Luxury Lodges

New Zealand has a fantastic collection of luxury lodges offering superb views of the country’s breath-taking beauty. Visit the treetops of Kaikora’s forests, enjoy the isolation from Lake Wakatipu’s banks, wake up to Pacific views in the Bay of Islands.  These luxury lodges of New Zealand will offer an impressive array of holiday memories to cherish forever.

Day one – arrive Bay of Islands
On arrival in the Bay of Islands, you will be met and taken to Kauri Cliffs – a spectacular five-star hotel in Matauri Bay with stunning views, world-class beaches and an award-winning golf course – not to mention some wonderful dining. The hotel is a member of the Relais and Chateaux Group, an association of the world’s finest hoteliers, chefs and restaurateurs. At Kauri Cliffs, you can settle into a relaxed pace or experience the many activities on offer.

Overnight: Kauri Cliffs

Day two – Bay of Islands
After breakfast, your driver will whisk you off to Paihia for an adventure to the Waipoua Forest. Lift off and fly by helicopter to the beautiful Hokianga Harbour. On arrival your guide will meet you for a guided walk of the largest Kauri Forest in the world to view ‘Tane Mahuta’, God of the Forest. Your guide will share stories, song and music, before lunch overlooking the entrance to the Hokianga Harbour. Your helicopter will fly over the scenic harbour before returning to Paihia.

This afternoon, you may wish to take a short ferry ride to Russell and stroll around KeriKeri Township, rich in crafts and history and known for its citrus-fruit orchards and craft workshops.

Overnight: Kauri Cliffs

Day three – at leisure
Enjoy a full day at leisure to relax or explore this magnificent area. We recommend a walk around Kauri Cliffs’ beautiful 6,000 acres, or a tour of the working farm with the farm manager. Pink Beach is made up of tiny pink shells, and makes a lovely spot for a picnic lunch as the waves roll in.

Overnight: Kauri Cliffs

Day four – Rotorua
After breakfast, check-out and head to KeriKeri Airport for your flight to Rotorua. When you land, collect your rental vehicle and drive to Solitaire Lodge (around 40 minutes). Located on the edge of the lake, Solitaire Lodge offers secluded accommodation with magnificent panoramic views of the lake and surrounding scenery. Just minutes from the lodge are secluded bays, hot-water beaches and natural thermal springs. The wonderful Solitaire Suite, set apart from the main lodge, with privacy, space and seclusion to enjoy the views, is your home for the next two nights.

Overnight: Solitaire Lodge

Day five –  White Island
This morning, you will depart by helicopter and fly north along the volcanic fault line en route to White Island. Enjoy spectacular aerial views of Wai-O-Tapu thermal reserve with its vibrant Artist’s Palette and the Waimangu Valley’s beautiful hot lakes before landing on the summit of Mount Tarawera volcano. Enjoy informed commentary about the mountain’s relatively recent eruption history and spectacular views of the craters and domes formed by the 1886 eruption. You will continue on to the climax of your journey standing on and walking around White Island’s active crater floor. This is an incredible experience and definitely one of the highlights of this volcanic excursion.

Overnight: Solitaire Lodge

Day six – Hawke’s Bay
After breakfast and check-out of the lodge, make your way to Hawke’s Bay. A three-and-a-half-hour drive will take you to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, a working farm with just 22 guest suites that sits atop thousands of rolling acres of pasture land overlooking the Pacific Ocean. With roaring fires, exposed brickwork, weathered wood and a view that will take your breath away, it’s a therapeutic place to relax, have a game of golf, or hike along the numerous walking trails.

Overnight: The Farm at Cape Kidnappers

Day seven – Best of the Bay tour
After breakfast, your guide will introduce you to the Hawke’s Bay region. Your first stop will be World Wool, Clifton Station – a live farming show performed in and around the historic Clifton Station Woolshed. You’ll see different breeds of sheep shorn using both modern and historical methods, before a visit to a rural coastal settlement to meet the Maori people to gain a spiritual insight into their culture. Drive to arty Napier to see the Art Deco buildings and meet fascinating artists who will show you their work and studios, before heading back to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers to spend the remainder of your day at leisure.

Overnight: The Farm at Cape Kidnappers

Day eight – South Island
Rise early for breakfast and return your car at Napier Airport before flying to Blenheim. You’ll be met on arrival and driven for half an hour to Picton, where a water taxi will be waiting to take you to the Bay of Many Coves. A five-star resort in the spectacular Marlborough Sounds, it offers perfect seclusion in the natural environment, delicious cuisine, stunning scenery and adventure. Your one-bedroom apartment has a private balcony with stunning views.

Overnight: The Bay of Many Coves

Days nine and 10 – at Leisure
Enjoy two full days at your leisure to do as you please. We suggest a guided walk on the stunning and world-famous Queen Charlotte Track, or a visit to Motuara Island – a refuge for wildlife including native birds, or adventures including kayaking, bush walking, swimming with dolphins and orcas or spending a day on a motor yacht exploring the stunning bays and inlets.

Overnight: The Bay of Many Coves

Day 11 – Kaikora
Return to Picton, where you’ll be met and taken to collect your rental vehicle before making your way to Kaikora. En route, you can stop at Blenheim – an idyllic, unspoilt playground with dozens of secluded bays and pristine beaches. As New Zealand’s grape-growing region, it’s also a great place to stop for lunch at one of Marlborough’s wineries, such as Brancott Estate or Cloudy Bay. On arrival at Kaikora, check-in to Hapuku Lodge and take to the tree-tops for your stay amid Kaikora’s dramatic scenery. The lodge was designed by a family of architects to complement the spectacular environment and all tree-house rooms feature custom-crafted furnishings and views of the mountains or Pacific coastline. Hapuku is a fabulous base for whale watching and enjoying the best organic local produce.

Overnight: Hapuku Lodge

Day 12 – Christchurch
After breakfast, make your own way to the wharf for an unforgettable trip out to sea on a shared boat in search of orca and sperm whales. This region is a playground for whales all year round due to nutrient-rich waters, and there is a very good chance that you’ll see fur seals, tiny Hector’s dolphins, a wide variety of offshore birds and possibly an albatross. The cruise will last for around two and a half hours, before you continue on to Otahuna Lodge in Christchurch. We recommend a stop for a sumptuous lunch at the prestigious Pegasus Bay Winery. Otahuna is a grand country house sitting on Banks Peninsula, with beautifully landscaped gardens and views of the Southern Alps. Enjoy delicious cuisine in the formal dining room or you may wish to retreat to a private table in the sunken wine cellar.

Overnight: Otahuna Lodge

Day 13 – Akaroa
After breakfast, meet your guide for a tour of Akaroa, the exquisite seaside town that once prospered as a French whaling station. It is still rich in French, Maori and English culture, which you’ll absorb as you explore the colonial buildings, galleries and craft stores. Head to the harbour for a scenic cruise around the peninsula – including a visit to a Hector’s dolphin pod – during which you can look out for amazing bird life and sea mammals including the world’s smallest and rarest dolphins, the Hector’s dolphin. Following your cruise, enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch as well as taking in one of the region’s fantastic gardens.

Overnight: Otahuna Lodge

Day 14 – TranzAlpine train to Franz Joseph
This morning, make your way to Christchurch Airport to return your rental vehicle.  You will then be transferred to the rail station to catch the TranzAlpine to Greymouth – one of New Zealand’s most rewarding experiences. From your carriage, you’ll see the fields of the Canterbury Plains and farmland give way to the dramatic gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River. The train then climbs into the Southern Alps before descending through lush beech rainforest to the west coast town of Greymouth, a great base for visits to Punakaiki and the always-popular glaciers. On arrival at Greymouth, collect your rental vehicle and make your way to Te Waonui Forest Retreat in Franz Joseph, an unforgettable retreat nestled among the native west-coast rainforest.

Overnight: Te Waonui Forest Retreat

Day 15 – heli-hiking and scenic flights
After breakfast, enjoy a heli-hike on Franz Josef, the world’s steepest and fastest-flowing glacier. After an exciting scenic flight you will land up high, and take a two-hour guided hike among pristine and awe-inspiring scenery. Make your way through a wonderland of towering pinnacles and brilliantly blue ice as you ascend the rugged terrain of the slow moving frozen river, where the landscape changes daily.

After your exhilarating morning, enjoy your afternoon at leisure at Te Waonui Retreat.

Overnight: Te Waonui Forest Retreat

Day 16 – Queenstown
En route to Queenstown you will have plenty of time to explore Mount Aspiring National Park, take a stroll in Wanaka, and stop for lunch. On arrival in Queenstown, check-in to Matakuri Lodge. Situated on the banks of stunning Lake Wakatipu, nestled in native bush, Matakauri is one of the most private and serene retreats imaginable, with just 11 suites and jaw-dropping views at every turn.

Overnight: Matakauri Lodge

Day 17 – heli adventure
After breakfast, travel to Queenstown Airport for a helicopter flight to Milford Sound with a glacier landing. You will see mountains gliding by as your helicopter winds its way through the Southern Alps on an unforgettable flight to Milford Sound. Enjoy the scenery beneath – alpine lakes, lush rainforest, deep bush-fringed valleys and rugged mountain peaks – before you land and absorb the beauty of Fiordland. A delicious lunch among this remote alpine wilderness is sure to be one of the most memorable experiences of your trip.

Overnight: Matakauri Lodge

Days 18 and 19 – at Leisure
Enjoy two full days at leisure enjoying the scenery either from the comfort of the lodge or on a guided hike on the Routeburn Track. Nearby Arrowtown is an atmospheric gold-mining village with historic buildings and bags of charm, and the growing café culture means there’s plenty of choice for a delicious meal. Whatever you choose, you won’t be far away from majestic mountains and truly spectacular scenery.

Overnight: Matakauri Lodge

Day 20 – depart
Following check-out of your spectacular lodge, you’ll be driven back to airport for your flight home.