, you'll soon be making your way through an extraordinary land of towering peaks and glistening blue ice explaining the dramatic environmental changes over the last few years.

Time Walk: 3 Hours

Fitness Required: If you are moderately fit, you will enjoy this excursion. 

Equipment Supplied: We supply ankle supporting hiking boots with crampons. If it's looking like rain we provide the best in rain protection including Goretex Rain Jackets and waterproof over trousers.

Travel to Greymouth this morning where you return your rental car and board the TranzAlpine. This rail journey is truly something special. Ranked among the world’s top 6 train journeys, these tracks flow through some of New Zealand's most splendid countryside from the Southern Alps to Christchurch. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see natural grandeur on such a scale.

Approximate Distance: 173 kms | 107 miles  Total Driving Time: 2 hours 25 mins

Accommodation: Christchurch - 1 night

"Haere rā" Goodbye! and Bon Voyage!

We take care of your transfer to Christchurch Airport where you will board your onward flight, taking with you the magical memories of a truly exceptional New Zealand holiday.

Some suggested activities if you have time