New Zealand — Aotearoa: Cultures & Flavors

About this trip with Claudia Royston, your host

On this specially curated itinerary, I will take you to Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud, to explore its unspoiled landscape, the warm hospitality of its people, and its extraordinary food and wine. We will dine at some of Auckland's most innovative restaurants, a winery in Marlborough, fish and chips for a relaxed night in.

Maori culture and history is woven through every stage of the tour as the thread that connects us to the country. On the North Island, we explore Auckland and its region — Waiheke Island and Taupo.

On the South Island, we go further: wine tastings in Marlborough, a scenic train journey, and finally Akaroa, a village whose remarkable history shaped the very founding of New Zealand.

Even for the well-travelled, New Zealand offers something genuinely refreshing. I hope you'll join me in March 2027. (Please find terms and conditions here, including for cancellation.)

DATES
March 6-19, 2027
(14 days)

Price;
Double: $7,990
Single: $8,690

Internal airfare not included, Estimated at around $600. You must depart the US no later than March 4 to arrive by March 6. Coming a day early is recommended.

Day 1 - Arrival in Auckland (three nights)

“Haere Mai Ki Aotearoa!” - welcome to the Land of the Long White Cloud!

Auckland is New Zealand's largest city, with around 1.6 million inhabitants...but it is not just another 'big smoke'. It's a vibrant, funky, sub-tropical metropolis with much to see and do. A list will be provided before departure.

This evening we’ll gather for dinner in the hotel restaurant.

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Day 2 - A Maori Welcome & City Tour

This morning starts early with a spiritual awakening at a marae — a traditional karakia (prayer) seeking guidance and protection for our journey, followed by our guide sharing the history of his people and the significance of this area to his iwi (tribe).

Next, the volcanic summit of Maungakiekie rises 600 feet above Auckland City with breathtaking 360° views, followed by a stop at Achilles Point to view the three carved pou before breakfast at a local cafe (to be paid directly).

After some downtime, our city tour begins with a drive across the iconic Harbour Bridge into Devonport, where Victorian charm and boutique shops create a timeless atmosphere. The day concludes with free time: perhaps visit the Auckland Museum or exploring the vibrant waterfront shops. Dinner at leisure.

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Day 3 - Waiheke Island Tour

Our day trip to Waiheke Island has a little bit of everything.

Considered Auckland’s weekend playground, it’s only a 40-minute ferry ride away. Upon arrival we will have some time to visit some island boutiques and discover what modern designers are doing with beautiful NZ wool that feels almost like silk. Next, we’ll explore the northern coast of the island and learn about the island’s history.

We will be ready for lunch at our first winery of the day, which is considered one of the top 10 Waiheke Island wines, with an average of 93/100. After lunch at their restaurant, we will continue to our final stop of the day, one of the pioneer wineries on Waiheke and now owned by the University of Auckland. They name their vineyard blocks, unusual for Waiheke, and the range includes the Woodhill Syrah, the Wilma Road Viognier, and the Zell Chardonnay, reflecting the different characters of the land. Afterwards, we’ll take the ferry back to Auckland. Dinner at leisure this evening.

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Day 4 - Auckland -> Taupo (three nights)

Auckland's West Coast has so much to offer — lush rainforests, famous black sand surf beaches and spectacular waterfalls. We'll explore the iconic Piha Beach and Lion Rock, with its cascading waterfalls running through ancient forest and breathtaking coastal views. We'll also visit the Arataki Cultural Centre, where we'll learn about the deep Maori connection to this land and take in sweeping views over the Waitakere Ranges. From here we head to Auckland Airport for our flight to Taupo, our next destination on the North Island.

On arrival we'll head to the Wairakei Silica Terraces, where mineral-rich thermal waters drawn directly from the earth have served the Maori for hundreds of years for healing, bathing and wellness. Three adults-only pools sit at the base of the silica terraces, each maintained at a different temperature. We'll spend some time taking the waters and soaking up the surroundings before heading back to the hotel to check in and relax ahead of dinner.

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Day 5 - 'Ko tahi Te ra' Experience

Today, as a group, we have an authentic Maori hangi experience all to ourselves — 'Ko tahi Te ra', this one special day, shared together.

Our host is a warm and generous storyteller, as passionate about the magic of the New Zealand bush and the Kaimanawa Ranges as he is about the food he prepares. He is more than just a host, he is a chef and kaitiaki (guardian) of this remarkable corner of New Zealand.

Together we'll participate in traditional Maori food preparation and the cooking of a hangi (feast), learning how deeply their lives were woven into the natural world around them. Afterwards, we'll walk through the Orakei Korako Thermal Reserve, one of New Zealand's most stunning geothermal landscapes, before sitting down to enjoy the meal we've helped prepare.

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Day 6 - Taupo

This morning we visit a Maori Master Carver at his studio and among some of the most significant carving sites of the region. In the Maori world, the carver holds a place second only to the chief and is keeper of history, tradition and spiritual knowledge. The Maori had no alphabet when Europeans arrived, yet could recite their genealogy dozens of generations back. That knowledge lived in carvings and weavings, and time with a master carver offers us a rare and privileged window into that world.

From here we return to the Wairakei Terraces to relax and take the waters in the hot pools. The striking blue, silky waters have drawn visitors from around the world since the turn of the 19th century, testifying to their curative properties and therapeutic effects on the body. The thermal waters will warm us while nourishing our skin — a perfect way for us to end the day.

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Day 7 -Blenheim -> Kaikoura (two nights)

This morning we say goodbye to Taupo and the North Island and travel to the South Island for the second half of our journey. We start with an exploration of Marlborough wine country, with our first stop at a vineyard where a classic tasting of six wines — accompanied by charcuterie boards — showcases the remarkable diversity of this estate. Sitting upon soils carved by glacial and tectonic forces in the Wairau Valley foothills, this winery produces organic wines that are textural, elegant and deeply connected to the land.

We then continue to the only winery in New Zealand dedicated to Méthode Traditionelle sparkling wine. Founded by a Frenchman whose Champagne-making roots trace back 12 generations to 1684, the wines are consistently regarded as among the finest sparkling wines produced outside of Champagne.

From here our driver takes us along the scenic coastal route to Kaikoura where we will check in for a two-night stay. LAUNDRY NOTE: The one-bedroom apartments are fully equipped with a washing machine and dryer.

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Day 8 - Private cooking class

Today we have a choice, fishing or foraging, before coming together to prepare feast on whatever the morning delivers. Those heading out on the water will spend two hours fishing Kaikoura's rich seas for blue cod and sea perch, surrounded by albatross, seals and the dramatic Seaward Kaikōura Range.

Those who choose to forage will walk the shoreline around South Bay, learning about the area's whaling history and conservation efforts along the way, with a stop for botanical tea and homemade biscuits.

Afterwards we meet up at the wharf before heading to a beautiful farm-based cooking school set between the Kaikoura mountains and the Pacific coast. We will use the ingredients we have caught and gathered that morning and then cook an extraordinary meal with more produce from their farm. along with whatever we have gathered from the coast that morning. We'll cook our catch alongside garden produce, then sit down together to enjoy the feast with local wine and beer.

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Day 9 Kaikoura -> Christchurch (two nights)

This is a big day: whale watching in the morning, then the Coastal Pacific train to Christchurch in the afternoon.

Kaikoura is one of the few places in the world where giantwhales can be seen year-round and close to shore. They are drawn here by the extraordinary marine food chain sustained by the 3km-deep Kaikoura Canyon. It was a whale that led the Maori ancestor Paikea to New Zealand many centuries ago, and his descendants live here today. The Captain's Cabin reserved exclusively for our group.

After the tour we have some free time in town before boarding the Coastal Pacific Train for the journey south — three hours along the Pacific coast and past Marlborough's vineyards, with a regional menu served as the scenery passes. Our driver will meet us on arrival and transfer us to The Mayfair Hotel.

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Day 10 Christchurch

This morning after breakfast we will discover Christchurch with their historic hop-on hop-off tram on a loop through the city’s most significant sites. It’s a great way to get our bearings and take in the city's remarkable story of reinvention. Highlights include the restored Arts Centre and the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, home to one of New Zealand's most significant public collections.

The rest of the day is free to explore at your own pace. Among other things, there is punting on the Avon River or a visit to the Botanic Gardens, and the city has a wonderful independent shopping scene, from design stores and galleries to some excellent New Zealand wool and yarn shops, whether you're already a knitter or about to become one.

Before heading off for dinner, we’ll gather at a local wine bar for a tasting flight — four tasting glasses to continue our exploration of New Zealand's remarkable regional wine diversity.

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Day 11 Christchurch -> Akaroa (three nights)

This morning we make the scenic drive from Christchurch over the Port Hills and down to Akaroa — one of New Zealand's most storied towns. Settled by the French in the 1840s, they arrived just days after the British had raised their flag and claimed sovereignty. The French stayed anyway, and their influence lives on in the street names, architecture and character of the town.

After settling in, we’ll enjoy a two-hour harbour cruise. Akaroa is home to the Hector's dolphin, the world's smallest and rarest breed of dolphins, found only in New Zealand waters and easily recognised by their rounded dorsal fins. Watch them ride the bow as the boat passes the harbour's dramatic cliffs, the famous Elephant Head and Cathedral Cave.

Dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant.

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Day 11 - Akaroa

This morning the group splits in two — one half spending the morning at leisure to explore Akaroa's boutique shops, cafes and harbour foreshore, while the other embarks on a private history and nature tour with a seventh generation descendant of Akaroa's original French settlers.

Our guide brings to life the story of how Akaroa sits at the centre of one of New Zealand's most remarkable and little-known stories — it was a massacre on these shores in 1830 that set in motion the chain of events leading to the Treaty of Waitangi, and it was here that the first South Island chiefs signed it ten years later. The story weavess together Maori and French history, the natural environment and her own family's story into a worldview that is genuinely inspiring.

The two groups then swap, meeting for fish and chips on the beach in between — before the second group heads out for the afternoon. Dinner at leisure.

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Day 13 - Akaroa

A free day in Akaroa to explore at your own pace — one of New Zealand's most charming small towns, with the harbour, hills and history all on your doorstep.

For those who want to be active, the harbour is perfect for a sea kayak safari, and the Banks Peninsula tracks offer some beautiful short walks. The lighthouse is a pleasant 15-minute stroll along the coast. We can also arrange a guided e-bike tour of the area for those who'd like to explore a little further — just let us know in advance (not included).

For a more relaxed morning, the Giants House is a short walk from town — a historic property with gardens full of mosaic sculptures, or the town itself rewards a gentle wander through its boutique shops and cafes.

This evening we gather for our farewell dinner at Caldera Estate, perched above Akaroa, with sweepingviews over the harbour and hills. Their wines are made with local Akaroa grapes as well as from Central Otago, Waipara and Marlborough, and the food is a celebration of local produce.

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Day 14 - Departure

This morning after breakfast and check out, there will be an airport transfer from Akaroa to Christchurch International Airport to catch your flight for your onward journey. If you'd like to extend your trip with a few days in Queenstown, please don't hesitate to ask — we'd love to arrange it.

Please be aware that you can travel directly back to the US (via SFO or LAX) from Christchurch. No need to fly back to Auckland to fly home. Just choose a “multi-city” ticket when booking.

Haere pai atu, hoki pai mai

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