Tour 1: North Island Explorer - Detailed Itinerary.
Christchurch - Auckland

Duration: 10 Days
Cost: NZ$ 2850
Tour Dates: October 9th - October 18th
Route: Christchurch - Kaikoura - Wellington - Taihape - Rotorua - Waitomo - Auckland.

Our Christchurch to Auckland route via the Central North Island. Enjoy the over and underground wonders of the Central North island. Wondrous cave systems, boiling mud pools, geysers, maori culture, and more...

We also run this tour from Auckland to Christchurch - click here for the reverse itinerary

This tour allows options to join the tour in Wellington.

Day 1: Christchurch - Kaikoura

After pickup in Christchurch either from the Airport or your accommodation we set off for Kaikoura. Take your pick of options in Kaikoura before settle in for the evening meal. Go Whale watching, swim with the dolphins or take walk in the forest with your guide.

Meals - Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Kaikoura - Wellington

From Kaikoura we take the Scenic East Coast route to Picton. Along route we take the time to sample a few drops of the local Marlborough wines before taking the ferry across the Cook Strait to Wellington.

Meals - Breakfast

Day 3: Wellington

Our Guides will leave you to your own devices in Wellington. Recommended activities include a visit to Te Papa - the national museum and the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. You might like to head up the hills for some of the best mountain biking in the country, or relax and unwind in some of the many cafes around the city.

Meals - Breakfast

Day 4: Wellington - Taihape

From Wellington we make our way to Taihape to prepare for the next two days in the wilderness. Along the way we'll stop for a thrilling jet boat ride and for the more adventurous, a bungy jump.

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day 5: Taihape - Kaimanawa Forest Park

For the next two days we will explore the Kaimanawa Forest Park, known for it's wild horses and beautiful views over the central North Island. We'll explore lush New Zealand native beech forest, sub-alpine scrub lands, and broad open, tussock covered, river valleys.

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Kaimanawa Forest Park - Turangi

After walking out of the park, we'll head direct to accommodations in Taihape. We clean up after the last couple of days walking and enjoy a relaxing evening. The nearby hot pools provide welcome relief to the weary muscles.

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Turangi - Rotorua

We make our way to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua, skirting the edges of Lake Taupo along the way (once the source of a huge volcanic eruption). We'll stop at Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland where you will see boiling mud pools and steaming sulfurous pools of magical colours in a landscape that should be from another planet.

Our evening meal will be a traditional Maori hangi which is followed by a Maori culture concert.

Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8: Rotorua

Today you're left to choose your own activities around Rotorua. Our guides can help you make arrangements as necessary. Options abound in Rotorua from leisurely sightseeing, shopping, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, whitewater rafting, skydiving... the choices seem endless.

Don't forget to finish the day with a relaxing soak in the hot pools.

Meals - Breakfast

Day 9: Rotorua - Waitomo

Not long after breakfast we'll set off for Waitomo. We'll take in a few more of the Rotorua attractions as we head out of the area and stop in to visit some live Kiwi's before reaching Waitomo. For our last big meal together we'll gather together for a BBQ dinner.

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast we'll enjoy an exciting underground adventure in the caverns of Waitomo before heading to Auckland where we will drop you at your accommodation or the Airport as required.

Meals - Breakfast and Lunch