New Zealand Gay Vineyards and Vistas Tour

Day 1: Auckland

After the long flight, we will take it easy until this evening, when we walk to our waterside restaurant to enjoy our Welcome Dinner.

Day 2: Waiheke Island

Today we head to the Downtown Auckland Ferry Terminal to go on a lovely 40-minute cruise to Waiheke Island through the picturesque Hauraki Gulf. Waiheke Island has over 92 square kilometers of beautiful beaches, vineyards, olive groves, native bush, and relaxing seaside villages. Upon arrival, we will be met by a local island tour guide who will reveal the island to us throughout our stay.

We will have tastings at least two vineyards, including a nice lunch at one of the vineyards, celebrating the fresh produce, lovely herbs, and excellent meats all grown here in New Zealand. If time allows, we will also wander through the local sculpture garden.

Day 3: On to the Capital, Wellington

This morning we fly to the southern tip of the North Island, to the country’s capital, Wellington. Situated on a beautiful harbor, the city is known for its boutique café and gourmet restaurant culture, its vibrant arts scene, and an outdoor lifestyle. Packed onto the waterfront, the city is surrounded by mountains. Homes perch precariously as they climb ever higher on the hillsides. But the central core of the city is easily walkable. While there is a strong Victorian influence in architecture, giving truth to it long being the center of political life, remarkable older buildings abound, include the Government Building that was built in 1876, perhaps the second largest timber building in the world. Modern architecture also makes its mark, especially in the Civic Center and in New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, located across from our hotel, which we visit tomorrow.

We may make a sightseeing stop overlooking the city if time allows as we drive from Wellington Airport to our hotel located near the waterfront. This afternoon, we discover fresh tastes in New Zealand’s café capital as our local guide and gourmet guru introduces us to the city, its local tastes, products, and people. Stroll behind the scenes at some favorite Wellington food places, taste hidden culinary treasures, and meet some of the people behind a selection of the city’s best food.

Wellington has a small gay scene, so this evening a few of us may go out and visit with the locals.

Day 4: Wellington, Taonga Māori Tour

Relax until late morning when we will make our way to Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, for a unique hosted cultural tour that will tell us the story of the Māori people through the public exhibits. And then we go behind the scenes, where museum specialists will share remarkable Māori taonga (historical treasures) and impart their deep spiritual significance. This tour, not open to the public, gives us a unique opportunity to engage directly with museum staff. Afterward, we have light refreshments while reflecting on the collection with our generous hosts. The afternoon is free for you to continue your visit to the museum, to enjoy the waterfront, or, perhaps take the tram up to the botanical gardens.

This evening we gather for dinner at one of Wellington’s best restaurants.

Day 5: Across the Cook Strait & Through the Marlborough Sounds to the South Island

After an early breakfast, we catch the morning ferry for a three-hour crossing to the top of the South Island. Enjoy the view from your superior club lounge access with complimentary food and beverages. About the last hour of the crossing finds the ship cruising through various channels between the forested hills of the Marlborough Sounds. On arrival in Picton, our driver escorts us southward, through the largest wine region in New Zealand, traditionally known for sauvignon blanc, and we will stop for a tasting.

Then we pass along the rugged east coast beside the Pacific Ocean, enjoying a few sights. Soon, we arrive in Kaikoura, a small but beautifully sited fishing port. While a tall ridge of mountains emerges from the sea, creating a dramatic landscape, underwater we have oceanic trenches merging, one from the north with warm waters and another from the south, with cool, nutrient-rich waters. Merging just offshore, the riches from these trenches bring with them an abundance of marine life. The sights on and offshore are truly unique, with hundreds of fur seals sunbathing on the rocky shore, spectacular leaping dolphins in the bays, and the most awesome of mammals, the sperm whale. You might even catch sight of an albatross among the many sea birds here. There is evidence that the Māori settled in Kaikoura nearly a thousand years ago with historic pa sites (earthen forts) obvious on the hillsides. Our hotel is along the waterfront to allow you to wander and enjoy as you wish.

Day 6: Dolphins, Seals, and Whales, then on to Christchurch

This morning we invite you to take a flight above Kaikoura to get a bird’s eye view of the area, sighting hundreds of Dusky dolphins and hopefully a majestic whale just before he dives, usually Sperm Whales, but also occasionally Southern Right, Humpback, Fin, Pilot, and others. Flying over Kaikoura Peninsula, we can see evidence of Māori fortifications, the township of Kaikoura, and New Zealand Fur Seals relaxing on the rocks. During favorable conditions, we might enjoy a spectacular flight over the 9,000 feet high Seaward Kaikoura mountain ranges.

Afterward, we transfer about three hours south to Christchurch, the Garden City. Christchurch features majestic trees and extensive parks and gardens, the most notable of which is expansive Hagley Park in the heart of the city. Bordering the park, you will find the botanical gardens and the Gothic revival building that houses the Canterbury Museum. Visitors to Christchurch today will witness a virtual rebirth of the city rebuilding following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, with an urban city center full of new secrets to discover. There is immense street art, cocktail bars, and bustling restaurants, laneways, and green public spaces. The city’s harbor at Lyttelton is where English settlers arrived by ship in 1850 to establish New Zealand’s first city.

On arrival, we will relax in the city center on the Avon River. Do nothing but sit back in the boat and enjoy as an Edwardian-dressed punter guides us past trailing willows, woodlands, and the leafy banks of the Botanic Gardens or through the rebuilding city center of Christchurch onboard a classic Punt.

Day 7: French Settlement of Akaroa and Nature Cruise

From Christchurch, we have a day tour to Akaroa, the only French settlement in New Zealand. Retaining much of its colonial charm and French character, it is filled with local artists and craftsmen. Along the way there, we climb high in the hills above Christchurch with glorious views of farmlands dotted across the Canterbury Plains and to the more distant Southern Alps. Akaroa is located on one of many unique bays that were created by a partially collapsed volcanic crater. In Akaroa, we depart on a nature cruise hoping to see Hectors dolphins, little blue penguins, fur seals, and local bird life. After the cruise, enjoy lunch and wander around the charming village. As we depart for the city, we will visit a cheese factory and one or two unique art galleries.

Day 8: Across the Southern Alps to Fiordland

From Christchurch, we fly to Queenstown and then have a charming drive to Te Anau, a small community that is our gateway to Fiordland National Park for the next two nights. The town is beautifully located on the shores of the South Island’s largest lake with a striking panorama of the Southern Alps as a backdrop, Relax and enjoy.

For those up for a bit of adventure, late this afternoon we have a short cruise across Lake Te Anau to a cavern. Hidden beneath the mountains is an underground network of caves lit by thousands of New Zealand glowworms. Below ground witness a twisting network of limestone passages and the roaring whirlpools and waterfalls of the Tunnel Burn Stream. Follow the path deep underground before transferring into small boats to drift silently along the river in the cave, watching an overhead display of glittering glowworms in this natural grotto. Retrace your steps out of the caves and return to Te Anau for dinner. (A reasonable agility level is necessary, you must be comfortable on steps and realize that there will be some bending due to low caves entrances).

Day 9: Milford Sound Cruise and Nature Walks

We promise you a remarkable day today, rain or shine!

Our Fiordland guide will inspire us with views and surprise stories as we drive to what many have called a world wonder, Milford Sound. Despite the name, it is really a fjord, one of seventeen or so here on the coast, formed by behemoth glaciers that carved deep into the bedrock, leaving almost vertical canyon sides and jagged peaks. The drive to and from the fjord is just as spectacular. We will make a few stops for a short and maybe a medium hike to experience this temperate rainforest. In the fjord, we will cruise all the out to the Tasman Sea and back, watching for dolphins and seals, and with an occasional stop to nose the small ship under tumbling waterfalls. We then return to Te Anau for dinner.

Day 10: To Queenstown & Surrounds

We have a nice drive from Te Anau back to Queenstown, known for both its alpine beauty and adrenaline adventure. Midday, we stop to learn about the area’s ideal location for winemaking, including wine tastings and a vintner’s gourmet lunch.

Afterward, we will stop for an award-winning garden visit. Nested in the heart of the Wakitipu basin & surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains lies a 40-acre property that includes 12 acres of mature gardens, that has been curated to ensure visitors have a special experience. Including, among many others, a large native garden, a Mediterranean garden, a meadow of wildflowers, sculptures, and perennial beds. Our guide will share some favorite sights and stories, and will then give us time to wander and enjoy.

Later this afternoon, we arrive at our hotel in central Queenstown. Wander through the town, along the boardwalk, visit the artist market, and watch the historic Earnslaw steamship arrive and depart several times each day. Gaze across this glacial lake which has a mysterious phenomenon causing the lake level to vary several inches in depth every few minutes, giving credence to a Maori legend of an ancient Taniwha heart(demon) still beating beneath the surface.

Sometime during your stay be sure to take advantage of a gondola ride, providing a view high above the town. We include a ticket for you to enjoy the Skyline Gondola, which will smoothly whisk you up 450 meters to Bob’s Peak. From the top, enjoy breathtaking views that extend almost 360 degrees from Coronet Peak around to the Remarkables and on to Cecil and Walter Peaks on the other side of Lake Wakatipu.

In the evening, enjoy the hospitality and fine service, provided by our designer, boutique lodge.

Day 11: Lake Wakatipu and Remarkable Vistas

Once again, we find ourselves enjoying the peacefulness of morning as we cruise across a huge glacial lake. Disembark at a high country farm on the western shores of Lake Wakatipu and soak in panoramic views from one of New Zealand’s largest high country farms. Join the farm guide and follow the journey of merino wool in a fun and interactive environment – from mustering sheep to the creation of Icebreaker clothing. Watch sheep being moved by the farmer’s dog and meet and feed working animals used on the farm while learning about daily farming life. Then journey deep into the heart of New Zealand’s high country in a 4WD vehicle. Sit back as the landscape unfolds. We get off the beaten track to spectacular vantage points. Return to the woolshed and enjoy a freshly prepared Farmers Platter Lunch served with tea and coffee before the return cruise to Queenstown.

This evening we celebrate our Kiwi adventure together at our farewell dinner in Queenstown.

Day 12: Farewell Queenstown

Today is the day we say goodbye to this beautiful country. We’ll be collected from our hotel and transferred to Queenstown Airport.