Six Day Guided Tour of Northland - Offered In Both German & English

Day 1

Pickup at the airport and transfer to the Auckland City Hotel in downtown Auckland. Alternatively, clients who arrived earlier can check in at a day/time to suit them. 

Activities include:

• A trip to the Sky Tower to enjoy the panoramic view of Auckland.

• A guided tour of the key sites in the City Centre.

• Taking the ferry to historic Devonport where we will have dinner.

Day 2

Departing the hotel at 8am we head north to Opononi via the West Coast Road. After two hours driving our first stop is the Kauri Museum. 

Clients will be taken on a guided tour of the Museum:

"Deep in the heart of an ancient forest that's gone, the Kauri Museum celebrates one of the world's greatest trees and honours our relationship with it. We share stories of courage and determination, tragedy and triumph, boundless hope and unfathomable loss: kauri making a nation.

From here we drive to the Waipoua Forest, where will visit Tane Mahuta a kauri tree which is over 2500 years old. 

Our next stop is the Signal Lookout (whttps://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/northland/places/hokianga-heads-area/tracks/signal-station-track/) which offers great photo opportunities of the Opononi Sand Dunes. Clients can also take a 10-minute walk to Martins Bay beach.

Kupe was a legendary Polynesian explorer who, according to Māori oral history, was the first person to discover New Zealand and made his first landfall in this place.

This area is of immense cultural significance to the Maori people and should be treated with respect.

Next, we take a 10-minute drive to the Manea Cultural Experience https://maneafootprints.co.nz/

Manea – Footprints of Kupe is a 75-minute multisensory journey of guided storytelling – through art, taonga (cultural treasures), film, performance, digital interaction, and the splendour of Hokianga’s natural surroundings.

Day 3

Depart the hotel at 8am heading north to Cape Reinga via the Rawene Ferry.

Our first stop will be Shipwreck Bay which is located at the southern end of 90-mile beach. Here clients can walk on the beach, go for a swim or just enjoy the breathtaking views.

We continue our journey north and will drive onto 90-mile beach via the Hukatere Forest.

 We will stop here for around 30-45 minutes allowing client to experience the rugged beauty of 90-mile beach, take photos and enjoy a walk in the sand dunes.

Wild horses live in the forest and can often be seen grazing on the side of the road. It is estimated that there are some 200 of them. 

On to the famous Cape Reinga, where the two oceans collide! Walk the path to the lighthouse on the edge of NZ

Cape Reinga offers the ultimate northern New Zealand experience. This uniquely spiritual place … here according to Maori history is where spirits begin their final journey to their ancestral land Hawaiki.

We head south to the immense sand dunes of Te Paki Stream – climb to the top, the views are spellbinding, and if you are brave enough grab a sandboard and surf the dunes (not included in price).

Our final destination today is the Taipa Beach Resort. On the way we will stop at the Honeybees café which boasts the widest range of homemade pies in the Far North (not included in the price). 

Day 4

Depart the hotel at 8am heading to Paihia via picturesque tourist coast road. Clients will take in beautiful sandy bays and stunning views of the Cavalli Islands. There are numerous photo stops and opportunities to walk along the beaches. This is rural Northland at its best. a road trip clients will not forget.

Our next destination is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the place where the British Crown and the indigenous Maori people in February 1840 signed the Treaty which created New Zealand as we know it today.

Clients will enjoy a 50-minute guided walk through the Grounds. The guide will share with you New Zealand history, the stories, people and events that shaped the past and influenced the future. The day will finish with a captivating live cultural performance followed by a Hangi meal, which will include meats, vegetables and bread cooked by an expert hangi chef,

A hāngī is a traditional Māori cooking method where food is steamed in an underground oven. It involves using heated rocks to cook meat and vegetables in a pit dug in the ground, infusing them with a smoky flavour. The food is typically wrapped in leaves or foil, placed on top of the hot rocks, and then covered with wet cloths and soil to trap steam and heat. 

Day 5

Departing at 8.30am we will be taking a scenic cruise out to Motukōkako, the Hole in the Rock, on a purpose-built vessel with large viewing decks and air-conditioned cabin. Dolphin, Orca and Seal viewing guaranteed

1.5 hour stop at Otehei Bay (also known as Urupukapuka Island) to explore the island, take a swim, hire a kayak, snorkel or paddleboard (peak season) and refuel at our beachfront Café & Bar

In the afternoon there is an optional two-hour tour of historic Russel, the first capital of New Zealand. Alternatively, clients can choose another activity (not included in the price):

• Take a helicopter ride over the Bay of Islands 

• Enjoy a fishing trip on a charter boat.

• Walk the Haruru Falls track.

• Paragliding

• Hire a Jet Ski

Your guide will be on hand, to book any activities for you.

Day 6

On our last day we will head south to Auckland visiting:

• Hundertwasser Exhibition & Toilets

• Kawiti Glow Worm Caves

• Whangarei Marina for coffee/lunch

On leaving Whangarei, we will take the scenic coast road to get back to Auckland. Clients will be dropped off in either downtown Auckland or the airport.

Alternatively at the start of the day, we can transfer clients to Kerikeri Airport before leaving for Auckland.