Elevate the senses and indulge the palate with this charming winery tour of Australia and New Zealand. Five famous wine regions are visited, each unveiling their unique specialty with elegance and panache. The famous destinations are covered, like the Hunter and Barossa Valleys or Marlborough's Sauvignon Blanc vineyards. You’re also immersed in the best boutique vineyards of a continent. Accompanying the tasting is fabulous food, spellbinding panoramas, and luxurious country retreats.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Lavish Relaxation in Hunter Valley, Australia
Land in Sydney and your personal chauffeur is waiting in arrivals, ready to whisk you into the mountains of the Hunter Valley. It's just a two-hour drive from Sydney, and while you may be tired from the flight, the first views of the luxuriantly green valley are sure to revitalize you. Soothing any travel aches is a deluxe spa suite at your luxury accommodation, your private balcony affording dazzling views over the vineyards. Just like the region's renowned whites, your luxury accommodation is subtle, elegant, and easy on the senses. Relaxation is central to the agenda today, and your expert wine guide will offer a couple of options. Either a short tour of the finest nearby vineyards or a private tasting session at the retreat's gorgeous verandah, the guide brings a collection of local favorites.
What's Included:
Day 2
Exploring Australia's Oldest Wine Region
Day 3
A Tale of Two Cities – Sydney and Melbourne
Day 4
The Lavish Chardonnays of the Yarra Valley
Day 5
The Elegant Vineyards of the Yarra Valley
Day 6
The World Famous Vineyards of the Barossa Valley
Day 7
Renowned Shiraz in the Barossa Valley
Day 8
The Pinot Noirs of Central Otago, New Zealand
Day 9
Exploring the World's Southernmost Wine Region
Day 10
The Enchanting Wineries of Marlborough
Day 11
In Search of the World's Finest Sauvignon Blanc
Day 12
Departure
Trip Highlights
- Explore five world famous wine regions in depth; the Hunter, Yarra, and Barossa Valleys of Australia; and then Marlborough and Central Otago in New Zealand
- Discover the finest vineyards with the help of expert local guides, each destination combining the renowned wineries with small boutique growers, specially reserved for connoisseurs
- Some outstanding individual highlights are the Chardonnays of the Yarra Valley, the full-bodied shiraz of the Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley's sémillons, the characterful Pinot Noir of Central Otago, and the world's finest Sauvignon Blanc region: Marlborough
- Enjoy lavish accommodation throughout with country estates, spa retreats, private cottages, and even overnight stops in the vineyards themselves
- Lose yourself in spellbinding landscapes and soothe the excited senses with dazzling natural panoramas
- Complement the wine with some of the continent's finest food, Australia and New Zealand both exuding a commitment to organic produce and bold flavors
- A personal chauffeur is always doing the driving, so there's no need to worry about missing out or limiting the tasting; this vacation is all about indulging in the finest a continent can offer
Detailed Description
For the wine connoisseur, Australia and New Zealand have it all. Warm and cool climates, unique geography, 200 years of cultivating grapes, world class vineyards famed for their exports, and boutique wineries tailored to the discerning local palate. While each region has its own specialty, these spectacular countries offer a stunning variety that always elevates the senses. With this handcrafted winery tour of Australia and New Zealand, you'll visit five renowned wine regions. Spend two days in each, usually one day exploring their world famous specialty, and another discovering the boutique brilliance that lies off the tourist trail. Expert guides unveil the local favorites and a private chauffeur ensures there's no need to worry about the driving.
Every day combines a rich diversity of choice; charming local farms with 150 years of history, innovative modern wineries full of characterful creations, family owned cellars, and sumptuous tasting menus at exclusive vineyards. And while the wine provides the indelible focus, you're always exploring some of the planet's most spectacular rural scenery. Complementing the natural immersion is a fabulous collection of accommodation, including private cottages, vineyard spa retreats, and renowned five-star resorts.
Fly to Sydney and begin the wine discovery in famous Hunter Valley, Australia's oldest wine region providing a delicate start with its citrus-flavored whites. Pair the elegant flavors with local crab and prawns and don't forget the outstanding Shiraz produced in this warm climate. Explore two famous cities, a local guide showing you the iconic sights of both Sydney and Melbourne. Then you head into the Yarra Valley, the cooler climate bringing a different collection of treats. Local Chardonnay is particularly famous, but these vineyards also revel in rare delights like elegant Marsanne and Gewurztraminer. After a day of tasting, soak up the tranquility of the Balgownie Estate Vineyard and Spa, an example of the sumptuous accommodation to expect on this luxury vacation. Some of the world's oldest Shiraz vineyards can be found in the Barossa Valley, and this final Australian stop epitomizes the harmonious blend of radiant nature, boutique accommodation, and long days sampling the region's finest grapes.
Fly over to New Zealand and Queenstown, losing yourself in the rugged fjords and mountains that surround the town. Expect pinot noirs bursting with character, and dramatic scenery unrivaled anywhere on the planet. Most wine critics argue that Marlborough is home to the world's finest Sauvignon Blanc, and you'll spend a day searching out the most vibrant bottle. New Zealand's wine experimentation takes its lead from Marlborough, and your guide will also reveal vineyards that embody the distinct full-flavored style of the region. While the wineries guide the journey, expect to indulge in serene destinations that exude elegance and charm. And don't worry about having to decide which bottles to take back home. The expert guides will assist in getting everything shipped back to your own private cellar.
Starting Price
$4,900 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.86 stars based on 2566 reviews.
It was a fantastic trip. Zicasso's travel planner nailed all of my interests and left with me an unforgettable experience. She was also accommodating and quick to act with any changes to my travel plans. Even with poor cell service and communication systems down on the app, she was able to communicate updates to my itinerary in a timely and effective manner. Thank you for the unforgettable memories I have as a result of your excellent planning.
Reviewed By Igor K.
This was our first trip to Australia. Zicasso’s travel agent took time to get to know our family and how we like to travel. She gathered our interests and preferences, and carefully curated an itinerary that showcased Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns/Port Douglas, all within our budget.
This travel agent was very responsive before and during our trip, and monitored our activities to make sure we were happy. In fact, during our stay, one of our excursions (kayaking in Cairns) was canceled due to weather and she was right on top of it. She was able to book us immediately on another expedition (whale watching) of our choice. We appreciated her responsiveness.
Overall, our entire family was extremely happy with our travel agent's arrangements and had a memorable trip to Australia.
Reviewed By Joyce T.
Everything was super-easy, which made navigating the trip seamless and stress-free!
Reviewed By Austin M.
Zicasso's travel designer put together a trip that got us to the places we wanted to see, with companies that suited our abilities and desires. He offered excellent suggestions, was always available, and was a pleasure to work with.
Reviewed By Mark H.
We very much enjoyed our time in New Zealand and Australia. The tours were all very good. Zicasso's travel agent and our tour partner were very responsive and helpful throughout the planning phase and while we were on vacation.
The only feedback we have is that the hotels selected, other than the hotels in New Zealand, did not have the amenities we were hoping to get from four-star properties. We'll do a better job of indicating what we need in hotel selections moving forward, but we thought the hotels could have been a notch better than they were.
Reviewed By Tim G.
I would use our travel company again in a minute! Zicasso's travel consultant really “got me” and designed the perfect trip for us.
The highlights especially included picking perfect places for us to stay (close to most everything we were doing and in the heart of the cities). The tours, both private and small group, gave us not only what we asked for, but even more that we didn’t know existed.
The itinerary was as detailed as it could possibly be, describing the day, what to bring, names and phone numbers to call if there were issues, and who we needed to call to confirm future tour dates.
One of our highlights was the penguin experience. Our guide was great and our trip planner got us “plus” tickets, which I would definitely recommend. Finally, she provided us with the necessary info and guides (where necessary) for our amazing hikes.
Reviewed By Ellin A.