New Zealand Luxury Golf Experience - 14 Days

Highlights

• Stay exclusively at four luxurious world-class golf resorts
• Take a swing at Te Arai Links, where you'll find two oceanfront courses
• Go for a round in the Bay of Islands at Matauri Bay
• Try for a hole-in-one at the modern Kinloch Manor course overlooking Lake Taupo
• Tee off at the all-inclusive luxury lodge, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Auckland, City Walking Tour, Ahi Restaurant

Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand's North Island! Your golfing adventure begins in Auckland, the country's largest city. With two bustling harbors and more than 500,000 sailboats and yachts, it's easy to see why Auckland is nicknamed the "City of Sails." Upon arrival, a private driver will be waiting to transfer you to the 5-star Park Hyatt Auckland. Check into your luxurious suite, where you'll enjoy waterfront views across Waitematā Harbour. The hotel's design pays tribute to the Māori wharenui (house), blending art and community ties, and serves as your first taste of the local culture.

Check in, drop your bags, and meet a private guide for this afternoon's adventure, discovering central Auckland's hidden lanes, legends, and landmarks on a private three-hour walking tour. Your knowledgeable local guide will lead the way, sharing stories as you pass sights and pausing for refreshment stops. At the end, they'll leave you at a popular city bistro for an aperitif and tasting platter on Auckland's waterfront.

Return to the hotel and slip into something chic ahead of this evening's taste of seasonal New Zealand cuisine at Ahi, an upmarket restaurant that honors passionate local suppliers and growers. You'll taste a handful of ever-changing dishes paired with wine, each telling an authentic food story of Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand).

Day 2: Drive to Mangawhai & Te Arai Links

After breakfast, collect a rental car and set out toward Mangawhai, a 90-minute drive away. This beachside gem is popular with Kiwis but is almost unknown to tourists. Make your way straight to Mangawhai Village and find somewhere delicious for lunch before exploring the area. Here locals love surfing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, bird-spotting, hiking, and wine-tasting. 

You could while away part of the afternoon at Mangawhai Heads Beach or hit the Clifftop Walkway, a superb three-hour coastal hike starting from the lifeguard station of the main beach, but only doable at low tide. When it's time to check in, venture slightly south to Te Arai Links, your first world-class golfing destination for the trip. Positioned alongside a pristine New Zealand coastline, you'll settle into one of the luxury suites or villas, all designed in a light-filled, airy style to blend into the surrounding nature.

Day 3: Play Te Arai South Course

Surrounded by trees, sand dunes, and beach, you'll find yourself in another world of golfing at Te Arai Links. After breakfast, venture out on the South Course, an 18-hole, 72-par course designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. The two sought-out sand-based sites where ready-shaped natural contours provided the foundation for an interesting green. Nature has played a huge hand in design here, with wind shaping much of the course, and of the holes, 16 boast ocean views, and eight are directly on the sea.

You can hire a caddie to help perfect your game, and being a traditional walking course, the variety of tees allows all abilities to get involved and enjoy the fun challenge of a day out on the green. After you hang up the clubs, Te Arai offers plenty to do with massage services, private yoga, horseback riding, surfing, hiking, and kayaking, all available, along with helicopter tours.

Day 4: Play Te Arai North Course

Today, after breakfast, you'll set off for another day of golfing to a backdrop of crashing surf, salty air, and spectacular scenery. Grab your golf clubs and set out to tackle the North Course, or if you want to practice your swing, spend some time at the Driving Range before setting out. Starting and finishing at the oceanfront, this 18-hole, par 71 golf course is entirely different from the South Course, and you can expect more inland golf and unique green shapes. Naturally, you have to do both to decide which of the two modern courses is your favorite.

The North Course, which opened in October 2023, was designed by Tom Doak, who is also behind sister course Tara Iti. That one is ranked number six in the world, and the North Course is fast rising in ranks as a world-class green. The more unique holes are found inland, with the green of the par-four Fifth Hole sitting on a ridge beside an ancient Māori pa or hill fortress. Return to the Clubhouse, where you can find a bite to eat and challenge your group to a friendly competition at The Playground, a two-acre (0.4 ha) putting green.

Day 5: Drive to Matauri Bay & Rosewood Kauri Cliffs

Set off early to conquer the 2.5-hour scenic drive from Mangawhai north to Matauri Bay. Along the road, you'll soak up picturesque rural scenery and rolling hills that characterize this part of New Zealand. The Bay of Islands is celebrated for its breathtaking coastal vistas and historical significance, and this drive will take you through Paihia, a lively tourist destination with lovely beach views, and Opua, known for its bustling marina. The final leg is a coastal drive toward Matauri Bay, with panoramic ocean views and glimpses of the Cavalli Islands.

On arrival, check into Rosewood Kauri Cliffs, a luxury coastal resort with stunning private beaches along the untouched Northland coastline. Here, the 6,000-acre (2,428 ha) estate's towering cliffs and lush farmland are complemented by an award-winning green. Settle into your exclusive cottage suite and spend your afternoon relaxing by the pool before a dinner of haute cuisine spotlighting the region's local growers.

Days 6-7: Play Rosewood Kauri Cliffs Course

The next two days are free for you to craft your own itinerary of activities at Rosewood Kauri Cliffs. You'll probably want to set aside ample time each day for a round on the par 72 championship golf course, designed and built by David Harman. Here, you'll find 15 holes with Pacific Ocean views and others that wind through marsh, forest, and farm. There's also a world-class practice range, putting and chipping greens, and a well-stocked golf shop.

Beyond the links, the estate offers a wide range of bespoke activities, including guided fishing trips, horseback riding tours, surfing lessons, ATV beach excursions, and helicopter and sailing charters. For something more sedate, spend an afternoon at the spa and indulge in a manuka honey facial or deep tissue massage, then arrange for a private barbecue dinner on the beach.

Day 8: Fly to Taupō & Kinloch Manor & Villas

Taupō sits at the edge of Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake, and a volcanic caldera formed by a huge eruption 25,600 years ago. Rather than making the seven-hour drive to the volcanic area, instead, you'll head to Kerikeri Airport, drop off your rental car, and board a short flight. On arrival, collect another car and make your way to Kinloch Manor & Villas, a cutting-edge luxury lodge set within 628 acres (254 ha) of wilderness above the shores of Lake Taupō. Here, you'll find New Zealand's only Jack Nicklaus Signature 18-hole golf course, voted the best in New Zealand.

Drop your bags at your stylish suite or villa, complete with oak floors, free-standing baths, and rainforest showers, then use the rest of this afternoon to explore the beauty of Lake Taupō and the region. You could take a voyage on the country's largest lake, experience world-class trout fishing in the verdant wilderness, cycle around the lakeshore, or trek through the diverse Tongariro National Park. If it's thrills you're after, try whitewater rafting and experience the fun of high-speed spins and rushing rapids. Or turn down the pace with an indulgent spa afternoon, then savor a traditional Māori hāngi for dinner.

Day 9: Play Kinloch Golf Course, Māori Rock Carving Cruise

After a luxurious breakfast at the manor, you'll tee off on New Zealand's only Jack Nicklaus Signature course. Picture rolling fairways that wind through semi-wild golden countryside with views of Lake Taupō's crystal-clear waters. This course is a world-class challenge and was ranked in the Top 100 in the World by Golf Course Architecture Magazine in 2013. All 18 holes will test your skills thanks to its undulating terrain and strategically placed hazards, demanding thoughtful shot placement and rewarding precision.

Day 10: Play Kinloch Golf Course, Activities Around Kinloch

Rise and shine for another day in this golfer's paradise, a special estate that blends the natural beauty of New Zealand with championship-level play. With another full day at Kinloch, you can roll out onto the green for a second swing at the course or stay at the nineteenth hole and keep exploring the best of the region. 

Today could be a good opportunity to explore the raw splendor of the North Island volcanic plateau. The renowned Tongariro Alpine Crossing is considered the best one-day trek in New Zealand, but the 12-mile (19.4 km) hike isn't easy. The crossing passes diverse alpine and volcanic landscapes, and you'll encounter vibrant emerald lakes, ancient lava flows, and steam vents that create a surreal and otherworldly atmosphere. The lodge can arrange a private guide and gourmet picnic lunch, or if you're short on time, there's always a helicopter.

Day 11: Drive to Napier & Rosewood Cape Kidnappers

Continue your journey today with the two-hour drive from Taupō to Napier, a coastal city set among the vineyard-grooved landscape of Hawke's Bay. In 1931, a violent earthquake and subsequent fires destroyed most of the commercial heart, and the people of Napier rebuilt their city with an Art Deco flare. After taking a quick spin around the city to admire the architecture, continue the 40-minute drive to your all-inclusive luxury lodge, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers.

This immersive sheep and cattle estate has 6,000 acres (2,430 ha) in the heart of the Hawke's Bay wine region with views of the Pacific Ocean. It's home to one of the world's leading golf courses and is a sanctuary for precious native flora and fauna. If there's time, you might be able to arrange a wine tasting in Hawke's Bay this afternoon; otherwise, settle into your elegant suite and look forward to your first dinner at Cape Kidnappers. Head chef James Honore prepares daily menus that use fresh produce from the estate's garden.

Day 12: Play Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

Designed by legendary golf architect Tom Doak and completed in 2004, the Cape Kidnappers par 71 golf course has been hailed as one of the great modern marvels in golf. Built on a ridge-and-valley landscape with stunning sea views, you'll find cliff-edge fairways perched 460 feet (140 m) above sea level. With a surface that remains firm and fast, this course offers holes unlike anything you find elsewhere in the world. So grab your clubs, warm up on the world-class practice range, putting and chipping greens, and then set out to conquer the course.

For the nineteenth hole, choose a new adventure—the lodge offers mountain biking and clay-bird shooting within the property's extensive farming grounds, or you could try your hand at a navigation challenge with orienteering. Then, return to the lodge for a seasonal dinner and a spot of stargazing, discovering the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere with the help of a local astronomer.

Day 13: Morning Cape Kidnappers Tour, Play Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

Rise early for an action-packed sunrise breakfast at Black Reef, where you'll soak up panoramic views of the sunrise over the cliffs while tucking into a delectable breakfast. Afterward, join a Can-Am tour of the property, visiting the lighthouse, Shark's Tooth Island, Flat Rock, and the largest mainland colony in the world. Observe the distinct markings and fascinating migration patterns of these birds while taking in views of the coastline.

After a packed morning, return to the green for another round on the Cape Kidnappers par 71 golf course. This challenging course will have tested your skill yesterday, and if the weather changes, you'll see the clifftop course in a whole new light. For something different, join a gourmet food tour through Hawke's Bay. Explore the beautiful landscapes, visit local wineries and food producers, and enjoy a scrumptious lunch of New Zealand's artisan cheeses, charcuterie, and seasonal produce before returning to the lodge in the late afternoon.

Day 14: Drive to Napier, Depart

Enjoy one last morning waking up at Rosewood Cape Kidnappers. A luxurious breakfast awaits before you pack your bags and make the 45-minute drive to Napier's airport. Be sure to refuel your rental car before dropping it off in time for your departing flight. Any international flights from this smaller airport will require changing planes in Auckland or another big city to continue internationally. Safe travels!