How to Plan a New Zealand Hunting Honeymoon

Over the past few months, we have heard from more couples interested in combining their honeymoon with a New Zealand Red Stag hunt. We fully welcome this and there isn’t a better place in the world to combine the two!

A honeymoon does not have to mean sitting on the same beach for a week. For couples who would rather experience something new together, a New Zealand hunting honeymoon can include world-class Red Stag hunting, private lodge accommodations, incredible meals and time spent exploring one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

At Ivory Cliffs Estate, we can help build the trip around both of you, whether you both plan to hunt or only one of you will be heading into the field.

A Honeymoon Built Around the Two of You

No two couples picture their honeymoon the same way. Some want their entire trip centered around hunting. Others want to spend a few days at Ivory Cliffs before continuing on to experience more of New Zealand.

That is why the planning starts with a conversation.

We want to understand what each of you wants from the trip. That may mean hunting Red Stag together, having one spouse accompany the other in the field or arranging separate activities for the non-hunting partner during part of the stay.

The hunt is important, but it should not feel like one person’s trip that the other person simply came along for. This is your honeymoon, and the experience should be memorable for both of you.

Red Stag Hunting at Ivory Cliffs Estate

Ivory Cliffs Estate is located in Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island. Our lodge sits directly on the hunting property, surrounded by open grasslands, native bush and the sandstone formations that give the estate its name.

For the hunter, this means more time in the field without a long drive to and from the lodge each day. For a spouse joining the hunt, it is an opportunity to experience the country, see the animals and share in the excitement of the pursuit.

Our New Zealand Red Stag hunting season runs from late February through July. March and April coincide with the Red Stag Roar, while other parts of the season provide their own advantages. We can help you select dates based on the kind of hunt and honeymoon you want to experience.

Time Together at the Lodge

When the hunting day ends, you come back to the same place together.

The lodge has four guest rooms, wood-burning fireplaces and views across the estate toward the Hawke’s Bay coastline and nearby Shine Falls. Stags can often be seen from the lodge, so you never feel removed from the property or the experience.

Meals are prepared by our in-house chef using local and seasonal ingredients, including premium cuts of game meat. Evenings are spent sharing a meal, enjoying a drink and talking through the day.

Those hours back at the lodge are a big part of what makes Ivory Cliffs work so well for couples. The hunt may bring you here, but the time spent together is what makes it feel like a honeymoon.

When Only One Spouse Hunts

Not every couple interested in a New Zealand hunting honeymoon has two hunters, and that is completely fine.

Non-hunting spouses are welcome to join the hunt, relax at the lodge or spend the day exploring Hawke’s Bay. Winery visits, spa treatments, shopping, hiking and sightseeing can be arranged around the hunting schedule.

Transportation is included with the non-hunter daily rate, and our team can help coordinate each day. You can spend part of the trip doing separate activities and still come back together at the lodge for meals and evenings.

Extend Your Honeymoon Beyond the Hunt

A stay at Ivory Cliffs can be one part of a larger New Zealand honeymoon.

Our travel partner can help arrange a customized itinerary before or after the hunt, including domestic travel, accommodations and experiences on the North and South Islands. Couples may choose to explore Napier and Hawke’s Bay, visit Taupo, continue south to Queenstown or build a longer trip around the destinations that interest them most.

If you plan to tour after the hunt, we generally recommend using one of our rifles instead of traveling internationally with your own. It removes the firearm paperwork and makes the rest of your honeymoon much easier.

Start Planning Your New Zealand Hunting Honeymoon

A New Zealand hunting honeymoon gives you the opportunity to celebrate your marriage with a trip neither of you will forget. You can pursue a world-class Red Stag, experience New Zealand together and build the rest of the journey around the two of you.

Explore our New Zealand Red Stag hunting packages, learn about our pre-hunt and post-hunt touring options, or contact Ivory Cliffs Estate to start planning your honeymoon.