All Bridge & Wickers holidays are tailor-made and no two are the same. We have made some accommodation suggestions, however we will tailor your quote to your preferred standard and style of accommodation.

Days 1 and 2 Waiheke Island

Rather than lingering in Auckland on arrival we suggest you travel straight to the Hauraki Gulf island of Waiheke. With its beaches and rural tranquillity, it is the perfect spot to relax after your flight. It also offers a soft introduction to New Zealand’s wineries, being home to Stonyridge and Mudbrick (both have good restaurants). You’ll be staying at the strikingly contemporary Boatshed, which can arrange winery tours as well as car hire for those who prefer to explore independently.

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Day 3 Rotorua

Take the ferry back to Auckland, pick up a car and, after the 120 mile or so drive to Rotorua, you will have the rest of the day free to explore the town’s cauldrons of bubbling hot springs and the Maori cultural centre - but save time to indulge in the pleasures of your accommodatio, Peppers on the Point on the shores of the lake.

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Days 4 and 5 Hawke’s Bay

Stay in the heart of New Zealand’s largest wine district, within easy reach of the Art Deco heritage town of Napier. Your base for exploring the Hawke’s Bay vineyards is the five bedroom Breckenridge Lodge, nestled in the picturesque valley of Omarunui, with views of the vines and just a few minutes drive from Napier and Hastings. On your second day we suggest you take a ‘Food and Wine Lovers Delight’, a full day private tour which promises ‘a luxurious, worry-free sampling of some of the choicest fruits of the vine’, with lunch included. Visits will typically be made to such wineries as Esk Valley, Te Mata, Clearview, Craggy Range and Trinity Hall estates (however, any preferences that you may have, be they vineyards, wine varieties or food, can be taken into account and the tour customised accordingly). Alternative outings could include ‘A Twilight Odyssey’ where you’ll enjoy each of three course at three different top NZ wineries, or a cycling tour with bike, helmet, map, packed lunch, water bottle and a mobile phone provided and an itinerary that takes in olive groves, ostrich farms and orchards as well as vineyards. Forget those tired old jibes about ‘slam in the lamb’ joints, piled high for filling rather than finesse. This highly scenic itinerary is underpinned by culinary treats and excellent wines.

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Days 6 and 7 Martinborough

The picturesque wine village of Martinborough, built around a classic village square, is hemmed by some two dozen vineyards, most within walking distance of your accommodation, Parehua Country Estate You might also like to explore the dramatic coastline south of the village, taking in the extraordinary Puruatanga Pinnacles (featured in Lord Of The Rings). Wine enthusiasts may well want to spend a day exploring the local vineyards, either independently or on a local Flat Earth tour which will include tasting some of New Zealand’s leading wines from award winning boutique wineries, such as Murdoch James, Tirohana, Palliser and Te Kairanga.

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Day 8 Wellington

Even an itinerary with a focus on wine and vineyards deserves, we feel, an injection of urban living (and not just to sample the local restaurants!). One of the country’s most attractive cities, Wellington is home to its most important museum, Te Papa, which is the single best introduction to more or less every aspect of New Zealand life. Or, if food is your thing, you could book a halfday Zest walking tour that showcases the almost European café culture and specialist food stores, with a sampling of the best produce at an award-winning restaurant included.  Your accommodation, is at the well located Bolton Hotel in a Classic Suite.

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Days 9 and 10 Marlborough

Conversations between wine buffs don’t get very far before someone proposes a NZ label in their all-time list of favourite tipples. But before you raise a glass of medal-winner to your lips, consider this: three decades ago the district of Marlborough, today the largest wine producer in the country, had yet to grow its first grape.

From Wellington you’ll drop off your car and catch the Interislander ferry across the Cook Strait to South Island. At Picton you’ll pick up another vehicle and drive to Blenheim, where you will be staying outside town in Maison Grange, an elegant guest house located in a 10 acre Pinot Noir vineyard at the foot of the Dry Hills. During your stay we would suggest a private guided gourmet food and wine tour. There is also a delightful Marlborough Sounds cruise available, through the Inner Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds with a mussel farming theme, tastings included.

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Day 11 Christchurch

On your drive south, with the ocean to port and the mountains to starboard, you will have time to check out some of the vineyards in the up and coming Waipara district with perhaps a stop at the Pegasus Bay Winery for lunch. You might also like to break your journey at Kaikoura, famous for whale watching and swimming with dolphins. Christchurch, the second largest city in New Zealand, has award-winning gardens, a neo-gothic arts centre, a historic tram that loops the city centre and the International Antarctic Centre. You’ll stay at Huntley Lodge, which has two of the best restaurants in Christchurch.

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Day 12 Lake Tekapo (nr Mount Cook)

A scenic stopover en route to Wanaka, with the opportunity to take a flight along the Alpine peaks for a close-up inspection of Mount Cook en route. The night is spent at Peppers Bluewater Resort.

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Days 13 and 14 Wanaka

You can either simply enjoy looking at the landscapes or take a much more active part in the scenic drama on, for example, a jetboat ride along the fast flowing Matukituki River, past Lord of the Rings locations watched over by Avalanche Glacier and Mount Aspiring. This trip can also be combined with a helicopter ride over the Rob Roy Glacier and surrounding mountains. Or perhaps you'd like to try a half day wine tour, or maybe a scenic flight over the mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and Alpine lakes of Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks and right along the Milford Sound before landing and boarding a small cruise ship and exploring the Sound.

You’ll stay at Riverrun Lodge, a boutique B&B in a 10 acre estate in the foothills of the Southern Alps.

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Day 15 Return your car to Queenstown airport for your onward flight, or consider extending your New Zealand itinerary by continuing up the west coast, further south to the Fiordlands or across to Dunedin, famous for its wildlife.