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New Zealand, an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, offers a rich and diverse history characterized by the arrival of the Māori people over a thousand years ago and subsequent European colonization in the 18th century. The country’s unique flora and fauna are unparalleled, with lush green landscapes, rugged mountains, and pristine coastlines. Iconic species like the kiwi bird and the silver fern are emblematic of New Zealand’s natural beauty. The people, known for their warmth and hospitality, embody a vibrant culture that blends Māori traditions with European influences. Thousands of people visit New Zealand every year to take in its breathtaking scenery from world class wine to Milford Sound’s fjords. The nation’s commitment to environmental conservation adds an extra layer of allure, making it a must-visit destination for both nature enthusiasts and culture seekers. We were in New Zealand for 10 days, and while it was incredible, we were of course unable to see everything. If you have the chance, I’d recommend going for at least 2 weeks, but 3-4 weeks would be even better.
Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand, offers a dynamic urban experience with a unique blend of fine dining, art galleries, and an energetic night life. This hilly city is clean yet vibrant and makes for a great place to begin your trip. The Sky Tower, an iconic landmark, dominates the skyline and provides panoramic views of the city and its harbors. Auckland’s waterfront is lined with lively restaurants and cafes, many of which have excellent views of the water. Be sure to enjoy the many museums as well, such as the Auckland War Memorial Museum, which showcases the country’s rich history and Māori heritage, as well as the Auckland Art Gallery, which includes artwork from Picasso and Dali. And of course, don’t miss out on a day trip to see Hobbiton and the Glowworm Caves.
Waiheke Island, a short ferry ride from Auckland, is a haven of serenity and natural beauty. Renowned for its 30 vineyards, olive groves, and pristine beaches, Waiheke provides a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Explore the island’s art galleries, enjoy a guided food and wine-tasting tour, or relax on the sandy beaches. Waiheke’s relaxed atmosphere and stunning landscapes make it an ideal retreat for those seeking a tranquil getaway. Make it a day trip, or stay for a few days.
Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city offers a blend of cultural richness and natural beauty with its hilly streets and picturesque harbor. Enjoy a day trip to the world-famous Martinborough wine region. Spend time exploring Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum that showcases New Zealand’s history, art, and culture. Stroll through the Wellington Botanic Garden, which offers a peaceful retreat of roses and trees with panoramic city views. A visit to the Zealandia eco-sanctuary is a must for any bird lover. Zealandia offers an immersive encounter with native wildlife, including the elusive kiwi bird. Enjoy several hours walking around the property listening to all the birds chatter. And don’t miss out on the trolley, which brings you back down to the harbor after a day filled with walking across Wellington’s steep and hilly streets.
Queenstown, nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by jagged mountains, is a playground for adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts. Known as the “Adventure Capital of the World,” Queenstown offers a myriad of outdoor activities, from bungee jumping off the historic Kawarau Bridge to heli-skiing on the pristine slopes of The Remarkables. If you’re looking for something more relaxing, enjoy a tasting tour of the Otago wine region, either by bus or bicycle. The tranquil Milford Sound, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is well worth the day trip from Queenstown. You’ll see fjords, waterfalls, and wildlife, and hopefully, your tour guide will pull over to show you a few spots where scenes from Lord of the Rings were filmed. Queentown’s vibrant nightlife and charming lake walk surrounded by mountains and lined with shops and restaurants, making it an incredible destination.
If you ever have the chance to go to New Zealand, do not hesitate. Take the trip. Use up all your vacation days, save up for it, go with friends, go alone. Whatever it takes. While I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled all over the United States and all over the world, New Zealand is as magical as they say. Before our trip even ended, my husband and I were already talking about what we’d do when we returned to New Zealand someday in the future. For me, it felt like this strange utopia where everyday was perfect; the food, the weather, the people. And after we left, it felt like a dream I had and wanted more of.
Looking for more international inspiration? Check out my blog posts on Paris! For more local ideas, check out my blog posts on Duluth, Bayfield, and Minneapolis.
If you asked me to spend my weekend 140 metres above a gushing river, strolling through one of New Zealand’s largest wine caves, and undertaking an 18km e-bike ride, the only way you’d get me to say ‘yes’ is if you were my bestie.
But that’s exactly what our early Galentine’s weekend in Queenstown had in store.
My bestie Jaime and I ditched the boyfs and headed to NZ’s tourism capital to get a quick escape right here in Aotearoa - ‘cause let’s be real, who has the time, money or annual leave to be heading overseas rn?
I’m an adrenaline junkie and Jaime was craving a bit of R&R, so with plenty to choose from, we went with a mix of activities to satisfy us both.
We’re talking jet-boating through the Shotover and Kawarau rivers, journeying through the history of Lake Wakatipu on the Time Tripper, sipping our way through a wine tour, and ending it all at a bougie hotel.
So, if you’re ready to treat yourself (and your bestie) to a Galentine’s getaway, here’s how to squeeze in as much as possible in the adventure capital of New Zealand.
We arrived early, grabbed our rental car (booked with our flights through Booking.com), and headed straight to the famous Shotover Canyon Swing – yes, the one made iconic by the guy who screamed “let me tell you something!” (and they have merch, too).
After being introduced to our guides - the people in charge of our lives for the day - Mike and Arnold, we realised pretty quickly that the nerves sunk in QUICK.
“Let’s go 10 minutes up the road and jump off a cliff - easy as that,” Mike said, making it sound way too simple.
The short ride felt like it could’ve been about an hour with how dead silent everyone sat as we navigated the windy road to the swing.
Of course, being such polite gals, we obvs let everyone else take to the swing first - barely hiding the fact our hearts were pounding out of our chests.
When it was our turn to dangle over 100 metres above the river, we had to decide how we wanted Mike and Arnold to drop us into terror. Options included Spartan-style (being kicked off by an instructor’s foot), hanging upside down, or falling backward off a deck chair, but we chose for the rope to be cut with a knife - for whatever god-forsaken reason we came up with at the time.
They made us WAIT - I slowly watched Arnold cut each and every individual thread and when the final one could no longer hold our weight, it SNAPPED, and we plummeted into the craziest adrenaline rush ever.
Once the free fall turned into a smooth swing, surrounded by stunning Queenstown scenery, I almost didn’t want it to end.
But alas, we were pulled back up, greeted with applause from the other swingers, proud to see us face our fears.
The best part? Keeping the tattered rope as a memento of our bravery and tears shed in the lead-up.
After that adrenaline-fueled adventure, we were in desperate need of a well-earned break. So we were off to check in to the St Moritz - a stunning spot that wasn’t just all about being bougie, but as we soon discovered, sustainability too.
“In an effort to prevent thousands of pairs of disposable hotel slippers being sent to landfill each year”, they offered us reusable cotton bedsocks as a more sustainable (and cosy) alternative.
Something we were looking forward to having seen the reviews on Booking.com was the super spacious room with two king single beds - yes, we both star fished while we had the chance - a TV and a decent-sized bathroom with a lovely shower, which I can confirm was just the right pressure (call me the Goldilocks of hotels, if you will).
Oh, and there were plenty of mirrors - four to be exact - which came in super handy at saving the friendship since we didn’t have to fight over who was getting ready first each day.
We had booked a Garden View room which wasn't quite as 'gram-worthy as we'd hoped, with a big wall blocking a lot of the sunlight - luckily, it was still a good place to have a cuppa and there were heaps of other breathtaking spots for a selfie.
To see what the lake view offered, we headed to the restaurant, Lombardi, where we tucked into a mega steak I struggled to finish and seafood pasta that Jaime devoured. We watched the sunset as we dug into our shared crème brûlée and chocolate brownie - the boyfs wished they were this cute.
Because we were so busy packing in activities, the buffet breakfast (included in our Booking.com reservation) was an ideal and delicious time saver. Think fresh fruit salads, salmon and capers, plus made-to-order pancakes - a personal fave.
Up bright and early to catch an animated show that takes you on a journey through the fascinating history of Lake Wakatipu - literally right under the lake itself.
I won’t spoil too much, but let’s just say we uncovered some of the most interesting details about how Queenstown transformed into the bustling tourism hub it is today.
It felt like a school field trip activity and one you’d often skip out on, but genuinely was an easy watch and gives you a deeper appreciation for Q-town.
We learned about the dinosaurs that once roamed the land, how the lake was carved out by a giant glacier and to top it all off, we got to watch the marine life swim by the giant glass window during feeding time.
After learning about the history of the lake, it was time for us to zoom across it. KJet conveniently took off just above the Time Triper on the wharf.
Our driver had top-tier banter, making the whole ride even more fun. We sat right up front - a big mistake if you don’t want the wind smacking you in the face!
At one point, I nearly lost my headband and sunnies, but I was too busy holding on for dear life to notice!
Flying through both the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers was wild, and the contrast between the two was crazy.
The Kawarau was a beautiful aqua colour and super wide, which made for some epic 360 turns. The Shotover was much narrower and split in loads of different directions - you never knew what path the driver was going to take.
The speed, the spins, and the spray definitely woke us up for our arvo activities.
Not even an hour later we were picked up by our driver from Appellation Wine Tours in the centre of town, but quickly realised - thanks to a couple staying at the same hotel as us - that there’s an option to be picked up from your accommodation.
Our driver was an absolute legend, especially considering it was his first day on the job!
We spent three and a half blissful hours touring three premium vineyards in the southernmost wine region in the world.
Our first stop was Nockie’s Pallatte, followed by Gibston Valley, and then Waitiri Creek. Each vineyard was unique, but the standout moment was exploring one of only two wine caves in NZ - and the largest one at that.
As we enjoyed the wine and cheese platters across the three locations, we learned that our group of 10 had come together from all over the world - two couples from Colorado, a couple from Ireland, and a pair from Perth.
The vibe was fantastic, and we all connected over some great wine, later coming together for cocktails in town. All in all, the wine tour was perfect for making new friends and sampling some of the finest bevvies NZ’s Gibston region has to offer.
You might even want to book a longer tour, ‘cause this one did feel like it went by with a snap of the fingers.
This was the one activity both of us were dreading - and when I say that, I mean we actually told our guide, Shay from Ride to Sky, “we’d never willingly go for a bike ride”, but when in Queenstown…
Spoiler alert: It ended up being the one we loved the most - yes, even over the wine! A shocker for two gals in their 20s, I know.
After cruising - bumpily and shakily - down the test hill, our confidence grew, and we were mentally preparing to tackle the 17.9km ahead.
It was a steep challenge, and I felt like a baby deer trying to walk for the first time, but - by some miracle - we made it to the end.
We biked through 18km of stunning Queenstown landscapes - downhill, uphill, and through forestry - just the three of us.
Along the way, we passed through a private sheep farm and headed toward the historical Shotover Bridge, which was the original entrance and exit road to Queenstown built in 1871 until it was washed away by floods in 1878 and rebuilt as a walkway.
We also explored hidden trails along the Shotover and Kawarau Rivers, all while soaking in some stunning views. Familiar ones from the previous day’s JetBoat trip. We were almost feeling like locals by now. They promise “one tour, 100 emotions!” and let me tell you, we definitely felt them all.
We were pleasantly surprised that the eBikes did most of the hard work, allowing us to pace ourselves and enjoy the scenery. But, heads up - there are a few steep sections that’ll have you questioning your fitness, even with the assistance.
It was all worth it for the sense of accomplishment, and the L&P and muesli bar with Shay at the end of the ride - honestly, I wanted to keep going… Jaime, not so much.
And just like that, after a weekend packed with both relaxation and adrenaline, you can bet we slept like babies on the trip back home.
Sophie and Jaime travelled to Queenstown as guests of Booking.com and Destination Queenstown.
By 2030 – if things really go to plan – you'll land in Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island (possibly even aboard an electric-powered Air New Zealand airplane) and make your way to town via an electric gondola or on a hydro-powered ferry across the town's famous glacier-fed lake, Lake Wakatipu. Skiers and snowboarders – who in winter descend on this region in ever-increasing numbers from around the world – will ride electric-powered chairlifts to the peaks of the surrounding ski resorts.
Year-round, travellers might take high-speed rides on Lake Wakatipu and along the shallow whitewater rapids of the Shotover River town aboard the world's first fully electric jet boats. Even the TSS Earnslaw – this hemisphere's oldest coal-fired, passenger-carrying steamship that has transported young families on day excursions since the 1970s – will run on hydrogen.
It's all part of the region's very ambitious plan to become the first tourist town on Earth to have a carbon-zero visitor economy by 2030. The "adventure capital of the world" – a title earned through decades of innovation creating death-defying activities that had been done nowhere else, but ones that run primarily on fossil fuels – now wants to become the ecotourism capital of the world. And they're aiming for a carbon-zero visitor economy in six years, not an easier-to-achieve carbon-neutral visitor economy (where Queenstown could use carbon credits, like planting trees, to achieve its environmental goals). Becoming carbon-zero is much harder to achieve – because it means you can't emit any carbon at all.
"Well, 2030 creates urgency, doesn't it?" Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods asks rhetorically. "2030 seemed so hard to achieve that it got the community excited. It means that everyone in the community has to be part of this [push to carbon-zero]."
Queenstown's huge environmental challenge stemmed from a concern that the region's infrastructure was struggling to cope with the sheer number of tourists coming to town. Queenstown is set around a massive lake, fringed by the rugged mountains of the country's Southern Alps. It's been a skiing hotspot since resorts first opened in the 1940s, but the development of an adventure tourism economy built around its dramatic landscape since the 1960s established the region as one of New Zealand's most popular destinations.
Last year, almost 400,000 international visitors came here, an almost-20% rise since 2019, just before the pandemic. This number is particularly significant when you consider Queenstown has a permanent population of around 50,000.
"Locals were asking, what's in this for us," Woods says. "And can we really sustain this region the way it's going?"
The three local regional tourism organisations – Destination Queenstown, Queenstown Lakes District Council and Lake Wanaka Tourism – proposed the audacious goal in 2021 and were surprised at the support they got from tourism operators. "We took the plan out to the community and weren't sure what to expect," Woods says. "And everyone supported it. And that's the most important part in all of this. Every person has to play a part."
That could be someone like… say, Mr Chippy. While New Zealand eagerly awaits the really big shifts towards environmental sustainability in tourism – like the trial of the region's first e-plane flight, set for 2026 on an Air New Zealand cargo route between Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds – Mr Chippy, aka Michael Sly, has been quietly composting 20 tonnes of hotel food waste each month around Queenstown. His company, Waste To Wilderness, turns the scraps left by tourists into nutrient-dense soil used for food growing – a perfect example of regenerative tourism. "You don't have to take giant leaps," he says. "Take little steps in the right direction and you'll be amazed by what you can achieve."
Though given the number of tourists coming to the Queenstown region each year, local accommodation providers must become the most consequential players in Queenstown's plan to run on alternative energy. The promising news is that already no accommodation can match what Headwaters Eco Lodge has achieved – and long before the 2030 goalpost. It's the first accommodation on the planet to be recognised by the Living Building Challenge, the most rigorous of all environmental assessment programmes.
Surrounded on all sides by the Southern Alps and braided river valleys in the picture-perfect hamlet of Glenorchy, 45 minutes' drive west of Queenstown, the lodge is built entirely from recycled building material. It uses the world's most advanced compost toilets, while every single litre of wastewater irrigates extensive wetlands built through the middle of the property. All of its power comes from one of the South Island's largest solar gardens – there's nearly 600 solar panels on site – which produce so much energy that the excess is used to power another business up the road.
"My husband Paul and I came up this idea of creating these slow tourism experiences that could support this idea of regenerative design," says Headwaters Eco Lodge co-owner, Debbi Brainerd. "We're in the most beautiful place here in Glenorchy. We liked the idea of creating accommodation that had a positive carbon affect, so we created these things in design to help us get there."
Within Queenstown itself, a refurbished 40-year-old motor inn, Sherwood Queenstown, made Expedia's Top 10 eco-friendly stays list in 2019. It runs almost entirely off 248 solar panels and a full-time horticulturist grows nearly half of all produce required by the hotel's restaurant on a hillside within the property that overlooks Lake Wakatipu. "We say that it's all about small things done consistently that really make a difference," explains general manager Hayley Scott. "But it's also important to have big goals to work towards. Everyone in this community is committed to getting as close to achieving carbon-zero by 2030 as we can. It's got us all thinking."
Dig a little deeper and you'll find that world-first environmental innovation is happening across the Queenstown region. Shotover Jet, which whisks travellers through the narrow canyons of Queenstown’s Shotover River at 85 km/h, are trialling the world's first electric-powered jet boat. It's taken three years, but the prototype boat is capable of the same spins and turns – where pilots drive guests just centimetres from the cliffs beside the Shotover River – as their fuel-powered counterparts. But the electric version will actually be far more powerful than the original fuel model. And once it's built, Shotover Jet plan to share the prototype with the rest of the industry to ensure carbon output is eliminated across all jet boat companies in Queenstown.
And the world's first electric hydro-foiling ferry will soon start operating on a lake just south-west of Queenstown. Expected to save more than 240 tonnes of carbon emissions each year (equivalent to taking 52 petrol cars off the road), the Swedish-designed ferry will operate on Lake Manapouri from early 2025 using battery power only. The same type of ferry is expected to operate on Lake Wakatipu next, with local marinas recently updated to enable electric boat charging for all lake users.
And the innovations towards a carbon zero visitor economy keep on coming. A local wine tour company – Appellation Wine Tours – has introduced two new electric vehicles to their fleet; while tour company Nomad Safaris started Tesla Tours, taking zero-emission electric vehicles on private tours to the most scenic parts of the region, like an area just beyond Glenorchy dubbed "Paradise", where rivers running down from glaciers high in the national park above feed the deep waters of Lake Wakatipu.
The region has also developed 130km of bike trails that follow the edge of Lake Wakatipu and lead deep into the backcountry beyond town, sometimes along swaying suspension bridges crossing the emerald-coloured Kawarau River, making it globally recognised as a cycling destination. By 2026, it's estimated biking will reach as much as 50% the size of the more carbon-unfriendly ski visitor economy that currently dominates tourism in the area.
And every one of these developments spur other businesses to push for their own environmental victories and make the next big carbon-zero conquest. As global temperatures surge and storms wreak destruction of unprecedented proportions, it's inspiring to see an entire community of tourism operators embark on a challenge that, if successful, will cut 20 years off the carbon-zero target set by the United Nations Climate Change Council. Their efforts may go largely unnoticed in mainstream media, but this community of former fuel-guzzlers plan to show the world there's still hope for us all yet.
With connections to the transport industry since the 1920s, Appellation Wine Tours has a long history of showcasing fine wines, local sights and heritage attractions.
Having successfully switched 80 per cent of Nelson’s public bus fleet to electric in 2022, the owners were inspired to think how electrification could benefit its other businesses, including Appellation Wine Tours.
On the road now for over 24 years, Appellation covers more than 5,000 kilometres in an average week during peak season with daily small-group and private tours. Now, the business proudly leads by example with its emissions free kilometres growing by the day. Having purchased two new electric Ford E-Transit 12 seater vans in December 2023, the team at Appellation has quickly noticed the rewards with operational efficiencies, economies of scale, as well as the obvious environmental benefits.
“For more than two decades our tours have been an effective way of reducing emissions around the district compared with individual car travel, so we wanted to take it a step further by investing in zero emissions vehicles,” says Sarah Russell, General Manager Appellation Wine Tours.
Supporting Queenstown Lakes' goal of achieving a carbon zero visitor economy by 2030, environmental sustainability was an important factor when Appellation considered electric vehicles, but it wasn’t the only one.
Stu Cordelle, Business and Sales Manager Appellation Wine Tours, says that while the initial investment of electric vehicles may be higher, particularly as they’re custom made vehicles, they have much lower operating costs than fuel-based alternatives. “Electricity is generally cheaper than diesel or petrol, and maintenance expenses are reduced due to fewer moving parts and less wear and tear,” he says.
Electric vehicles are typically known to require fewer parts with less need for replacement, and require servicing less frequently. Additionally, large electric vehicles in New Zealand benefit from a government incentive and are exempt from road user charges until December 2025, creating further savings for the business. “Vehicle driving range was another important consideration. In a typical day including pick-ups and drop offs around Queenstown, a tour can cover anywhere between 150 – 200 kilometres”, Sarah adds.
With an estimated driving range of 250 km per trip in a Ford E-Transit, Appellation is pleased to be touring the district comfortably without needing to stop and charge, which ensures a great guest experience. By investing in EV charging stations for their yard in Frankton, vehicles are fully charged and ready to go each morning, creating efficiencies for drivers and the business, by not having to travel to top up fuel at the end of each day. “It’s peace of mind for our drivers knowing they can come back to the yard, charge it ready for the morning.”
Fortunately, if for any reason they do get caught out with low charge, many wineries and cellar doors have also installed their own electric charging stations.
Looking ahead, the team is learning each day about the way speed and weather can impact driving range, and adapting as they go. They’re also looking at continuing to invest more in sustainable business practices and assets and starting to measure carbon use.
Larger electric passenger vehicles in New Zealand are not readily available and hard to source, so Appellation’s advice to anyone thinking about electrifying a fleet, its to plan it early. Investing in the two Ford E-Transits is just the beginning for Appellation and a step in the right direction for business, guest experience and the wider region.
Appellation Wine Tours, the leading provider of immersive wine experiences in the Central Otago region for over 24 years, proudly announces the addition of two new Ford Transit EVs into their transportation fleet. This significant investment underscores the company's commitment to long-term sustainability and sets a new standard for eco-conscious tourism in the area.
The introduction of these state-of-the-art EVs aligns seamlessly with the company's mission to provide unforgettable wine tours while prioritising sustainability, reducing its carbon footprint and promoting environmentally conscious tourism.
First in the Region to Offer Wine Tours in an EV: Appellation Wine Tours takes pride in being the first in the Central Otago region to pioneer wine tours in an EV and leading the way in sustainable travel experiences.
This ground-breaking move reinforces the company's dedication to showcasing the finest vineyards and scenery while prioritising eco-friendly practices and enhancing the overall experience for their valued customers.
Sarah Russell, General Manager of Appellation Wine Tours expressed enthusiasm about this eco-conscious initiative, stating -
"At Appellation Wine Tours, we are always thinking about our environmental impact and going electric made sense. We want to continue to provide exceptional experiences whilst also contributing toward a more sustainable future.”
“The introduction of the Ford Transit EVs represents a significant step towards decarbonisation and a sustainable future for tourism in the Central Otago region."
The new Ford Transit Electric Vans are now in operation and Appellation Wine Tours invites wine enthusiasts and eco-conscious travellers to come and embark on unforgettable journeys throughout the breath-taking landscapes of Central Otago.
Want to learn how to taste and evaluate a glass of wine like a wine connoisseur? If you want to swirl, sniff and sip like a pro then check out these top tips from award-winning Central Otago boutique winemaker, Waitiri Creek Wines.
Navigating the world of wine drinking can be an overwhelming experience for new wine drinkers. “However, all you really need to drink wine correctly is to be curious and enthusiastic to try new things,” says Alistair Ward founder and owner at Waitiri Creek Wines. Each wine has its own personality reflecting the type of grape, vintage (year) local climate and winemakers flair, he says.
The first step in tasting wine is to inspect the wine colour. The colour of wine gives you hints about its style, body and character. The colour can also indicate the wine’s age. Usually, white wine deepens in colour as it gets older while red wine becomes paler.
You can examine the wine by looking straight down into the glass, then holding the glass up to the light, and finally, give it a tilt, so the wine swirls toward the edges. “This will allow you to see the wine’s full color range,” comments Alistair.
If the colour looks quite pale and watery near its edge as you swirl it, this suggests that the wine could be lacking in flavour. In white wine, if the colour looks tawny or brownish (or orange in red wine) this is indicative of an older wine or a wine that has been oxidized and may be past its peak.
Now that you’ve given the wine a good inspection, you should now be ready to take a good sniff. Give the glass a swirl as swirling will aerate the wine and releasing all the aromas. “Take a few quick, short sniffs, then step away and see what smells you can identify,” adds Alistair. Common wine aroma includes descriptors of fruity, woody, pungent, floral, spicy, nutty, and chemical.
The next step is the fun part – tasting! Take a sip and swirl it around in your mouth until it coats every part your tongue. “This will warm up and aerate the wine, which helps in releasing its unique flavors,” advises Alistair. The palate of the wine should reflect the aromas as flavours. Here is what to look out for:
Now that you understand the basic steps of wine tasting, it’s time to experiment on your own. Teaching yourself to taste wine engages the senses of sight, smell, taste, and touch, all with the goal of finding a wine that you can enjoy with your favourite friends and food.
Repost with permission from Waitiri Creek Wines
Combining activities into combo tours is becoming increasingly popular among busy travelers looking to save both time and money. In a bustling destination like Queenstown, with countless “must-do” activities, maximizing time is key.
Over the years, we’ve noticed clients juggling schedules to fit everything in, which inspired us to simplify the process. As locals with strong partnerships, we’ve teamed up with other businesses to offer cost-effective combos that combine our wine tours with Queenstown’s most popular activities.
Booking is easy via our website, online system, or a simple phone call. Now, you can experience the best of Queenstown without the hassle!
We are delighted to present combination tours :
Book Now – Millbrook Golf & Boutique
Book Now – Millbrook Golf & Private Boutique
Book Now – Moa / Classic Wine Tour
I must admit that I’ve never been game enough — or is it silly enough? — to go for a bungy jump, but I have flown into Queenstown.
Not that I found that so bad, despite the proximity of some pretty rugged terrain, though I’m told that when the clouds and turbulence close in it can get a bit hairy.
Actually the flight in is quite mesmerising on a near-fine Spring day, with peaks all the way from the South Island’s west coast to Queenstown freshly dusted with snow and looking just simply gorgeous.
You suddenly realise that it’s very different country to the rolling hills and flat plains of Central Western NSW where my journey had commenced very early the day before.
The jump off Kuwarau Gorge Suspension Bridge
And the next day I was driven right past the Kuwarau Gorge Suspension Bridge where AJ Hackett took bungy jumping to a commercial level in 1989 and gained worldwide notoriety for Queenstown.
I’m picked up from the airport by Roman Lee-Lo, the Director of Operations at the very classy lakeside Rees Hotel, and given a quick tour of the city, which I’m assured is going absolutely gangbusters, before joining him for dinner in the hotel’s True South Dining Room, but that and the Felton Road wine dinner a few nights later are worthy of their own stories.
Next morning I’m met in the Rees foyer by Gavin Traill, one of Appellation Wine Tours most experienced guides, originally based in the UK but these days an old Queenstown hand.
Arrowtown … charming, historically significant.
The plan is to have a look in the morning at a range of local sites, for me to choose somewhere for lunch in the Queenstown tourist mecca of nearby historic Arrowtown, and then to try out a few Central Otago wineries in the afternoon.
All seems to go exactly according to plan, though I must admit to getting rather quickly blasé about the natural beauty of the city and its immediate surrounds. Friends who’ve absolutely fallen for the place are quite correct in their judgment.
The drive to our first stop, Lake Moke, is inspirational — more untrammelled, rugged snow-covered peaks, hills as green as Ireland’s transposed against bright blue lakes, and still more snow-covered peaks.
Lake Moke itself is incredibly beautiful and peaceful — an isolated, largely uninhabited backwater with just a few campers offering the bones of civilisation.
Gavin Traill and Lake Moke … an inspirational stop.
It’s reached along a very driveable stretch of dirt road but I reckon you’d have to know its whereabouts to find it. I only discover later that film director Jane Campion has a women’s camp further along the lakeshore.
After this dose of beauty you think of anything subsequent as being a little bit ordinary, but it ain’t necessarily so, as Normie Rowe used to croon.
I meet the affable, if slightly overwhelming American-born artist Thomas L Brown and tour his impressive studio, and I pause for a while and gawk at Lake Hayes, which is much larger than Lake Moke and is on the way to the substantial settlement of Arrowtown.
Kinross … a great tasting of wines by smaller growers.
Arrowtown is charming, historically significant for its gold-prospecting background and contains many of the passers-be-aware tourist trappings.
I choose Terra Mia, a jovial, family-run, more-than-passable, main-street Italian joint for lunch and down a pretty handy pizza with a couple of glasses of local rosé.
Then it’s off, as part of a group of five rather than as a solo customer, on a Central Otago wine tasting.
The terrain around Queenstown … snowy mountains and green hills.
Not so long ago they reckoned that Central Otago was too cold for viticulture, but, though it’s probably the world’s most southerly wine region, it experiences quite hot, dry summers and has no problem ripening some of the world’s best pinot noir.
One of the participants has been world-renowned film actor Sam Neill, who started his Two Paddocks venture in 1993.
These days, the area sports more than 40 significant vineyards and wineries, three of which I covered that afternoon — Akarua Wines, Gibbston Valley and Kinross.
Kinross … a great tasting of wines by smaller growers.
The latter was certainly the most interesting, acting as cellar door for a number of Central Otago’s smaller producers.
For a former winemaker, it was a bit of a ‘dog-in-a-forest exercise’ of what to try next but I think it was Grant Taylor’s pinots from Valli Vineyards that really set the tastebuds thinking and chattering.
He’s won the title of producing the world’s best pinot noir an unprecedented four times in London in respected international competition and it’s quite obviously world-class red.
A sip certainly set the scene for the following night’s degustation dinner at the Rees Hotel and a line-up of Central Otago pinots from Felton Road, one of the region’s top producers of the variety.
John Rozentals was a guest of the Rees Hotel and Queenstown Tourism.
QUEENSTOWN IS BEST known as New Zealand’s adventure travel capital, with its ski fields on the imposing Remarkables and surrounding mountains, jet-boat rides and, of course, bungee jumping. But this South Island town has also become an epicentre for sustainable tourism ventures addressing the growing demand for more environmentally responsible holidays. Here you can do the rounds of certified-organic wineries making magnificent pinot noirs and white varietals and take a tour of rugged Queenstown back country in a Tesla Model X powered by renewable energy, and return to town for a night of locally sourced fine dining before retiring to a five-star hotel that’s enthusiastically embraced sustainable practices.
Encouraging the drive to more responsible tourism is a national government with an appetite to address the challenges of climate change and which has committed the country to becoming a world leader in climate action. Then there’s the partnership between Air New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand, the Department of Conservation and the Maori tourism body, among others, to develop the Tiaki Promise. This initiative encourages both overseas and Kiwi travellers to experience the country in a considerate way that protects New Zealand’s environment for future generations and respects local cultures. Visitors are asked to commit to the Tiaki Promise at the beginning of their journey to New Zealand – go to tiakinewzealand.com for full details.
ORGANIC WINE TRAIL
The Central Otago wine region is home to dozens of world-class wineries, including more than its fair share of organic producers. In fact, around 25 per cent of the vineyard land area in the region is certified organic or biodynamic, well above the national average. Appellation Wine Tours (www.appellationwinetours.nz) can create a customised itinerary to visit the cellar doors of some of the leading sustainable wineries of Central Otago. This may include Quartz Reef (www.quartzreef.co.nz), a pioneer in biodynamic wine-making under Austrian-born Rudi Bauer. Bauer converted the first vineyard in the region to organic production, a process he started in 1989 and which took three years to complete. You can sample Quartz Reef’s award-winning biodynamic sparkling wines, pinot gris and pinot noir at its tasting room in the town of Cromwell.
Then there’s Peregrine, on the main road out of Queenstown in the Gibbston Valley, which was certified organic across its range of whites and pinot noir in 2017. Peregrine director Fraser McLachlan says being organic “is a no-brainer for us”. “As a kid I sprayed herbicide [in the vineyard] but I didn’t understand it, and now that we’ve converted to organic I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s just as commercially viable as non-organics, once you get through the conversion process, but it’s better for the environment and it’s better for our staff, to know that they’re not having to inhale or touch poisonous products, and know the soil is being looked after as well.”
For Carrick, a small Bannockburn winery (www.carrick.co.nz), the need to care for the soil also prompted a move to organic and biodynamic practices. All its wines have been certified organic since 2011. “The soils here are really poor: they’re old glacial loess, really sandy, high in minerals but low in organic matter,” says Carrick winemaker Rosie Menzies. “So to encourage organic matter in the soil, organics is really important, as is biodynamics.” Alongside pinot noirs, chardonnays and rieslings, Carrick also produces a surprisingly drinkable natural wine, the Billet Doux pinot noir – sample them at the winery’s restaurant, which serves hearty fare such as slow-cooked lamb for lunch daily using produce from its kitchen garden.
Alluxia Founder & Freelance Travel Writer Sally Scott was commission by International Traveller Magazine to write a 850+ word story on the Best Cellar Door Experiences in Queenstown. She chose Appellation Wine Tours to show her around the best of the Gibbston region. Read what she had to say here:
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