Mid-Winter Christmas Festival -Wairarapa

We are transferred from our home address in the greater Auckland/Tauranga or Christchurch areas. Within 25 k of our local airport.  (ask for prices from other areas.) to our local airport for the short flight to Wellington.  On arrival we are met and taken to our hotel in central Wellington for overnight.
Tonight we join our Tour Manager for dinner.

After a hearty buffet breakfast, we hop on our coach for the scenic journey to Wairarapa. Our first stop is the Remutaka Crossing Memorial, honoring the 60,000 New Zealand troops who marched from the Military Camp in Featherston to the Hutt Valley between 1915 and 1919. Continuing through Featherston, we visit the Fell Locomotive Museum to see H199, the only Fell Locomotive left in the world. This unique 1877 railway line between Featherston and Wellington featured a steep 3-mile rack section with a 1-in-15 gradient, worked by six Fell locomotives until 1955. The system’s four horizontal wheels gripped a raised center rail for extra traction on the hill. After exploring the exhibits at our own pace, we enjoy a tasty morning tea. We then stop in Martinborough before arriving at our “home away from home” for the next three nights—the charming Parehua Resort. Our private cottages boast stunning rural views, a cozy fireplace, a deck, and a kitchenette equipped with a microwave, hob, fridge, and tea/coffee facilities. Time to settle in and soak up the charm before joining the Tour Manager for a festive Christmas-themed dinner tonight.

After breakfast, we hop on the coach to Masterton for a visit to the Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History, welcoming guests since 1969. There’s time to wander around Masterton, the largest town in Wairarapa, before stopping at The Woolshed to learn about sheep shearing and weaving. Then it’s off to Urlar Winery (pronounced “Er La,” meaning “of the earth”) for wine tasting and platters. Back at the hotel, we relax a bit before heading to Greytown, transformed into a charming Christmas wonderland. Stroll at your own pace, enjoying the snow machine, festive carolers, and magical atmosphere. The evening is perfect for pizza and drinks at the Cuckoo Café, a great spot to watch the “tractor parade” with its colorful, decorated vehicles. Browse the shops for Christmas treats before rejoining the coach for the short ride back to Parehua and our cozy cottage for the night.

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll spend the day exploring Greytown, browsing its charming shops. We’ll also visit the Cobblestones Heritage Village, where our guide will bring to life how Wairarapa’s early families lived, worked, and played in the 1800s and 1900s. Keeping with the heritage theme, we’ll head to the Royal Hotel in Featherston. Opened in 1868, it has been the town’s principal hotel ever since and is one of only two in New Zealand to display the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. Beautifully restored, the Royal blends NZ Colonial and Victorian architecture with Featherston’s unique industrial and military history, featuring soaring ceilings and ornate details that capture the elegance and intrigue of a bygone era. Here, we’ll enjoy a delightful high tea before returning to Parehua for some relaxation and a light dinner.

Sadly, today we must leave our cosy cottage and join our coach once again for our drive back to Wellington. Here we enjoy a sightseeing tour including Mt Victoria and Oriental Bay. The coach will stop at Te Papa and there will be time for a visit and to have lunch (own expense) before we head out to the airport for our flight back to our home city.

On arrival in our homeport we will be met and taken back to our home addresses anywhere within the 25K radius of our local airport.

Wellington passengers will be taken back to their home address.