A Taste of the Wild in New Zealand

A TASTE OF THE WILD IN NEW ZEALAND.

Of the 139 countries I have been to, New Zealand is my favorite. I could live there. Being a Kiwi expert has given me a lot of joy over the years. It is a mixture of scenery from Norway, Switzerland, Scotland, great people, only 3.5 million of them, and 66 million sheep. I have visited the country close to 50 times, great golf, hiking, fishing, and it offers unique experiences.

There are endless places to find fresh lobster for dinner but nothing compares to going by helicopter to a glacial fjord where a seasoned diver plunges into the icy waters to gather your next meal. Tucked into a glacial valley above Queenstown is Lake Wanaka on the South Island. Three million people live on the North Island, but only 500,000 people live on the South Island. Accessible only by helicopter is Minaret Station Alpine Lodge, owned by four pilot brothers, which houses guests in four stylish chalets. They have two chefs working with local food. The food is so good visitors fly up from Queenstown just for a cooking lesson and a three course luncheon. The real luxury is spending a night at the 50,000 acre high country farm. Gaze over the snow crevices of Mount Aspiring from the steaming hot tub on your private deck, sipping a glass of light pinot noir or pinot gris from the celebrated Otago wine region.

There are 10,000 red deer on the property, alone with 7,000 sheep and 1000 cattle. I love flying into these remote lodges, and high country sheep stations, many of them very luxurious . Fantastic fishing, and wonderful food. New Zealand has great wines. The Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir’s from the South Island are excellent.

No matter where you go in this country, you are never more than seventy miles from the sea and I have never had a wine I didn’t like.

At the very top of the North Island is the riveting panorama of the Pacific at Kauri Cliffs where adventure waits just below on the ocean shore. Perched on 6,000 acres of farmland, forest, and a championship golf course which was too much for me. The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands boasts twenty two luxury suites and three private beaches . Each beach is ideal for different pursuits. Learn to surf on Little and Big Takou beaches where expert instructors can school you in the ancient Polynesian sport. Then surfcast for snapper and the bluefish like kahawi on the Waiaua River which is also perfect for swimming, snorkeling or kayaking to the craggy Cavalli Islands that you can see offshore.

Beautiful Pink Beach which gets its rose hue from the millions of tiny shells that have been ground into the sand by the waves invites you to relax on a towel or a chaise. I always arrange for a beach barbecue for my clients, with three chefs on duty. You can hike around the working farm to see dogs herding Coopworth sheep and Angus cattle. The old kauri trees from which the lodge takes its name are breathtaking, and birdwatching is smashing with the melodic tui or the striking fantail, a tiny black and yellow creature with tail plumes that seem bigger than its body. I always hear cuckoo’s in this area.

Travel south to Waikato River and stay at the elegant Huka Lodge which is nestled on seventeen acres of lovely gardens and woods. My husband says I like this lodge because the chef is British, who has worked at four leading restaurants in Europe for a total of eight Michelin stars. The wine cellar is amazing, and worth checking out just for education purposes. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand and a half day fishing for trout is a fun experience. Take a helicopter ride over volcanic cones – 74 of them – or stop at the Tongariro River, one of the world’s best for rainbow and brown trout.

I love Treetops Lodge, just twenty minutes from the Maori capital of the country, Rotorua. It is on 2,500 acres of native forest and the twenty room retreat is unique. There are forty miles of trails for hiking, or horseback riding with four lakes and seven streams all teeming with trout and fresh water crayfish. Go see the glowworms clinging to the rocks in the summer evenings. The mountain biking in this area is great, and of course, lots of good golf courses. I took a wild food cooking school at the lodge which was fun.

There are over twenty lodges in remote places which I tell clients about so we can fit them to the right one depending on the budget and the experience they want to have. They enjoy the power point presentation about the country.

Satisfy your appetite for adventure. Go on our web site www.Froschvacations.com and take my advice, visit New Zealand. Breath the air that Angels breath.

Maureen Jones

Kiwi Specialist

All Horizons Travel/Frosch

650-961-2340 direct

Maureen.Jones@Frosch.com