15-Nights New Zealand - Escape to Luxury from $26,330

Swain Destinations: New Zealand - Escape to Luxury

Day 1 Welcome to Auckland & Auckland Private Tour
Begin your New Zealand journey with a private introduction to Auckland, seamlessly combined with your airport transfer. Upon arrival, you'll be met and taken on a half-day guided tour before settling into your accommodation.

Known as Tamaki Makaurau—the Maori name meaning “a city of a hundred lovers”—Auckland quickly reveals why it's so beloved by both locals and visitors. This vibrant and beautiful city offers a striking first impression of New Zealand. Your private tour includes visits to key historical and cultural landmarks, panoramic harbor and coastal views, a glimpse of ancient volcanic peaks, and lush parks filled with native flora and fauna—all showcasing the beauty and spirit of New Zealand's largest city.

The Hotel Britomart

Day 2 Auckland Wine and Dine - Matakana Country and Cuisine - Private Tour
Just a short drive from downtown Auckland, Matakana is fast becoming a favorite destination for both locals and visitors. With its boutique food and wine experiences, lush farmland, and spectacular Hibiscus Coastline, this scenic region offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and culinary delights.

On this Private Wine & Dine Tour, enjoy a personalized itinerary tailored to your interests. Visit artisanal producers of honey, cheeses, yogurt, wine, chocolate, ice cream, organic blueberries, and oysters. Beyond the food scene, the region offers a variety of activities—from a New Zealand farm show or reptile park to snorkeling at Goat Island Marine Reserve or strolling along the stunning beaches of Orewa and the Hibiscus Coast.

Along the way, stand beneath a majestic kauri tree (among the largest in the world by wood volume), explore the charming Puhoi Bohemian Village—famous for its cheese—or stop in Waiwera with the option of a soak in its thermally heated pools. For a taste of rural life, visit Sheepworld near the country town of Warkworth and learn about traditional New Zealand farming.

No matter which route you choose, you'll return to Auckland in awe of the region's flavor, scenery, and local charm.

The Hotel Britomart
Meals: B, L

Day 3 Travel to Rosewood Cape Kidnappers via Napier
A short flight followed by a scenic drive brings you to the exceptional five-star experience awaiting at Cape Kidnappers.

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers
Meals: B, D

Day 4 Rosewood Cape Kidnappers at Leisure
To the east of Hawke's Bay wine country in the North Island, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers sits on an incredible 6,000-acre peninsula, with unforgettable vistas of the vast Pacific Ocean. Amidst the region's rich cultural heritage and its burgeoning culinary scene, the resort emerges as a place of unwavering stillness; where the rhythm of the tides marks time, and the breathtaking landscapes serve as a testament to New Zealand's wild, untouched beauty.

Warm New Zealand hospitality defines this thoughtful service experience, meticulously tailored to anticipate the unique needs and desires of each guest. Cape Kidnappers offers generously appointed suites, blending countryside luxe interiors with awe-inspiring views. Suites and villas feature spacious layouts, grand bathrooms and stunning balconies. Proximity to essential facilities such as the fitness centre, pool, spa and library enhances the luxury experience in Hawke's Bay.

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers
Meals: B, D

Day 5 Rosewood Cape Kidnappers at Leisure
Journey through a kaleidoscope of experiences, from outdoor pursuits that showcase the awe-inspiring natural beauty of New Zealand to immersive culinary explorations that delve into the region's rich heritage, with each experience designed to enrich your stay.

The Cape Sanctuary is New Zealand's largest privately-owned wildlife restoration project, embodying a decade-long commitment to restoring the peninsula's vibrant ecosystem. This protected area safeguards land birds, seabirds, reptiles and invertebrates, while the preservation of gannet colonies, precious flora and fauna and the protection of juvenile kiwi bird, are also key initiatives. Guests can join unique experiences like Night Tours and Forest Bird Feeding, contributing to conservation efforts through funding and awareness.

For golf enthusiasts, experience golf at the edge of the Earth. Celebrated as a modern marvel since its completion in 2004, this remarkable New Zealand golf course, nestled in a ridge-and-valley landscape with arresting sea views, perches gracefully atop dramatic cliffs.

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers
Meals: B, D

Day 6 Travel to Bay of Many Coves
By flight and ferry, travel to Bay of Many Coves for your next adventure.

Bay Of Many Coves
Meals: B, D

Day 7 Queen Charlotte Track Walk & Wildlife Tour - Private Guided Walk
Meet your Wilderness Guide and board the shared water taxi, journeying from Bay of Many Coves to Ship Cove past salmon farms and sea birds on a beautiful voyage. This fascinating and remote historic and scenic reserve was visited by Captain Cook several times in the 18th Century as well as being a significant historical site of early Maori occupation.

Your guided walk along the Queen Charlotte Track begins at Ship Cove and ends at Endeavour Inlet. It is a mixture of stunning podocarp and beech forest with punga ferns and other New Zealand native foliage. This day is regarded as the premier section of the Queen Charlotte Track with many beautiful views to be had across the Queen Charlotte Sound. Your informative local guide will talk about the European and Maori history of the area, as well as provide detailed information on the birds and plants you encounter along the way.

A freshly packed lunch is supplied, and you can enjoy a cup of plunger coffee or tea along the trail while taking in the views of the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. At the end of the walk, take the opportunity to purchase a cold drink or warm beverage at the historic Furneaux Lodge while you await collection by water taxi. It's a great way to toast a fantastic day out walking the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds. Return to Bay of Many Coves is late afternoon.

Bay Of Many Coves
Meals: B, L, D

Day 8 Bay of Many Coves at Leisure
The activities available at Bay of Many Coves are voluminous and unique. Spend a day discovering the marine life of the Marlborough Sounds, partake in a guided walk of the Queen Charlotte Track, or kayak to a nearby Salmon Farm. Dolphins and Orcas abound and can be seen on one of several guided cruises as well. Perhaps consider going underground to view the stunning glowworms on cave walls, a short walk from the resort. All these experiences and more are available to you at the Bay of Many Coves.

Bay Of Many Coves
Meals: B, D

Day 9 Travel to Marlborough Lodge
Transfer by ferry from the Bay of Many Coves to Picton.

Enjoy a leisurely transfer from Picton to the Marlborough Lodge.

The Marlborough
Meals: B, D

Day 10 The Marlborough at Leisure
Marlborough and the top of New Zealand's South Island is a treasure trove of food, wine, arts, culture and scenery just waiting to be explored, and The Marlborough Lodge sits right in the heart of it all. Take a look at what appeals to you and your hosts can help you plan your itinerary whilst you are there. Alternatively, if you wish to stay close to home, there is plenty happening at the Lodge everyday within the 16 acre estate.

There are many onsite activities on offer each week (some are at additional cost), including Garden tour with the head gardener, cooking demonstration, wine tasting (during summer), mountain bikes, tennis courts, heated swimming pool and walk trails through the gardens. Other activities and day tours include wine, cruising, flightseeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing and golf. Self drive or let the lodge organize a guided tour with one of the local tour partners.

The Marlborough
Meals: B, D

Day 11 Travel to Queenstown
Takeoff to Queenstown and continue on the next stage of your adventure.

Ahead of your flight, you will be transferred from your accommodations to the Blenheim Airport.

Rosewood Matakauri
Meals: B, D

Day 12 Milford Ultimate - Helicopter Excursion
Perfected over the years, the Milford Ultimate is Over the Top's trip of a lifetime. Relaxed and unhurried, you can make the most of each incredible environment your pilot takes you to. Leaving Queenstown, fly west over the high-country peaks of Queenstown toward the 'Main Divide' of the Southern Alps and into the World-Heritage-listed Fiordland National Park. The scenery unfolds dramatically with vast U-shaped glacier carved valleys rich with primeval beech forests. The Milford Ultimate includes four landings, each at diverse and pristine locations where you can sip the pure waters of an alpine lake; take in the majestic Milford Sound; stroll along uninhabited wild, yet beautiful, west coast beaches, see the blue ice on glaciers high in the Alps and the fiords' coastal rain forests. At each landing site, the helicopter will shut down for you to enjoy the quiet sound of the mountains. Perhaps a curious Kea, New Zealand's native parrot, will drop in to say hello. No two Ultimate trips are the same. Today's excursion includes a gourmet picnic hamper of delightful cheeses, cold meats, breads, salads and fruit (please advise of any dietary requirements ahead of time). Sip champagne and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages at a location far from where others may travel. Allow up to 4 hours total time (depending on length of stay at landing sites). Weight restrictions apply to helicopter travel, so the operator will require passenger weight information prior to confirming this excursion.

Rosewood Matakauri
Meals: B, L, D

Day 13 Rosewood Matakauri at Leisure
Enjoy a picturesque day at leisure at Rosewood Matakauri surrounded by views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables. Take in the scenic area with a relaxing cruise on the TSS Earnslaw, or experience a breathtaking jet boat ride through Shotever River.

Rosewood Matakauri
Meals: B, D

Day 14 Travel to Lake Pearson
Ahead of your flight, you will be transferred from your accommodations to Queenstown Airport.

Transfer from Christchurch Airport to Flockhill by private vehicle.

Flockhill
Meals: B, D

Day 15 Flockhill at Leisure
Due to the magnificence of the location, Flockhill inspires adventure and exploration. In an exclusive wilderness where nothing is manufactured, Flockhill works in harmony with nature as an experiential lodge and as a farm. Both entities depend on and influence the high-country environment that they are a part of. Flockhill's mission is that guests experience the rich history and the ongoing story of integration between people and nature. Flockhill's experiences are inspired by the 36,000 acre playground, where bespoke and curated experiences are reflective.

The following included activities are to be enjoyed morning or afternoon, at a scheduled time, on an intimate shared basis with fellow guests. All activities are featured on Flockhill's property, it's like having your own private ‘national park'. During your stay you may be able to enjoy a Farm experience, E-biking, hiking, paddle boarding or kayaking, a night sky experience, a taste test kitchen or a biodiversity walk. The activities team are on hand to discuss an array of self-guided options for you too.

Flockhill
Meals: B, L, D

Day 16 Flockhill at Leisure
You may wish to add to your trip with curated activities that will take you above and beyond. These may be pre-booked and paid direct to Flockhill at time of stay; Station muster, guided E-bike excursion, fly fishing, Flockhill boulder hike, Cave Stream experience, master cooking workshop, bouldering and clay bird shooting.

Flockhill
Meals: B, L, D

Day 17 Depart Lake Pearson
Transfer to the airport by private vehicle before boarding your departure flight.

Meals: B