A Trip to New Zealand
A trip for the ages to New Zealand. Guided by Ian Blackburn, Host of Learn About Wine
Intended Main trip: Saturday March 27th — Monday April 5th
Hosted by
Ian Blackburn
New Zealand offers dramatic alpine landscapes, rich Māori culture, and world-class outdoor adventures. Highlights of this two-island trip include the Southern Alps, Fiordland National Park, Rotorua’s geothermal wonders, and Queenstown, alongside exceptional farm-to-table dining and curated accommodations. Recent reductions in flight costs make this an ideal time to visit.
New Zealand is more than a wine lovers tour; when you visit New Zealand your touring is a natural wonder! So clean, so sustainable, and in balance... the landscapes, the oceans, the mountains, and yes - the wineries. ALL of New Zealand will take your breath away and we are going to see it all.
Arrive in Auckland on Saturday with leisure time to explore and adjust to the time difference. We will journey through New Zealand's finest wineries and enjoy various outdoor activities.
The program has projected plans to visit one to two wineries per day, featuring top producers such as Mudbrick Vineyard, Cable Bay Vineyards, Stonyridge Vineyard, Cloudy Bay Winery, Astrolab, Felton Road Wines, Mt. Difficulty Wines, Craggy Range, Te Mata, and Trinity Hill. Winery selections are subject to change.
You'll cover areas such as Auckland, Marlborough, Central Otago, and the South Island with an optional & additional extension to Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay Extension: Tuesday, April 6th to Friday, April 9th and wineries under consideration for the extension include: Trinity Hill, Alpha Domus, Church Road, Te Mata Estate, Black Barn Vineyards (optional lunch), Sileni Estates, Elephant Hill, and Gimblett Gravels. Trip concludes on Friday, April 9th with Independent Departure and Ground Transfer from hotel/ NPE Airport
Estimated Cost (Per Person, Double Occupancy)
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Main 9-Day Program | $19,000 – $24,000 (Estimated at $2,500/day) |
| 4-Day Hawke’s Bay Extension | $10,000 – $14,000 (Estimated at $3,000/day) |
Intended Activities
We will maintain a pleasant pace with enriching experiences, including:
- Walking tour of the Napier Art Deco quarter
- Hiking or biking through vineyards
- Glacier nature tour at Fox Glacier Viewpoint / Te Kopikopiko O Te Waka or Franz Josef Glacier
- Bespoke Māori cultural experience in Rotorua
- Stargazing experience Lake Tekapo
- Gourmet foraging tour in Hawke’s Bay
- Hiking to one of the Peaks in Wanaka
- Cruise down one of the sounds in tranquility
featuring top producers
- All transport for our scheduled appointments
- All scheduled appointments and tasting fees
- All meals listed
*Scheduled to stay at this property, but change without notice
Airfare
Transfers to/from airport/hotel (Recommendations available upon request)
Meals not specific listed in the the “Includes” section
Anything not listed in the "Includes" section
***Ian’s Dining Reservation when meals are at leisure, optional and additional
- Sign-Up by November 1st via placing a deposit to purchase your spot
- Travel packet will be emailed to you
- Return completed travel packet to alice@LearnAboutWine.com
- We will email you to confirm the trip is moving forward; This trip requires a minimum of 6 travelers to operate and is limited to 10 travelers.
- Only secure airfare and/or travel to Napa after receiving our email confirming the trip
- Send us your flight and travel details
- Meet us at the hotel, we look forward to receiving you!
- Itinerary is tentative and subject to change without notice. Trip package is not based on any one appointment and/or activity
- The maximum trip size is 10 travelers.
- Caution: Please do not book airfare or other accommodations until the trip is confirmed.
About
IAN BLACKBURN
Ian Blackburn, CSW, Event Producer
Ian discovered the wine industry while visiting the Napa Valley as a Culinary Student. Ian moved his focus to the front of the house, while working with Thomas Keller and Joachim Splichal in Los Angeles. Now in his 30th year hosting events; leading trips around the wine world; Ian has published a wine education book and is working on a new one; Ian has his own wine brand called Beekeeper Cellars and has sat for the difficult Master of Wine Exam! Today, Ian is considered one of the region’s best wine educators and works for his 120,000 followers (follow me), visiting vineyards and wine regions and produce over 100 wine classes and events per year for Learnaboutwine.com
