Glass-fronted, architecturally-designed new builds to restored heritage homes, sprawling glades to manicured inner-city patio gardens – tickets for the 2022 season of the NZ House & Garden Tours are on sale from October 5, 2021. And for the first time the tour will also have weekend getaway packages planned around each of the four locations.

Wānaka properties will be showcased as part of the 2022 season that also includes Nelson, Clevedon in Auckland, and Manawatū, for the first time in its 14-year history.

“We are excited to be showcasing Wānaka as part of the tour. The destinations are always highly-anticipated and the tours have a loyal following,” NZ House & Garden Tours event manager, Nadia Isaacs, says.

“We carefully select a range of eight to 10 properties that we have never featured, before to ensure no two tours are the same. We know that more than half of tour attendees travel from outside that region, so this season we have designed a weekend getaway very much in keeping with a style that emulates the pages of NZ House & Garden, with either a four-day luxury escorted tour, or a three-day self-drive weekend.

“And we anticipate people who live in those areas may want to be part of their local weekend packages too, either with local friends or visitors from around the country.”

The NZ House & Garden Tours are New Zealand’s largest and most-established charity house tours, with proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. Tickets for the NZ House & Garden Tour are $95 and are on sale from today. This sees attendees drive themselves to each property, providing the freedom to experience every house at their own pace.

The self-drive 2-night, 3-day packages also allow the one-day tour to be done at your leisure, and includes a guaranteed House Tour ticket, accommodation, car rental, a three-course welcome dinner and a free day to explore the region. Planned for Nelson, Wānaka  and Manawatū, these prices start from $659 per person.

The luxury, chauffeured tours are for all four locations for 4 days and 3 nights, and include a guaranteed House Tours ticket, premium accommodation, fine dining, winery tastings, art trails, cooking classes and more. They have been designed for either four-person private tours for $2,299 per person, or shared groups of 10 people for $1,599 per person, shared twin. 

“We are working with a luxury travel provider to offer a weekend getaway customised to each group of discerning travellers, with a mix of attractions and free time, with the house tours one of the weekend’s highlights.”

NZ House & Garden editor Naomi Larkin says the tours help bring the pages of the magazine to life: “Some are properties we have featured in the magazine with a number of new ones we have found specifically for each tour,” Larkin says. 

“All the details and personal touches that make a house a home are on display, and you are able to immerse yourself in the diverse interiors, the furnishings and art work that give these places character and heart. Garden enthusiasts won’t be disappointed as many of these houses also have beautiful gardens and we aim to include a wonderful standalone garden on every tour.”

The series would not be a success without the support of hundreds of Breast Cancer Foundation volunteers who help at the tours – often people whose lives have been impacted by cancer.

Run by Stuff Events, the House Tours makes a minimum pledge of $100,000 in donations and $120,000 in media advertising for the charity.  

NZ House & Gardens Tours 2022:

o   Nelson – 11 & 12 March

o   Manawatū – 25 & 26 March

o   Wānaka – 1 & 2 April

o   Clevedon – 8 & 9 April

o  General admission tickets – $95 per person

o  Self-drive weekend package – from $659 per person

o  Luxury private package – from $1,599 per person

To book tickets or travel packages for the NZ House & Garden Tours, go to www.nzhouseandgardentours.co.nz