New Zealand Off-Grid

Welcome to Auckland! We'll meet and greet in New Zealand's largest city today, before setting off on our first adventure. Surf's up! Welcome to the laid-back town of Raglan, set along the mesmerising Manu Bay. As well as an easy-going surf culture and word-class swells, Raglan is a tight-knit and eco-conscious community. The people who live here champion numerous green initiatives to ensure the town has an environmental impact, and we'll learn how the residents keep green before hitting the waves.

You can do as the locals do and opt for some surf lessons, or if you're after something a bit different, Stand Up Paddle Boarding is a great way to explore the coast with a bit more stability. As the evening draws in, we'll have the option to end our first day in style, with a cruise and dinner while we watch the sunset along the bay. NZ - you've stolen our hearts already, and we're just getting started. Stay: Sunset Motel

See ya, Raglan; what a cool little town you are. Don't be too sad, though - we're headed onto Rotorua next. When you catch your first whiff of that .. 'unusual' sulphur smell, you'll know we've arrived in Rotorua. Famed for its spurting geysers, bubbling hot springs and lush canopies, Rotorua is a natural wonderland, and then some. It's also home to the Ngāti Whakaue Māori tribe, who will be our hosts for the next two nights.

That's right, this is the first Special Stay of our trip, a traditional lakeside Marae, which is a traditional, ornately carved Māori home. Our hosts will make use feel welcome as they teach us Tikanga and Kawa, their customs and protocols. We'll then help them in the preparation of the steam Hangi (dinner) as they tell stories around the kitchen table. After a meal, we'll learn about Māori spirituality and healing practises, before the moment you've been waiting for. Yep, put on your best war face, as you're about to learn a haka! After showing you the ropes, our hosts will show us how it's done with their own cultural performance. Pinch yourself, it doesn't get much more authentic than this. (D/L) Stay: Marae (Special Stay)

The day is yours to roam free in this remarkable landscape. If you're feeling active, hike up volcanic Mt Tarawera or go White Water Rafting in the Kaituna River. Alternatively, you can take a Pounamu (jade) carving lesson with a local Māori master craftsman. This stone is sacred to the Māori people, and as well as being an incredible cultural experience, you get a beautiful piece of jewellery at the end of it.

Another optional highlight today is the Rotorua canopy tour. This will see you rise with the dawn and watch the sunset from a platform high up in the trees. After a coffee and some breakfast, you'll then harness up and soar through the treetops on your zipline. It's an enthralling way to experience Rotorua's stunning scenery. In this natural playground, the options are limitless and the decisions are yours. (B)

Leaving Rotorua behind, we'll stop off at the Treadright-supported New Zealand Kiwi hatchery, where we'll meet New Zealand's adorable but vulnerable national animal. We'll learn all about the incredible conservation effort being made for New Zealand's native birds, and also get the cuteness overload when we see some of the chicks. Then, staying on theme, we're headed to Blue Duck Station. Another day, another Special Stay!

Blue Duck station is nestled in the wilderness of the Ruapehu District, surrounded by Whanganui National Park. The site aims to conserve New Zealand's endangered wildlife, particularly its birdlife. Some of the kiwis we met earlier are released into the area surrounding the Station. Tonight, we'll enjoy an included farm to plate dinner, with produce harvested on the farm and meat that's been hunted in the surrounding bush. It's as sustainable as it gets, and it's utterly delicious. (B/D) Stay: Blue Duck Station (Special Stay)

Rise and shine, we've got endless options for an adventure filled day today. With over 5,000 acres of tracked land, the land surrounding the station is perfect for hiking or horse trekking, as you traverse bush canopies, pine forests and mountain passes. You could kayak the Whanganui river (with a return journey by Jet Boat for the sake of your tired arms), or maybe take a bush safari.

On this adventure you'll learn what the Blue Duck station is all about as you hear about their conservation work and even kayak to the Kaiwhakauka falls in summer - eyes peeled for the blue duck itself! In the evening, there's an option to try the Chef's Table fine dining experience. Under the summer night's sky, framed by Mt Ruapehu, you'll enjoy a 10 course degustation menu, with every ingredient sourced from the local land. (B)

We'll have a morning to explore Wellington further today. This place has more cafes per capita than NYC, so make sure you grab brunch before we take a boat ride from Picton towards the Lochmara Lodge. We're catching the ferry to the wild and wonderful South Island, where we'll hop on a smaller boat to travel to our next Special Stay - only accessible by water. Lochmara Lodge is more than just a place to stay, it's a natural haven, and a unique way to experience the magic of the Marlborough Sounds.

There's no road access and no TVs - just gorgeous views, nature walks, art and wildlife and, at night, clear starswept skies. Facilities include free kayaks and paddleboards, hammocks, a beach, and world famous nature trails. There's also the Underwater Observatory, where we'll get a tour from a marine biologist who will tell us all about their work to replenish fish populations of the sounds. We'll also take the sculpture and art trail along 10 acres of a 'living gallery' with mixed media art by renowned global artists. (D) Stay: Lochmara Lodge (Special Stay)

Get ready for your next Special Stay in Mt Cook - but first, we have a unique stop on the agenda. We'll stop off to see the intense milky blue waters of glacially-fed Lake Tekapo, and here, we'll also get to enjoy an unforgettable Dark Sky experience. You'll be blown away by this interactive multimedia exhibition that mixes stargazing, science and traditional Māori astronomy, teaching us how the Māori people originally used to use stars to harvest food, and about the importance of limiting light pollution.

Our next Special Stay is a lodge located in Mt Cook National Park, a majestic landscape of glaciers, terminal lakes, turbulent rivers and Australasia's tallest peak, the mighty Aoraki (Mt Cook) soaring above at 3,724 metres. There's endless adventures to choose from today - walk some of the famed hiking trails or take a scenic flight over the glacier followed by a snow landing and glacier walk. If heights aren't your thing, take a cruise up close to the glaciers, where you to touch and taste 300-500 year old glacial crystals. As the pitch black night draws in, opt for a unique stargazing experience. (B/D) Stay: Mt Cook Lodge

Rise and shine! You won't want to miss our morning hike to Kea point, to watch a golden sunrise stretch over the mountains. Hungry? We've definitely earned a buffet breakfast, and we'll enjoy floor to ceiling views of Mt Cook as we dine in the Heritage Hotel. Whether or not you have any room left after breakfast, you'll be happy to know we have a quick stop off for lunch in Arrowtown, New Zealand's historic gold-mining town. A bit like a New Zealand version of the Wild West, Arrowtown is full of charming wooden-fronted shops, cafes and remnants of the goldrush era.

Be sure to check out the replica miner's huts, buy some flakes of gold, wade in the river where people still go gold-panning, or buy some old-timey sweets from the Remarkable Sweet Shop on the main street. Arriving in Glenorchy we'll get a guided tour of our eco-retreat Special Stay. Nestled among some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery, this place celebrates nature through buildings designed with non-toxic construction materials, native plantings, and creative touches from New Zealand artists and craftspeople. State-of-the-art technology helps to reduce water and energy use. We'll enjoy an included Kiwi BBQ dinner before turning in for the night. We've got a big day of exploration tomorrow. (B) Stay: Eco Retreat (Special Stay)