Holiday Schedule
Day 01 - Auckland Day 02 - Auckland – Cambridge – Taupo Day 03 - Taupo – Napier Day 04 - Napier – Wellington Day 05 - Wellington Day 06 - Wellington – Rotorua Day 07 - Rotorua – Waitomo – Auckland Day 08 - Depart Auckland
Auckland
Day 01
“Kia Ora” and Welcome to New Zealand!
After arriving at Auckland International Airport, and after Immigration and Customs formalities, you will be met by a Green Realm Travel representative, who will assist you to your private transfer to your hotel.
Auckland – Cambridge – Taupo
Day 02
After a full cooked breakfast you will board your luxury tour coach and travel south to the inland township of Taupo, which is situated on the shores of Lake Taupo. At approximately midday a stop will be made at the GPO restaurant in the small township of Cambridge, where you will enjoy a sumptuous lunch. There will be time for you to take a stroll around the township of Cambridge. After lunch you will reboard your luxury coach and continue your journey to Taupo, where you will be taken directly to the Millennium Hotel & Resort Manuel’s for check-in. A set menu style dinner will be served at your hotel this evening.
Taupo – Napier
Day 03
Full cooked buffet breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant this morning before you depart in your luxury coach for your journey to Napier, where you will enjoy lunch on arrival, before being transferred to your accommodation The Crown Hotel. In the late afternoon you will reboard your luxury coach to be transferred to the Sileni Wine Estate. Here you will enjoy a guided tour along with Wine tasting and Olive Oil tasting, followed by a cooking demonstration at the culinary school which is on site, by one of the restaurant team. He/she will be demonstrating one of the dishes that will be on offer to the group this evening. After the demonstration, you will be invited to move to the restaurant, where you will be served a set menu style dinner.
Napier – Wellington
Day 04
Full cooked buffet breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant this morning. Before departing Napier, you will take a short guided Art Deco walk, which will take approximately 1 hour. Discover Napier’s history and architecture during your one hour guided walk. You will then board your luxury coach for your journey to Wellington, the capital city, travelling via Carterton and Greytown on State Highway 2 before turning onto Highway 53 to the winery town of Martinborough, which is located in the Wairarapa district. The Wairarapa is a well-known area for wine making and whilst the production from the area may be small, the region has had outstanding international success across a broad range of varietals. Many of New Zealand’s finest wines at the ultra-premium end of the market originate from the region. On arrival in Martinborough, you will stop at est Wine Bar and Eatery – here you will enjoy a 2 course set menu style luncheon, in the 19th century Post Office building on the Martinborough Square. An extensive wine list contains both old and new world wines with emphasis on the Wairarapa. The original bank vault now houses the wine cellar. After lunch you will continue your journey to Wellington and on arrival you will enjoy a short city tour before being transferred to Intercontinental Hotel Wellington. This evening you will be transferred to a well known local restaurant to enjoy a set menu style dinner.
Wellington
Day 05
This morning after an enjoyable continental breakfast you will hopefully still have an appetite to experience Zest Food’s most popular tour. Explore Wellington’s favourite food places on foot in this compact city. Known as New Zealand’s cafe capital, Wellington is ideal for the Zest Walking Gourmet tour. Visit a boutique coffee roaster and cafe, enjoy tastings at Wellington’s best specialist gourmet food stores. Meet owners, baristas, coffee roasters and chefs and savour a delicious, light, three course tasting lunch with matched New Zealand wines at a top Wellington restaurant or cafe. On completion of the tour, spend the afternoon at leisure before dining again over a set menu dinner at your hotel.
Wellington – Rotorua
Day 06
Continental breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant this morning before you depart Wellington. Travelling north via the scenic Kapiti Coast, an idyllic stretch of coastline along the west coast. Then turn inland and travel through rolling farmland to reach the Central Plateau and the Tongariro National Park, which is dominated by Mount Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro to then enjoy lunch at the Bayview Chateau Tongariro at National Park. After lunch, you will travel further north to follow the shores of Lake Taupo. Continue on, with a stop made at the magnificent Huka Falls before making your way to Rotorua, passing through the Wairakei Geothermal area en route. On arrival into Rotorua you will be taken directly to Novotel Lakeside Rotorua. This evening you will be transferred to the Pepper’s on the Point Lodge, which is surrounded by the sparkling waters of Lake Rotorua. Pepper’s on the Point is an 80-year-old mansion that has been extensively refurbished to offer Lodge style accommodation and also casual dining. On arrival you will enjoy a welcome glass of NZ wine and canapés, before moving into the conservatory area where you will enjoy a 4 course table d’hôte style dinner, or if the weather is more favourable, you will be able to eat on the terrace.
Rotorua – Waitomo – Auckland
Day 07
Full cooked buffet breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant this morning before departing Rotorua for Waitomo and Auckland, beginning by crossing the heavily forested Mamaku Ranges. Then continue through the Fitzgerald Glade and over the countryside to Waitomo in the King Country. On arrival into the Waitomo District, a visit is made to the Waitomo Caves, with their fascinating limestone formations, first discovered in the 1800’s. In the glow-worm grotto you take a boat ride silently along an underground river beneath a canopy of lights made by the minute larvae on the roof above you OR you will be transferred to your departure point, from where you will be transported to Ruakuri Cave, where a world of mystery and intrigue awaits you. Let your imagination take hold and feel the spiritual power of the cave. You then travel to Crosshills in Kio Kio for lunch at a country home and farm. The homestead blends in well with the surrounding countryside, and the English-style garden is a delight to stroll through. After lunch, depart Waitomo and travel via the fertile plains of the Waikato District via the city of Hamilton and the towns of Ngaruawahia and Huntly before reaching Auckland – the “city of sails”. On arrival into Auckland, you will be taken directly to The Westin Hotel to check-in. In the early evening you will be transferred from the hotel to a well known inner city restaurant the O'Connell St Bistro. Here you will enjoy a set menu style dinner.
Depart Auckland
Day 08
After waking in the “city of sails” a continental style breakfast will be served at your hotel restaurant, before being transferred by limousine from your hotel to the Auckland International Airport.