The Grand Tour of New Zealand for Couples: Explore the North & South Islands

Private transfer and two-night stay in the hills surrounding the city. With views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables mountain range, you'll get to experience the great New Zealand landscape as soon as you arrive. The hotel is made up of small, modern, country-style buildings. In the living room, there's leather seating and a stone fireplace. Breakfast consists of organic food produced in New Zealand, and service is impeccable.

Queenstown is the number one city for adventures in New Zealand. Throughout the year, it offers the likes of skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, rafting, hiking and fly fishing; or paragliding, parachuting and bungee jumping, if you want to see things from a different vantage point. Whatever you decide to do, the scenery will be breathtaking.
Included in the itinerary - Private hot pool with view The facility is located on the side of a cliff above the Shotover River canyon. The hot pools, which have a Japanese style, are filled with crystal-clear water where you can control the temperature. Your cabin offers complete privacy and views of the Shotover River. The retractable ceiling means you can change the setting depending on the weather.

Pick up your hire car and drive to Te Anau. Spend two nights inside New Zealand State Highway 94. The two buildings frame a neat garden. The rooms are cute, with cosy bedding, a fully equipped kitchenette and a terrace. Outside, there's a big jacuzzi. This hotel is perfectly suited to travellers - all the more so because as the muffins at breakfast are home-baked.

Included in the itinerary - Milford Sound Cruise, Fiordland National Park. Cruising on the fjord, with its steep, jagged walls that sometimes rise more than 3,500ft above the water, allows you to experience geology in all its glory. There are two spectacular waterfalls here: Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls. Large dolphins play alongside the boat, and you'll see spot seals, rockhopper penguins and, sometimes, humpback or minke whales. The conditions in the fjord are perfect for black corals to grow below the surface of the water. The 5,520ft Mitre Peak, which is a particularly picturesque mountain, dominates everything around it.

Now head to Clyde. Spend the night in a historic building dating back to 1869 - the store and its outbuildings then supplied the men of the Otago Gold Rush. The shale walls, waxed wood and stone floors are reminiscent of heroic times and provide a sound framework for elegant small-town developments. The rooms are well-appointed, comfortable and cosy. The atmosphere flows through to the restaurant, which serves authentic, tasty local cuisine with good wines or beer from the estate's micro-brewery.

Drive to Twizel. Spend two nights a few miles north-west in a north-facing lodge, which overlooks the Southern Alps. A pond stretches in front of the house and adds to the serenity of the place. The rooms are bright, practical and comfortable. Its simple elegance allows guests to lose themselves in a state of dream-like relaxation. Breakfast lives up to national standards of excellence: lavish, fresh and home-made. Enjoy time to sit and think with a delicious glass of wine.

As in many parts of the south, you can walk, hike or ride here and take advantage of the water, such as Lake Ruataniwha, to sail, water ski or canoe. However, the sparsely populated Mackenzie Basin has a particular point of interest with its clear sky. The area is part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. It's a good idea to take full advantage of the evenings here, since opportunities for a haze-free observation of the night sky are dwindling. The scope, harmony and surprisingly colourful landscapes of Pukaki Lake, with Mount Cook as its focal point, will astound you.

Head to Akaroa. Two-night stay between French Bay and Glen Bay. The clapboard cladding, box windows and awning showcase the house's Victorian roots. The garden is full of delights, from the fragrance of roses to the birdsong of New Zealand honeyeaters at dawn. The interior decor, which is in English style, will win you over with its romantic touches and antique furniture. Here, breakfast, which is served on floral porcelain, is all about the sweeter flavours. The rooms, of course, boast the same old-fashioned charm, which you can never get bored of.

Included in the itinerary - Little blue penguin watching. With a nature guide, you'll walk the coastal trail wearing a camouflage jacket. These little blue-feathered penguins scare easily and need to be approached with care. When they come back from catching their fish, they sit by the water's edge, before returning to the burrows where they nest at dusk. Through a pair of binoculars, you'll watch them swimming as a group. A few rare yellow-eyed penguins, which are larger than the little blue penguins and have a distinctive white band around their eyes, can still be seen in Flea Bay. Penguins are characteristic of New Zealand's wildlife.
Option - Kayak in Pohatu Marine Reserve.

Drive to Kaikoura. Spend the night at the foot of the Seaward Kaikouras, facing the Pacific Ocean. The lodge windows open out to the sea, offering a floor-to-ceiling view. The rooms are both simple and sophisticated: beautiful cotton bedding, Pendleton blankets, super comfortable pillows and rimu wood. Breakfast is served on site, and meals can be ordered for the evening; the delicious local cheeses are a highlight. It feels peaceful in the countryside, and the beach is just five minutes away.
In the area, you'll see fur seals, albatross, puffins and the New Zealand storm petrel. There's also an abundance of dolphins here, and Kaikoura is a great spot for sighting sperm whales.

Now head to Blenheim. Spend the night in fashionable accommodation, surrounded by vineyards and modern buildings. The rooms are light, clean, and flawlessly designed - there's a kitchenette and minibar, which will tempt you with its array of regional produce. Your room opens out to the vineyard, and your private patio invites you to enjoy the peacefulness of your surroundings. A French chef is at the helm in the restaurant, making beautiful dishes with beautiful ingredients.

Drive to Picton, then catch a ferry to Wellington. Spend the night in the city centre, in a modern hotel with a cool and comfortable Scandinavian-inspired design where the rooms boast clean lines. The restaurant serves healthy cuisine and the bar serves craft beers, which is only natural in a place like this. The stop for the famous funicular is very close by, which takes you to the hills of Kelburn, where you'll have a beautiful view of the city.
Included in the itinerary - Tour of Clos Henri vineyard. With a guide, you'll stop off and enjoy some wine-tasting at a vineyard that combines French wine-growing techniques with New Zealand terroir. Pinot noir and sauvignon blanc are showcased beautifully here. On the tour, you'll get an introduction to the wine life cycle, from soil to glass.
Option/b] - The National Museum and its exhibits.