Tour Itinerary
Day 1. Auckland - Rotorua
Today your experienced Driver/Guide will collect you from your hotel for the start of your journey to Rotorua, New Zealand’s Thermal Wonderland. We go south to the Bombay Hills, greater Auckland’s southern boundary, and down into the Waikato Basin, the country’s most productive dairy pastureland.
We will follow the Waikato River, New Zealand’s largest, until we reach the quaint little town of Cambridge, a touch of England “down under” where we will stop to stretch our legs and have tea or coffee at an old church that has been converted into a comfortable and tasty stopover. After our break we continue on through the forest parks of the Mamaku Ranges and gradually down into Rotorua steaming away on the lake edge.
We will stop in the beautiful Government Gardens and stroll around for a while, unwinding from our drive, and have a light lunch in the Museum Café. Moving on we visit Te Puia, including Maori Arts & Crafts and Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve, home of the famous Pohutu Geyser and boiling mud pools. There is also an opportunity to see the kiwi, our national bird, in the specially created “Kiwi House.”
As people have very different sightseeing requirements you now have the option of: (at your cost)
- Agrodome - An entertaining Kiwi Farm Show to give you an idea of our farming methods.
- A visit to Rainbow Springs Nature Park. A chance for you to browse through a natural New Zealand experience.
- A ride up Mt Ngongataha on a gondola to have a thrilling ride on a four wheeled luge wending its way down part of the mountain with Skyline Skyrides.
- A relaxing dip in the thermal waters at the Polynesian Spa.
Tonight you will stay at the 4 star Heritage Rotorua Hotel and enjoy a breathtaking and magical Maori experience in a truly stunning venue followed by a succulent hangi feast cooked to perfection in a pit of traditional stone. Stay: Heritage Rotorua (B)
Day 2. Lake Tarawera Cruise - Rotorua - Auckland
We head out through the Rotorua forest to mystical Lake Tarawera for the highlight of your tour. We join Clearwater Cruises for a three hour trout fishing cruise on this beautiful lake renowned for its trophy sized rainbow trout. Relax on board your own 38-ft luxury vessel and experience the excitement of catching these prized fish.
All fishing gear is supplied and expert help from your skipper will almost guarantee you will be rewarded with a fine catch. After that excitement we visit Hot Water Beach on the lakeshore – a natural phenomenon where boiling water builds up from deep inside the earth to warm the waters of the lake, enabling you to have a relaxing swim in the natural thermal water. Morning tea will be supplied during your cruise. What a way to spend a magical day.
We stop for lunch at Wairoa – site of the Buried Village of Te Wairoa (optional tour) before heading back north through the green pastures of Matamata and the Hauraki Plains, arriving back at your Auckland hotel early evening. If you don’t wish to visit the Buried Village we can stop for a lunch break at Tirau on the way to Matamata.
Tour Highlights:
- Waikato countryside
- Cambridge Village
- Mamaku Forest Park
- Rotorua Sights
- Te Puia Arts & Crafts
- Whakarewarewa Geothermal
- Maori Concert & Hangi Feast
- Lake Tarawera Cruise
- Trout Fishing
- Hot Water Lake Swimming
- Option to visit Buried Village
Tour Inclusions:
This is a privately chartered escorted tour, so the final itinerary is entirely up to you. We have put together this package based on our local knowledge but we can vary it to your tastes and requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking. |
