Kia Ora, and welcome to your New Zealand Experience.

Based on your suggestions, we have put together an itinerary for you that showcases the very best our country has to offer. It includes a range of unique and unforgettable activities, along with a stunning selection of lodge and boutique hotel accommodation. Your expert travel planners Samuel St George and David Maxwell will make sure you are in good hands while experiencing this incredible country. 

This promises to be one special journey. We look forward to hosting you throughout this fantastic experience... and welcome to New Zealand.

Nga mihi nui, with best wishes,

The Eighth Wonder Travel Team.

ITINERARY

Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city and is frequently rated as one of the world’s top cities for quality of life and livability. Squeezed between two glistening harbors, Auckland’s narrow isthmus is home to one third of the country’s population – and for good reason. Known worldwide as the City of Sails, its center is a vibrant melting pot of style and culture, and its buzzing waterfront precincts are home to world-class dining and shopping experiences.

ACCOMMODATION

TBC

One Night
Check in: 11th December 2018
Check out: 12th December 2018

DAY ONE

Tuesday 11th December 2018

PM Arrive into Auckland Intl. Airport off your International flight. Depart in your rental vehicle to the Sofitel Hotel on Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. Enjoy the afternoon at your own leisure.
Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Auckland.

DAY TWO

Wednesday 12th December 2018

AM After breakfast at your accommodation depart in your rental vehicle south towards to Taupo. *Total travel time = 4 hours.

Day two continues below….

With its picture-postcard setting on the shores of the 240-square-mile volcanic crater lake from which it gets is name, Taupo (pronounced Toe-Pour) is one of the North Island’s premier resort towns. It has an abundance of great hikes, and is the jumping-off point for the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The impressive Huka Falls are nearby, which also has great nature walks.

Located at the geographic center of the North Island, the region is one of the most pure, beautiful and unspoiled parts of the country and is home to some of New Zealand’s most dramatic and spectacular forests. It is also a magnet for fly-fishing, and is emerging as one of the country’s most popular cycling destinations, both road and off-road.

ACCOMMODATION

TAUPO LODGE

Two Nights
Check in: 12th December 2018
Check out: 14th December 2018

Day two continues

PM Arrive at your accommodation, where you will be greeted by the team and shown to your rooms.
Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Taupo.

DAY THREE

Thursday 13th December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, enjoy either the day at leisure or choose from the experiences we have sent you.
PM Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Taupo.

DAY FOUR

Friday 14th December 2018

AM Checkout of your accommodation. Depart in your rental vehicle to Napier, Hawkes Bay. Total drive time = 2 hours.

Day four continues below

An hour’s flight southeast of Auckland is Hawke’s Bay, a region of diverse and magnificent landscapes, from mountains and hill country down to inland and coastal plains. Blessed with fertile, alluvial soils and a warm temperate climate, Hawke’s Bay is home to hundreds of farms, orchards and vineyards, making it New Zealand’s agricultural powerhouse. For the tens of thousands of visitors that flock to the region each year, it’s the food and wine that are the biggest drawcards, and with good reason, as the Hawkes Bay produces some of the best of both the country has to offer. On the coast, sits the town of Napier, one of New Zealand’s busiest commercial ports and host to a growing number of cruise ships. It’s also the country’s Art Deco capital, having been almost completely rebuilt in the Style Moderne after a devastating earthquake in 1931.

ACCOMMODATION

CRAGGY RANGE

Three Nights
Check in: Saturday 14th December 2018
Check out: Tuesday 17th December 2018

Note: Self-contained accommodation. Self-contained meaning guests primarily look after themselves. The team are of course there if you do have any questions or requests and will do their best to accommodate them. 

Day four continues

PM Arrive into Napier Airport, and check in to your accommodation, Craggy Range.
Dinner for this evening will be at the newly developed Terroir restaurant at Craggy Range.

DAY FIVE

Saturday 15th December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, Michael Pleciak will transport you on property viewings of the region for the day.
PM For this evening you will have the option of dining at Craggy Range or choose from the great offerings in the local township of Havelock North.

DAY SIX

Sunday 16th December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, Michael Pleciak will transport you on property viewings of the region for the day.
PM For this evening you will have the option of dining at Craggy Range or choose from the great offerings in the local township of Havelock North.

DAY SEVEN

Monday 17th December 2018

AM After breakfast, checkout of your accommodation. Depart in your rental vehicle to Wellington. Total travel time = 3 hours 30 minutes. We advise you to take the route to Martinborough to enjoy lunch at a vineyard and explore the town.

Day seven continues.

A small city with a large reputation, Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, both constitutionally and culturally. Its compact CBD vibrates with museums, theatres, galleries and boutiques, and it has thriving coffee and craft-beer scenes. Hemmed in by steep forested hills, punctuated by swathes of quaint Victorian houses, the city clings to the shore of its stunning harbour. It has a beautiful botanic garden and is home the New Zealand’s only funicular railway.

ACCOMMODATION

QT MUSEUM HOTEL

Four Nights
Check in: Monday 17th December 2018
Check out: Friday 21st December 2018

Day seven continues

PM Arrive at Wellington and check into your accommodation, QT Museum Hotel.
Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Wellington.

DAY EIGHT

Tuesday 18th December 2018

AM After breakfast enjoy the day exploring Wellington City.
PM Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Wellington.

DAY NINE

Wednesday 19th December 2018

AM After breakfast enjoy the day exploring Wellington City.
PM Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Wellington.

DAY TEN

Thursday 20th December 2018

AM After breakfast enjoy the day exploring Wellington City.
PM Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Wellington.

DAY ELEVEN

Friday 21st December 2018

AM After breakfast checkout of your accommodation. Depart in your rental vehicle to Wellington Airport. Drop off your vehicle and board your flight to Nelson, courtesy of Air New Zealand.

Day eleven continues

Nelson is a city on the South Island of New Zealand, facing Tasman Bay. It's known for local arts and crafts stores, and art galleries. It's also a popular base for nearby caving sites, vineyards and the Abel Tasman National Park. Established by English settlers in 1841, the city's history is showcased at Founders Heritage Park, a living museum with a vintage railway.

ACCOMMODATION

RESURGENCE LODGE

Three Nights
Check in: 21st December 2018
Check out: 24th December 2018

Day eleven continues

PM Arrive into Nelson Airport. Pick up your rental vehicle and depart to your accommodation. Check into your accommodation and enjoy the afternoon exploring downtown Nelson.
For this evening you will have the option of dining at your residence, courtesy of the private chef or choose from the great offerings in Nelson.

DAY TWELVE

Saturday 22nd December 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOEL!!!

AM A special day will be put together by our team. Sit back, relax and enjoy your special day.
PM An incredible birthday dinner awaits you for this evening.

DAY THIRTEEN

Sunday 23rd December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, Michael Pleciak will transport you on property viewings of the region for the day.
PM For this evening you will have the option of dining at your residence, courtesy of the private chef or choose from the great offerings in Nelson.

DAY FOURTEEN

Monday 24th December 2018

AM After breakfast checkout of your accommodation. Depart in your rental vehicle to Nelson Airport. Drop off your rental vehicle and board your flight to Queenstown via Christchurch.

Day fourteen continues below

About two-thirds of the way down the South Island, in the middle of the Southern Alps, sits Lake Wakatipu, and on its shores, Queenstown. If ever a town deserves its reputation as the world’s adrenalin capital, surely this place does. You can bungee jump off bridges, or even out of a helicopter, take a jet boat ride through white-water canyons, heli-skiing in virgin powder snow, go extreme mountain biking, zip-line through valleys, and paraglide off mountains – you name, you can do it in Queenstown. There is, however, a more gentile side to Queenstown – one that includes luxurious, world-class lodges, superb wineries, great restaurants and scenery to die for… and five international-standard golf courses. This picturesque lakeside town has it in spades, whatever the season, whatever the activity. It absolutely must be part of any itinerary when visiting New Zealand.

ACCOMMODATION

ST MORITZ HOTEL

Five Nights
Check in: Monday 24th December 2018
Check out: Saturday 29th December 2018

Day fourteen continues

PM Arrive at Queenstown Airport, pick up your rental vehicle and depart to your accommodation.
Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Queenstown.

DAY FIFTEEN

Tuesday 25th December 2018

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

AM Enjoy the day with your family. We can discuss in the coming months if there is anything special you would like our team to put together.
PM Enjoy a special Christmas dinner at either your residence or at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Queenstown.

DAY SIXTEEN

Wednesday 26th December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, Michael Pleciak will transport you on property viewings of the region for the day.
PM Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Queenstown.

DAY SEVENTEEN

Thursday 27th December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, Michael Pleciak will transport you on property viewings of the region for the day.
PM Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Queenstown.

DAY EIGHTEEN

Friday 28th December 2018

AM After breakfast enjoy either the day at leisure or choose from the experiences we sent you.
PM Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Queenstown.

DAY NINETEEN

Saturday 29th December 2018

AM After breakfast enjoy the morning in your surrounds. Checkout of your accommodation and depart in your rental vehicle to Queenstown Airport. Board your commercial flight to the Bay of Islands via Auckland, courtesy of Air New Zealand.

Day nineteen continues below

Just a 45-minute flight north of Auckland is the stunning Bay of Islands, one of NZ’s top tourist drawcards. With its unspoiled coastline, beautiful sandy beaches, turquoise waters and 144 untouched islands, this region enjoys a subtropical climate, and so you can expect warm weather year round. The Bay of Islands Maritime Park is one of New Zealand’s best loved destinations, offering world-class diving and snorkeling, with an array of wildlife including, dolphins, whales, penguins and gannets. It also has great sailing, kayaking and big-game fishing. Not only is the region blessed with stunning natural beauty, it has enormous historical significance, as the site of New Zealand’s first permanent British settlement and the birthplace of European colonization in the country.

ACCOMMODATION

DONKEY BAY

Four Nights
Check in: Saturday 29th December 2018
Check out: Wednesday 2nd December 2018

Day nineteen continues

PM Arrive into Bay of Islands Airport. Pick up your rental vehicle and depart to your accommodation in Russell. Total travel time = 1 hour.
This will include a 10 minute ferry trip and includes great views of the Inlet.
Arrive at your accommodation, Donkey Bay where you will be greeted by the team and shown around this gorgeous property.
Enjoy a glass of the owner’s acclaimed wine, or a Donkey Bay gin before considering the chef’s offerings, or taking the short stroll to the restaurants of Russell for dinner.

DAY TWENTY

Sunday 30th December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, Michael Pleciak from Legacy Partners will transport you on property viewings of the region for the day.
PM For this evening you will have the option of dining at your residence, courtesy of the private chef or choose from the great offerings in Russell.

DAY Twenty one

Monday 31st December 2018

AM After breakfast at your residence, Michael Pleciak will transport you on property viewings of the region for the day.
PM For this evening you will have the option of dining at your residence, courtesy of the private chef or choose from the great offerings in Russell.

DAY twenty two

Tuesday 1st January 2019

AM After breakfast at your residence, enjoy either the day at leisure or choose from the experiences we sent you.
PM For this evening you will have the option of dining at your residence, courtesy of the private chef or choose from the great offerings in Russell.

DAY TWENTY THREE

Wednesday 2nd January 2019

AM After breakfast checkout of your accommodation. Depart in your rental vehicle to Bay of Islands Airport. Drop off your rental vehicle and board your flight to Auckland, courtesy of Air New Zealand.

Day twenty three continues below

AUCKLAND

ACCOMMODATION
TBC

Check in: Wednesday 2nd January 2019
Check out: Thursday 3rd January 2019

Day twenty three continues

PM Arrive into Auckland Airport where your driver will greet you at arrivals and transfer you to your accommodation. Check into your accommodation. Dinner for this evening will be at one of the fantastic restaurant options in Queenstown.

DAY TWENTY FOUR

Thursday 3rd January 2019

AM After breakfast checkout of your accommodation and depart by private transfer to Auckland Airport.
Arrive into Auckland Airport for your return flight home.