Lakes & Vineyards
Central Otago cellars, alpine lakes and unhurried days.
- Culinary · Calm
- Ideal length: 6-8 days
- Best time: October through April, when the Southern Hemisphere summer opens the reef, the vineyards and the alpine trails all at once.
- Private guiding, access and transfers throughout
- From US$12,500 per traveler — a starting point, tailored to you
- Designed one-to-one by a Forest Travel advisor
- Virtuoso privileges at the finest luxury hotels
Central Otago cellars, alpine lakes and unhurried days.
Two nations at the edge of the world offer coral gardens, ancient rainforest, glacial peaks and some of the most remote luxury on earth.
When to go
October through April, when the Southern Hemisphere summer opens the reef, the vineyards and the alpine trails all at once. Your advisor times it to the light, the crowds and your own calendar.
The experiences
A sense of what this journey can hold — each one arranged privately and shaped to you:
- A private tasting in a Central Otago cellar known for its pinot noir.
- A lakeside lunch above the water, arranged for a single unhurried afternoon.
- A gentle guided walk along an alpine lake before the day warms.
- An evening of local produce and wine paired to your taste at the table.
A sense of the rhythm
This is the softer side of the South Island. Days open by the lakes and drift into the vineyards of Central Otago, where the wine is made in sight of the mountains. Lunches run long, cellars are unhurried, and the light lingers late into the evening.
A lakeside base or a stay among the vines
A lakeside base keeps Queenstown and the water at hand, with cellars a short drive away. A stay among the vines settles you into Central Otago itself, waking to the rows and the ranges. The lake offers variety; the vineyards, immersion.
How to do it well
The counsel our advisors give travelers planning this journey:
- Central Otago is close to the lakes; a private car makes tastings effortless.
- Autumn brings the vines into colour and the calmest days.
- Let us pair small cellars to your palate rather than the famous labels.
- A chauffeur means everyone at the table can enjoy the wine.
What only your advisor can open
The difference between a good trip and an unrepeatable one is access — and access is a relationship, not a booking. Every guide, room and moment is chosen and sequenced for you.
Who it's for
Travelers who value privacy, time and doing it once — beautifully — and who would rather have one trusted advisor orchestrate every detail than assemble it themselves.
Estimated investment
From US$12,500 per traveler, based on double occupancy — scaled to your dates, party size and level of privacy. A starting point, not a final quote; confirmed once your advisor tailors the itinerary.
Designed entirely around you
Nothing here is a package. A Forest Travel advisor shapes the whole journey and stays one message away before and throughout your trip.
Your Virtuoso privileges
As a Virtuoso member, Forest Travel includes benefits reserved for Virtuoso guests at the finest luxury hotels, at no added cost: a room upgrade on arrival when available, daily breakfast for two, a property credit toward dining or spa, and early check-in with late check-out when the hotel allows.
Continue exploring Queenstown & the South Island
Part of our Queenstown & the South Island travel guide. Related private journeys:
Begin the conversation
Tell a Forest Travel advisor how you like to travel and they will design Lakes & Vineyards around you — privately, every Virtuoso privilege included. Request your private consultation →
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