NEW ZEALAND A G a r d e n P a r a d i s e Join the Northwest Horticultural Society for a Garden Adventure to New Zealand January 14-31, 2019 Escape winter! Join Richie Steffen and Susan Picquelle from the Northwest Horticultural Society on this stunning garden adventure to New Zealand! Together, we will learn about the spectacular flora and fauna of Aotearoa, Maori for Land of the Long White Cloud. We ll discover first-hand the rich culture and the sheer beauty of this isolated island paradise. We ll visit gardens in the subtropical Auckland area on the North Island. We ll learn about Maori history, music and dance in Rotorua. Then we ll continue south to Napier and the nation s capital Wellington, making stops at private and public gardens along the way. After, we ll fly to the South Island to stunning Queenstown and a spectacular cruise on Milford Sound. We ll finish our journey with garden visits in Dunedin and Christchurch, The Garden City. January is summertime in New Zealand, so please join us for what promises to be another amazing garden adventure!
TRIP AT GLANCE 1 Night overnight Flight to New Zealand (You ll lose one day crossing the International Date Line) 3 Nights Auckland, New Zealand s North Island 2 Nights Rotorua 1 Night Napier 2 Nights Wellington, New Zealand s capital city 3 Nights Queenstown, South Island 2 Nights Dunedin 2 Nights Christchurch 1 Night Return Flight Home JOURNEY HIGHLIGHTS North & South Island adventures Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch Botanic Gardens Maori cultural center and feast Summertime private gardens with local gardeners A full day cruising through the fjords of the South Island A group of like-minded garden enthusiasts YOUR GARDEN ADVENTURE INCLUDES With NHS host Richie Steffen & Susan Picquelle An expert Earthbound Kiwi guide Visits to botanical and private gardens Transport by first class coach Internal flight from Wellington to Queenstown All breakfasts plus 15 additional multi-course meals Fifteen nights of four star hotel accommodations Porterage (1 piece per person) Maori cultural center and feast Milford Sound cruise through Southern Alps All sightseeing and attractions as listed in itinerary Gratuities for your drivers and guides NOT INCLUDED Airfare from the USA Travel Insurance (recommended) Gratuities for hotel staff Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
TRIP FACTS 17 Days / 16 Nights (when including air travel) $5,595 Per Person Double Occupancy $1,575 Single Supplement (limited to 4 single travelers) Tour begins in Auckland on January 16, 2019 Tour ends in Christchurch on January 31 SAVE $200 Pay your final balance by check and save $100 Travel alumni save $100 YOUR GARDEN JOURNEY BEGINS. Days 1 & 2: January 14 & 15 ~ Depart the USA Remember, you ll lose one day crossing the International Date Line, but not to worry, you ll get it back upon your return to the USA. Day 3: January 16 ~ Arrive in Auckland Haere mai (welcome) to New Zealand! Meet your hosts and your Earthbound Expeditions guide mid-morning in the lobby of your centrally-located hotel. We will drop off our luggage and head out for a cruise on the beautiful Waitemata Harbor and a delicious welcome lunch. This afternoon, we ll officially check in to our hotel. The evening is yours to rest and relax. Sleep in Auckland (B, L) Day 4: January 17 ~ Gardens of Auckland This morning, we ll visit a private garden and, after an independent lunch, we ll visit the Auckland Botanic Gardens, covering 156 acres of land and native forest. Opening to the public in 1982, the garden is young by world standards. However, it is widely
recognized for its outstanding plant collections, Auckland regional identity and the interest it has inspired in the community. A focus on creating unique gardens and landscapes has resulted in a spectacular garden with a distinctive South Pacific flavor. We ll return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Tonight is free for independent exploration of The City of Sails. Catch a ferry to the quaint village of Devonport and take in the views from atop Mt Eden, an extinct volcano. Or, you can visit Sky Tower, the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere. Sleep in Auckland (B) Day 5: January 18 ~ North to Helensville & Matakana Today we will head north and explore the Mahurangi Peninsula. We ll stroll through the 2-kilometer Brick Bay Sculpture Trail near Matakana, showcasing an ever-changing exhibition of around 45 contemporary sculptures by leading New Zealand artists. We ll round out the day with a tour of a private garden overlooking Kawau Bay. Enjoy one last night on your own in Auckland. Sleep in Auckland (B, L) Day 6: January 19 ~ Ayrlies Garden & Rotorua We depart for Rotorua this morning via Ayrlies Garden, one of New Zealand s best known gardens and a Garden of National Significance. Use of color is a hallmark of Ayrlies, seen best in the Lurid Border where hot colors are used to great effect. After a delicious lunch, we will continue the drive to Rotorua. This evening you will experience an entertaining Maori Hāngī (traditional meal) and concert. Sleep in Rotorua (B, L, D)
Day 7: January 20 ~ Rotorua In addition to visiting a private garden today, we ll explore geothermal activity and Maori culture for which this area is renowned. In Te Puia s Whakarewarewa Valley, there are bubbling mud pools and the 30m-tall Pohutu Geyser, which erupts many times daily. Te Puia is also home to a living Maori village and the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, with traditional wood carving and weaving schools. After our visit there will be some time for independent explorations this afternoon. Tonight, we ll offer an optional visit to the Redwoods Tree Walk, winding between 22 majestic 116-year old Redwood trees and lit up by 30 artist-designed lanterns, over 40 infinite color spots and feature lights. Sleep in Rotorua (B, L) Day 8: January 21 ~ To Napier via Huka Falls and Garden Visits in Taupo Today we travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to view the mighty Huka Falls before continuing to Lake Taupo with a garden visit (or two!) along the way. We ll also visit the Taupo Museum, with its re-creation of '100% Pure New Zealand Ora - Garden of Wellbeing', New Zealand s gold medal-winning entry in the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show, which showcases central North Island flora. After an independent lunch, we will continue on to Napier, The Art Deco Capital of the World, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931. We ll enjoy a historical walking tour before checking in to our waterfront hotel. Tonight, we ll dine together at a local eatery. Sleep in Napier (B, D) Day 9: January 22 ~ Napier to Wellington After breakfast, we ll head for the west coast and the exotic Paloma Gardens. Landscaped with plants from all over the world -- from the jungles of Asia to the deserts of Africa and the Americas -- Paloma Gardens has been awarded Garden of National Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust for the past thirteen years. We will lunch in the town of Whanganui and stop at a private garden featuring New Zealand native plants before continuing on to the nation s capital in the early evening. Enjoy dinner together and then rest up and prepare yourself for a gorgeous day in windy Wellington tomorrow. Sleep in Wellington (B, D)
Day 10: January 23 ~ Wellington s Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens This morning, we ll take a short city tour highlighting Wellington s history and culture on our way to the Wellington Botanic Garden. Here you can see the protected native forest, specialized plant collections, colorful floral displays and views over the city. After our visit, we ll ride the Wellington cable car back down to the waterfront. The afternoon and evening are yours to explore on your own. Soak up a little history, art and culture at the Te Papa Museum, take a guided tour of Parliament and the iconic Beehive building, or just enjoy a meal and a leisurely stroll along the Wellington waterfront. Sleep in Wellington (B) Day 11: January 24 ~ Fly to Queenstown After breakfast, we head for the Wellington airport and a 90-minute hour flight to Queenstown, New Zealand s adventure capital on the South Island. Upon arrival, we ll have time for lunch and visits to two of the area s most beautiful gardens before checking into our hotel on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Tonight, we ll ride the Skyline Gondola to dinner and a panoramic view of the city, the Lake and the aptly-named Remarkables mountain range. Sleep in Queenstown (B, L, D) Day 12: January 25 ~ Queenstown and Milford Sound: Don t forget your camera today! Today is a full day excursion to Milford Sound. Bounded by steep cliffs and dense rainforest, Milford Sound is by far the best known of all of the fjords in New Zealand. Rain or shine, Milford Sound continues to captivate even the most experienced traveler. At the pinnacle of Milford Sound is the iconic Mitre Peak - standing a proud 5,000 feet above sea level, it is certainly an impressive sight to behold. It is approximately 10 miles from the head of the fjord to the open sea, which means together, we will comfortably travel the length of the fjord to open ocean and return today. We ll enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening. Sleep in Queenstown (B, L, D)
Day 13: January 26 ~ Camp Glenorchy Today we ll drive New Zealand's most scenic highway from Queenstown to Glenorchy at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu. The trip takes about 45 minutes and we will stop along the way to take in the breathtaking views. Our eventual destination is Camp Glenorchy, New Zealand s first Net Zero Energy resort. There we ll take a tour of the facility and gardens and view the spectacular pebble mosaics of Oregon artist Jeffrey Bale. Jeffrey created the fabulous and multifaceted Labyrinth on Bainbridge Island, Washington, which was donated to the community by Bainbridge Islanders and Camp Glenorchy owners and founders, Paul and Debbi Brainerd. Jeffrey has been working at the camp for the past two winters creating pebble mosaic floors. After an optional hike, we ll return to Queenstown in the late afternoon. Dinner is on your own. Sleep in Queenstown (B, L) Day 14: January 27 ~ East to Dunedin & the Dunedin Botanic Garden This morning we head across the Southern Alps to Dunedin, capital of Otago Province. We will stop for lunch along the way. Upon arrival, we ll visit the Dunedin Botanic Garden - New Zealand's oldest which was established in 1863. The garden forms part of Dunedin's Town Belt, a green belt surrounding the inner city, and covers a total of 28 hectares (69 acres). We will check into our centrally-located hotel in the late afternoon. Sleep in Dunedin (B) Day 15: January 28 ~ Larnach Castle & Gardens We will visit another Garden of International Significance this morning ~ Larnach Castle & Gardens. Built over a span of 15 years beginning in 1871, and rescued from neglect in 1967, the castle and its 35-acre grounds had been overrun by second growth. Clearing and felling opened wonderful vistas, and today, the 'new' garden continues to be developed within the original framework of paths, hedges and trees. Our visit coincides with the peak of the herbaceous plantings peak in summer. Special collections of Southern Hemisphere plants are featured in the South Seas Garden.
We will take a guided tour of the garden before heading back into town. The rest of the day is yours to explore Edinburgh of the South, home of University of the Otago and a vibrant arts community. You might consider a visit to the Royal Albatross Centre (www.albatross.org.nz/), site of the world s only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross and the Little Blue Penguin colony at Pilots Beach. Sleep in Dunedin. (B) Day 16: January 29 ~ To Christchurch After breakfast, we head north to Canterbury Province and Christchurch, The Garden City. We ll make a few stops along the way, including a visit to Bushy Beach Scenic Reserve. A unique flora and fauna exists here a number of native plants and insects are at either their southern or northern geographical limit. Yellow-eyed penguin the world s rarest - also breed here. Adults return to feed their young at any time of the day so we may get lucky with a sighting. We ll visit a wind willow basketmaker on the way to a group lunch. After, we ll visit Trotts Garden in Ashburton, considered to be outstanding for its horticultural value in plant material, cultivation, design, construction, and maintenance. We ll check into our centrally-located hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner is on your own this evening. Sleep in Christchurch (B, L).
Day 17: January 30 ~ Ohinetahi & Christchurch Botanic Garden We ll start this morning with a visit to Ohinetahi House and Gardens, which lies in a protected valley in Governors Bay just over the Port Hills from Christchurch. It is surrounded on three sides by a steep volcanic crater rim while the view to the northeast sweeps straight out across Lyttelton Harbour and Banks Peninsula. A garden was first made on this site in 1865 by T H Potts one of New Zealand s first botanists. He planted a great variety of exotic trees and shrubs, many of which stand on the perimeter of the garden. After a tour and lunch, we ll head back to Christchurch and round out the afternoon with visits to two more gardens and the Christchurch Botanical Garden. Tonight we ll toast our garden adventure at a delicious Farewell Feast. Sleep in Christchurch (B, L, D) Day 18: January 31 ~ Return home with a lifetime of memories! Having experienced some of the finest scenery and gardens in New Zealand, it is time to say goodbye. You will be transferred to the Christchurch airport for your flight home after a memorable holiday. For those returning to the USA, you will arrive home the same day. (B) Itinerary Subject to Change.
MEET YOUR HOSTS Current NHS Board President Richie Steffen is a well-known personality on the Pacific Northwest horticulture scene. As Director and Curator of the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden in Shoreline, Washington, he oversees the plant record database, general horticulture and manages the garden s special collections, including rare plants, ferns, hepaticas, woodland plants, rare bulbs, and alpine plants. Richie keeps ahead of horticulture trends throughout the country by traveling, plant collecting, visiting gardens and networking with other horticulture professionals. He regularly lectures and writes and is always ready to share his enthusiasm for plants and the people who grow them. Susan Picquelle serves on the Board of the Northwest Horticultural Society (www.northwesthort.org/). A landscape designer, Susan has planned many events and short tours for the Washington Chapter of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. An avid gardener, Susan believes that garden touring is one of the best educational and most fun activities a gardener can experience.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Physical requirements: In order to make the most of your trip, you should be able to walk independently for one to two miles, often over uneven terrain and be able to stand for a period of time during walking or garden tours or visits to other sights. You must also be able to maneuver luggage onto buses and for those on the post-tour extension trains. Packing: We ll be moving a lot from place to place during this journey. We suggest that you pack light and utilize wheeled luggage. Luggage: You should be able to comfortably manage your luggage through airports. Porters are generally available to assist you at hotels only. The key is not to over-pack. Garden Visits, Events: If (for any reason) the organizers of a scheduled event cancel or postpone a planned activity with little or no notice, Earthbound Expeditions will do its utmost to secure a similar event. Strikes, unscheduled delays, lack of funds and acts of God are beyond the control of Earthbound Expeditions. Cancellation of an event, festival or concert is not cause for refund. Hosted Journeys: If a host or special guest is unable to attend as planned, Earthbound Expeditions will do its utmost to find another host who has similar interests, talents and expertise. The inability of a host to participate in a tour is not grounds for a full or partial refund. QUESTIONS & RESERVATIONS 800.723.8454 EarthboundExpeditions.com