At a glance
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Don't forget that all of our itineraries are totally customized and so this is just an idea of what we can build for you.
The South Island of New Zealand does not need much help setting a romantic scene. The landscapes are vast and quietly overwhelming, the lodges are exceptional, and the combination of mountains, lakes, fjords, and wine country gives a 12-night honeymoon enough variety to feel like a journey rather than a single destination.
It is also one of the most straightforwardly welcoming places in the world for LGBTQ+ couples.
Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2013, the culture throughout the South Island is socially liberal, and the best lodge properties have been hosting same-sex couples long enough that it requires no conversation.
Out Of Office builds every honeymoon itinerary from scratch. We know which lodges suit two people who want complete privacy, which experiences are worth the splurge, and which ones only look good on paper.
Everything here is a starting point. The final version is built around you.
In detail
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Don't forget that most of our itineraries can be totally customized. Our expert team will be able to talk you through all the options.
Days 1 and 2: Queenstown
Fly into Queenstown and transfer to Matakauri Lodge on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, one of the finest places to stay in the country and the right way to begin. The mountains are immediate, the lake is right there, and the lodge’s kitchen and spa give you every reason to stay put for the first evening. Day two at your own pace: a cruise on the lake, a winery visit in the Gibbston Valley, or nothing more than the view.
Days 3 and 4: Gibbston Valley
Move to Gibbston Valley Lodge, set among organic Pinot Noir vines twenty minutes from Queenstown. The valley is Central Otago’s wine heartland, with a cluster of serious producers within easy reach.
A private tasting with the winemaker, a long lunch at one of the cellar doors, and an evening back at the lodge with a bottle from the region. The vinotherapy spa is worth an afternoon of anyone’s time.
Days 5 and 6: Milford Sound
Drive to Te Anau, the staging point for Fiordland, and base yourself at Fiordland Lodge on the lake shore.
The following morning, take a private charter into Milford Sound: the fjord is flanked by rainforest and waterfalls that drop hundreds of meters straight into the water, and a boat small enough to get close to the cliffs makes the scale land properly. Fly back over the mountains by light aircraft if the weather allows.
Days 7 and 8: Wanaka
Drive north to Wanaka, a smaller and quieter alternative to Queenstown that honeymooners tend to prefer. Lake Wanaka and the Aspiring Range provide the backdrop. Days here are unhurried: a walk along the lake, a visit to one of the local wineries, a long dinner in the evening.
Days 9, 10 and 11: Marlborough
Fly from Queenstown to Blenheim and transfer to a lodge in the Wairau Valley. Three nights gives Marlborough the time it deserves. A private guide covers the vineyards properly, including the smaller producers beyond the obvious names.
A morning on the Marlborough Sounds by boat, a winemaker lunch, and a seafood dinner using whatever came out of the surrounding water that morning. This is the most restorative stretch of the trip.
Day 12: Depart
Transfer to Blenheim Airport for your onward flight, or extend with a final night in Picton overlooking the Sounds.
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Our itineraries are here to inspire you. Everything we do is tailor-made so our team of luxury travel experts will customize an itinerary for you.
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