Tour Northern Spotlight (8 Days)

Guide

Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver

Transport

Travel by luxury coach Airport transfers (see flight information below)

Hygieneprotocol

As of December 1st 2021, you must be fully vaccinated to travel with us. Your final vaccine dose must have been administered a minimum of 15 days prior to the start of the trip. This is your second dose of Pfizer, Moderna, or Astra Zeneca, or single dose of Johnson & Johnson.  You must be able to show documented proof of vaccination on trip. Your CDC card is sufficient (we recommend saving a picture on your smart phone as a backup option), but please be aware that certain destinations may require you to fill out additional forms online.

Meals

7 Full buffet breakfasts 2 Dinners 1 Highlight Dinner 1 Farewell Dinner

Others

Enjoy Auckland and Wellington Explore at your own pace in Rotorua. Life becomes all the more radiant at Waitomo Glowworm Caves, a subterranean wonderland that replicates the night sky. 1 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Fiordland National Park Centrally located premium 3.5-star hotels

Accommodation

Your Guided Holiday includes a range of quality hotel accommodation for your comfort. The accommodation you will enjoy on this tour includes: VR Queen Street Hotel & Suites Copthorne Resort Bay of Islands, Garden Rooms Ibis Rotorua Hotel Travelodge Wellington

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services are not included

Optional

Discover Kerikeri (Bay of Islands) NZ$60 Adult NZ$30 Child Enjoy a relaxing tour of Kerikeri, showcasing the rich history of the North. This tour takes a look at the importance of wine-growing in the region and visits a small family-run boutique vineyard, Ake Ake to sample some of their organic wine. And then take a step back in time with visits to the Historic Stone Store and Kemp House. And then conclude the tour with a stop-off at the local chocolate factory – Makana – where you can watch the delicious chocolates being made, and of course, taste a few samples! Discover Russell - Mini Tour (Bay of Islands) NZ$30 Adult / NZ$15 Child This intimate one-hour coach tour visits many of Russell’s iconic locations that make it so significant in New Zealand’s early history. See Christ Church (the oldest church in New Zealand, famed for the bullet-holes in its walls); historic Pompallier House, home to Bishop Pompallier’s Catholic Mission and the oldest industrial building in New Zealand; and even the country’s oldest licensed pub! Your tour will be led by an engaging guide whose combination of historical knowledge and local insight will bring the culture and history of the area to life. Waitangi Treaty Grounds (Bay of Islands) NZ$45 Adult, Under 18 years are free of charge Take a wander through the grounds of New Zealand’s most important historic site, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, rich in history and stories of the momentous events which shaped a nation. The grounds are where Maori chiefs first signed their accord with the British Crown – the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document. Visit treasures such as the Treaty House, Meeting House, Flagstaff and Ceremonial War Canoe. Roam the grounds on your own, or enhance your visit with a guided tour. Many of the guides descend from signatories to the Treaty which will give your visit a personal connection to Waitangi. Fullers Cape Reinga Via 90 Mile Beach (Bay of Islands) NZ$155 Adult / NZ$110 Child Drive along the shores of Ninety Mile Beach as the waves crash beside the custom-built coach. Visit Cape Reinga and hear the stories of this significant site. Enjoy spectacular panoramic views, visit the iconic lighthouse, and see the point where the Tasman Sea and the mighty Pacific Ocean come crashing together. This trip includes lunch. Canopy Tours (Rotorua) NZ$149 Adult / NZ$119 Child Canopy tours zipline adventure activity is an experience of a lifetime. You’ll be transported to a long forgotten ancient forest just like the whole of New Zealand once was. Experience a low impact mode of transport to get you high in the ancient canopy! In total there are 6 ziplines totalling more than 650 metres, the highlight for most being the jawdropping 220 metre tui song zipline that departs from 22 metres up a 1000 year old tree. Beat that for a setting! There are numerous treetop platforms at varying heights above the forest floor where you can observe and take in the magic of the environment around you. Hobbiton Movie Set Tour (Rotorua) NZ$119 Adult NZ$77 Child Discover the real Middle-earth on the most picturesque private farmland near Matamata in the North Island of New Zealand, where you can visit the Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings film trilogy in a fascinating two-hour guided tour. Rainbow Springs Wildlife Park (Rotorua) From NZ$50 Adult NZ$30 Child Set in 22 acres of beautiful native trees and streams, Rainbow Springs is home to a huge variety of New Zealand’s most precious inhabitants. Experience the adrenalin rush of The Big Splash, explore the many free flight aviaries, come face to face with pre-history in the eyes of the tuatara, and experience the wonder of the bird show featuring some of the funniest feathered performers you will ever see. Includes Kiwi Encounter Tarawera and Lakes Tour on the Rotorua Duck (Rotorua) NZ$89 Adult NZ$55 Child Discover Rotorua’s spectacular lakes area from the comfort of a fully restored World War II amphibious vehicle, able to travel on land and water. A 90 minute fun-filled and scenic journey that ventures onto the three Rotorua lakes, and is accompanied by an entertaining and informative commentary. Te Puia (Rotorua) NZ$56 Adult NZ$28 Child Take a wander through Te Puia, New Zealand’s Maori Culture Centre, where you will have the opportunity to view the awesome power of the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley… and much more!

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Flights

Flights are not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Welcome To Auckland
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Welcome To Auckland

Auckland is known as the ‘City of Sails’. And you’ll discover why when exploring its two harbours at your leisure. Pick a waterfront precinct and find a perch to while away the afternoon with a glass of Central Otago sauvignon blanc and a backdrop of yachts darting the water. Should you need a closer look, take a cruise out to the wineries of Waiheke Island. Meet fellow travel companions over a few local tipples tonight.
Day 2 Day 2: Auckland - Bay Of Islands
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Auckland - Bay Of Islands

Your journey north on a Bay of Islands tour from Auckland is not short of drama – discover 140 droplets of land ringed by turquoise sea at the top of the country. It’s undeniably beautiful, but it also holds a special historical secret: this is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, between Captain William Hobson and Māori chiefs. Your guide, likely an ancestor of one of the original signatories, will explain the significance of the site, while pointing out the world’s largest ceremonial war canoe and a carved meeting house.
Day 3 Day 3: Bay Of Islands Free Time
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Bay Of Islands Free Time

If there’s a travel destination that inspires wanderlust, the Bay of Islands is it. And today, you can do just that. At your leisure, venture up to Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua, the very top of New Zealand, via idyllic Ninety Mile Beach. Or glide around on an historic tall ship, enjoy local drops on a wine tour of the region, or join a tour of Russell and learn more about the settling of the Bay of Islands. The choice is yours.
Day 4 Day 4: Bay Of Islands - Auckland
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Bay Of Islands - Auckland

Northern exposure is a thing today, when you journey toward the top of the country to visit Whangarei – NZ’s northern-most city, and a place where waterfalls meet beaches, galleries meet museums. It’s like the country in a tantalising snapshot – a union of nature and forward-thinking culture. Explore at your leisure before sinking back into your seat for the mesmerising commute back to Auckland.
Day 5 Day 5: Auckland - Rotorua
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Auckland - Rotorua

There’s no bad day in Auckland – today, your Auckland tour is filled with expeditions to the War Memorial Museum and Waitemata Harbour, before you set your GPS for the Waikato River and a Waitomo Caves tour. This place is radiant – quite literally. While cruising cavernous waterways, your route is cast in a magical light by thousands of glowworms. It’s a landscape almost as otherworldly as Rotorua, where mud pops and jettisons from bubbling geysers, and steam rushes skywards from cracks in the Earth. Tonight, delve deep into Māori culture and traditions at Te Puia. Your dinner, a hangi cooked underground, is served while you overlook the spectacular geothermal valley. The highlight is a Maori cultural performance in the beautifully carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua.
Day 6 Day 6: Rotorua Free Time
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Rotorua Free Time

Explore at your own pace today, but with plenty of tips from your Travel Director. Want a bit of down time? We wouldn’t blame you for simply blissing out at in the steamy thermal springs at Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa. Animal lover? Go behind the scenes on a working kiwi nursery and hatchery. Hobbit fans will want to take advantage of the opportunity to tour the sights featured in The Lord of the Rings movies at Hobbiton. These beautiful landscapes are not only a bucket list tour for Hobbit fans, but a gorgeous countryside getaway.
Day 7 Day 7: Rotorua - Wellington
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Rotorua - Wellington

You’ll hear Huka Falls well before you see it – at this natural wonder, a staggering 220,000 litres of water thunder over an 11-metre-high waterfall every second. The road ahead unfolds in a broad panorama of Lake Taupo, its waters so vivid and blue you’ll think someone has taken the glasses off your nose and cleaned them for the first time. Traverse the Kapiti Coast to New Zealand’s cool little capital, Wellington, where there are so many restaurants and bars to choose from, you’ll need a guidebook. Wait, you have an in-the-know Travel Director to talk to.
Day 8 Day 8: Farewell From Wellington
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Farewell From Wellington

The best way to begin a Wellington day? With a coffee. The city is known for its uber-cool cafés, designed to fuel you through a session at Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. After lunch – read: a lunch that changes lives – it’s time to bid farewell to your NZ crew. What a week.

8 days tour

Northern Spotlight (8 Days)

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Northern Spotlight (8 Days)

Day 1: Welcome To Auckland

Day 2: Auckland - Bay Of Islands

Day 3: Bay Of Islands Free Time

Day 4: Bay Of Islands - Auckland

Day 5: Auckland - Rotorua

Day 6: Rotorua Free Time

Day 7: Rotorua - Wellington

Day 8: Farewell From Wellington

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