Transport

We normally use a 22 to 25 seater Toyota Coaster with a trailer. As we only fill the bus to a maximum of 16 people, there are always some extra seats to lounge about!

Accommodation

Shared dorms in hostels & lodges. Private room upgrades available!

Guide

Expert Kiwi Guide

Others

Stunning walk to the spectacular arched cavern of Coromandel’s Cathedral Cove. Learn a haka and learn to weave flax with a local iwi (tribe). Visit Te Puia – a local arts and culture centre – to learn more about traditional Māori culture and discover Rotorua’s geothermal wonders. See kiwi birds up close and personal. Eat a traditional Māori hāngī meal cooked in an underground oven. Follow your nose to Rotorua’s bubbling mud pools. Discover what makes Huka Falls the most visited natural attraction in NZ. Check out the views from Matairangi/Mount Victoria, Wellington. Fall in love with Wellington’s cafe and craft beer culture. Plus many surprise stops along the way.

Hygieneprotocol

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY For those of you booked onto an upcoming tour, you can be reassured that our Haka buses are thoroughly sanitised before each tour, and following the World Health Organisation (WHO) advice, we are undertaking additional measures to adhere to the latest hygiene practices. These include cleaning & disinfecting including door handles, seats and overhead lockers on a regular basis. Our processes will be updated based on the latest guidelines. Our Haka Lodges are also undertaking additional measures to meet the WHO guidelines. We request our guests to follow the hygiene guidelines from WHO including the regular washing of hands. Hand sanitiser will also be readily available. Please refer to the World Health Organisation (WHO) or the New Zealand Covid-19 website for any additional guidelines.

Meals

Daily breakfasts and a Traditional Māori dinner hāngi

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Others

Other activities and services not included

Flights

International flights are not included

Optional

Optional Private Room Upgrade Upgrade your accommodation to a private room for $649. If you are sharing a room with another traveler only one of you needs to purchase this upgrade. Please note, there is 1 night on this tour where private rooms are not available due to limited availability: the cultural experience at Kohutapu Lodge in Murupara. Optional Accommodation Before & After Your Tour You can book accommodation with us the night before your tour starts and also the night after your tour ends. Optional Activities Choose from 70+ optional activities to add to your tour. You can pre-book activities before your tour starts, or add them while you are on tour. Here are a selection of activites available for this tour: Cathedral Cove Kayaking (Coromandel) Hobbiton Movie Set Tour (Rotorua) Forest Ziplining Canopy Tour (Rotorua) White Water Rafting (Rotorua) River Sledging (Rotorua) ZORB (Rotorua) Mt Tarawera Crater Hike (Rotorua) White Island Boat Tour with Transport from Rotorua (Rotorua) Guided Glowworm Kayak, Hot Pools & Dinner (Rotorua) Black Water Rafting with Transport from Rotorua Full Day (Waitomo) Two Cave Combo with Transport from Rotorua Full Day (Waitomo) Water Touch Bungy (Taupō) Skydive (Taupō) Lake Taupō Sailing (Taupō) The Tongariro Crossing (Taupō) Weta Workshop (Wellington)

Start planning your experience

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

Day 1: Auckland To Coromandel

Leaving the big smoke behind, we head to the Coromandel Peninsula, a veritable paradise of beautiful beaches and misty rainforests. The drive here is epic – the road twists and turns dramatically round the coastline and the ocean gets clearer and more pristine before your eyes. Cameras ready – the views are magnificent! The Coromandel is home to the famous Hot Water Beach – thousands visit each year to dig their own personal hot tub. If the tide times allow, we’ll definitely grab our buckets and spades and get busy! We arrive in the Coromandel with plenty of time for your guide to show you around. Sample the sandy beaches or simply enjoy the vibes. INCLUDED - Breakfast - Visit Hot Water Beach Download the tour itinerary
Day 2 Day 2: Coromandel To Rotorua
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Coromandel To Rotorua

This morning walk along the cliffs and down to Cathedral Cove (which you might recognise from the Chronicles of Narnia). With perfect beaches and massive rock arches and columns, it’s one of the most popular spots in the Coromandel. Alternatively, take an optional guided Cathedral Cove kayak trip and check out this stunning coastline from a different angle, accompanied by a local dolphin or two if you’re lucky! Later this afternoon we head towards Rotorua (or Rotovegas as it is locally known). En route, we’ll visit Matamata – best known for being the home of Hobbiton. Much to the delight of Lord of the Rings fans, a guided visit awaits us at the Hobbiton Movie Set, which is an absolute must-do when visiting NZ. On this fully guided tour of the 12 acre Middle-earth set you will see Hobbit Holes, the Mill, and even enjoy a drink at the Green Dragon Inn! While the majority of the North Island is volcanic in some way, Rotorua is exceptional for its geothermal activity. With neon blue and red lakes, steaming rivers, active volcanoes and geysers galore, there are more unique natural wonders to be found in Rotorua than many other places in the world. Special note: Due to severe damage caused by extreme weather in early 2023, the Cathedral Cove walking track is closed until further notice. You can still opt to kayak from Hahei to Cathedral Cove, or you can simply relax at Hahei Beach. Many roads on the Coromandel Peninsula also remain impassable. For this reason, some route adjustments will take place to ensure you are still able to experience New Zealand safely. Your leader will inform you of any further details regarding the daily itinerary as you travel. INCLUDED - Breakfast - Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Download the tour itinerary
Day 3 Day 3: Rotorua
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Rotorua

Today is a free day to explore Rotorua and its surrounding area. Talk to your guide for the best free things to see and do in the neighbourhood (Kuirau Park’s steaming and hissing mud pools are a great option). There are also a number of optional activities you can choose from: If adrenaline is your thing, the highest commercial waterfall drop in the world, on the Kaituna River, is begging to be conquered on an exhilarating rafting trip. Perhaps you’d like to try thundering down grassy hills in a giant air-cushioned inflatable ball (aka ZORB)? Alternatively head deep into one of New Zealand’s most ancient forests and let the fun begin on a 3 hour eco canopy adventure. Experience over 600 meters of ziplines and swing bridges, plus learn about the native wildlife and ecology as you zipline from tree to tree. Or take a guided kayak trip across scenic Lake Rotoiti to the spectacular Manupirua Springs Hot Pools, which are only accessible by boat. Have a leisurely soak while your guide cooks an appetising Kiwi BBQ Dinner. After dinner enjoy a sunset paddle across the lake and a visit to the glow worm caves. INCLUDED - Breakfast Download the tour itinerary
Day 4 Day 4: Rotorua To Murupara
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Rotorua To Murupara

This morning we visit Te Puia Māori Village. Here you’ll learn more about Māori history and culture, come face to face with the Pohutu Geyser, see jumping mud pools and get up close and personal with kiwi birds. Later this afternoon we head to Kohutapu Lodge in Murupara – where you'll get fully immersed into the Māori culture. Here you’ll also have a chance to learn the world-famous haka dance, and weave your own dinner plate using flax (a type of plant). Tonight’s dinner is a traditional hāngi meal. Cooked in an underground earth oven you can expect tender meat and delicious vegetables infused with a smoky, earthy fragrance – it will fill your puku (belly) right up! The best part about spending the evening at Kohutapu Lodge? The majority of proceeds from this activity go back to the local community. INCLUDED - Breakfast - Visit Te Puia Māori Village - See kiwi birds - See the Pohutu Geyser - Learn the haka - Learn to weave flax - Dinner (a hāngi cooked in an underground oven) Please note: Private accommodation upgrades are not available for this night of the tour due to the limited availability of accommodation. In special circumstances other arrangements may be possible - please contact [email protected] for more information. Download the tour itinerary
Day 5 Day 5: Murupara To Taupō
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Murupara To Taupō

It’s only a short drive to our next destination, Taupō, and there’s plenty to discover along the way. From mesmerising mud pools to the thundering rapids of the Huka Falls and Aratiatia Dam, your trusty Haka guide will make sure you don’t miss a thing. Taupō is a beautiful lakeside town with a stunning mountain backdrop. Lake Taupō is New Zealand’s largest lake – believe it or not, it’s roughly the same size as Singapore! This place is all about the thrills and spills, and there are plenty of options in store this afternoon. Get your hair wet with a water touch bungy jump, take an unforgettable skydive or a sunset lake cruise for amazing lake and mountain views. If you’d prefer to relax this evening, jump on a boat for a sailing trip to view Māori rock carvings. However you choose to spend today we guarantee you won’t forget it. INCLUDED - Breakfast - Find natural hot springs Download the tour itinerary
Day 6 Day 6: Taupō
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Taupō

A full day in Taupō... are you in the mood for peaceful lakeside tranquility or unlimited adrenaline and adventure? Either way, Taupō’s got you covered. For many, the ultimate adventure on offer here is the hiking (or tramping, as we Kiwis know it). New Zealand’s most famous day hike is also in the area. The 19.4 km Tongariro Crossing is an alpine crossing around Tongariro, one of the country’s most famous and most beautiful volcanoes. It’s a serious leg workout, but it’s worth every minute for the incredible views and landscape. Turquoise and green lakes greet you at the top, along with vistas that stretch all the way to the coast. If you’re looking for a thrill, we suggest skydiving over the lake or bungy jumping over New Zealand’s longest river (and, for the really brave, getting dunked in). There are heaps of other activities on offer such as quad biking, cruising the lake to see Māori rock carvings, hiking along the shores, mountain biking and even the chance to soak in some of the local geothermal pools. INCLUDED - Breakfast Download the tour itinerary
Day 7 Day 7: Taupō To Wellington
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Taupō To Wellington

It’s a big drive from Taupō to Wellington, but there’s some unmissable scenery on offer. On the way to Taupō we drive along the Desert Road that divides the Rangipo Desert (an area with poor vegetation because of bad soil conditions and drying winds). The climate is harsh and in winter it is not unusual to see snow. However, the biggest attractions on this road are that of Mount Ruapehu, Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe, the volcano better known as Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings. On the other side of the road is the lesser noticed Kaimanawa Range, home to a breed of wild horses that can be spotted on rare occasions. We pull into Wellington in the afternoon, with just enough time for film buffs make a trip to Weta Workshop, where the special effects of Lord of the Rings and Avatar were produced. New Zealand’s capital is famous for its bars and eateries, and is a paradise for lovers of craft beer – you’ll be spoilt for choice tonight! The tour officially finishes at 8pm today in Wellington, but your accommodation tonight is included. INCLUDED - Breakfast - Scenic drive through Tongariro National Park - Mt Victoria Lookout Download the tour itinerary

7 days tour

Coasts & Culture Tour

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Coasts & Culture Tour

Day 1: Auckland To Coromandel

Day 2: Coromandel To Rotorua

Day 3: Rotorua

Day 4: Rotorua To Murupara

Day 5: Murupara To Taupō

Day 6: Taupō

Day 7: Taupō To Wellington

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