Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
New Zealand North Island: Bay of Islands, Rotorua and Wellington
8 days from Auckland to Wellington: two nights in the Bay of Islands with Waitangi and a boat day, Hobbiton, two nights in Rotorua, Taupō and Tongariro, then the train south to the capital.
8 days · Auckland to Wellington · up to 12 guests
Hobbit holes reflected in the pond at Hobbiton, near Matamata Photo: Jackie.lck (photos · photo sets), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hobbit_holes_reflected_in_water.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Auckland to Wellington
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Easy walking most days, 1 to 3 hours on foot on paths and boardwalks. The longest walk is about 4 km, mostly downhill, through Waimangu Volcanic Valley on day 5, with a shuttle bus at the stops if you want to ride part of it. Zealandia and Craters of the Moon are on gravel paths with some steps.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 800 (estimated price)
- Season
- October to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- The Treaty House, the carved meeting house and the great waka at Waitangi, with a guided tour and a cultural performance
- A boat day out to the Hole in the Rock at Cape Brett, a stop on Urupukapuka Island and lunch in Russell
- A morning flight back from Kerikeri instead of six hours on the road, then Hobbiton in the afternoon
- Walking down Waimangu Volcanic Valley past Frying Pan Lake and the blue Inferno Crater
- A Māori-hosted evening near Rotorua with a hāngī dinner cooked in the ground
- Craters of the Moon at opening, Huka Falls and the volcanoes of Tongariro from the road
- The Northern Explorer train from National Park to Wellington, over the viaducts of the central plateau
- Zealandia at opening and a guided tour of Te Papa in Wellington
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 800 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Auckland
Auckland Airport to your hotel in central Auckland
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Auckland
- Drive about 30 min
Afternoon
Fly into Auckland Airport (AKL) by early afternoon.
Evening
A driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the half-hour drive into the city, where we stay one night close to the waterfront. Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau in Māori, sits on a narrow neck of land between two harbours, the Waitematā to the east and the Manukau to the west, with around fifty volcanic cones scattered across the city. In the late afternoon your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the week: what the boat day needs, how the flight and the train fit in, and what to pack for the geothermal valleys. Then we walk along the harbour from the ferry terminal to the Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter as the light goes, and sit down together to a welcome dinner. If you land early, the afternoon is yours: the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Domain, or the short climb up Maungawhau (Mount Eden) for the view.
Included
- Pick-up at Auckland Airport (AKL)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Evening walk along the harbour to the Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the late-afternoon briefing
Activity: Arrive by early afternoon to reach the briefing; we confirm the time with your final itinerary.
North to the Bay of Islands and Waitangi
Auckland to Whangārei Falls, then Paihia and the Waitangi Treaty Grounds
- Breakfast
- Stay in Paihia
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
We leave Auckland after breakfast, around 8 am, ahead of the worst of the traffic, and drive north on State Highway 1 over the Harbour Bridge and through farmland and forested hills. About two hours on, we stop at Whangārei Falls, where the Hātea River drops about 26 metres over a basalt lip into a pool, and walk the short loop to the base.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Whangārei at a café of your choice, at your own cost. Another hour brings us to Paihia, a small town on the shore of the Bay of Islands, our base for two nights. In the mid-afternoon, when the morning coach groups have gone, we cross the bridge to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. A local guide walks us through the grounds: the Treaty House, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840, Te Whare Rūnanga, the carved meeting house, and Ngātokimatawhaorua, a ceremonial war canoe hauled to the water each Waitangi Day. A cultural performance follows, and there is time for the museum.
Evening
The evening is free in Paihia.
Included
- Short walk at Whangārei Falls
- Waitangi Treaty Grounds with a local guide: the Treaty House, Te Whare Rūnanga and the waka Ngātokimatawhaorua
- Cultural performance and the Waitangi museums
Free time: Evening free in Paihia
Activity: About 3 hours on the road with a mid-morning stop and lunch; about 2 hours on foot at Waitangi.
A boat day on the Bay of Islands
Paihia to the Hole in the Rock and Urupukapuka Island, then Russell
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Paihia
- By boat
The bay holds about 144 islands, and today we see them from the water.
Morning
We board in Paihia in the morning and head out past the islands to Cape Brett and Motukōkako, the Hole in the Rock, an island pierced by a tunnel that boats pass through when the sea is calm. Bottlenose and common dolphins are often seen on the way, though never promised, and swimming with them is no longer allowed in the bay. On the way back we stop on Urupukapuka Island for a walk up to a ridge with views over the outer islands, or a swim at Otehei Bay in summer.
Afternoon
The boat drops us in Russell, Kororāreka, once a whaling port and the first European settlement in New Zealand, for a sit-down lunch on the waterfront. Afterwards walk to Christ Church, built in 1836 and still marked by musket balls, or up Flagstaff Hill. Regular passenger ferries run back to Paihia, so come back when you like.
Included
- Bay of Islands cruise to the Hole in the Rock at Cape Brett
- Stop on Urupukapuka Island
- Sit-down lunch in Russell
- Passenger ferry from Russell to Paihia
Easier option: Stay on the beach at Otehei Bay during the Urupukapuka stop, and take an early ferry back to Paihia after lunch.
More active option: Walk the Flagstaff Hill (Maiki) track above Russell, about 1 hour return with a steady climb, for the view over the whole bay.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: The passage through the Hole in the Rock depends on the sea; in a big swell the boat goes around instead, and in winter the cruise can be cancelled for weather, in which case we take a shorter harbour trip.
Fly south, then Hobbiton and Rotorua
Paihia to Kerikeri Airport, flight to Auckland, then Hobbiton and Rotorua
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Rotorua
- Drive about 3 h
Paihia to Rotorua is more than six hours by road, so we fly the long part. This is the longest day of the trip.
Morning
We leave the hotel around 7:30 am, depending on the flight, for the half hour to Kerikeri's small airport for a morning flight of about 45 minutes to Auckland, with the Bay of Islands below on take-off. Our van and driver meet us at Auckland Airport, and we drive about two hours south into the green dairy country of the Waikato, past Hamilton to the farm near Matamata that holds the Hobbiton Movie Set.
Afternoon
Lunch is first, at the set's café. Then a local guide walks the group through the Shire for about two hours: the hobbit holes cut into the hillside, Bag End above them, the mill and double-arched bridge, and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn at the end. It is about an hour on to Rotorua, where we arrive around 5 pm and stay two nights.
Evening
The evening is free; Kuirau Park, a free public park of steaming pools and mud, is a short walk from the centre.
Included
- Flight from Kerikeri (KKE) to Auckland (AKL)
- Lunch at the Hobbiton Movie Set
- Guided Hobbiton Movie Set tour with a drink at the Green Dragon Inn
Free time: Evening free in Rotorua
Activity: A full day: an early start, a flight of about 45 minutes, about 3 hours in the van in total and about 2 hours on foot at Hobbiton on gravel paths with a few gentle slopes.
Waimangu Volcanic Valley and a Māori evening
Rotorua to Waimangu Volcanic Valley and back, then a Māori-hosted evening
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Rotorua
- Drive about 45 min
Waimangu is a young geothermal valley, created when Mount Tarawera erupted on 10 June 1886 and buried the villages and the Pink and White Terraces around Lake Rotomahana.
Morning
We drive the 25 km south in the morning and walk down the valley with your guide, about 4 km on a sealed and gravel path that runs mostly downhill: past Frying Pan Lake, which steams across its whole surface, the pale blue Inferno Crater lake, whose water rises and falls on a regular cycle, and the warm stream lined with orange and green algae. A shuttle bus waits at the stops and brings us back up from the lake.
Afternoon
The afternoon is free in Rotorua.
Evening
In the evening we are hosted at a Māori village near the city: a welcome, songs, haka and stories of the people of this place, then a hāngī dinner of meat and vegetables cooked for hours in an earth oven.
Included
- Waimangu Volcanic Valley walk with your guide
- Māori-hosted evening with a welcome, cultural performance and haka
- Hāngī dinner
Optional experiences
- Polynesian Spa hot pools
- Redwoods Treewalk in Whakarewarewa Forest
- Te Puia and the Pōhutu geyser
Easier option: Ride the valley shuttle between the stops and walk only the short sections around Frying Pan Lake and Inferno Crater.
More active option: In the free afternoon, walk or hire a bike in the Whakarewarewa Forest redwoods on its marked trails.
Free time: Afternoon free in Rotorua
Activity: About 4 km at Waimangu, mostly downhill, with the shuttle available.
Taupō and Tongariro, then the train south
Rotorua to Craters of the Moon, Huka Falls and Taupō, then National Park and the Northern Explorer to Wellington
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Wellington
- Drive about 2.5 h
Rotorua to Wellington is close to six hours by road, so we drive the first part and take the train for the rest. We leave around 7:30 am to reach Craters of the Moon, just north of Taupō, at opening: a boardwalk loop of about 45 minutes through steaming vents and craters that appeared in the 1950s after the nearby power station lowered the water table. Five minutes away, the Waikato River squeezes through a narrow gorge at Huka Falls in a rush of blue-white water. After a stop on the Taupō lakefront, we drive along the shore and up through Tongariro National Park, the first national park in New Zealand and a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its volcanoes and for its meaning to Ngāti Tūwharetoa. On a clear day Tongariro, Ngāuruhoe and Ruapehu stand above the road.
Evening
After lunch in National Park village, we board the Northern Explorer for about five hours south over the plateau's tall viaducts, reaching Wellington in the early evening.
Included
- Craters of the Moon geothermal walk
- Huka Falls
- Taupō lakefront
- The drive through Tongariro National Park
- Lunch in National Park village
- Northern Explorer train from National Park to Wellington
Activity: The train runs south on set days, so departure dates are chosen to match it. The van drives to Wellington empty the same day and carries your main bags, so you only need a day bag on the train.
Zealandia, Te Papa and the capital
Wellington: Zealandia, Te Papa and the waterfront
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Wellington
- Drive about 15 min
We leave the hotel around 8:45 am to be at Zealandia, Te Māra a Tāne, when it opens. The sanctuary is a valley in the hills above the city, ringed by a predator-proof fence, where native forest is growing back and birds that had vanished from the mainland now live again: tūī and kākā overhead, takahē on the lawns, and with luck a tuatara sunning by the path. A Zealandia guide walks the group around the lower lake and dam for about two hours. We come back down to the waterfront for a guided tour of Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum, which covers the land, the Māori and Pacific collections and the story of the Treaty you saw at Waitangi. Your entry ticket is included with the tour, so stay on afterwards if you like.
Afternoon
The rest of the afternoon is yours: ride the red cable car up to the Botanic Garden and walk down through it, or browse Cuba Street.
Evening
In the evening the group meets for a farewell dinner.
Included
- Zealandia with a sanctuary guide
- Te Papa Tongarewa entry and a guided tour
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Wellington Cable Car to the Botanic Garden
- Weta Workshop tour in Miramar
More active option: Walk up Mount Victoria, Matairangi, about an hour return from the city, for the view over the harbour.
Free time: Afternoon free in Wellington
Activity: About 2 hours on foot at Zealandia on gravel paths with some short climbs.
Depart from Wellington
Your hotel to Wellington Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
The trip ends after breakfast. The morning is free until your transfer: walk the waterfront to Oriental Bay, take a last coffee on Cuba Street, or visit the Beehive and the Parliament buildings, which run free guided tours on most days. Your guide sees the group off at the hotel, and the van takes you to Wellington Airport (WLG), about fifteen minutes from the centre at the edge of Lyall Bay. Wellington has direct flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Australia, so most international connections run through Auckland or Sydney. If you want to keep travelling, the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries cross Cook Strait to Picton on the South Island from here, about three and a half hours across the strait and through the Marlborough Sounds, and our two-island trip continues south from the same city. Book a flight leaving after about 11 am so the morning is not rushed.
Included
- Drop-off at Wellington Airport (WLG)
Free time: Morning free until your transfer
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 11 am.
- Auckland1 night
- Paihia2 nights
- Rotorua2 nights
- Wellington2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: October to April is the best time: long days, warm water in the Bay of Islands and the clearest views of the volcanoes. In winter (June to August) the trip still runs, but Ruapehu and Tongariro are often in cloud and the boat day can be cancelled for swell; we swap in a shorter harbour trip if so. Dolphins are often seen in the Bay of Islands, but swimming with them is no longer allowed there.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-time visitors with a week for the North Island
- Travellers who want Māori history and culture told properly, at Waitangi and in Rotorua
- People who would rather fly or ride the train than spend six hours in a van
- A short trip to pair with the South Island, or a first look before the two-island trip
Not for you if you want
- Hikers who want the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (our two-island trip includes it)
- Travellers who want the South Island's mountains and fiords
- Anyone wanting a slow beach week: the Bay of Islands gets two nights, not five
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Auckland1 night
- Paihia2 nights
- Rotorua2 nights
- Wellington2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: 1 in Auckland, 2 in Paihia on the Bay of Islands, 2 in Rotorua and 2 in Wellington
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Auckland Airport (AKL) and drop-off at Wellington Airport (WLG)
- A private vehicle and driver for the group from a local partner
- Flight from Kerikeri (KKE) to Auckland (AKL) on day 4
- Northern Explorer train from National Park to Wellington on day 6, with the van carrying main bags
- Bay of Islands cruise and the Russell to Paihia ferry
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 8, including on the flight and the train
- Local guides at Waitangi, Hobbiton and Zealandia, and Māori hosts at the Rotorua evening
Activities
- Auckland: evening harbour walk
- Whangārei Falls
- Waitangi Treaty Grounds with the guided tour and cultural performance
- Bay of Islands: cruise to the Hole in the Rock, Urupukapuka Island and Russell
- Hobbiton Movie Set tour with a drink at the Green Dragon Inn
- Rotorua: Waimangu Volcanic Valley and a Māori-hosted evening with haka
- Taupō: Craters of the Moon, Huka Falls and the lakefront
- The drive through Tongariro National Park
- Wellington: Zealandia, and Te Papa entry (charged for international visitors) with a guided tour
- All entrance fees for included sights
Meals
- 7 breakfasts
- 3 lunches: in Russell, at Hobbiton and in National Park village
- 3 dinners: a welcome dinner in Auckland, a hāngī in Rotorua and a farewell dinner in Wellington
Not included
- International flights to Auckland and home from Wellington
- NZeTA and the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Drinks, apart from the Green Dragon Inn drink at Hobbiton
- Tips
- Optional activities such as the Polynesian Spa, the Redwoods Treewalk, Te Puia and Weta Workshop
- Personal expenses
- Checked bags over the domestic flight allowance
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 800 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
Prices in these answers apply from Jan 1, 2027. Black Friday offer: 15% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 4,010 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 4,340. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 4,715.
What does the price include?
Seven nights in central hotels, 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers, a private vehicle and driver, the Kerikeri to Auckland flight, the Northern Explorer train to Wellington, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every visit in the day plan, including Waitangi, the Bay of Islands cruise, Hobbiton, Waimangu, the Māori evening with hāngī, Zealandia, and Te Papa entry with a guided tour.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That keeps everyone close enough to hear the guide at Waitangi and Zealandia, fits the group on one boat and one train carriage, and lets us sit around one table at dinner.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from Auckland to Wellington, including on the flight and the train. Local guides lead at Waitangi, Hobbiton and Zealandia, where the sites provide their own, and Māori hosts lead the evening in Rotorua. A local partner provides the vehicle and driver.
Why fly and take the train instead of driving?
Because the two long legs of a North Island loop are each about six hours by road. The 45-minute flight from Kerikeri and the Northern Explorer from National Park to Wellington keep every day to about three and a half hours in the van or less, and the train is a scenic ride in its own right.
How fit do I need to be?
An easy level is enough. The longest walk is about 4 km, mostly downhill, through Waimangu Volcanic Valley, with a shuttle bus at the stops if you want to ride part of it. Other days are 1 to 3 hours on foot on paths and boardwalks, with a few steps at Zealandia and Craters of the Moon.
I am travelling alone. What does a single room cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 800 more than the shared price. Solo travellers join the same group, tables and activities as everyone else, and we never seat anyone apart at meals. If you would like to share a room with another solo guest, say so when you request to book and we will tell you whether that is possible on your departure.
When is the best time to go?
October to April, the New Zealand spring, summer and early autumn, brings long days, warm water in the Bay of Islands and the best chance of clear views of the volcanoes. The trip runs in winter too, but the peaks are often in cloud and the boat day can be cancelled for swell.
Do I need a visa for New Zealand?
Canadian and US citizens do not need a visa for a holiday, but must get an NZeTA before flying and pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy with it. Both are applied for online or in the official app. Other nationalities should check the New Zealand Immigration website before booking.
Can we swim with dolphins in the Bay of Islands?
No. Swimming with dolphins has not been allowed in the Bay of Islands since 2019, to protect the local bottlenose population. Dolphins are often seen from the boat on our cruise, but sightings are never guaranteed, and the boat keeps its distance under the rules.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, flight, train and activities for you.
Can I combine this with the South Island?
Yes. The trip ends in Wellington, where the Cook Strait ferries leave for Picton. Our 14-day New Zealand North and South Islands trip covers both islands with a Tongariro Alpine Crossing day, or we can quote South Island days to follow this one.
How does booking work?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, and differ by style: small group or private. The small group starts from CAD 4,715 per person. Pick your start date when you request to book, and we confirm your trip within 24 hours. Nothing is charged until then.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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