Southern Wine & Cuisine Discovery - 9 Days / 8 Nights

Day 1:  Arrive Christchurch
On arrival at Christchurch airport you collect your rental vehicle before making your way to your hotel.  Vibrant and cosmopolitan, Christchurch enjoys exciting festivals, theatre, modern art galleries, great shopping and award winning attractions.  Internationally known for its award winning gardens, Christchurch is a graceful city that values its culture and heritage.  Christchurch is famous for its fabulous dining, entertainment, breath-taking scenery and cultural heritage.  This evening you combine all of the above onboard the Christchurch Tramway Restaurant where dining is not only a culinary delight but also a trip back into history.  This evening you enjoy a 5 course dinner (starter, entrée, main, dessert & cheeseboard) as well as beverages, (beer, soft drink & house wines only).

Stay:	Superior	Heritage Hotel in a Deluxe Room for 3 nights including breakfast
	Deluxe	The George in a Premium Executive for 3 nights including breakfast

Day 2:  Discover Waipara Vineyards
Today enjoy a privately guided tour to the Waipara Valley, Canterbury's premier wine growing region around 45 minutes from Christchurch.  Visit four award winning wineries such as Pegasus Bay, Mud House, Waipara Springs, Torlesse, Mt Cass, Muddy Water, Danny Schuster or Sherwoods - all producing a fine selection of both white and red wines..  You will be able taste the wine, view the vineyards and, if you wish, buy some wine.  A winery platter lunch is included.


Day 3:  At Leisure
Today is at leisure.  You can punt down the picturesque River Avon, enjoy a day excursion to the quaint seaside village of Akaroa, home to the early French settlers of the 1840's, visit the Anglican church in Cathedral Square, visit the city's many museums, art galleries and cafes or maybe even try your luck at the Christchurch Casino!


Day 4:  Christchurch to Mt Cook & Discover the Tasman Glacier
Depart Christchurch today and travel through diverse farmland to Lake Tekapo, where you can view the solitary Church of the Good Shepherd.  You then continue along the Tasman River before arriving in Mt Cook National Park where you will find New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Aoraki / Mt Cook which stands at 3754 metres.  This afternoon you experience the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s largest, in the most unique way possible.  An experienced guide will whisk you away in a stable MAC Boat to explore the Tasman Glacier.  Watch and listen to the ice melting before your eyes and stop, to touch and taste 500 year old ice and, on occasion, a walk on an iceberg provides a new and exciting experience for all.  You won’t revel in serenity for long though as your senses are jolted back to reality as a rockfall crashes down the iceface above.

Stay:	Superior	The Hermitage in an Aoraki Wing Room for 1 night including dinner & breakfast
	Deluxe	The Hermitage in an Aoraki Top Floor Room for 1 night including dinner & breakfast

Day 5:  Mt Cook to Queenstown
Depart Mt Cook National Park today and follow the shores of Lake Pukaki and into the rugged landscape of the Mackenzie Basin.  Then continue on through the golden tussock country of the Lindis Pass.  Enjoy the scenery of the fruit growing region of Cromwell and the historic gold mining region of the rugged Kawarau Gorge before arriving in Queenstown.

Stay:	Superior	Heritage Queenstown in a Deluxe Room for 4 nights including breakfast
	Deluxe	Mercure Grand St Moritz in a One Bedroom Lakeview Suite for 4 nights inc breakfast

Day 6:  Discover Milford Sound
This morning depart on an unforgettable journey from Queenstown into Milford Sound as you journey along the edge of Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau.  The road to Milford is one of New Zealand’s most scenic drives.  The first part is relatively mild farmland, then you’ll ease into beech forest near the entrance to the Fiordland National Park.  The rough hewn Homer Tunnel brings you into Milford Sound, an amazing 22km-long fiord dominated by Mitre Peak.  At Milford Sound, board your boat for a spectacular cruise in New Zealand’s most famous waterway, a dramatic 22 kilometre fiord carved by glaciers during the last ice age.  After your cruise you join your scenic flight back to Queenstown.  Hanging valleys, alpine lakes and cloud-piercing summits hidden from the road are just some of the reasons why flying between Milford Sound & Queenstown is an excursion of a lifetime!


Day 7: Gourmet Wine Tour
This morning you depart by private vehicle on a full day out in the company of a senior wine guide and enjoy superb scenery, gourmet food and the finest wine.  You’ll see real drama in the scenery, hear the pristine silence of the high country, savour the scent of pure clean air and feel the pulse of the heart of Central Otago.  Visit four to five of Central’s premier vineyards, take a tour of New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave and explore your senses at The Big Picture, the world’s first visual and sensory wine experience.  Enjoy a delightful gourmet platter lunch and mid-morning cheese tasting during the tour.  An excellent day out!


Day 8:  At Leisure
Today is at leisure to relax or explore Queenstown.  Whether it's bungy jumping, white-water rafting, heli-skiing, fly-fishing, hang gliding, horse riding or scenic flights, you will find thrills and excitement in every way imaginable. Meanwhile, other activities such as exploring historic Arrowtown, scenic walks, eco-tours, shopping, galleries, cafes and an exciting nightlife provide something for everyone all year round.


Day 9:  Depart Queenstown
Sadly your time in New Zealand comes to an end as you return your rental vehicle to Queenstown Airport in time to join 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.
 

Tariff - please contact us for details and pricing.

This travel package has been prepared by Luxury Vacations to help you plan your holiday in New Zealand.  All of our packages are fully flexible, from the date you travel to the accommodation you stay at, the vineyards and sightseeing 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.