Day 1 - Saturday, 03 May 2025
Kia Ora. Welcome to New Zealand. We start our knit adventure in this City of Sails. You have time today to explore Auckland ahead of our evening welcome dinner at one of the city's best restaurants.
Day 2 - Sunday, 04 May 2025
Enjoy a sleep in today before we visit the beuatiful Loopine Yarn Shop in trendy Parnell. Afterwards, we will travel to the West Coast to the black sand beach at Piha.
Day 3 - Monday, 05 May 2025
Today we depart Auckland for Rotorua, New Zealand's geo-thermal capital. On our way we will the home of the famed Hobbit holes. This evvening will be filled with cultural entertainment, a traditional Hangi Feast in Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley.
Day 4 - Tuesday, 06 May 2025
This morning we will travel to Wai-o-Tapu, a spectacular showcase of NZ's most colouful elements sculpted by thousands of years of geothermal activity. This afternoon our geothermal journey continues as we visit Wai Ariki for a 2 hour restorative experience that combines the regions geothermal mineral waters with the centuries-old legacy of Ngati Whakaue culture, traditional practices and manaakitangi (caring for people and community).
Day 5 - Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Today we make our way to Palmerston North.
We will travel through the centre of the North Island with panoramic views every which way. On our way we will stop at the thundering Huka Falls.
Day 6 - Thursday, 08 May 2025
Today we will visit the Manawatu Knitting Mill, where they specialise in the design of knitwear using natural fibres including cashmere, alpaca, angora, possum and super fine merino. They were the makers of the Original All Black jersey for their tour of Australia and England. This afternoon we have the opportunity to meet with local fibre artist, Viv Davey.
Day 7 - Friday, 09 May 2025
Before we make our way to Wellington, NZ's capital, we will tour the New Zealand Rugby Museum for a trip back in time exploring the rich histort and folklore of New Zealand's national game. Ahead of our arrival in Welllington we will stop at Cape Palliser, where you can climb a lighthouse, observe a seal colony and enjoy non-stop views.
Day 8 - Saturday, 10 May 2025
Did you say YARN? Today we will spend the day at Capital Fibre Fest, a makers market with all things yarn, fibre, wool and craft with a balance across the different types of fibre and yarn available showcasing many indie-dyers from across New Zealand.
Day 9 - Sunday, 11 May 2025
This morning we will board the Interislander ferry and cross the Cook Strait to the Marlborough Sounds on NZ's South Island. We'll spend two nights in the Marlborough Wine Region; part of New Zealand's Classic New Zealalnd Wine Trail.
Day 10 - Monday, 12 May 2025
A day for the senses. Marlborough is best known for wine and the Marlborough Sounds. We'll journey around this region visiting two premium wineries in the morning followed by a lunch cruise tihs afternoon,
Day 11 - Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Middlehurst Station is situated in the rugged, arid, and remote mountains of the Awatere Valley in Marlborough. The station covers 16,550 hectares of land, ranging from the rolling Awatere River flats to the peaks of the inland Kaikoura ranges. With elevations ranging from 550 meters to 2500 meters, Middlehurst Station has some of NZ’s most challenging high country farming conditions and is where we will rest our heads for the next two nights.
Day 12 - Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Middlehurst Station supplies fine merino wool to national and international clothing brands such as Ice Breaker and Allbirds. On this tour you will see inside the Station Woolshed and get an understanding of our sheep shearing operations. Merino fleece will be on display to feel, and a shepherd with their team of dogs will give a demonstration of their expertise.
This afternoon we will partake in a cooking class using the best local New Zealand ingredients.
Day 13 - Thursday, 15 May 2025
Today we will make our way to Christchurch, the most English city out of the UK. If time permits, we will stop at Molesworth Station located in the Canterbury High Country. We'll learn about the unique history of a place that few people get to experience
Day 14 - Friday, 16 May 2025
This morning we will vist the Ashford Wollen Mill. From sheep farms in the South Island of New Zealand they only accept wool from grass-fed sheep, free from mulesing. They select only wool with good length (free from breaks), high bulk, brightness, very low vegetable matter and within the correct micron range.
This afternoon we will visit Wild Earth Yarns located right in Christchurch.
Day 15 - Saturday, 17 May 2025
We depart Christchurch today and make our way inland to Clyde in the Central Otago region. En route we will stop in Tekapo for a view of Lake Tekapo from the Church of the Good Shepherd and lunch.
Day 16 - Sunday, 18 May 2025
This historic town is located at the foot of a river gorge and is surrounded by rounded hills of schist punctuated with large craggy standing rocks. Schist is gold bearing rock and substantial strikes in the rivers near Clyde sparked a gold rush in the late 1800s. We will visit Touch Yarns this morning. The afternoon is free to explore Clyde at your leisure.
Day 17 - Monday, 19 May 2025
We make our way south to Te Anau, gateway to the glacier-carved wilderness of Fiordland National Park. On our way we will vist Kepler Mountain View Alpacas.
Day 18 - Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Journey through rolling countryside to Manapouri where we will board our cruise across the crystal waters of Lake Manapouri to West Arm before boarding a coach and crossing the alpine route of Wilmot Pass through some of Fiordland’s most dense rainforest. On reaching Deep Cove, we'll board a modern catamaran vessel for a cruise exploring the waterways of this serene and isolated fiord. There is plenty of time to explore points of interest and view the spectacular alpine scenery including waterfalls, rainforest and mountains all the way out to the Tasman Sea. A Nature Guide with specialist knowledge of the region’s history, flora and fauna provides a detailed commentary. On the return cruise, the vessel’s engines are turned off to enjoy the ‘sound of silence’ before returning to Te Anau.
Day 19 - Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Today we'll travel north to Queenstown. This cosmopolitan town sits on the shore of Lake Wakatipu among dramatic alpine ranges. Queenstown is a hub of adventure, bursting with adrenaline and fun and this afternoon we will enjoy an exhileratiing 25 minute jetboat ride through Shotover Canyon.
Day 20 - Thursday, 22 May 2025
Today is a free day to enjoy Queenstown at your leisure. This evening we will have our farewell dinner at Walter Peak Farm and say goodbye to our new knit retreater friends.
Day 21 - Thursday, 23 May 2025
Retun home today. Flights can be arranged for any time today.
