New Zealand's food & wine trail self-drive tour

Enjoy a day at leisure in Dunedin to recover from any jet lag. You may enjoy a trip to the Otago Peninsula to view some wildlife, but there’s also a fantastic cafe culture here and great eating options around the city.

You make your way inland today to the beautiful mountain and lake town of Wanaka. Stay three nights in Wanaka exploring this mountainous lake town.

Perhaps explore the many vineyards around Wanaka today. You could also head to the famous Cardrona Distillery and explore the beautiful viewpoints at Crown Range Summit.

Today is all about immersing yourself in the stunning scenery of the Wanaka region. Accompanied by your guide, you'll cruise across the crystal-clear waters of Lake Wanaka to Mou Waho Island, where you'll enjoy a nature walk through regenerating native bush. The trail leads to a unique vantage point overlooking a second lake nestled within the island itself. Along the way, you'll learn about the ongoing conservation efforts that are helping to restore the island's native vegetation and wildlife, all while taking in the area's breathtaking landscapes.

You make your way up the eastern edge of the Southern Alps today, first driving through the spectacular Lindis Pass before reaching the rolling hills around Lake Tekapo. Your hosts for the next two nights are food and wine experts. Alistair is a post-grad winemaker and viticulturist, and have both previously run their own restaurants. They can offer you a four-course dinner if pre-booked.

Spend today exploring stunning Lake Tekapo, visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and perhaps visit the Mount John Observatory tonight to partake in some of the best stargazing in the world. If you are feeling adventurous, you might like to drive to Mount Cook and take a scenic flight over Mount Cook and the glaciers.

Continue your journey today across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. Spend some time exploring, perhaps visiting Hagley Park and the Cathedral. This evening, enjoy dinner in one of the city's many restaurants.

Today, you travel to Blenheim, in the heart of the Marlborough wine-producing region. This is a long drive as you'll take the inland route via Hanmer Springs and Murchison, so be sure to leave early. There are some lovely spots to stop along the way for coffee and lunch, perhaps even a dip in some hot springs! Your hotel this evening is a beautiful old convent set among stunning gardens and vineyards, with a superb on-site restaurant.

Take a guided cycling half-day wine tour today and visit several of the region's best wineries, sampling some of the produce along the way. Then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, perhaps enjoying dinner at one of the award-winning local vineyards such as Herzog's.

Today you'll drive to Picton and take the ferry across to the North Island. Head out of Wellington to nearby Martinborough. We suggest stopping in at the local winery 'Poppies' on arrival — the owner and winemaker will dazzle you with her delicious wine and tasting platters. We advise pre-booking here as it’s very popular.

Explore Martinborough and the surrounding vineyards by bike today, and enjoy lunch at one of the wineries.

Continue to Hawke's Bay today, and Napier. Your hotel tonight is owned and run by a chef who takes great pride in cooking evening meals in front of the guests, explaining the ingredients and process as he goes, and then serving it all with appropriately matched wines.

Today is at leisure to explore the Hawke's Bay region and Napier town — you might like to stroll around the Art Deco buildings or visit the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers. This evening, you'll experience a progressive dinner and winery tour; this is one of our favourites in all of New Zealand and comes very highly recommended.

Fly to Auckland from Napier this morning, where you'll pick up another rental car and drive to the ferry terminal. You'll travel by boat over to Waiheke Island, your base for the next three nights. Dinner is included here tonight, so you needn't worry about finding somewhere after your journey. Waiheke is famous for its golden beaches and vineyards. Here you can really enjoy a couple of days relaxing and indulging in some simply excellent food and wine.

Today, you'll be treated to a full-day wine tour of Waiheke Island, where you'll explore the nooks and crannies of this beautiful island and the best wine it has to offer.

A last day at leisure to do as you please, you might like to relax on the beach or pop over to Auckland or Devonport on the ferry for some last-minute sightseeing. Dinner isn’t included tonight so that you can go out somewhere special for your last dinner in New Zealand.

Return to Auckland by ferry, where you'll be taken to the airport for your onward flight.