Suggested activities for Auckland

Explore: Auckland

New Zealand's self-proclaimed "City of Sails" is the country's largest metro area. Resting between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, this urban paradise has something for everyone. Surrounded by native bush, rainforests, and an abundance of beaches, Auckland is a playground for both the city savvy and those with an eye for adventure. Central museums and galleries can be explored on foot.

Food and Wine: Harbour Dinner Cruise with Explore

This unique on-water dining experience is not to be missed while you're in Auckland. Enjoy smooth sailing on the Waitemata Harbour – then watch this photogenic city come alive with twinkling lights. Enjoy your meal as you sail around the beautiful Auckland Harbour taking in the view as the sun slowly sets. You'll be treated to canapes and a drink as you set off towards Westhaven Marina.

Food and Wine: The Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour

Known as ‘New Zealand’s Island of Wine’, Waiheke has become home to a dedicated group of award-winning wine producers. With a unique micro-climate and the winemakers’ philosophy of 'small is beautiful', Waiheke has produced some of New Zealand’s most prestigious wines.

On this tour, you will visit three of Waiheke’s top vineyards and sample a range of their wines. Along the way, enjoy a commentated scenic drive, learning about the island’s history, geography, people, and culture from your knowledgeable local guide.

After your wine tasting experience, sit back, relax and finish the day with a lunch and a glass of Waiheke wine or beer at a local favourite.

Suggested activity

World Famous: Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

In the heart of New Zealand, you can step into the lush pastures of the Shire with a guided tour of Hobbiton, as featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. Hobbiton is located just outside of Matamata - in the heart of the lush Waikato farming region. Here you can visit such iconic Hobbit locations as Hobbit Holes, the Green Dragon Inn, the Mill, and the Party Tree, with a guide sharing behind-the-scenes tales and insight into the making of the films.

Explore: Rotorua

Peppered with natural hot springs, boiling mud pools, and steaming geysers, Rotorua sits within one of the world’s most active volcanic regions. Geothermal landmarks aside, this city of sulphur has a rich indigenous history. Home to several prominent Māori tribes, a visit to one of the Māori Villages should be high on your agenda, as should an excursion to the Polynesian Spa for an invigorating soak in its natural mineral hot springs. Alternatively, head up the Rotorua Gondola for soaring lake views, and ride the luge at night for an extra thrill.

Culture: Te Puia Te Rā Daytime Experience including Haka and Steambox Lunch

Te Puia is one of the country's premier indigenous experiences, with its spine-tingling ceremonial welcome, and stunning Kapa Haka cultural show which features traditional ancestral storytelling, song and dance. Enjoy food that has been cooked using the geothermal energy used for centuries, quite literally giving you a taste of Māori culture. You choose what you want to be cooked for your lunch before heading off on a special guided tour of Te Puia.

Culture and Food: Te Pā Tūe Cultural Tour and Hangi Dinner

Journey back in time to a Pre-European lifestyle experience of customs and traditions. Enjoy the night's festivities with the people of Tamaki Maori Village as you are treated to a banquet of succulent foods cooked the traditional Māori way. Discover the Māori village as it comes alive to the sound and activities of tribal songs, dances, myths, and legends and browse throughout the largest after-hours tribal marketplace in Rotorua. Includes a hangi buffet feast that has cooked slowly underground.

Suggested activity

Adventure: Huka Falls Jet Boat Ride

The Huka Jet is 30 minutes of pure fun and exhilaration, skimming close to cliffs, sliding past trees, feeling the adrenalin of full 360-degree spins. The excitement continues right up to the base of the foaming Huka Falls, where you get a spectacular water level view of New Zealand's most visited natural attractions.

Suggested activities for Napier

Explore: Napier and the Hawke's Bay

With its Mediterranean climate and Art Deco style, Hawke's Bay is stylish and unique. As the nation's first winemaking region, a visit to one of its 30 wineries is a must. For the true enthusiast, head out on a tour of the vines. Those into Gatsby can enjoy the chance to view prominent Art Deco landmarks on a 1930s Vintage Car Tour.

Wine and Food: Grape Escape half day Hawke's Bay Wine Tour

Join a fun-filled wine-tasting afternoon in the sun, driving through stunning scenery. Meet like-minded people and share an appreciation of this region's fantastic wine. You'll visit four to five wineries and enjoy a cheese platter on the grounds of the Ngatarawa Vineyard beside the lily pond.

Suggested Activity

Explore: Wellington

Wellington, New Zealand's capital, sits on a wonderful deep natural harbour and is surrounded by bush-clad hills. The city centre itself is quite compact (only around one square kilometre), so exploring on foot is relatively easy. It's also often considered the capital of coffee and craft beer; take a stroll down the foodie paradise Cuba Street and take in the city's diverse flavours.

Interislander Ferry Wellington to Picton

The 92 km journey between Wellington and Picton takes around three hours and has been described as 'one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world'.

From the Cook Strait, spectacular views of the South Island's Kaikoura Ranges can be enjoyed, and dolphins and many sea birds are often seen. The latter part of the cruise takes you through the Marlborough Sounds and this region of bush-covered mountains, small islands, crystal clear waters, and secluded bays, offers remarkable photographic opportunities.