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.
Even when you travel to places completely off the beaten track, in the giddy heights of the Alpine peaks or the ragged shores of remote peninsulas, you won’t have to compromise on either comfort or cuisine.
Days 1 and 2 Waiheke Island
After the long flight from home we would recommend that you catch your breath and ease into the gentle pace of New Zealand on Waiheke Island, just a ten minute hop by helicopter from Auckland’s international airport, across the island dotted Hauraki Gulf. Waiheke is a wonderful world of beaches, forests, farmland and boutique vineyards (Stonyridge among them), enjoyed by a harmonious mix of bolt-holing Kiwis, many of whom own holiday homes or ‘baches’ (pronounced ‘batches’). You’ll be staying at the nautically-themed Boatshed, with five designer suites. The owners will meet you on arrival and can arrange a number of touring options, including visits to the local vineyards and picnics, or you can explore the island independently by hired car. Alternatively you might like the exclusivity of Delamore Lodge, set in 6 acres of gardens and native bush overlooking Hauraki Gulf. With just four, fully-hosted guest suites, the house also has a heated outdoor pool and indoor and outdoor fires.
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Day 3 Auckland Ferry back to the main
land, with renewed energy to tackle some of Auckland’s urban highlights. Spend the night in the warm and welcoming Mollies, a Victorian haven of nostalgia with harbour views, interesting artefact from around the world and a strong musical resonance from the owners (Frances is a concert pianist, Steven was an opera set designer).
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Days 4 and 5 Rotorua
A morning’s drive to Rotorua, a town famous for its bubbling cauldrons of hot mud and salvoes of spurting geysers as well as being a hub of Maori culture. You might consider a luxury cruise of Lake Tawarera or a helicopter trip to see Mount Tawarera, a dormant volcano with a guided walk through the craters. Just ask our consultants for details. Your accommodation is at a luxurious, tranquil lodge, Peppers on the Point, a converted 1930s nine-room mansion on the banks of Lake Rotorua. Or treat yourself to a stay at Treetops, one of New Zealand’s exclusive lodges nestled in 2,300 acres of forested wilderness or in Huka Lodge, arguably the country’s most famous of all its many lodges set among towering redwoods, firs and pines on the banks of the Waikato river.
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Days 6 and 7 Hawke’s Bay
This is one of the most acclaimed wine producing regions in New Zealand. You’ll spend two nights at the hilltop Greenhill, a gracious country house overlooking classic farmland and within easy reach of the area’s 50 wineries. Or consider pushing the boat out at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, set on a 6000 acre sheep and cattle farm which plunges 800 feet straight into the sea. As well as memorable comforts, it offers a legendary golf course and top spa.On your second day, following the sensible approach when it comes to visiting vineyards, we would suggest you take a personalised, private guided tour of the region with a local guide and a luxury 4WD . If there’s one style of accommodation that sets New Zealand on the very highest plateau of comfort, it's the country’s famous lodges, invariably owner-run and often found in stunning hideaway locations.
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Days 8, 9 and 10 Nelson
Cut out some long driving and sea time by flying from Napier to Nelson in the north of South Island, crossing the Cook Strait with eye-boggling views of the Marlborough Sounds. Your accommodation is the highly-acclaimed Edenhouse, an elegant private home situated on a 48-acre farm with a large spa pool overlooking the gardens and pretty Orinoco valley. Located at the top end of South island, the pleasures of Eden House are shared by never more than six guests at a time. During your stay there’ll be lots of time to visit the several art and craft studios in Nelson; tour the area’s best known wineries ; hike, sea kayak and sail in the Abel Tasman National Park on an organised, full-day private trip; or enjoy a sightseeing adventure by helicopter along one of the country’s most magnificent stretches of coast and over Lord Of The Rings landscapes.
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Days 11 and 12 Marlborough
Home to some of the world’s best sauvignon blancs - Hunter’s, Cloudy Bay, St Clair and Villa Maria among them - Marlborough is also a culinary Mecca where locally-grazed lamb and Greenshell mussels and scallops straight from the Sounds complement the award-winning crispy whites from the Wairau Valley. Spend two nights in the four bedroom Timara Lodge, whose 600 acres include 25 devoted to beautiful English style gardens and a five-acre lake. Located next to the Spy Valley vineyard, Timara has established an enviable reputation for its food prepared by its award-winning ownerchef. One of the best ways to experience the Marlborough vineyards is on a 6hr private guided tour, which visits both iconic (topped by Cloudy Bay) and boutique wineries - there are more than 60 in all - and can be tailored to your particular interests. Alternatively, you could take a cruise on the Sounds, visiting Motuara Island bird sanctuary and seeing dolphin – the company promises an impressive 98% encounter rate!
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Days 13 and 14 Canterbury
With time en route for a whale watching trip from Kaikoura, your day’s destination is Otahuna Lodge, a three story listed historic Queen Anne house whose seven highly individual suites combine such original features as inglenook fireplaces and stained glass with deep bathtubs, rain showers and fine linens. A member of Relais & Chateaux, with views across gardens and plains to the Southern Alps, the lodge offers a full range of activities (mountain biking, tennis, gym, pool and croquet) with easily arranged trips to Akaroa, originally settled by French immigrants and approached by crossing the crater rim of an extinct volcano.
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Days 15 and 16 Mount Cook
To the mighty Southern Alps, arriving at the Hermitage Hotel in time to step into your room in the ‘Aoraki Wing’ and straight out onto the balcony to gawp at the full-on view of Mount Cook. As the house motto goes, you’ll “go to sleep in luxury, wake to pure majesty” when the first rays of light hit the white of the peak. There’s lots to do besides watching the peak performances. We would recommend a 40min scenic flight, including a snow landing on the Tasman Glacier, or a 6hr boat tour along the base of NZ’s largest glacier.
Days 17, 18 and 19 Queenstown
In the heart of picture postcard scenery, beside a lake and encased by jagged mountain peaks, Queenstown not only offers access to a full slew of high-octane action - it was here that AJ Hackett introduced the world to bungee jumping - but the town is also a launch pad for exploring the magnificent Lord Of The Rings’ mountainscapes.
Your accommodation is Remarkables Lodge, a small luxury hotel that enjoys a spectacular setting with the Remarkables mountains rising from the bottom of the back garden. Alternatively, you could choose the beautiful Blanket Bay Lodge in Glenorchy, built in the grand style of the finest alpine lodges in a 60,000-acre estate overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the spectacular South Island mountain range (see our hotels section. We would encourage all visitors to the Southern Alps to treat themselves to a chopper flight up and over the peaks, touching down on a glacier for a stroll, then on to Milford Sound, with eagle eye views of waterfalls, fiords and mighty summits. Three landings will offer you closer inspection of the landscapes, with one devoted to a gourmet picnic lunch. You can also enjoy a potted version, helicoptering to a remote area for a ‘Picnic on a Peak’, champers included. For a different scenic perspective consider a Dart River safari, which combines driving through Lord Of The Rings’ locations with high speed jetboating.
Click here for alternative accommodation options in Queenstown.
