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The ultimate New Zealand luxury tour

Travel with Air New Zealand to get your Kiwi escape off to a flying start, then take a trip from North to South in spectacular style

You’ll feel your first flicker of excitement as soon as you book your flights. Air New Zealand knows that holidays are all about relaxing, which is why it ensures its passengers’ journeys are seamless from the outset. You can pre-select your preferred seat there and then and start plotting your upcoming Antipodean escape.

Part one: Getting there

Business Premier

Premium Economy

Designed to create the feel of an armchair, Air New Zealand’s luxury leather Premium Economy seats come with supportive arm and leg rests, and an extended footrest to allow passengers of any height to find a comfortable position to eat, watch movies or sleep (just press the button to recline). With a generous amount of pitch between the rows, there is also plenty of space to stretch out so you won’t feel cramped. It is also easy to get up and move around without disturbing anyone.

As in Business Premier, everyone flying Premium Economy has a personal touchscreen entertainment display, plus premium headphones and power ports for charging phones and laptops in case they want to watch their own content. Amazingly, Premium Economy passengers also get an equally high quality menu as Business Premier, with dishes ranging from wood-roasted chicken to Alaskan cod. Order a glass of wine or two to go with it, and you will soon be experiencing that warm, happy holiday glow.

Make the most of your trip by treating yourself to a luxurious itinerary. One that packs in urban delights, immersions in ethereal landscapes that connect you to Maori culture and exhilarating experiences, all with generous servings of fine wine and gourmet cuisine. Follow this journey through the North and South Island or pick and choose from it to uncover many of its dreamiest destinations, bedding down in suitably extraordinary places along the way.

Part two: When you get there

Uncover Auckland

Feast on city views and upscale spins on Kiwi classics at The Sugar Club, 53 floors up in the iconic Sky Tower. Savour superb sustainable seafood infused with Pacific flavours at Kingi on the waterfront. Ahi and Homeland are two other top tables with award-winning chefs looking to traditional Māori cooking methods to get the best out of their land and cuisine. Speak to the right people and you might secure one of just seven seats at intimate Pasture with its sought-after tasting menu. For fine dining with matching wines among the vines, zip over to Waiheke Island for lunch at Mudbrick. With volcanic mounds, rainforests, beaches and sparkling waters all around, it’s a city that’s geared up for the outdoors. Join yacht races, take a leisurely sunset cruise around the harbour with champagne or charter a skippered yacht to voyage around the Hauraki Gulf and up the east coast. You are in the City of Sails after all.

Start your Aotearoa adventures in style by spending a few days in its largest and most sophisticated city. Auckland on the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui hums with culture and arts and brims with high-end boutiques. It also has many of the country’s top restaurants

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Blending serious luxury with impressive eco-credentials, the Hotel Britomart has a fabulous location within the chic waterfront Britomart precinct.

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Wallow in peaceful seclusion at Solitaire Lodge by Lake Tarawera you can borrow kayaks and dinghies to explore the waters and soak in off-the-track hot springs. Peppers on the Point is an elegant hotel by Lake Rotorua, overlooking Mokoia Island.

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Three private beaches, Pacific views, a spa and championship golf course make Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands an ace base for your Northland meanders. As a Relais & Chateaux property, the dining is exceptional too. Sign up for exclusive experiences such as its Cultural Heritage Tour.

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Riverside retreat Huka Lodge – upgrade from a suite to the Alex Van Heeren Cottage, which has a heated plunge pool. Oenophiles should book a private meal in the lodge’s capacious wine cellar.

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The Martinborough Hotel, a handsome 19th-century building on the village square. Book the superior garden suite to enjoy a private veranda overlooking pretty gardens. Or wake to vineyard views at local winery Poppies’ gorgeous self-containment apartment.

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The Bay of Many Coves Resort, one of the Luxury Lodges of New Zealand, is set above a secluded shore on Queen Charlotte Sound. Don’t miss the degustation menu at its Foredeck restaurant. If you’re heading onto the region’s wine country stay at The Marlborough, a boutique hotel and vineyard.

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For water views and fine dining stay at Matakauri Lodge, a luxury hideaway set in a forest above Lake Wakatipu. It’s just minutes from bustling Queenstown too.

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The Kaimata Retreat, an exclusive-use eco retreat overlooking the Papanui Inlet on the Otago Peninsula.

Get back to nature in the Northland

You’ll discover natural beauty abounds all around the Northland region. It’s awash with Māori culture too. Book a private walking tour (in the day or night) into the Waipoua Kauri Forest to learn about its rare birds and native trees. Get a bird’s-eye-view of the region on a private heli-tour. You’ll swoop across the spectacular Hokianga Harbour, Ninety Mile Beach (a great sweep of sand), the giant Te Paki dunes and travel up to Cape Reinga. The point where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet, Māoris believe the cape is the place where the souls of loved ones depart for the afterlife.

Why not sail by yacht from Auckland to the Bay of Islands?

Soothe your soul in hot springs

Before you hit the road, duck into the Polynesian Spa for one last soothing soak. Built on the site of Lake Rotorua’s 19th-century bath houses, its 28 mineral pools (both acidic and alkaline) are fed by two natural springs. For privacy and incredible lake views, book the Lake View Private Pool and don’t miss the signature geothermal mud wrap.

Soaking in mineral-rich hot springs for medicinal purposes holds cultural significance for the Maori in Rotorua, the country’s geothermal heartland.

Take on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (in style)

In between immersing yourself in this geothermal wonderland, gaze at views of the Waikato River from your elegant junior suite, take a turn around the gorgeous gardens and gather in the lounge for aperitifs and canapés before grazing on five courses in the lodge’s highly regarded restaurant. Everything is taken care of, from private drivers who’ll whisk you to and from your luxury lodgings to private guides who are brimming with local insights.

Blending fine wine, gourmet food and upscale lodgings with unique experiences in the untamed wilderness, Walk into Luxury offers Antipodean adventures with all the luxuries.

Wend your way around the wineries of Wairarapa

With 20 or more wineries nestled around Martinborough village, it’s easy enough to meander around on your own. But book Martinborough Wine Tours’ Ultimate Wine and Food private tour and they’ll do all the planning (and driving) for you. They can even arrange for your favourite drops to be shipped back to your home, should you wish. Thirsty for more? Karahui Wine Bar & Eatery has a drool-worthy wine list with fabulous food to match. Or slip into its gin-tasting lounge to sample some small-batch local spirits.

Winding your way down to the far south of North Island, you’ll find yourself in Wairarapa, just north of capital Wellington.

Take a gourmet cruise around Marlborough Sounds

Or how about fishing for blue cod or snapper? You could simply sit back and spot the sound’s rare Hector's dolphins and frisky fur seals as you sail. One thing is a given on your bespoke tour: you’re in line for a truly memorable meal. Grant used to be a chef on private yachts and is a proficient fisherman. Join in or watch as he dives off the boat to gather green-lipped mussels, clams, pāua (abalone) and kina (an endemic sea urchin) to cook up in front of you. South Island cheeses, breads, salads and Marlborough wines complete the feast

Catch the ferry from Wellington Harbour to picturesque Port Picton, spotting dolphins, whales, albatross and orca as you go.

Embark on an aerial adventure into the Fiordlands

Landing on a secluded beach, watch the waves roll in a the Tasman Sea and revel in those standing-at-the-edge-of-the-world feelings. Back on board, your pilot will whisk you above the blue ice of the Tasman Sea’s glaciers. Landing on one is a rare thrill, as is eating lunch in an untouched icy expanse. Smitten by the scenery? Eke out your aerial tour with a boat cruise along the Milford Sound before you buzz back to Queenstown.

The country’s ultimate adventure destination, Queenstown sits on the glacial-blue shores of Lake Wakatipu in the Southern Alps.

Drive the Southern Scenic Route

After Invercargill, be sure to stop in Bluff. The country’s oldest European settlement is famed for its oysters. Carry on to Slope Point next, where you can stretch your legs on the island’s southernmost point, before you reach the under-the-radar Catlins – a ravishing region with high cliffs, big swells, deserted beaches, wind-whipped lighthouses, caves, blowholes, waterfalls.

Pick up a luxury hire car in Queenstown and get behind the wheel for the last leg of your ultra-luxe tour of New Zealand. The Southern Scenic Route, which winds through the southwest to Invercargill and along an ocean-hugging stretch through the Catlins to Dunedin, is one of the world’s best drives. It’s also one of least travelled.

Air New Zealand offers amazing services to ensure your comfort during travel, from Business Premier™to Premium Economy and Skycouch™

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Explore the rugged beauty of Dunedin on the Otago Peninsula, where wild landscapes meet charming seaside towns

Head to Curio Bay on an outgoing tide to glimpse a Jurassic fossil forest. You may spy the extremely rare hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) too and look out for the bay’s resident pod of Hector’s dolphins. Walk out to the lighthouse at Nugget Point and you’re likely to see sea lions, fur seals and elephant seals, along with dive-bombing gannets. The scenic route ends in Dunedin on the Otago Peninsula, dubbed the wildlife capital of New Zealand. Take your time getting there, because this is one incredible journey you won’t want to end.

A bird's eye view of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, showcasing the stunning landscape that makes New Zealand so unique

The Bay of Many Coves offers a breathtaking view of the Milky Way above the serene Marlborough Sounds

The perfect pairing - Karahui Wine Bar and Eatery's delectable cuisine and exquisite wines are a match made in heaven

Huka Falls' stunning scenery and awe-inspiring power make it a highlight of any North Island itinerary

Frying Pan Lake's unique and dynamic hot springs make it one of New Zealand's most fascinating natural wonders

Nature's wonderland - Ninety Mile Beach is a stunning showcase of New Zealand's rugged beauty

Paradise found in Auckland's stunning coastline, with Rangitoto Island standing tall in the distance

The beautiful Bay of Islands

The vast expanse of Ninety Mile Beach

Walking tour of Waipoua Kauri Forest

A sublime fish dish at Ahi

Stunning views at Whatipu Beach

Sailing in the Waitemata Harbour

The incredible pools at Rotorua

The Great Lakes walk

Enjoying a glass at Karahui wine bar

The Bay of Many Coves resort

Spectacular Te Wahipounamu mountain peaks

Sea Lions in Dunedin

Wine country, Martinborough

Vineyards in Martinborough

Helicopter at Milford Sound

An incredible view of Lake Wakatipu

Saint Clair Family Estate Vinyard

Katabatic Charters caption required

Enjoying the waters at the Polynesian Spa

Frying Pan Lake, the world's largest hot spring

Coastal road, Bluff

Rugged rocks of Curio Bay

Crossing Taupo

View from Lake Taupo

Dining

Seating

Lounges

Baggage

The App

Boarding

Wining

Expect a warm Kiwi welcome as you step onboard, with experienced flight attendants helping you settle into your luxurious leather chair. You’ll soon be sipping a chilled New Zealand sparkling wine before you take off for a seriously pleasurable in-flight experience.

As part of Star Alliance, passengers can access other airlines’ lounges when there isn’t an Air New Zealand International Lounge in their departure airport. You’ll enjoy priority boarding onto the plane too.

Be sure to download the Air NZ app to check-in on the go it’ll keep you updated with real-time flight information on the day of your trip too. After you arrive at the airport, you can avoid any queues with premium check-in. Simply drop your luggage and enjoy being fast-tracked through passport control and security.

The airline also takes pride in serving dishes using fresh local ingredients. A typical dinner might include a starter of duck breast with orange star anise followed by Chermoula rubbed salmon with spiced cauliflower and cardamom couscous and a dessert of pistachio mousse with lemon infused rosewater glaze and strawberry gel. This paddock-to-plane catering concept is integral to the hospitality experience that Air New Zealand provides, giving people a taste of New Zealand culture before they land.

The in-flight dining service includes a menu of award-winning New Zealand wines, expertly chosen to be appreciated in the sky, where there is low humidity and high altitude, which affects the way people taste. Vintages might include the 2018 Heipipi The Terraces blended red and 2020 Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay syrah, which are luscious red wines that are low in mouth-drying tannins.

The stylish Business Premier seats provide plenty of extra space and privacy, and convert into fully-flat beds too, allowing you to sleep comfortably when in the air. Crew will even come and help you make up your bed with a proper memory foam mattress, smooth cotton quilt and – not one, but two plump pillows.

Auckland

Northland

Tongariro

Rotorua

Wairarapa

Marlborough Sounds

Queenstown

Fiordlands

Auckland

Northland

Back to map

Even packing is a pleasurable experience with Business Premier. There’s no need to worry about travelling light or agonising over which outfits you’re more likely to need. Fly Business Premier and you’ll enjoy a raft of added extras, including a very generous baggage allowance. You can check in three 23kg bags and take two carry-ons amounting to 14kg. So you can plan for a range of experiences, from dining in city restaurants and sailing alongside pods of dolphins to wallowing in hot springs and taking heli-tours over jaw-dropping landscapes.

Baggage

Transfer by private car north along the Twin Coast Discovery Highway. A sub-tropical maritime playground between Cape Brett and the Purerua Peninsula, these calm waters are peppered with 144 islands and alive with marine life. Charter a private catamaran to spot dolphins and whales, swim in sheltered coves and graze on gourmet platters on the deck.

This central region is alive with volcanic crater lakes, gushing geysers, bubbling mud pools, steaming fumaroles, hot springs and hot streams. And you can get a good look at them on bespoke floatplane flights. There are multiple tours to be taken here but you could take off from Lake Rotorua and fly above the Waimangu Volcanic Valley to see Frying Pan Lake (the world’s largest hot spring), the piercing blue Inferno Crater, Lake Rotomahana and the dormant crater of Mount Tarawera. Landing on Lake Rotoiti, you can slip into the secluded pools of Manupirua Bay and feel the water’s healing mineral properties do their thing. Catch a water taxi here at night to float under the starry skies.

Its four-day Tongariro & Great Lakes Walk is centred around Huka Lodge in Taupō, where you’ll spend three nights. You’ll tackle part of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, touted as one of the best one-day trek in New Zealand. Also on the itinerary are jaunts to the thundering Huka Falls, leg-soothing soaks in natural springs and the Great Lakes Trail, which ends with a private cruise (with lunch and fine wines on board on Lake Taup.

A region of wild beaches, quaint townships, award-winning restaurants and idyllic wine country, there’s plenty to feed all the senses. Pinot noir quaffers will find themselves in heaven: Martinborough is renowned for its deliciously smooth light-bodied reds well as pinot gris and riesling.

Welcome to the South Island (Te Waipounamu). At the northernmost tip, the Marlborough region is a haven for the finer things in life; there are exceptional wineries, luxury lodges, top-notch seafood and scenic waterways. Book an exclusive sailing charter with Katabatic Charters and let local skipper and chef Grant Orchard show you around the winding Marlborough Sounds. The scenery is breathtaking. Native bush-clad hills are fringed by sheltered bays and little inlets. In Queen Charlotte Sound (one of the region’s four sounds), you could moor up to wander around wildlife sanctuary Motuara Island.

There’s no limit to the exhilarating experiences you can have here – from adrenaline-fuelled pursuits to scenic immersions. Stunning from the ground, but spectacular from the air, take to the skies to explore the vast Te Wahipounamu (South West New Zealand World Heritage Area) and Fiordland National Park on a private scenic helicopter tour. On departure, you’ll have a glorious panorama of the fun-loving city, vineyards and iridescent alpine lakes before you soar above the snow-dusted Southern Alps to the Fiordlands. You’ll fly the full length of the mighty Milford Sound towards the west coast.

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Auckland's Sky Tower

Inferno Crater Lake

North Island

South Island

Auckland

Southern Alps

Yellow-eyed penguins

Mount Tongariro volcano

Riverside retreat Huka Lodge – upgrade from a suite to the Alex Van Heeren Cottage, which has a heated plunge pool. Oenophiles should book a private meal in the lodge’s capacious wine cellar.

Stay at:

For water views and fine dining stay at Matakauri Lodge, a luxury hideaway set in a forest above Lake Wakatipu. It’s just minutes from bustling Queenstown too.

Stay at:

The Kaimata Retreat, an exclusive-use eco retreat overlooking the Papanui Inlet on the Otago Peninsula.

Stay at:

Back to map

Explore the rugged beauty of Dunedin on the Otago Peninsula, where wild landscapes meet charming seaside towns

Auckland

Northland

Queenstown

Fiordlands

Marlborough Sounds

Tongariro

Wairarapa

Rotorua

Lead image. Delamore Lodge, Auckland

Designed and produced by Telegraph Media Group Design: Matthew Brant, Picture Editor: Alex Kelly, Commissioning Editor: Jim Bruce-Ball, Web Producer: Jasmine Maidment, Project Manager: Michelle Birbeck

Northland

Rotorua

Tongariro

Wairarapa

Marlborough Sounds

Fiordlands

Queenstown

The beautiful Bay of Islands

Walking tour of Waipoua Kauri Forest

The vast expanse of Ninety Mile Beach

Auckland

Northland

Your luxury itinerary starts here

Rotorua

Tongario

Tongariro

Fiordlands

Queenstwon

Queenstown

Marlborough Sounds

Wairarapa

Auckland's Sky Tower

Inferno Crater Lake

Southern Alps

Yellow-eyed penguins

Mount Tongariro volcano

North Island

South Island

Auckland