Top North Island Seasonal & Special Occasions

Indulge in the succulent tastes of Waiheke Island on a 5.5-hour food and wine tour. An informative guide picks you up from your island accommodation or the wharf — if you’ve taken the ferry from Auckland — and takes you to boutique wineries. Taste wine accompanied by locally produced specialties such as award-winning olive oil, fresh-shucked oysters and artisan cheese. Then settle in for a platter lunch at a vineyard restaurant. If you like, stay longer and make your own way back to Auckland at your leisure.

Drive around the sunny Hawkes Bay and get a taste of the region’s well-regarded wines on this small group tour. There’s no need to choose a sober driver – get chauffeured around a handful of Hawkes Bay wineries on this tour, leaving you free to sample as many wines as you want. Learn how to translate winemaking jargon from your guide and enjoy wine-tasting like a professional. Beat the heat as you drive between wineries in an air-conditioned minivan.

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.

Discover the wine scene of Waiheke Island on a wine-tasting tour that introduces you to some of the island's best spots. With a small group and guide, taste world-class boutique wines and meet local producers who provide the chance to get to know the island's culture a little better. Along the way, admire the native bush and vineyard scenery.

Volcanic beaches, native rain forest, and vineyards abound on this full-day tour of West Auckland. Begin with a wine tasting in Henderson Valley, then continue to the Waitakere Ranges, where more than 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) of coastline and forest await you. Get elevated views of the reserve from the Arataki visitor center, explore the black-sand beaches of Piha and Karekare, and get close to the Karekare waterfalls. Then, enjoy an included lunch before finishing your tour with more wine tastings.

Cover plenty of ground in one day by combining several North Island highlights: Waitomo Caves, Hobbiton, and Rotorua. Ride a boat through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves to see these radiant lights. Take a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set, where you find the Green Dragon Inn, the Mill and the home of Bilbo Baggins from ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ Enjoy lunch at Te Puia, home to Pohutu Geyser. You can start and finish your tour in either Auckland or Rotorua, traveling one-way or round-trip.

Visit a pair of New Zealand's must-see attractions with this combo tour from Auckland to the Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Peek into Hobbit Holes, frolic in the Shire, and get a drink at the Green Dragon Inn on a guided tour of Middle-earth, followed by a Kiwi-style lunch. In the afternoon, explore Maori myths and history on a boat ride through mesmerizing caves lit by thousands of glowworms, and finish with a drive through some of the North Island’s most majestic scenery.

The fictional, yet globally famous, village of Hobbiton and the Waitomo Caves rank among the most popular sites of interest in New Zealand. On this tour, visit both sites in one day—see the home of Bilbo Baggins and explore Waitomo’s subterranean caverns—and enjoy personal attention from your guide on this limited to 15 people.

Walk into the real-world landscape of Middle Earth on a walking tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, where you get a behind-the-scenes look at ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit.’ Pause at the Green Dragon™ Inn to for a draft of Hobbit™ Southfarthing™, see the remarkable detailing that brought Hobbiton™ to life on screen, and visit the places where key scenes were created.

Visit the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie set on this small-group Hobbiton tour from Auckland. At the Hobbiton Movie Set, visit the home of Bilbo Baggins and peer inside other hobbit holes of the Shire—filming site of ‘The Hobbit’ and the ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogies. Your knowledgeable guide points out the Party Tree and the Mill. Enjoy cider, ale, or ginger beer at the Green Dragon Inn, and recharge with lunch at Party Marquee—both included.

For fans of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, visiting the official Hobbiton Movie Set is a truly unforgettable experience. On this tour, enjoy comfortable round-trip transport from Auckland and extra attention from your guide thanks to the small group size. On arrival, explore the famous film set on a guided tour, hear behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the movies, and see the Hobbit Holes, The Mill, and the Double Arched bridge. There will also be free time to shop for souvenirs or purchase lunch at the Shire’s Rest Café.

Visit two of the North Island’s most popular attractions in one day on this small-group tour from Auckland. First, hear behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' films on a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set. In the afternoon, continue to Rotorua to explore the city and visit the Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland, where highlights include geysers, volcanic mud pools, sulphur springs, and geothermal craters.

Explore the Shire and Middle-Earth on this full-day Hobbiton and Rotorua tour from Auckland. Travel through Waikato with a guide and admire panoramic views over the Hauraki Plains. Enjoy a guided tour of Hobbiton — made famous in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ movies. Learn how the set was created, and discover sites you love including the Hobbit holes, Green Dragon Inn and the Mill. After lunch in Te Puia, head into the geothermal Te Whakarewarewa Valley where shooting geysers, bubbling mud pools and steaming hot springs await.

The Waitomo Caves and Rotorua rank among New Zealand’s top attractions, offering natural beauty, geothermal features, and native culture in equal measure. Ideal for travelers short on time, this adventurous tour takes in both sites in the same day, with entry fees plus round-trip transport from Auckland included. Discover subterranean stalagmites at the famous Waitomo Caves and hit top Rotorua attractions including the Government Gardens and Lake Rotorua.

Enjoy a magical 5.5 to 6-hour tour to the Hobbiton Movie set, used for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series. Leaving the Port of Tauranga, we first travel past the stunning beaches of Mount Mauganui, a top NZ holiday destination, then across the harbour and out into country, up and over the Kaimai mountain ranges and then down into the lush farming district of the Waikato, location of Hobbiton. At Hobbiton there is time to buy a light lunch at The Shires Rest cafe, browse the extensive souvenier shop or just realax and take in the stunning views. The Hobbiton guide will then join us for a 2 hour guided tour. This is a coach-based tour of up to 36 passengers, which allows us to book our own private guide at Hobbiton, though on some days we do operate with 12 to 24 seat vehicles. As the ships arrival time in port varies so much, we adjust the start and end times each day to suit. When your booking is accepted by us, we will confirm the tour start time for the day.

Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set on a full-day tour from Auckland that explores New Zealand's 'Middle-earth,' where 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' came to life on film. Travel through a landscape of lush farms, then take a guided tour of the 12-acre (4.8-ha.) Hobbiton Movie Set, from hobbit holes to gardens and the Green Dragon Inn. With free time to shop and explore, this tour includes transport from selected locations in Auckland, and it's limited to 16 travelers to ensure personalized service.

Come visit a New Zealand attraction that’s sure to have you ‘glowing’ during this 45-minute small-group guided boat ride through the famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Glide by boat through this underground complex, enjoying a light show put on by the millions of tiny bioluminescent insects hanging above. As an added bonus, many of the trip guides are of Maori descent, adding unique historical context to your visit.

Fine-tune your appreciation of New Zealand wine on this afternoon tour of the Hawkes Valley wine region from Napier. Enjoy tours and tastings at several vineyards including New Zealand's oldest winery. After strolling the vineyards of the Linden Estate, end the day with wine cheese and biscuits amongst the vines during the summer season.

Explore pretty Waiheke Island's beaches, vineyards, and rolling scenery on a full-day, small-group tour that includes tastings at three boutique vineyards. You'll get an overview and orientation of the island, stopping for great views and sandy beaches, and learn about local wine production as you sip Waiheke vintages. Group size is limited to six people to ensure personal service, with pickup and drop-off at the Matiatia Ferry Terminal or island hotels.

Combine Napier’s Art Deco architecture with Hawkes Bay wine on a half-day shore excursion that concludes with drinks at a beloved local ale house. Start by exploring Napier city and a frozen-in-time Art Deco suburb, then visit two wineries with completely different takes on producing local wine. At the final stop, this tour includes three drinks from a list of ciders and beers, the perfect ending to a trip through the Hawkes Bay region.

Combine a morning sightseeing tour of Auckland with afternoon wine tasting on this full-day excursion, including a winery lunch. Travel by minivan with a professional guide past significant landmarks, appreciate the views over Auckland Harbour, and enjoy a beach stroll. Then savor wine at three award-winning North Island wineries in the Kumeu wine region. Numbers are limited to 18 people to ensure a memorable experience with like-minded wine lovers. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.

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.

Take a break from sightseeing and escape the city crowds on this small-group tour around a handful of Hawkes Bay wineries. Instead of going into each tasting blind and struggling through the jargon, get guidance and recommendations from your guide so you can get the most out of your day. You don’t need to worry about drawing the short straw and being your group’s sober driver, either—instead, get around Hawkes Bay in an air-conditioned minivan driven by your guide.

Combine award-winning wine and gorgeous scenery on a full-day tour from Wellington to Martinborough that also explores Hutt Valley, the Rimutaka Ranges, the 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. This Martinborough wine tour includes meals and a wine tasting, and it's limited to 11 people to ensure personalized service.