| Outline Itinerary [1/2] >> |
| Day 1: |
Arrive Auckland
Transfer to your hotel in the city centre for overnight stay. |
| Day 2: |
Auckland
Spend the morning at leisure before taking a cruise with Dolphin Explorer Tours to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, considered one of the most biologically and geographically diverse maritime parks in the world. Opportunity to swim with the dolphins. |
| Day 3: |
Auckland-Bay of Islands (235 km)
Collect your rental car and drive north to Paihia or Waitangi in the beautiful Bay of Islands for a 2-night stay. |
| Day 4: |
Bay of Islands
Join the Dolphin Adventures tour for a morning boat trip around the bay and with conditions permitting, swim with the wild dolphins. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the area. |
| Day 5: |
Bay of Islands-Coromandel (365 km)
Drive south via Auckland to Pauanui or Tairua on the east coast of the Coromandel for a two-night stay. |
| Day 6: |
Coromandel-Bay of Plenty (230 km)
Take a morning walk with specialist guide Kiwi Dundee taking in the scenic beauty and learning about the natural history of this area. In the afternoon, drive to Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty for a two-night stay. |
| Day 7: |
Bay of Plenty
Take a boat out into the Bay of Plenty where you may be able to swim with dolphins and view blue penguins and New Zealand fur seals at Whale Island. Alternatively you may prefer to visit New Zealand’s only active marine volcano, White Island. |
| Day 8: |
Bay of Plenty-Rotorua (100 km)
Drive inland to Rotorua and experience New Zealand’s foremost geo-thermal area that is also the centre for Maori culture. Spend the afternoon at leisure and perhaps enjoy a traditional Maori feast in the evening (at additional cost). |
| Day 9: |
Rotorua-Taupo-Wellington (472 km)
Drive to Wellington, via Lake Taupo and the volcanic landscapes of Tongariro National Park. |
| Day 10: |
Wellington-Kaikoura (157 km)
Enjoy a morning of leisure, possibly visiting New Zealand’s National Museum Te Papa or Mt Victoria lookout. In the afternoon deposit your rental car at the ferry terminal depot and take the InterIslander ferry across the Cook Strait to Picton on the South Island. Collect another rental vehicle and drive down the East Coast to Kaikoura for two nights. |
Northland