Tours from Auckland...
You'll find everything you need on this website to make planning your tour in New Zealand really easy...!
We are not here just to provide you with a tour. We have an intimate knowledge of most areas of New Zealand and are here to advise on routes, distances, accommodation, places of interest and general background information. Please ask us to help plan your trip. We'll be really pleased to help!
What can I see and do on the North Island? Read on.....
Auckland is a modern, bustling cosmopolitan city offering all the attractions
you'll associate with city life. Relatively small by world standards
with a population of some 1.2 million, it can easily explored on foot.
The geographical gods really pulled out all the stops when they created
it, with two stunning harbours alongside a narrow spit of land, interspersed
with volcanic cones. Yes you read right - volcanoes. It should really
be called the City of Volcanoes as it's built on about 50 of them, but
instead its harbours take the glory and earned it the nickname of the
City of Sails. You'll find nearly 140,000 pleasure craft in its marinas!
It's the largest city in New Zealand, yet deserted beaches, wineries,
dense rainforest and wildlife reserves can all be reached within an
hour. Spend a few days in Auckland before or after your trip and explore
the commercial heart along Queen Street, Mt Eden's volcanic cone with
superb city views, Auckland Art Gallery, Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter
and Underwater World, the Sky Tower and cruise on Waitemata and Manukau
Harbours. And spend an afternoon or evening at Viaduct Harbour with
its superb restuarants, great pubs and lively nightlife too!
Further afield there's the Hauraki Gulf Islands of Rangitoto, Motutapu and spectacular Waiheke with its rocky bays, sandy beaches and boutique wineries. All of these islands are just a 30-minute ferry ride from Auckland's CBD! Great Barrier Island offers a back-to-basics experience as there's no electricity supply, which means no banks, ATMs, supermarkets or street lights.
Venturing
further north of Auckland will take you to the Bay
of Islands. Undoubtedly one of the most scenic places in the
country, its beaches, watersports and spectacular coastline is a major
tourist attraction. Be prepared to get wet and enjoy the subtropical
climate! It's also of extreme historic significance as the site of the
first permanent European settlement in New Zealand. In 1835 the Declaration
of Independence of New Zealand was signed here by local chiefs as was
the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 which established British sovereignty
over the islands. At the far northern tip is Cape Reinga where the Tasman
Sea and Pacific Ocean meet. It's also home to one of the most sacred
sites of the Maori people. On the western side is 90 Mile Beach and
further south Waipoua Forest contains
most of the remaining giant kauri trees in the country, now considered
a national treasure.
The Coromandel Peninsula attracts many
tourists too, notably for its charming heritage towns and superb white-sand
beaches. The coastline is undeniably scenic and there's the famous Hot
Water Beach, where thermally heated water oozes up through the sand
for two hours on either side of low tide. Dig a hole in the sand and
you have your own thermal spa pool!
Southeast of the Coromandel is where you'll find Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty, where Maori tradition remains strong and the language is spoken daily. In Rotorua the culture is accessible, with performances for tourists as much an attraction as the thermal waters, geysers and springs of the area. The Bay of Plenty also has stunning beaches and coastline, combined with (some say) the most sunshine hours anywhere in New Zealand.
The far east coast has more cultural experiences in store - wine and architecture! Hawke's Bay is home to some of the best wineries in New Zealand, producing world-class reds and whites. In Napier you'll witness some of the best-preserved art deco architecture anywhere in the world. And if you want to get off the beaten track, Te Urewera National Park is wild, remote and rugged, with spectacular walks among rivers, lakes and virgin forest.
A massive volcanic eruption some 26,000 years ago created Lake Taupo, at 606 square km the largest in New Zealand. Now best known for watersports and as the 'Trout Fishing Capital of the World', it has plenty of facilities and activities to appeal to any traveller.
South
of Taupo is the Central Plateau, where Tongariro
National Park is home to three towering volcanic peaks. Mt Tongariro
and its sisters, Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe was the setting for 'Mordor'
and 'Mt Doom' in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The area
offers some of the best short walks in New Zealand and is a very popular
skiing destination in winter.
Wellington is New Zealand's capital and sits on a spectacular harbour at the southern end of the North Island. Its beautiful Victorian architecture and top restaurants, bars, art galleries and theatres gives it a cultured, artistic feel. It has a lively nightlife and performing arts scene but great outdoor activities are less than an hour away.
In summary, we're here to help make it as easy as possible
for you to arrange your tour in New Zealand so
that you make the most of your time whilst here. You'll be taken great
care of from the moment you first enquire to the day you hand back your
keys. If some expert advice and help would help you plan your tour of
New Zealand then just
ask! 99% of the time we will come back to you within 24 hours
of your enquiry - usually less depending on where you're located in
the world. We love New Zealand, know most areas intimately and hope
that our advice helps you to leave with the same passion for the country
as we have.
Thanks for your interest and we hope to welcome you to New Zealand sometime soon!