NZ North Island Tours - 9 Day Nikau

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9 day Small Group Tours Auckland to Wellington

Auckland - Coromandel - Rotorua - Napier - Wellington

New Zealand North Island Tours - The North Island is a mystical place of rolling hills, lakes, myths & legends, boiling mud-pools and ancient rainforests. This journey will introduce you to the very best of the North Island and includes visits to some remote locations and features some exclusive & exciting sightseeing inclusions.

Day 1 Arrive Auckland

Having cleared customs & immigration formalities, you will be met by our representative & transferred by limousine to your city hotel. The 'City of Sails' is New Zealand's largest and most vibrant, offering an exciting array of cosmopolitan experiences.

Stay Heritage Auckland Hotel (2 Nights)

Day 2 Auckland at leisure (B)
Auckland's blend of islands, rainforest, Polynesian culture, glistening harbours and modern city environment creates an unbelievable lifestyle that is ranked amongst the highest in the world. Auckland provides visitors with so many wonderful experiences, plenty within easy reach of the downtown city centre.

Today is a free day at leisure to relax & explore what Auckland has to offer. Perhaps visit Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World and Antarctic Encounter; take a cruise on Auckland Harbour or make your way to the top of the Sky Tower for spectacular views of Auckland city.

Day 3 Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula (B)
Today, travel south to the Coromandel Peninsula, a beautiful rugged area fringed with dozens of excellent beaches that separate the Pacific Ocean from the Hauraki Gulf. It is a place where many kiwis choose to escape the hustle & hype of city life and is home to many arts & crafts people who seek an alternative lifestyle.

At the quaint township of Coromandel, we ride the Driving Creek narrow gauge railway to a fascinating artist colony before crossing the divide to the eastern side of the peninsula for our overnight stay in Tairua.

Stay Grand Mercure Puka Park Resort (1 Night)

Day 4 Coromandel, Rotorua (B, D)
Journey along the Bay of Plenty coastline To Tauranga & Mt Maunganui before heading inland across the volcanic plateau to the geothermal city of Rotorua, passing many of the regions crystal clear lakes en-route.

Rotorua's raw beauty has enchanted visitors from around the world for more than 160 years. This evening, enjoy a twilight cruise across Lake Rotoiti to the natural thermal springs of Manupirua Pools before returning to a lakeside BBQ dinner at your resort.

Stay Amora Lake Resort Okawa Bay (2 Nights)

Day 5 Exclusive Lake Tarawera Cruise & Te Wairoa Buried Village (B,L)
The days highlight is an exclusive cruise across the pristine, clear waters of Lake Tarawera at the base of a gigantic dormant volcano. You'll experience spectacular scenery & some of the country's best trout fishing & have the opportunity to soak in the thermal waters of Hot Water Beach before enjoying a gourmet picnic lunch.

This afternoon, visit the Blue & Green Lakes and then wander around the famous buried village of Te Wairoa.

Day 6 Lake Taupo, Napier (B)
This morning, visit Wai-O-Tapu (meaning Sacred Waters), a wonderland of geothermal activity. Marvel at the reserve's unique features that include the world famous Champagne Pool, geysers, bubbling mud pools, steaming ground and sinter terrace formations. On our way to Lake Taupo, itself a gigantic volcanic crater following an enormous explosion in AD183, we stop to view the mighty Huka Falls & Wairakei Geothermal project and take time to walk around this popular lakeside resort.

Journey on to Napier, widely regarded as the ‘Art Deco Capital of the World', the result of a thorough rebuilding after a massive earthquake in 1931. It boasts the largest collection of Art Deco buildings outside of Miami, Florida. Nowhere else can you see as wide a variety of 1930's-style buildings in such a concentrated area, including Striped Classical, Spanish Mission and above all, Art Deco. Your local guide will bring this fascinating architecture to life on your walk around the town this afternoon.

Stay Te Pania Hotel (2 Nights)

Day 7 At leisure in Hawke's Bay (B)
Widely regarded as the ‘Tuscany of the South Pacific', the region boasts some of New Zealand's best and oldest wineries. You can enjoy a guided wine trail & taste some of the great wines produced locally, visit the world's largest mainland Gannet Colony, play a challenging round of golf at Cape Kidnappers, take to the skies on an early balloon ride over vineyards, olive groves & orchards or simply relax & enjoy your surroundings.

Day 8 Wairarapa, Mt Bruce & Wellington (B)
Travel this morning through the rural heartland of the Wairarapa region enroute to Wellington, the nation's capital, where you enjoy a brief sightseeing and orientation tour before checking into your accommodation. A visit to Te Papa National Museum is highly recommended.

Stay James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor (1 Night)

Day 9 Depart Wellington (B)
Sadly, your holiday is at an end and you will be transferred to Wellington airport today for your onward flight. Here, we bid you ‘Haere Ra', a fond farewell and hope you leave with many happy memories of your stay in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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