Russell – Enjoy a guided tour of one of New Zealand’s most historic towns.
Visit the historical sights of Russell on an intimate three hour coach tour coupled with a visit to the award winning Omata vineyard. Learn about significant sites like Pompallier House and Christ Church and stand atop Flagstaff Hill for stunning Bay of Islands views.
$70 per Adult, $35 per child.
Each tour has a maximum of 10 passengers. The tour starts and finishes at the Paihia I-site, pickup time is 10.30 am.
Flagstaff Hill (Te Maiki)
Oneroa Beach (Long Beach)
Duke of Marlborough Hotel
Christ Church/Pompallier House
DAY ONE
Auckland
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 TWO
West Coast to Opononi
Departing the hotel at 8am we head north to Opononi via the West Coast Road.
Our first stop is the Kauri Museum at Matakohe.
Clients will be taken on a guided tour of the Museum:
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 Opononi Sand Dunes.
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.
Kauri Museum, Tane Mahuta, Opononi Sand DunesManea Cultural Experience
Sands Hotel Opononi
DAY THREE
Cape Reinga
We visit Shipwreck Bay which is located at the southern end of 90-mile beach. Enjoy walk on the beach, go for a swim or just take in the breathtaking views.
From here we will drive onto 90-mile beach via the Hukatere Forest. Clients can experience the rugged beauty of 90-mile beach and the sand dunes.
On to the famous Cape Reinga, where the two oceans collide! Walk the path to the lighthouse on the edge of NZ. This is a uniquely spiritual place within Maori culture.
We then head south to the immense sand dunes of Te Paki Stream – climb to the top, the views are spellbinding.
Shipwreck Bay, Hukatere Forest, Cape Reinga & Te Paki Sand Dunes
Taipa Beach Resort
DAY FOUR
Bay of Islands
We will head to Paihia via the picturesque tourist coast road. Clients will take in beautiful sandy bays and stunning views of the Cavalli Islands.
Our next destination is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the place where the British Crown and theindigenous Maori people in February 1840 signed the Treaty which created New Zealand as we knowit today.
Clients will enjoy a 50-minute guided walk through the Grounds. The day will finish with a captivating live cultural performance followed by a Hangi meal. 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
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Kingsgate Hotel
DAY FIVE
Bay of Islands – On The Water
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.
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.
Kingsgate Hotel
DAY SIX
Back To Auckland
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.
Omata Vineyard
Tour Description
Our tour starts with a visit to Christ Church (the oldest church in New Zealand, famed for the bullet-holes in its walls). The church is the oldest existing church in NZ today, and possibly the oldest building still used for its original purpose. According to official records, the first service was on 3 January 1836 when William Williams from Paihia mentions taking one in the ‘new chapel’. Services were conducted in both English and Maori languages.
We move on to Pompallier House, built in the French provincial style, it was established by Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic mission to Western Oceania in 1841.
In October 1842 the first Maori translations of the Bible were ready, and the print shop, complete with bookbindery and tannery, began production. Bishop Pompallier and his Marist missionaries printed almost 40,000 religious texts in Maori here in eight years.
Our next stop is Flagstaff Hill (Te Maiki), an area not easily accessible on foot. On this spot in the 1840s, Māori cut the signal flagstaff down four times in protest against the British government, leading to war. Hear about the battle that ensued as you enjoy stunning 360-degree views of the whole Bay of Islands.
No trip to Russell is complete without a visit to the Duke of Marlborough, New Zealand’s oldest licensed pub! Today “The Duke” is world renowned for it’s excellent food and extensive wine cellar. Our visit will allow time for lunch and a stroll along the picturesque promenade.
The final stop is the award winning Omata Estate Winery. Here you will be able to sample and purchase wine made from Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grapes.
