A great tour of New Zealand’s North Island taking in some of the top holiday spots that New Zealander’s flock to each summer. Starting in Auckland and heading out to the Coromandel Peninsula there’s no shortage of spectacular natural and enriching cultural experiences along the way. Geothermal Rotorua offers bubbling mud, shooting geysers and Maori culture. Experience the absolutely stunning Coromandel coast, a favourite holiday spot for New Zealander’s with some really beautiful beaches.
The Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve opens up a sea kayaking paradise full of beaches, islands and rock gardens that are just waiting to be explored. During this 3 hour tour, paddle through sea caves, interact with the local marine life and discover the thrill of kayak sailing with the wind on your back! This tour offers great photo opportunities and is topped off with cappuccinos, hot chocolates and cookies on the beach at Cathedral Cove. Paddle at a comfortable and relaxed pace to enjoy the views and soak up the sun. The double sea kayaks allow children to safely enjoy their kayaking experience with an adult paddling right behind them. The team will ensure your tour to Cathedral Cove is safe, memorable and fun!
Departs 8.45am & 1.30pm Sept-April 9.30am & 1pm May-Aug * The morning departure is usually the calmest sea conditions
Conveniently located just minutes from Rotorua’s City centre, high on the side of Mount Ngongotaha, the Gondola will carry you to 487 metres above sea level to a stunning environment providing panoramic views of Rotorua City, Lake Rotorua and the surrounding area. There’s also Skyline Luge, which is a fun-filled adventure activity suitable for riders of all ages and experience levels. The tracks are all designed with twists, turns and tunnels to ride with your friends and family for a thrilling outdoor experience. Climb aboard your Luge cart and let gravity and your sense of adventure do the rest!
Discover one of New Zealand’s most magnificent geothermal wonderlands near Rotorua at Te Puia. See dramatic geysers, bubbling mud and beautiful native bush.
Enjoy the opportunity to come face to face with the biggest, active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere, Pōhutu Geyser. There are also jumping mud pools and live kiwi in the Kiwi Conservation Centre.
And watch master carvers and weavers at work at the NZ Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, and hear guides share stories passed down from their ancestors.
Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland is a spectacular showcase of New Zealand’s most colourful and unique geothermal elements sculpted by thousands of years of geothermal activity. Featuring some amazing colours and thermal wonders such as the Lady Knox Geyser which is presented daily at 10.15am. This unique geyser can reach up to heights of 10-20 metres. See and learn about the magnificent workings of the Lady Knox geyser from the wonderful team. There is also the geothermal park, sculptured out of volcanic activity and thousands of years in the making, Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland is considered to be New Zealand’s most colourful and diverse geothermal sightseeing attraction. You are introduced to a uniquely different natural landscape – the key to what you see lies below the surface – one of the most extensive geothermal systems in New Zealand, extending over 18-sq. km. The Mud Pool is the largest mud pool in New Zealand, it was originally the site of a large mud volcano which was destroyed through erosion in the 1920’s.
The world-renowned Agrodome farm show is a must on any visit to Rotorua. It is set in 350-acres of lush farmland, only 10 minutes from Rotorua city centre. Be entertained by a cast of talented animals.
For over 40 years, visitors have come to the the famous Farm Show at the Agrodome. You can also visit the Farmyard Nursery. It is home to the cutest baby animals who are available for cuddles and photos all year round.
There is a guided farm tour of the 350-acre working farm. You’ll get to hand-feed loads of friendly animals and sample delicious kiwifruit juice and honey from the land. And there is also the Woollen Mill and Shearing Museum to visit. Here you’ll learn the remarkable story of, NZ shearing pioneers, the Bowen brothers and discover the full process of wool from the sheep’s back to yours.
Experience the real Middle-Earth™ at the Hobbiton™ Movie Set. Step into the lush pastures of the Shire™ — as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies — in NZ’s Waikato region.
Follow acclaimed director Sir Peter Jackson’s lead and fall in love with the Alexander family sheep farm, a.k.a. the Shire. You’ll find it hidden in the unequivocal beauty of Waikato’s farmland, with the mighty Kaimai Ranges towering in the distance.
Your guide will escort you around the 12 acre set. You’ll see the intricate detailing, the most famous locations and learn how the movie magic was made.
Your walking tour will take you through the set past Hobbit Holes™ and the Mill. And your tour ends at Hobbiton’s world-famous Green Dragon™ Inn for a drink.
We can customise any of our Self guided drive tours to your needs
Auckland, or Tāmaki Makaurau in Maori, is New Zealand’s largest city. It is based around 2 large and picturesque harbours. ‘The City of Sails’ is known as such because of the many yachts often seen on those harbours.
Tāmaki Makaurau is one of the few cities in the world to have harbours on two major bodies of water. The central part of the urban area occupies a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitematā Harbour on the Pacific Ocean.
The Auckland landscape is also dotted with 53 volcanic centres that make up the Auckland Volcanic Field. And the many volcanic cones are a feature of the city.
In the centre of the city, the iconic Sky Tower dominates the skyline and has views across the city and harbours.
There is lots to see and do close to the CBD. Bustling precincts include Wynyard Quarter and Viaduct Harbour, full of superyachts and lined with bars and cafes. Auckland Domain, the city’s oldest park, covers an extinct volcano and is home to the formal Wintergardens. A short harbour-side drive takes you to Mission Bay Beach, which offers a relaxed beachside vibe and a seaside promenade — a wonderful place for a stroll.
A slightly longer drive will take you to the Waitakere Ranges, which surrounding the city to the west, and pristine sub-tropical rainforest.
Rotorua is an inland city that is famous for its geothermal activity, Maori culture experiences, 18 lakes, and three major rivers in a beautiful natural environment.
Rotorua is a major destination for both domestic and international tourists. Its geothermal activity, featuring geysers and hot mud pools, are world renowned. This thermal activity is created by the Rotorua Caldera, over which the town is built.
In Te Puia’s Whakarewarewa Valley, there are bubbling mud pools and the 30m-tall Pohutu Geyser, which erupts many times daily. Its also home to a living Maori village and the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, with traditional wood carving and weaving schools.
Rotorua was one of the first places in the country to host tourists who came to experience the healing properties of the geothermal waters.
Tauranga is a harbour-side city in the Bay of Plenty region on New Zealand’s North Island. It is the largest city in the Bay of Plenty and one of the fastest growing population centres in the country.
It is central to Auckland, Rotorua and Hamilton, and just a 15 minute drive from one of Aotearoa’s most popular beach towns, Mount Maunganui.
Downtown Tauranga has several historically significant areas. Take a scenic walk to see them.
The Strand waterfront area is modern and always buzzing. It is home to a number of cafés, restaurants, pubs and nightclubs, as well as a range of accommodation options.
Across the road on the water’s edge, tidal stairs bring the harbour literally to your feet. Children will enjoy the local playground. Indeed, Tauranga’s harbour dominates almost everywhere you go, providing the urban area with an attractive waterfront setting.
In traditional hāngī cooking, food such as fish and kumara (sweet potato), were cooked in a pit dug in the ground. Today, pork, lamb, potato, pumpkin and cabbage are also included. Hāngī was traditionally wrapped in flax leaves, but a modern Hāngī is more likely to use mutton cloth, aluminium foil and wire baskets. Traditionally the baskets were placed on hot stones at the bottom of a hole dug into the ground. The food is covered with a wet cloth and a mound of dirt that traps the heat from the stones. The Hāngī was left in the ground for about three to four hours, depending on the amount of food. The result of this process is tender meat and delicious vegetables, infused with smoky, earthy flavours. Today a process is used in above ground steaming facilities, giving a similar taste. Good food is central to the spirit of manaakitanga (hospitality). There are few experiences that rival sharing a feast cooked in a traditional Maori hāngī (earth oven), a centuries-old cooking method perfect for feeding a crowd and bringing a community together.
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