visit Wellington, stay at Wharekauhau

Wharekauhau Country Estate (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. Located at the southern end of the North Island, this small city (just over 400,000 residents) has a lot going for it. Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand,

offers an opportunity to view exhibits about the country's natural features, its history, and the culture of the original Maori people. Wellington is the nation's capital, and it's well worth taking a drive through the downtown and stopping at the Beehive (the Parliament building) to take selfies.

Where to stay? You can reach Wharekauhau Country Estate (pronounced far-he-ko-ho), very quickly by helicopter; it's just 15 miles from Wellington. Or you can make the drive and enjoy the beautiful scenery. We stopped for lunch at the Everest Bistro in Featherston and enjoyed a delicious and informal meal at a very local restaurant.

You'll definitely be wowed by Wharekauhau. Another luxury lodge designed by Virginia Fischer, it sits on a 50,000 acre working farm with a view of the sea. Its rooms were spacious, comfortable, and informally elegant (see below), and the food and wine were wonderful.

bedroom at Wharekauhau (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Maori crafts in Rotorua

for sale in the gallery at Te Puia (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Sometimes the best travel experiences happen purely by chance. When our Southern World host received a text that our flight from Rotorua to Wellington was delayed by 30 minutes, he got right on the phone to the sales manager at Te Puia, a centre for Maori culture located in Rotorua. He arranged a whirlwind tour of the school founded to teach Maori crafts, preserving those traditions for a new generation. In the mere 30 minutes available, we saw students practicing arts such as wood carving and weaving, passed through the Gallery at which visitors can purchase those crafts, and finished by viewing the geyser.

You don't need to spend hours to get value from a worthwhile attraction. If you only have time for a quick thirty minute tour, you can still have an informative visit if you've got a knowledgeable guide showing you the essentials.

This is day six of our ten day educational tour through New Zealand. We've seen some of the world's most wonderful luxury lodges and delighted in the natural beauty of this photogenic island nation.

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.