Top North Island Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises - page 4

Travelers short on time in Auckland will enjoy this small-group half-day tour that includes the city’s must-see highlights. Learn more about the City of Sails and enjoy the views as you visit the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the North Head Historic Reserve, Mount Eden, and other attractions. Handy round-trip transfers are included from hotels in the CBD or Princes and Queens Wharfs.

Wellington, New Zealand, is home to an entire community of creative Wētā Workshop artisans who’ve brought life to such films as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies, King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia, Avatar, and many others. Wētā Workshop is your gateway to filmmaking creativity. Join our guided tours and learn about the making of movie effects, from armour to weapons, creatures to costumes, make-up to miniatures, and more!

Take a premium wine tour of Waiheke Island and sip fine wines at this famed North Island destination, just a ferry ride away from Auckland. An informative local guide accompanies you to award-winning boutique vineyards and shares knowledge of the island and its viticulture along the way. Includes wine tasting fees and round-trip island transport from the ferry terminal by luxury minibus.

Enjoy a relaxing cruise along the coast of Cathedral Cove in a comfortable, shaded boat. Learn more about the biodiversity of the off-shore marine reserve from your knowledgeable local guide. You can even snorkel with the provided gear, if you like, or remain on board and admire the views of caves, cliffs, arches, and other interesting rock formations.

Take an in-depth tour of the wine-growing region on Waiheke Island with a guide on this full-day excursion. You'll learn about what makes the vineyards so successful and the characteristics of the local wine through guided commentary and visits to three top vineyards. With round-trip transportation provided, you can take full advantage of the tastings without worrying about who will drive.

Explore Waiheke Island at your own pace, with all-day tickets for a hop-on, hop-off island explorer bus. Plan the perfect day with help from the onboard host, then see the things that interest you most, choosing from 8 stops near vineyards, galleries, beaches, and trailheads. This full-day Waiheke Island experience offers a personalized combination of nature, culture, and food, and departs from Matiatia every 30 minutes throughout the day.

There’s no better way to discover the Bay of Islands than from the water, and this half-day cruise from either Paihia or Russell lets you experience island life in depth, with a long stop at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island. You’ll get the chance to look for dolphins, learn about history, ecology, and wildlife from your skipper, and see signature sights including the Hole in the Rock.

Experience the majesty of Mt Tarawera and gain insight into New Zealand’s rich geology on this 4-hour hike from Rotorua. Travel by off-road 4x4 vehicle into the North Island wilderness with a guide. Follow winding hiking trails from the base of Mt Tarawera up to the crater’s edge, and learn all about the mighty volcano’s 1886 eruption. From your vantage point near the crater, admire panoramic views over the geothermal valley of Waimangu. This exciting hiking tour is suited to adventurers of all ages.

See the untamed beauty of New Zealand’s west coast on this North Island day trip from Auckland. Travel with a guide to the Waitakere Ranges, with a stop at the Arataki Visitor Centre overlook for views of the Tasman Sea out to the Pacific Ocean. Admire Maori carvings before a guided rainforest walk, then visit giant kauri trees and one of the area’s magnificent black sand beaches. Picnic lunch and light refreshments are included. *please note areas visited will differ depending on weather & fitness levels of the clients on the day. MODERATE LEVEL OF FITNESS REQUIRED. This tour is not suitable for people with mobility issues. The walks involve stairs and gradient changes.

Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Glow Worm Cave on this full-day tour from Auckland. Experience an important Middle-earth and ‘Lord of the Rings’ location on the guided tour of Hobbiton, and sip a refreshment at The Green Dragon Inn. Afterward, take in the twinkling light of glow worms at Waitomo. Ensure your admission to two of New Zealand’s top destinations by booking this tour in advance.

Go Waitomo black-water rafting (cave tubing) for a memorable adventure in the Waitomo Caves. Choose a 3-hour Labyrinth experience that takes you floating underground on an inner tube, including a small waterfall jump. Or upgrade to the 5-hour Black Abyss for an exhilarating abseil (rappel) down limestone walls; instruction and equipment included. The resident glowworms, stalactites and stalagmites will amaze you! Finish with a hot shower, soup and bagel.

Whether you’re on a shore excursion or just want to get away from the crowds at the most famous attractions in the Bay of Islands, this half-day tour is ideal. You’ll visit the Kawiti Glowworm Caves with a local Maori guide, take a leisurely walk along boardwalks in Opua Forest, and make a comfort (and photo) stop at Kawakawa’s quirky Hundertwasser Toilets.

The hills around Wellington offer a spectacular backdrop for a cycling tour, but pedaling uphill is tiring. Take the effort out by joining an e-bike tour and focus on enjoying the sights and views. This half-day tour will take you past many of the capital’s highlights, including Te Papa, the Wellington Waterfront, and the Maupuia Walkway. Morning or afternoon departures are available.

See and experience Napier’s highlights on this half-day shore excursion that’s especially designed for travelers with limited time on land. You’ll be picked up at the port and taken on a tour of Art Deco Napier and Hastings, learning about the events that led to this artistic style dominating. Continue up Te Mata Peak by road, to enjoy sweeping views of Hawkes Bay.

Experience the magic of New Zealand’s North Island on this evening glow-worm kayak tour in Tauranga. Begin your tour with refreshments and delicious New Zealand cheeses on the banks of Lake McLaren. As day turns to night, hop into your kayak and paddle with your guide to the glow-worm canyon at the head of Lake McLaren. Marvel at the millions of bright green glow-worms clinging to the towering cliff sides, and gain insight into the life cycle of these fascinating creatures.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at nine ‘The Lord of the Rings’ locations around Wellington and learn about the filming of movies based on the popular books. On a tour of the New Zealand countryside, see re-created scenes of Middle-earth including the Hutt Valley and the Greenbelt, take a forest walk through Tolkien’s Rivendell, and step into Weta Studios for a movie production tour of digital special effects. Your guide shares insider gossip on how the movies were made and takes you to a themed lunch.

Maximize your time in New Zealand with a full-day combo tour to two of the North Island's top attractions: the Hobbiton Movie Set and Te Puia Geothermal Park. Depart from Auckland for a scenic drive to the Hobbiton Movie Set where you get guaranteed admission and a guided tour of the famous Lord of The Rings site. Then take in the geothermal activity and Maori culture of Te Puia Geothermal Park in Rotorua.

Make the most of a short time on land on this comprehensive tour of Napier’s highlights. Tour the Art Deco city in an Art Deco bus, with large windows and a viewing deck at the back where you can get great photos. Listen to live commentary as you drive around the city, spotting landmarks and stopping at the beautiful Art Deco National Tobacco building, the Mission Estate winery, and more.

Combine award-winning wine and gorgeous scenery on a full-day small-group tour from Wellington to Martinborough that also explores the Hutt Valley, Rimutaka Ranges, Wairarapa coast, and Lake Onoke. You'll visit Martinborough wineries for cellar tours and tastings, pause for lunch in a vineyard restaurant, then eat dinner at the edge of Lake Onoke after a short shoreline hike. The tour includes a platter lunch, restaurant dinner, and a wine tasting.

Get out of Auckland city for the night, away from the rowdy crowds and harsh neon lights, and experience a natural light party all your own on this intimate kayaking adventure. Paddle along Mairangi Bay, a short distance north of central Auckland, and have a close encounter with the bioluminescent plankton that live on the coast. Watch as they light up the beach at night, with only the sounds of the Hauraki Gulf and the native birds living nearby in the background.

Beginner and advanced cyclists alike will enjoy this fun cycling tour through the Remutaka Ranges, on the Remutaka Cycle Trail. The easy-to-moderate trail is suitable for most riders who are up for an adventure, and the standard 11 mile (18 kilometer) route can be lengthened or shortened to suit your needs. Enjoy the forested scenery that you’ll ride through, and learn more about the history of this area from your local guides.

Gain entry to Zealandia at night and take a guided tour of Zealandia: The Exhibition, which showcases New Zealand’s natural history. Interact with a life-size model moa and Haast’s eagle — both extinct — and learn about the country’s conservation efforts to preserve other native species. Located just minutes from central Wellington, Zealandia includes a night tour of Sanctuary Valley, a fenced eco-sanctuary and safe haven for endemic animal and bird species such as the nocturnal little spotted kiwi.

Experience the thrill of New Zealand’s volcanic landscapes on a self-guided tour of the Orakei Korako geothermal area. Follow the 1.5-mile (2.5km) boardwalk around the park and stop to admire startling silica terraces, peer into bubbling mud pools and watch hissing geysers. Be sure not to miss the Ruatapu Cave, one of only two geothermal caves in the world and home to a mesmerizing thermal mirror pool.