Essentials

Getting there

Nigel Richardson was a guest of Tourism New Zealand (new zealand.com) and Qatar Airways (qatarairways. com), which flies daily to Auckland via Doha from £879 return.

Staying there

The author stayed at The Marlborough Lodge (the marlborough lodge.co.nz) in Blenheim; Lakeside Apartments (lakesidewanaka. co.nz) in Wanaka; Hermitage Hotel (hermitage.co.nz) in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park; and SkyCity Grand (skycityauckland. co.nz) in Auckland.

What to do

Marlborough Sounds – Threehour boat tours can be booked for $155/£84 (marlboroughtour company.co.nz).

Marlborough wine tasting – Cloudy Bay (cloudybay.co.nz) offers tastings from $10 to $25; Wither Hills (witherhills.co.nz) has tours and a “wine blending experience”, from $49.

Southern Alps – The Siberia Experience, a half-day excursion by plane, foot and jet boat in Mount Aspiring National Park, costs $385 (southernalps air.co.nz).

Mount Cook – A ski plane glacier trip (see panel, right) costs $310 (mtcookski planes.com).

Auckland Maori Tour – Full day $275 with lunch (newzealand tours.travel).

Auckland Museum – Open daily 10am-5pm, $30 including Maori Cultural Performance (auckland museum.com).