Northern Golf & Wine Discovery - 9 Days / 8 Nights

Day 1:   Arrive Auckland
On arrival at Auckland airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your city hotel (self drive clients collect your rental car on arrival).  Known as the ‘City of Sails’, Auckland is New Zealand's largest and most vibrant city offering an array of cosmopolitan experiences.  Enfolded by two huge harbours, Auckland is an environment that's alive with cultural excitement and sea-flavoured challenges.

Stay:	Deluxe	Sky City Grand in a Luxury Hotel Room x 2 nights including breakfast
	Luxury	Hilton Auckland in a King Corner Suite x 2 nights including breakfast

Day 2:   Auckland - Discover Waiheke Island Vineyards 
Mid morning join your scenic helicopter flight across Auckland's Hauraki Gulf to Waiheke Island, a magical island paradise in the treasure trove of Auckland's Hauraki Gulf islands.  On arrival you will be met for a privately guided vineyard tour on Waiheke. With tastings at the best boutique wineries and perhaps a visit to an olive mill, the secrets of Waiheke's stunning world wide success in fine reds will be revealed. You will come away with a deep appreciation of the vintner's art, and the understanding of terrior, weather and the tides of tradition that make up this fascinating milieu.  Finish your vineyard tour with a sumptuous four course lunch at Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant.  Then after your meal and some time to relax, you will be taken to join the late afternoon ferry for a scenic journey across the Waitemata harbour to Auckland city before enjoying the stroll back to your hotel.

Day 3:   Auckland - Rotorua
Farewell Auckland as you make your way along the southern motorway.  Suburban scenery gradually gives way to the farmland of South Auckland as you travel to Bombay, a major market gardening area.  The Waikato River will then accompany you for much of your journey through the green countryside as you travel to the inland city of Hamilton, a city carved in two by the mighty Waikato River.  Your journey then continues through the fertile Waikato region before arriving at the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua.

Stay:	Deluxe	Duxton Okawa Bay in a Lakeview Room x 2 nights including breakfast
	Luxury	Treetops Lodge in a Villa x 2 nights including dinner and breakfast

Day 4:   Rotorua - Golf at Rotorua Golf Club
Today enjoy a round of golf at Rotorua Golf Club, also known as Arikikapapa.  This par 70 golf course measures 5791 metres/6333 yards and is situated in the picturesque thermal area of Whakarewarewa, built around bubbling lakes and mud pools.  The course offers unique terrain and thermal features which deliver a wonderful opportunity to create an extraordinary playing venue.  The course is a full 18 hole all-weather links-style and 9 hole "Thermal" course with easy walking and an excellent layout.  Four sets of tees together with the all natural undulating fairways and strategically placed trees and bunkers ensures this course provides a challenge to golfers of all abilities. The course provides all weather golf due to the free draining nature of the pumice based fairways and the gentle slopes allow for easy walking at all times.  Electric cart hire is included.

Day 5:   Rotorua - Hawke's Bay
This morning depart Rotorua and travel south via the Wairakei geothermal region to arrive at New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupo, created by the world’s largest volcanic eruption.  Your journey then continues as you travel to the Hawke’s Bay town of Napier.  The major entertainment on the road from Taupo to Napier is the fantastic scenery.  There’s a bit of everything - rugged hills, beautiful valleys, gentle plains and huge vistas.  The town of Eskdale heralds your arrival in Napier. 

Stay:	Deluxe	The County Hotel in a Luxury Suite x 3 nights including breakfast
	Luxury	The Master's Lodge in a Suite x 3 nights including dinner and breakfast

Day 6:  Hawke's Bay - Golf at Cape Kidnappers
Today enjoy a round of golf at New Zealand’s newest course, Cape Kidnappers.  Designed by acclaimed golf architect Tom Doak, the par 72 course is built on a 5000 acre sheep farm.  The course feels like an old-style Scottish course and was designed to blend in with the rolling coastal farmland.  It is not true links terrain; instead, the land tilts toward the sea as a series of ridges which jut out toward the edge of the cliffs.  The play is seaside golf at its finest.  You’ll hit heroic shots over the top of tea trees and play cautiously along the edges of deep ravines.  Every hole has a view of the Hawke’s Bay, and at the sixth and fifteenth it is possible to pull your approach off the very end of the earth, though it will take nearly 10 seconds of hang time for your ball to reach the ocean, 500 feet below.  Electric cart hire is included.

Day 7:   Hawke's Bay - Wine Lovers Tour
Enjoy a full day guided tour to start your exploration of the range of New World wine excellence, in both white and red varietals.  Visit the very best of the wineries and taste the best of the wine.  Guided by a vineyard owner and medal winning wine expert, this is a fantastic day for wine lovers!  A picnic lunch is included today.

Day 8:   Hawke's Bay - Taupo
This morning depart Napier and journey through gentle plains and well cultivated farmland before crossing rugged mountain ranges to arrive at New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupo, created by the world’s largest volcanic eruption.  This afternoon enjoy a round of golf at Wairakei International.  Set in the heart of Wairakei Tourist Park with its rising steam and thermal attractions, this magnificent par 72 parkland course measures 6444 metres/7047 yards and lies on 450 acres of natural rolling countryside, offering magnificent tree-lined fairways and large greens.  Add this to the natural contours of the land, three water hazards and 108 well placed bunkers and you get a course that plays long and demands accuracy.  Electric cart hire is included.

Stay:	Deluxe	Millennium Hotel Manuels in a Deluxe Lakeview x 1 night including breakfast
	Luxury	Lake Taupo Lodge in an Executive Suite x 1 night including dinner & breakfast

Day 9:  Depart Taupo
Sadly your time in New Zealand comes to an end as you transfer to or return your rental car to the airport for your onward flight.  Here, we bid you a fond farewell to your homeland and hope you leave with many happy memories of your stay in Aotearoa, New Zealand.



Inclusions - prices below are inclusive of the following:

departures daily on request meet & greet on arrival in New Zealand transportation by self drive rental vehicle including unlimited kilometres & daily insurance OR private charter 8 nights accommodation on a choice of deluxe or luxury breakfast daily Pre dinner drinks with canapés and dinner on days 3-8 if travelling on luxury accommodation scenic helicopter flight to Waiheke Island privately guided vineyard tour on Waiheke Island wineries and/or olive mill lunch at Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant ferry across the Waitemata harbour to Auckland 18 holes of golf at Rotorua Golf Club including cart hire 18 holes of golf at Cape Kidnappers including cart hire full day wine lovers tour including lunch and tastings 18 holes of golf at Wairakei International including cart hire

Tariff - please contact us for details and pricing.

This package has been prepared by Luxury Vacations to help you plan your golf, wine & cuisine holiday in New Zealand.  All of our packages are fully flexible, from the date you travel to the accommodation you stay at, the courses and vineyards you experience to your mode of transport. 

We also offer a free itinerary planning service so you can design your dream vacation.  We’ll match your interests, budget and time frame to find that perfect balance just for you - all the while backed by our specialist advice.

If you’d like further information and pricing on this golfing holiday, please email us and be sure to let us know your proposed month of travel.

Or if you’d like us to help you plan your own individually tailored holiday, simply fill out our free enquiry form with as much information as you can and one of our experienced staff will be in contact.