Winterless North
Highlights
Matakana
Totara House at the Kauri Museum
Tane Mahuta - Oldest Kauri in New Zealand
Hokianga Harbour
Motuti Marae
Kaitaia
Cape Reinga & Lighthouse
Ninety Mile Beach
Ancient Kauri Kingdom
Mangonui & Doubtless Bay
Kerikeri
Kemp House & The Stone Store
Te Waimate Mission House
Bay of Islands
Paihia
Waitangi Treaty House
Russell including Local Tour
Hole in the Rock Cruise (optional)
Tutukaka Coast
Oakura, Helena Bay and Matapouri
Whangarei Falls
Our Northland tour is probably the most comprehensive one available.
We head north for our first night overlooking the stunning Hokianga Harbour then stay in Kaitaia and go on a fantastic 4x4 drive to Cape Reinga and along Ninety Mile Beach.
We continue to Kerikeri and the Bay of Islands for a couple of nights and last but not least, we take a wonderful drive along the fabulous Tutukaka Coast.
There are plenty of sights to see including Tane Mahuta - the oldest kauri in New Zealand, Cape Reinga Lighthouse, Kerikeri, Paihia, Russell, Whangarei Falls and much more.
There aren’t many corners we don’t see on this tour.
Itinerary
Day 1
We travel north to the captivating village of Matakana, well known for vineyards, olive groves, restaurants and the famous Matakana Village and Farmers’ Market. We stop here a while to enjoy our morning tea. Travelling on, we reach Totara House at the Kauri Museum in Matakohe. Here, we stop for a tour of the House and have lunch in the Gumdiggers Cafe.
We continue north through the Waipoua Forest and take a look at the magnificent Tane Mahuta - the oldest giant kauri tree standing today. Its age is unknown but it’s estimated to be between 1,250 and 2,500 years old.
We head to Omapere where we stay for the night by the quiet water’s edge of Hokianga Harbour.
Day 2
This morning, we travel to Rawene where we catch the ferry across Hokianga Harbour to Kohukohu. Once everyone is back on board the coach, we are off to the Motuti Marae for a traditional Maori cultural experience and learn about the history of the area, see the young women weaving and making poi and much more.
We drive on to the coastal town of Ahipara, situated at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach and stop here for lunch. We continue to Kaitaia, a busy farming town with vineyards and many orchards especially avocados. Like most rural towns, it has an annual Agricultural & Pastoral Show and is one of the oldest shows in New Zealand starting in 1886. We spend the next two nights in Kaitaia.
Day 3
Today, we go on the famous 4x4 trip from Ninety Mile Beach to Cape Reinga. With stops at Cape Reinga Lighthouse, Ninety Mile Beach, the Aupouri Forest, Te Paki Stream & Sand Dunes, Rarawa Beach, Te Kao, Houhora Heads and the Ancient Kauri Kingdom - this really is a day of stunning scenery. Tonight, we go out to dinner at one of the local restaurants in Kaitaia.
Day 4
This morning, we make our way across to the East Coast and down to lovely Mangonui, the main centre of Doubtless Bay. Once a busy whaling and trading town, Mangonui has charming 150 year old buildings that now house cafes and art and craft shops. We stop here for morning tea, later passing Matauri Bay on our way to Kerikeri.
In Kerikeri, we have lunch then visit Kemp House, New Zealand’s oldest building and go to the Stone Store before we move on to Te Waimate Mission House.
We continue to Paihia, the Jewel of the Bay of Islands, where we stay for the next two nights.
Day 5
We start the day with a visit to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the protected site of the signing of the first accord between the British Crown and the Maori people. We enjoy an informative guided tour and sit down to be entertained with a high-energy Maori Cultural Performance.
We take the ferry from Opua to Russell, formerly known as Kororareka, which was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in New Zealand. We have lunch and then enjoy a tour of this delightful town.
Instead of the tour, it’s possible to go on the Hole in the Rock Cruise and this would be at your own expense.
Afterwards, we board the ferry to return to Paihia.
Day 6
This morning, we catch the ferry from Opua to Okiato. It’s back on the coach then we make our way along the Tutukaka Coast, travelling past pristine beaches and through picturesque rural landscapes of farms and orchards. We see the stunning views at Oakura, Helena Bay and Matapouri as we drive along the coastline to Tutukaka.
No wonder that National Geographic has stated that the Tutukaka Coast is one of the top 3 coastlines in the world!
We arrive at Ngunguru and stop here for lunch. Afterwards, we make our way to the Whangarei Scenic Reserve to visit the Whangarei Falls. There is an easy walking path that leads to the upper falls. It takes just 2 minutes to reach the lookout to view this classic curtain waterfall close-up. We also have time to go to the base of the falls.
Once we’re back on the coach, it’s on to Auckland and home.