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Vine rows on a dry hillside at golden hour

Journeys / North Island

Vines, Volcanoes & Verse

Auckland, Waiheke, Rotorua, Taupō, Napier, Auckland

Duration
7 days
Region
North Island
Pace
1 of 5
Group
Private, 2 to 6
From, for two, all in
NZ$13,200
Enquire about this journeyCheck dates

A boat in the morning and nothing much after lunch, most days. This is the gentlest journey I run and it is the one people book twice.

Waiheke for the wine, Rotorua for the ground moving under you, Napier for the architecture and the Hawke's Bay table.

Nothing on this trip requires you to be fit. It requires you to be unhurried, which is harder.

The days

  1. Day 1

    Auckland and Waiheke

    Across the gulf mid-morning. Four vineyards at a pace that is not a tasting tour. Back on the last light ferry.

    Tonight, Auckland

  2. Day 2

    South to Rotorua

    The Waikato on the way down. Geothermal in the afternoon, when the light is low and the steam shows.

    Tonight, Rotorua

  3. Day 3

    Rotorua

    A morning with a guide who is not me, at a marae, because that is not my story to tell. The afternoon is free.

    Tonight, Rotorua

  4. Day 4

    Taupō

    The lake, and the river below the dam when they open the gates. Lunch looking at the mountains.

    Tonight, Taupō

  5. Day 5

    Over to Hawke's Bay

    The Napier–Taupō road, which is better than its reputation. Art deco in the afternoon.

    Tonight, Napier

  6. Day 6

    Hawke's Bay

    The Bay properly. Three cellar doors, a long lunch, and the Gannet colony if the season is right.

    Tonight, Napier

  7. Day 7

    North, and home

    An easy run back with one good stop. Auckland by evening.

Pace and mobility

  • 1Gentle
  • 2Easy
  • 3Moderate
  • 4Active
  • 5Demanding
Walking across a day
About 1 km, in short stretches
Longest continuous walk
400 m, flat and sealed
Longest stretch in the vehicle
45 minutes between stops, and never after dark
Step-free alternative
Everywhere
How the scale works

What's included

  • Guiding, every day you are with me
  • Airport and hotel transfers
  • Six nights' accommodation
  • All meals, dining and tastings
  • Every excursion, entry and charter
  • Vehicle, fuel and parking

What's not

  • International flights
  • Travel insurance, which is required
  • Anything you buy for yourself

What it costs

NZ$13,200 to NZ$18,100

for two people, everything included. Where you land in that range depends on the season, how many of you there are, and where you would like to sleep.

It is a range, not a quote. Once I have your dates the number I send you is the number you pay.

How pricing works

Talk to me about this journey

Tell me roughly when, and how you like to move. I come back within one business day, from New Zealand.

Start the conversation
Call Dale Enquire