Trip Overview
Worth noting…
On this trip, you’ll get two in one – your Trip Leader is also your Driver.
Tales From Topdeckers
Trip itinerary
-
Auckland – Whangarei Falls – Paihia (Bay of Islands)
2Wave goodbye to Auckland – we’re heading for the jaw-dropping Bay of Islands. Fancy swinging by a natural wonder en route? You’re in luck: the thundering Whangarei Falls awaits. Plunging into the Hatea River from a height of 26 metres, the waterfall’s surrounded by giant kauri trees – sacred to the Maori people as protectors of the forest. Later, we’ll make tracks to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds: arguably New Zealand’s most important historic monument. When we arrive in Paihia, there’s an orientation tour with your Trip Leader. Then, the evening's yours: we rec you hunt down some seafood chowder or ‘fush and chups’ along the harbour *chef’s kiss*.
-
Included Today
- Visit Whangarei Falls
- Visit Waitangi Treaty Ground
- Orientation walk around Pahia with Trip Leader
-
Meals
- Breakfast
-
Included Today
-
Paihia
3Today = options. Jump on a cruise around the ‘Hole in the Rock’ – no prizes for guessing what this is – to spot the area’s celebrity dolphins. Or stick to solid ground with a tour of Cape Reinga (the tip of the island) and Ninety Mile Beach (lied on its CV – actually 55 miles long). There’s also a sundown cruise if you can’t get enough of those island views. All the adventuring got your stomach rumbling? Round up the fam and head to a waterfront bar for craft beer and burgers.
-
Meals
- Breakfast
-
Optional extras
- Tour of Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach: prices available locally
- Bay of Islands sundown cruise: prices available locally
- Hole in the Rock cruise: from $145
-
Meals
-
Paihia – Matakana – Waitomo
4Wave goodbye to the Bay of Islands and head down to Waitomo. This is a big drive day, so stock up on snacks (and don’t lose your ear pods under your seat). We’ll make a pit stop at Matakana Village to stretch our legs and grab a bite to eat. It's foodie heaven: we’re talking cool cafes, artisan chocolate shops and award-winning coffee shops. Just before we get to Waitomo, we'll have a whizz around Otorohanga. Possibly New Zealand’s most patriotic town, get ready to spot real-life Kiwi birds, giant kiwi statues AND kiwi murals. When we reach our final destination, there’ll be time to get your bearings. Dinner plans? Totally up to you, but your Trip Leader has the recs.
-
Included Today
- Visit Matakana Village
-
Meals
- Breakfast
-
Included Today
-
Waitomo – Kohutapu
5Waitomo Caves. A glowworm-studded labyrinth of underground caves and rivers – this place is like something out of a sci-fi movie. Spend your free time exploring Ruakuri Cave on foot. Cruise through the magical grotto. Or strap in for a unique blackwater rafting experience (disclaimer: you’re gonna get wet). Later, we’ll receive a traditional welcome at Kohutapu Lodge. Visit a working marae, enjoy a haka demo, and level-up your crafting skills during a weaving workshop. Then, we’ll tuck into a hangi with the gang. This is as authentic as it gets.
-
Included Today
- Visit Waitomo Caves
- Orientation tour, marae visit, workshops and hangi dinner at Kohutapu Lodge
-
Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
-
Optional extras
- Visit Ruakuri Cave: from $70
- Blackwater rafting at Waitomo Caves: from $109
-
Included Today
-
Kohutapu – Rotorua
6To say Rotorua has it ‘going on’ would be the understatement of the century. We’re talking: adrenalin-pumping activities and mind-boggling movie sets. First: get your bearings on a walk around town with your Trip Leader. Then, you’ve the whole day to embrace Rotorua. For the LOTR fans (or closet fans), take a walk through Tolkien’s dreams at the Hobbiton movie set. Adrenalin junkie? Get your hit on a rapid ride down the mighty Kaituna River. Or play Tarzan on a sky-high canopy tour. Tonight is up to you, so gather the gang and compare today’s thrills and spills at one of the local haunts in town.
-
Included Today
- Orientation walk around Rotorua with Trip Leader
-
Meals
- Breakfast
-
Optional extras
- Visit the Hobbiton movie set: from $150
- Ziplining canopy tour: from $169
- Whitewater rafting in Rotorua: prices available locally
-
Included Today
-
Rotorua – Lake Taupo – Tongariro National Park
7Before we make tracks today, there’s a steamy visit to the geothermal wonderland, Wai-O-Tapu, on the cards. We’ll check out the Lady Knox Geyser which has been known to shoot boiling hot water 20m into the air! Then: we’ll make a stop at booming Huka Falls and play spot-the-extreme-kayaker as they tackle the immense 11-metre plunge down the canyon falls. Finally, we’ll take in the A-Mazing views over Lake Taupo before putting our feet up at our accommodation near Tongariro National Park. What. A. Day.
-
Included Today
- Visit Wai-O-Tapu thermal pools
- Visit Lake Taupo and Huka Falls
-
Meals
- Breakfast
-
Included Today
-
Tongariro National Park
8Dramatic volcanic peaks dominating the horizon. Rugged terrain that looks like you landed on Mars. And intense turquoise lakes gathered in steep valleys. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is one of the best one-day hikes in the world – and it 100% deserves the rep. You’ve got a full day to find your Samwise up Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mt Doom), soak up all the I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E views and wish you’d broken in those new hiking boots. If four-wheeled adventuring is more your style, there’s a quad biking excursion on the cards too.
-
Included Today
- Orientation walk of Tongariro National Park with Trip Leader
-
Meals
- Breakfast
-
Optional extras
- Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with a local guide (June to September): from $295
- Quad biking in Tongariro National Park: from $155
-
Included Today
-
Tongariro National Park – Wellington
9Today we’re making our way to Wellington where our North Island adventure will soon end *tries not to cry*. Get your bearings around the capital on an orientation tour before we head to Mt Victoria for 360-degree views over the harbour. This evening, we’ll give this legendary trip the send-off it deserves with one final group dinner AND craft beer tasting. Vibe = AWESOME.
-
Included Today
- Orientation walk around Wellington with Trip Leader
- Craft beer tasting with dinner
-
Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
-
Included Today
-
Wellington
10Local culture? Tick. Epic landscapes? Tick. Time to leave? Tick. Sad face. BUT: it doesn’t have to end like this. Hop on a flight to Christchurch and join our New Zealand South Island trip – the timings work out perfectly, we checked. You know you want to...
-
Meals
- Breakfast
-
Meals
What's included
Included experiences
- - Visit Whangarei Falls
- - Visit Waitangi Treaty Ground
- - Orientation walk around Pahia
- - Visit Waitomo Caves
- - Orientation tour, marae visit, workshops and hangi dinner at Kohutapu Lodge
- - Orientation walk around Rotorua
- - Visit Wai-O-Tapu thermal pools
- - Visit Lake Taupo and Huka Falls
- - Orientation walk of Tongariro National Park with Trip Leader
- - Orientation walk around Wellington
- - Craft beer tasting with dinner
Accommodation
-
-8 nights in hotel-style accommodation (twin or double), 1 night in a lodge (multi-share)
Transport
Optional activities
- FYI: these are optional activities available locally. Things might change – prices are here to give you a rough idea.
- Tour of Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach: prices available locally
- Bay of Islands sundown cruise: prices available locally
- Hole in the Rock cruise: from $145
- Visit Ruakuri Cave: from $70
- Blackwater rafting at Waitomo Caves: from $109
- Visit the Hobbiton movie set: from $150
- Ziplining canopy tour: from $169
- Whitewater rafting in Rotorua: prices available locally
- Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with a local guide (June to September): from $295
- Quad biking in Tongariro National Park: from $155
Views & Reviews
Latest Reviews
Average rating based on 5 reviews
-
Cheryll S October 2023
-
Mikaela September 2023
This trip is a fantastic insight into Aotearoa's North Island, with a good range of places visited. We were able to learn a lot about NZ and Maori history and culture, especially thanks to our guide Ahu.
-
victoria br September 2023
The scenery and the activities were amazing. Ahu deserves a raise for his ability to make sure that everyone got to complete the activities that they wanted to. He juggled things around to keep everyone happy and make sure that everyone got the most out of their trip. The funny commentary and good music was a bonus. In the future though, there were communication errors between Topdeck as a company and the information Ahu was provided, such as what time we needed to arrive back into Wellington which some passengers who needed to catch flights back immediately found stressful.
Other trips you'll vibe
Australasia | Delve Deep
Delve Deep: New Zealand South Island
8 days / 1 country
Start: Christchurch
End: Christchurch
Australasia | Get Social
Get Social: New Zealand
17 days / 1 country
Start: Auckland
End: Christchurch
Asia | Delve Deep
Delve Deep: Bali & the Gili Islands
7 days / 1 country
Start: Canggu
End: Gili Trawangan