NEW ZEALAND – A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Auckland and Wellington are vibrant North Island cities with excitingly different landscapes on their doorsteps and challenging adventures to be experienced in signature Kiwi style.

Auckland’s Maori name, Tamaki-Makau-Rau, means “maiden with a hundred lovers”, so-called because its location was coveted by many tribes in the surrounding areas.

Wherever you are staying in and around the city today you will see why this was so as magnificent beaches, coastal hiking/biking trails and fabulous sailing in the Hauraki Gulf are all within easy reach.

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The Gulf is particularly loved for sailing and cruising as it is dotted with many islands offering great daytime destinations as well as shelter in their bays. Yachting experiences are a highlight of a visit whether for a few days or for an afternoon’s race on the harbour.

If it has more than its fair share of natural attractions, Auckland also has plenty of urban chic from the shopping to the dining and clubbing scene. High Street and the Chancery are the home of hip designer stores including Karen Walker while Parnell Village, five minutes east of the city, is the place for boutique shopping, cafes and galleries.

Ponsonby Road, west of the central city is famous for contemporary shopping and excellent dining while the cafes, clubs, pubs and restaurants of the Viaduct Harbour waterfront complex include successful Soul Restaurant with open-air dining and fresh seafood on the menu. Match on the corner of Hopetoun and Pitt Streets is an intimate and groovy cocktail bar.

Auckland has vineyards within easy reach and Waiheke Island is a top destination for day-trips to visit the island wineries. From Auckland you can also go rainforest trekking, sea kayaking, picnic on a volcano, take a thrilling scenic flight, or bungy off Auckland Harbour Bridge (40 metres with water touch!).

Due to its location between the harbour and the hills, Wellington is a compact city which means that it is very easy to find your way around, especially as it is divided into four separate quarters.


New Zealand’s administrative capital, it also claims its place as the arts and culture capital. The national Te Papa Tongarewa cultural museum is a must-see for an understanding of Maori culture and heritage of the country and for some fabulous pieces of artwork and sculpture. Te Papa as it is known, is famous around the globe for its innovative and interactive concepts.

Wellington has a dynamic and distinctive personality with regard to fashion and food and there’s a lively entertainment scene, too. Here you can be shopping and dining in stylish surroundings one minute and experiencing gorgeous countryside the next as walking and biking trails are right on the doorstep.

Mountain biking through the native bush of Makara Peak or biking through the Hutt Valley are two options and there are many exciting adventure tours and experiences available while the famous vineyards of Martinborough in the Wairarapa Region are a scenic hour’s drive away.

Separated from Wellington by the rugged Rimutaka Range, the historic villages and vineyards of the Wairarapa include Featherston, Greytown, Masterton and Martinborough, the boutique-style centre of the wine growing area and especially famous for its internationally acclaimed Pinot Noir. Naturally with the vineyards comes other excellent local produce available every Saturday at the local Growers’ Market.

Wherever you are in New Zealand there’s always someone on hand to whisk thrill-seekers up a mountain, organise quad-biking over farmland, canoeing or jet-boating down a wild river or trekking or four-wheel driving through some of the most wonderful countryside on (Middle) earth, so conferences and events here are always dynamic and different.

Latest NZ craze? The Blokart, a three-wheeled land yacht that folds up into a suitcase-sized bag once you have finished speeding along suitable terrain at up to 90 km an hour!