Tour 503 AWESOME AUCKLAND
8 days/7 nights Commences Auckland DAILY to 31 March, 2023. Mininum 2 passengers.
Auckland is New Zealand's largest and most vibrant city built around 2 harbours and bounded by the Tasman Sea and Hauraki Gulf. Explore the city, cruise the harbour, relax in the parks, take a stroll on the beaches, rainforests, and countryside, take in a show, enjoy the museum and/or Art Gallery, and at the end of the day enjoy one of the hundreds of restaurants and cafes.
Day 1. ARRIVE AUCKLAND
Arrive Auckland by train, plane, or cruise and you will be met and transferred to your accommodation.
Days 2 - 7 AUCKLAND (B)
6 days to enjoy the best that Auckland has to offer. During this time you have included
1. AUCKLAND CITY AND WAITAKERE MOUNTAINS.
Join a small group tour with experienced local guide discovering Auckland's history and volcanic legacy including city areas, Domain, Harbour Bridge, Devonport including Mt Victoria and Westhaven Marina. This afternoon head to the wild west coast beaches and lush rainforest. Visit the Arataki interpretation centre with stunning views of 2 harbours, walk on the soft black sand beach, stroll through the rainforest on an easy path to see native palms, giant ferns, and kauri trees. Return to your hotel about 5.30pm.
2. AUCKLAND EXPLORER PASS AND SKYTOWER ADMISSION.
Explorer buses depart Skytowever every 30 minutes from 9am to 4pm with stops at Weta Workshop Unleashed, All Blacks Experience, Art Gallery, Newmarket shopping, Auckland Museum, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell Village, Bastion Point (easy access to Mission Bay), Sea Life Kelly Tarltons. Admissions to attractions are not included.
3. HOBBITON SILVER TOUR INCLUDING HAMILTON GARDENS.
Travel with our experienced driver/guide (Usually by people mover or mini bus) over the Bombay Hills and through rich Waikato dairy farmland to the thriving rural town of Matamata for a coffee break. Continue to Hobbiton. Drive through part of the 500 hectare (1,250 acre) sheep and cattle farm to the Hobbiton Movie Set, centre of Middle Earth. Enjoy a two hour guided tour with specialist guide. . Learn from your local guide how the set was created and see the Hobbit Holes, Gardens, Bag End (Bilbo and Frodo Baggins home), Party Tree, lake, The Mill, Green Dragon Inn, and much more. (Note: exterior of Hobbit Holes only). Enjoy one cold drink at the GREEN DRAGON INN. Your choice of dark or light beer, apple cider, or non alcoholic Ginger Ale.
Brief visit to LAKE KARAPIRO and the Karapiro Hydro dam on the mighty Waikato, New Zealand's longest river.
One hour to explore the award winning HAMILTON GARDENS, voted garden of the year 2014, by the International Garden Tourism Network, with over 1 million visitors a year. Hamilton Gardens has been transformed from a rubbish dump into 21 fascinating themed gardens including Te Parapara Maori Garden, Kitchen Garden, Herb Garden, Tudor Garden, Rose Garden, Rhododendron lawn, Camellia Garden, Victorian Flower Garden, Sung Dynasty Chinese scholars Garden, Italian Renaissance, Indian Char Bargh, Japanese Garden of Contemplation, Modernist, and English Flower Garden. When you have explored the gardens relax in the cafe on the banks of the lake for a wide variety of quality food - own expense
Return to Auckland about 5pm with views of the Rangiriri battle site from the Waikato land wars in 1863 on the way. Drop off at airport or city hotels.
Day 8. AUCKLAND DEPART. (breakfast)
You will be transferred to the rail station for departure.
back to NORTH ISLAND Tours. 2-8 Days 
