This tour is conducted at a medium-fast pace. Some long travel days may be required to complete this itinerary and you will typically spend two nights at each destination, with some one night stays required. This trip includes a mix of sightseeing and free time to explore at your own pace. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and some activities will be conducted on uneven or steep terrain. You will be required to handle your own luggage.
On these packages you will travel from city to city on your own, exploring at your own pace. We have arranged transportation in most cases and day tours for you to see the destination. Enjoy the time and flexibility to linger longer or pick up the pace and see as much as possible. The choice is yours.
✓ Incredible sightseeing, Taste your way around Auckland and surrounding wineries, travel to Paihia and the Bay of Islands, cruise the serene waters and visit the ‘Hole in the Rock’, travel south and witness the Waitomo glowworm caves and visit the geothermal pools of Rotorua
✓ Enjoy the flexibility of independent travel
✓ 9 days Compact SUV Holden Trax or similar
✓ 10 nights accommodation in mostly 4 star hotels
✓ Daily breakfast
✓ Full day guided tour tasting some of New Zealand’s best wine, eat local food and drink the dramatic scenery of Auckland’s west coast.
✓ Half day cruising the Bay of Islands enjoying picturesque views of the famous Hole in the Rock
✓ Guided Waitomo Caves tour. Marvel at thousands of glow worms as you glide gently downstream in an inflatable raft, and enjoy easy walks through stunning limestone caves and landscape.
✈ Needing international airfares to accompany your Inspiring Vacation? You will be able to access our flight portal after securing your package to add international airfares to your booking.
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Auckland. On arrival, please make your way to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is at leisure to get acquainted with this vibrant city.
Check in & arrival information.
Auckland airport is connected to the city by the Auckland City Express SkyBus and offers a great cost-effective means of getting directly into Auckland City. For $17 each one way (or $32 return), they will take you directly from the airport into the city. The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, taking between 40 and 50 minutes. As you’d expect, you’ll need to allow additional time if travelling in peak hours.
Hotel check in is at 2pm. Should you arrive earlier than this, hotel staff will do all possible to check you in as soon as possible. If your room is not available before check-in time, you are welcome to leave your luggage in storage and explore the surrounding area.
Enjoy a free morning to begin exploring Auckland.
Today you’ll be collected from your hotel to join a tour of Kumeu Wine Country. A 30 minute drive from downtown Auckland brings you to the Kumeu Wine Country. Your first tasting is at award-winning Soljans Vineyard. Enjoy lunch at Soljans Winery restaurant which has been built with sunshine in mind and serves Mediterranean-style food with a New Zealand twist, showcasing fresh seasonal produce from around the region. Next to tempt the taste buds is Matua Valley Wines who offer an extensive range of wines for every unique taste and occasion.
Your journey takes you to one of the few mainland gannet nesting sites in the world situated on the cliff-tops overlooking the Tasman Sea where you have the chance to see one of the world’s largest seabirds in their natural environment. Here you get a close-up of gannet behaviour without disturbing their environment. The views extend for miles along the wild, black, iron sand beach of Muriwai.
Your final tasting is at West Brook Winery. The West Brook cellar door looks across an idyllic duck pond and terraced picnic area to row after row of vines. The wines reflect true varietal character and their unique regional origins.
At the conclusion of the tour you will be returned to your hotel.
This morning collect your rental car and begin the trip north to Paihia, the gateway to the Bay of Island.
Driving along the Twin Coast Discovery Highway we recommend a visit to Whangārei. If you are up for it, take a detour to the Whangarei Heads scenic drive as it winds through pohutakawa fringed bays with stunning views to the wild and beautiful Ocean Beach (approximately an additional 80 minute return trip).
Continuing north, travel the remaining distance to Paihia and on arrival check in to your hotel.
Approximate distance driven: 280km, 3.5hrs
Car Hire Pick Up.
Collect your car from Budget downtown office, located on 206 Victoria Street, Auckland.
At 8.30AM board your vessel from the Paihia Wharf and enjoy picturesque views as the boat winds its way through the islands.
According to Māori legend, local warriors used to paddle through the Hole in the Rock in their canoes before departing for battle. Drops of water from the cave roof above were a good omen. If conditions permit, your skipper will expertly guide the ship through the narrow space... and if you get dripped on, consider yourself lucky!
Keep an eye out for dolphins, whales and other marine life during your cruise, and have your camera ready as we get you up close to the action. Please note that during our morning cruise we are permitted to interact with common dolphins only.
Cruises include an island stopover at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island. Stroll along the white sand beach, or walk to the top of the hill for scenic views over the entire Bay of Islands.
Your cruise concludes back at Paihia Wharf at 12:00PM. There rest of the day is at leisure.
Today is a full day to explore the northernmost peninsula of New Zealand. Having the car will give you the flexibility to discover the hidden coves and stunning outlooks that dot the coastline.
Before leaving Paihia today we recommend visiting the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. New Zealand’s most important historic site, where in 1840 New Zealand's founding document was signed: the Treaty of Waitangi. The award-winning Waitangi Treaty Grounds is a must-do for all visitors to the Bay of Islands.
Today is a long drive to Waitomo. Leaving early, make your way south back along the Twin Coast Discovery Highway.
Along the way enjoy coffee and a lunch break at the many charming towns that line the route. On arrival in Waitomo, check in to your hotel.
Approximate distance driven: 420km, 5.5hrs
Make your way to the starting point of the cave tour at 39 Waitomo Village Rd. Please ensure you bring a warm jacket as the cave temperature can be significantly lower than the outside temperature. Discover thousands of illuminating glow worms as you explore these glittering underground worlds on two walking tours. Glide silently by boat through the Glowworm Grotto in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, then get up-close and personal for a photo opportunity.
Farewell Waitomo today and continue your drive to the volcanic mecca of Rotorua. Enroute, make a stop at Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park (entry not included). The park is the best place to see Kiwi birds up close and conducts keeper talks featuring kiwi’s at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm daily.
Then continue to Rotorua, one of the world's most lively fields of geothermal activity. Suggested evening activities include spending the evening enjoying a Māori Cultural Performance and traditional hangi (entry not included).
Approximate distance driven: 139km, 2hrs
Spend the day exploring Rotorua at your own pace. Rotorua is a fascinating mix of geothermal activity, Māori culture, and adventure, Rotorua is a region that offers a multitude of experiences.
Explore the bubbling mud pools and geysers of Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley, or get your adrenaline pumping with some of the great adventure activities on offer. Visit Te Puia or Tamaki Maori Village to experience Māori culture and learn about the historic events of New Zealand's history.
For those that love getting outdoors, try a walk or mountain bike along the network of trails that wind through the giant Redwood forests.
Leaving Rotorua behind, make your way to Matamata where you will find the original Hobbiton Movie Set from Lord of the Rings. While not everyone might be a die hard fan, the movies put New Zealand on the map on a global scale and have had significant involvement in the boom of New Zealand tourism.
For those movie lovers, you may want to take a guided tour around the Hobbit Shire and learn all about the history and the on-location filming processes (optional tour)
Continue back to Auckland where your car needs to be returned to the downtown depot where you collected your car from.
Approximate distance driven: 228km, 3hrs
Today your North Island Deluxe Road Trip comes to an end. Farewell Auckland as you make your own way to the airport for your onward flight or to continue the next part of your journey.
Auckland airport is connected to the city by the Auckland City Express SkyBus and offers a great cost-effective means of getting directly to the airport. For $17 each one way (or $32 return), they will take you directly from the city to the airport. The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, taking between 40 and 50 minutes. As you’d expect, you’ll need to allow additional time if travelling in peak hours.
This is a land only package.
This package does not include international airfares. If you would like to add airfares to your booking our flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub. The flight portal will allow you to search for all available airfares to your destination. The function works like most general flight search engines allowing you to select your preferred airline, book different cabin classes (eg. Business class) and view flight durations and transit times to your destination.
The flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub once the following criteria has been met:
Visit our Flight Hub for more information on terms and conditions, amending your flights and information on luggage allowances.
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return. Visas may be required for your destination. For further visa information, click here.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a “3”.
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $1,438.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Available on request.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Group Size
Maximum of 60 people
When travelling with a group, no matter the size, we ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience.
Bedding requests
We do our best to meet your bedding preference, however, bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only and cannot be guaranteed. All efforts will be made to meet your preference, however, any changes are beyond our control and limited by the hotel facilities and availability.
Tour Styles - This package is an Independent style.
To meet the needs of various types of travellers, we choose to operate various types of tours and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
Who is operating this package
We have partnered with a wide range of third party operators who assist in fulfilling your booking and delivering an enjoyable on-tour experience. Each package will consist of multiple operators meaning both guides and fellow travellers may change day to day. But don't worry, regardless of the operator, you'll be in good hands to experience the most out of each destination.
All participants must be in good physical condition to fully engage in this journey. For the safety and welfare of yourself and fellow travellers, if you are feeling unwell prior to departure, we advise staying home and contacting us to arrange alternate plans.
Prior to selecting your trip, carefully review the itinerary to assess your ability to comfortably manage our travel style. Please be aware that if, based on evaluation by our leader or local representative, a participant is deemed unable to safely complete the itinerary, we retain the right to exclude them from all or part of the trip without reimbursement.
It is advisable to consult your physician for current medical travel advisories and any required vaccinations before embarking. We recommend carrying a first aid kit and any necessary medications in their original packaging, as they may not be readily available during travel. For those carrying medication, it's essential to check your government's foreign travel guidelines for local restrictions or regulations.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre Tour Accommodation
Post Tour Accommodation
Please select the number of extra nights required in the 'Additional Nights Accommodation' field when making your purchase. The additional cost for these arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
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