January 10 - 23, 2025
Discover the diverse landscapes of New Zealand with our exclusive tour encompassing Auckland and the South Island, including Dunedin, Larnach Castle, the Highlands, Mount Cook, Christchurch, and more! Experience the vibrant cityscape of Auckland, known for its lush urban gardens and parks. Delve into Dunedin's rich botanical heritage, exploring its renowned gardens and historic architecture. Explore the beautifully landscaped grounds of Larnach Castle, adorned with exotic plants and stunning views. Traverse the rugged Highlands, where alpine flora thrives amidst dramatic landscapes. Marvel at the majestic Mount Cook, surrounded by pristine wilderness and unique alpine vegetation. Immerse yourself in the charm of Christchurch, aptly named the Garden City, renowned for its expansive parks, vibrant flower beds, and innovative garden designs.
This tour promises an unforgettable experience, blending New Zealand's natural wonders with cultural treasures and providing insights into local flora and inspiring garden landscapes throughout the journey.
New Zealand by Design with Host & Master Gardener Jeff de Jong
Price per person (Flights not included - international or domestic):
*8 - 9 people: $9,995.00 CDN based on two sharing
*10 - 14 people: $9,250.00 CDN based on two sharing
*15 - 20 people: $8,199.00 CDN based on two sharing
Single Supplement: $1,900.00 CDN
Book your trip today!
Contact: Shari Lukens | 778-401-3303 or shari@nichetravel.ca
IMPORTANT: You will cross the International Date Line when travelling to New Zealand (NZL). Be sure when booking flights that you arrive no later than Jan 10th, NZL time, as tour activities officially start Saturday Jan 11th local time.
*Minimum number of guests 8 people
*Maximum number of guests 15 people.
*Prices subject to change until trip confirmed
*All prices are plus GST
***Dates on itinerary are local New Zealand time
Your Package Includes:
- 13-Nights' Accommodation in a Shared Room
- Meals as per itinerary
- Private group transfer from airport to hotel and sightseeing as per itinerary
- Driver/guide
- World class gardens
- One-night at Larnach Castle, plus unique dinner at the castle
- Optional Helicopter ride - for a fee. Booked upon arrival in NZ
- Entrance fees to all activities and gardens identified in your itinerary
- Wine tastings on Waiheke Island
- Tasman Glacial Lake – only glacial lake containing icebergs in the world
- Sheep shearing experience. . . and so much more!
Subject to:
Surcharges beyond our control.
Accommodation & service availability (at time of booking).
Increase in Goods & Services Tax (GST).
Not included: Personal expenses, airfare (international and domestic internal flight Auckland to Dunedin), taxes, travel insurance, meals not specified, alcohol and gratuities for driver/guide, hosts, etc.
Hold your space with a $1,000.00 CND non-refundable deposit.
Final payment due: 10 September 2024.
**If you don’t already have, please consider purchasing Trip Insurance to protect your investment at time of deposit. (I am only able to offer Trip Cancellation, Interruption & Medical insurance to those that live in BC or AB).
Book your trip today!
Contact: Shari Lukens | 778-401-3303 or shari@nichetravel.ca
Tour Prices: The above prices are based on rates in effect at this time. These prices are established in accordance with airfares, exchange rates and various other factors. In the event of an increase, DEPARTURES TRAVEL reserves the right to increase the cost of the tour, unless full payment has been received.
Jeff de Jong, a renowned Horticulturist based in Victoria, brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the world of gardening. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Jeff instructs a variety of horticultural courses at the University of Victoria (UVIC), including a highly popular Landscape Design course developed in collaboration with the university.
Jeff's expertise and engaging teaching style have made him a sought-after speaker for garden clubs internationally. His extensive experience includes instructing the Master Gardener Program, where he has inspired countless individuals to deepen their understanding and love of gardening.
Jeff also leads garden tours around the world, including The Netherlands, New Zealand, and the UK, where he has explored and shared international gardening styles and practices.
His own garden, a testament to his skill and creativity, has been featured in prominent magazines and has been open for public tours, showcasing his dedication to the art of horticulture.
*Itinerary is subject to change
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Day | Friday 10 January - local time (New Zealand)!
Welcome to Auckland - Friday 10 January - local time (New Zealand)!
Upon your arrival at Auckland Airport, you will be greeted and transferred to your accommodation. Please note that only one group transfer is included; individual transfers can be arranged at an additional cost.
Today, Friday 10 January local time - is reserved for arrival, rest and recovery. No activities are planned, allowing you to relax and settle in.
Day 2: Sightseeing Tour of Auckland & Wine Tasting | Saturday 11 January
Morning: Auckland City Tour
Afternoon: Stunning scenery, wine and food! Take in spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf and beyond to the Coromandel Peninsula on the scenic drive to the first stop, a casual lunch at a local vineyard. If time allows, after lunch head towards Onetangi, a long beach with beautiful old Pohutukawa trees on the foreshore. Depart Onetangi for a second vineyard for wine tasting. The last stop is at a picturesque vineyard overlooking the Hauraki Gulf for a final wine tasting.
Day 3: Auckland Botanic Gardens | Sunday 12 January
Morning: Guided tour of Auckland Botanic Gardens.
With more than 10,000 beautiful and fascinating plants from New Zealand and around the world, Auckland Botanic Gardens offers 64 hectares of cleverly themed displays and is knows as a gardener’s nirvana.
Afternoon: Free at leisure to explore Auckland.
Day 4: Gardens + Dinner Cruise | Monday 13 January
Just over 50-years from a bare site, Ayrlies Gardens is nearing maturity. One of select few gardens in New Zealand of International Significance renowned for both its design and horticultural excellence. If you think gardening is an art form, Ayrlies is the best expression of that art.
Afternoon: Guided tour of Michner Garden - 100% Pure New Zealand - Michner Garden is a 6 Star Garden of International Significance. The Georgian styled home is the centrepiece of this large rural garden featuring formal and informal planting, native walkways and waterways. Beautifully designed with a very high standard of execution, any plant enthusiast or landscape designer would be mad to miss a visit here. Don’t miss the potting shed!
Evening: Dinner Cruise - Immerse yourself in Auckland’s harbour setting with dinner on the water. Enjoy canapes and a welcome drink as you depart the dock for the open water. Your friendly knowledgeable crew will talk you through Auckland’s unique history as you sail past iconic landmarks. Your three-course dinner is served above deck as you take in the sea air or optional dining below deck in the well-appointed cabin. Savour dessert as the city lights up during the leisurely sail back to the vibrant Viaduct Basin.
Day 5: Larnach Castle & Garden Tour | Tuesday 14 January
This morning you will fly from Auckland to Dunedin as a group.
Upon arrival, you'll discover New Zealand’s only Castle, built 1871 by William Larnach, merchant baron and politician, for his beloved first wife Eliza. It took over 200 workmen three years to build the Castle shell and master European craftsmen spent a further 12 years embellishing the interior. Larnach spared no expense on his dream home, which features the finest materials from around the world. You will spend one night at Larnach Castle and enjoy a 4-course dinner in the Library of the Castle that evening.
Day 6: Dunedin: Royal Albatross Centre | Yellow Eyed Penguins | Wednesday 15 January
Royal Albatross Centre Tour – This is your chance to see the world’s only mainland Royal Albatross Breeding Colony. A unique experience to access the nature reserve to see the giant albatross court, mate, raise their chicks and show off their three metre wingspans. Later in the day, experience a tour of OPERA (Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance) previously known as Penguin Place, is made possible by the conservation work done to ensure the future of the Yellow-eyed Penguin (one of the rarest and most endangered penguins in the world). In addition to learning about the Yellow-eyed Penguin, guests can see these majestic birds up close in our rehabilitation center.
Day 7: Dunedin City Tour | Chinese Botanical Gardens | Thursday 16 January
A tour of Dunedin followed by a perfect mixture of a traditional Chinese landscape painting; the Chinese Botanical Garden encapsulates the essence of nature. Recognized as a six-star Garden of International Significance, its purpose is to guide you on a journey towards a deeper appreciation of history, culture, heritage, and tradition. Its origins come from a desire to celebrate the city's Chinese heritage and its valuable sister city relationship with Shanghai.
Day 8: MacKenzie Basin - New Zealand's High Country | Friday 17 January
Today, you depart Dunedin for Twizel via MacKenzie Basin. The MacKenzie Basin - also traditionally known as the MacKenzie Country, is a roughly elliptical shaped basin that is surrounded by mountain ranges. It is located near the geographical center of the South Island of New Zealand and is regarded as a typical representative of New Zealand's "High Country". The basin covers about 100 km north-south direction and about 40 km from east to west. The surrounding area boasts glacial lakes and snow-capped mountain peaks and is often used as a location for film productions, including Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings.
Day 9: Tasman Glacial Lake | Saturday 18 January
Experience a boat cruise on Tasman Glacial Lake and take in the enormity of NZ's largest glacier as you weave in and out of floating icebergs. This is the only tour of its kind in New Zealand and one of the only accessible glacial lakes containing icebergs in the world. Later, you will spend the night at the historical Hermitage Hotel which is perfectly positioned for views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and the majestic landscape that surrounds him. Proudly New Zealand and family owned, the caretakers of this very special place celebrate the fascinating stories that fill the region’s storybook and are deeply committed to accommodating world travellers in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park for generations to come.
Day 10: Farm Tour, Sheep Shearing & Trott's Garden | Sunday 19 January
A visit to a family run sheep farm where you'll spend some time in their onsite shearing shed where you will learn about the shearing industry, different breeds of sheep as well enjoying a shearing demonstration.
You will also see a working dog demonstration which takes place in a paddock near the shearing shed. Later in the day, a renowned garden with international acclaim, Trott’s Garden. The New Zealand Garden's Trust awarded Trott’s Garden six stars (its highest category) and designated it as a NZ Garden of International Significance, for its outstanding horticultural value in plant material, cultivation, design, construction, and maintenance.
Day 11: Christchurch City Tour, Botanical Gardens & Walking Food Tour | Monday 20 January
A tour of the city before visiting their renowned Botanical Gardens with a guided Botanic Gardens Tour. Take in the beauty of the various sections of the gardens as your driver navigates you around the 21-hectares on board an all-weather electric shuttle.
In the afternoon, you'll eat your way through Christchurch on a private Walking Food Tour exploring hidden gems all the while enjoying local cuisine, fresh produce, local markets, artisan made treats and wine.
Day 12: Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise | Tuesday 21 January
Experience majestic scenery and stunning wildlife of Akaroa Harbour. You’ll see the rare, native dolphin – the Hector’s or New Zealand Dolphin. There’s also the chance to spot the world’s smallest penguin, the White Flippered Little Blue Penguin, Fur Seals and other sea birds. Other highlights are some majestic volcanic cliffs (including the impressive Cathedral Cave) and signs of Akaroa’s fascinating past including early Māori, French and British settlements.
Day 13: Kaikoura Whale Watching Tour | Wednesday 22 January
New Zealand Fur Seals, pods of Dusky dolphins and the endangered Wandering Albatross are all possible sightings during this tour. Depending on the season you may also see migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales. Kaikoura often hosts the world's largest dolphin - the Orca - and is home to the world's smallest and rarest, the Hector's.
Day 14: Departure Day | Thursday 23 January
All good things do come to an end. This morning, you will check-out of your hotel and will transfer to the Christchurch airport. (One transfer for the entire group. Individual transfers can be arranged). Are you heading home? Are you extending your vacation and heading to Australia? Wherever your journey takes you, enjoy!