Brancott Estate World of Wearable Art Awards

The Chateau Tongariro is a classic, landmark hotel at the foot of Mount Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park. Enjoy the stunning views and four star service and ambience.

When the weather is fine we take a tour up the Bruce to get a close up view of Mount Ruapehu.

From your close up premium seat enjoy this spectacular two hour performance of costume, sound and light. It’s a once a year event and every year the show is more amazing than the last.

Photo Credit: Into the Blue Maori living in a thermoplastic world, Marie Roxburgh, Christchurch.

Experience the history, culture, heritage, geography and much more in New Zealand's contemporary premier museum.

From your close up premium seat enjoy this spectacular two hour performance of costume, sound and light. It’s a once a year event and every year the show is more amazing than the last.

Photo Credit: The Countess And Her Cousin A Self Portrait by Lynn Johnston & Felicity Hardy

Richmond Garden is the result of a vision by John and Melanie Greenwood to create a formal garden. In creating this garden Melanie has used European beech, hornbeam and linden limes with buxus to pull the design together. In the past people entertained themselves within the confines of home
and garden. This was Melanie and John Greenwood’s aim when they bough the land in 1993 and set about building the garden – to make a space they didn’t feel the need to leave.

Photo Credit: Hamish Trounson

We visit Stonehenge Aotearoa for a fascinating insight from a passionate lecturer into the wonders of astronomy. Rising out of the Wairarapa farm paddocks, this henge has to be seen to be believed.

Once bare paddocks are now home to 6 acres of tranquil paradise, thanks to the hardwork and devotion of Jeanette and Allan Gates.

River stones were used to line the waterways and erect the stately hand crafted stone walls; mass planting of trees and shrubs for all seasons has completed the perfect secret garden.

Get out of town and take a dekko at Napier’s outer Art Deco attractions. Our tour takes you along the Marine Parade and around the Napier Hill to historic Ahuriri, the oldest part of Napier and its original port, to the renowned National Tobacco Company building. Then on to the Deco houses and gardens of Marewa, Napier’s 1930s Art Deco suburb. You’ll return to the Art Deco Shop via Georges Drive, through suburbs reclaimed from swamps by engineers on the one hand and by the 1931 earthquake on the other, and then along Marine Parade.

Wharewaka is a luxury lodge in a lakefront position on the eastern edge of Lake Taupo. Our final celebratory lunch here is a memorable highlight of the tour.

At the Huka Falls, the Waikato River which is normally 100m wide, is squeezed through a 20 metre wide gorge and over a 20m drop. Every second up to 220,000 litres of water gushes through the gorge and shoots out over 8 metres beyond to create a beautful blue/green pool.

The name Huka is the Maori word for 'foam', which is appropriate as the falling water and rapids certainly resembles foam, especially under flooding conditions.