Day Trips and Tours from Tauranga, Auckland and Christchurch
Here are a selection of our shorter trips and tours for people in the Tauranga, Auckland and Christchurch regions. Most can operate on any date you want [depending on availability], for a minimum of 10 persons, so are ideal for clubs, associations, retirement villages or larger groups of family members or friends. There are also specific trips on set dates, such as concerts, that individuals can join.
Trips depart from a central location or from where your group wishes, we do not include home pickups on day tours.
If what you would like to see or do is not shown below then please contact us and we will be pleased to set up a specific day tour or trip to suit you.
These trips can be run as private excursions or we can combine smaller groups together to meet minimum numbers. We will provide a calendar to show when trips are scheduled to operate.
We operate a range of tour vehicles from 12 to 35 seats and can run multiple vehicles for larger groups, so please contact us for details and prices for groups larger than 25 persons.
For more details on any of the below trips just click on the Tour name, the picture or the price & date info bar.
Experience the worldwide smash-hit musical THE LION KING, a worldwide phenomenon that redefines the expectations of theatre. Having played in over 100 cities in 20 countries, over 100 million people have experienced it, making it the most successful musical in theatrical history. Enjoy return door to door transport to Auckland, reserved seating, and great company as we experience the matinee performance of this internationally acclaimed musical.
Includes show tickets, transport to and from Auckland and home pick up and drop off.
Join our starter Bites of the Bay Food Tour with our knowledgeable local food guide - just 3 to 4 hours duration, a great day out.
Small groups tour (maximum 14) with a minimum of 5 tasting visits. You might taste sourdough, local cheeses, olive oils, kiwi fruit, avocados, smoked meats, Manuka honey, gelato, pizza, seasonal fruits, to name a few.
Learn about the people behind the food, as well as the history and the culture of the Bay of Plenty.
We also have other options to choose from to extend the tour, such as wine, cider, beer and cocktails, see the other options below.
Fully guided tour with our knowledgeable local food guide - 4 to 5 hours duration.
Small group tour (maximum 14) with a
minimum of 5 tasting visits. You might taste sourdough, local cheeses, olive oils, kiwi fruit, avocados, smoked meats, Manuka honey, gelato, pizza, seasonal fruits, to name a few.
This tour also includes wine tasting at Tauranga's only winery, accompanied by a tasting platter.
Learn about the people behind the food, as well as the history and the culture of the Bay of Plenty.
Fully guided tour with our knowledgeable local food guide - 4 to 5 hours duration.
Small group tour (maximum 14) with a
minimum of 5 tasting visits. You might taste sourdough, local cheeses, olive oils, kiwi fruit, avocados, smoked meats, Manuka honey, gelato, pizza, seasonal fruits, to name a few.
This tour also includes a lovely Fish n Chips lunch at a beachside cafe along the coast from Tauranga, in a beautiful setting.
Learn about the people behind the food, as well as the history and the culture of the Bay of Plenty.
Explore the collection of gardens at the beautiful Hamilton Gardens. After a stop for morning tea on the way [your cost] we will join our Gardens Guide for a private 75 minute tour around many of the feature gardens. After the tour there is time for lunch at the Café (at own cost) following which you have time to wander on your own to see the garden displays that interest you most. We then return directly back to Tauranga.
The tour usually departs at 9am and returns at 5pm, which makes for a nice relaxing day with time to really enjoy the gardens.
Visit the legendary Glowworm Caves at Waitomo and the town of Te Kuiti, birthplace of Rugby legend Sir Colin Meads. We stop for morning tea on the way before visiting the world famous caves. A guided tour shows us many underground caverns before we take a cruise to see the glowworms. After lunch (own cost) we head to Te Kuiti to see Sir Colin Meads Statue and explore the towns museum before heading home.
Our tour lets you experience the history of the stunning Karangahake Gorge with a short guided walk. See the remains of the gold mining industry that once thrived here, past the gold stamper batteries as our easy route follows the old railway. This is followed by lunch and chance to sample fruit wines, ports and schnapps, all hand-crafted in small batch vats at the Karangahake Winery Estate.
Join our fun and relaxing day out for lunch at the Waihi Beach RSA, with time to enjoy some local sights and activities. Always a favourite for the great food, beautiful views and good company. We have time for a walk along the stunning beach, or include some of the special seasonal events such as the Sunday Markets, local art gallery's or other things along the way. We can plan the day to your groups specific interests.
Explore Katikati, New Zealands’s own Mural Town plus visit the Katikati Bird Gardens to see their amazing collection of birdlife set in a stunning harbourside garden. Then we will enjoy lunch at the Katikati RSA followed by a guided walking tour of many of the towns 76 murals. Our guide will also explain the unique history of the only planned Ulster Irish settlement in the world and the story behind the towns name.
The possibilities are endless on our day out to Taupo, this 7 hour trip gives us plenty of time to see the sights, such as the Huka Falls, the Aratiatia rapids, the Lava Glass factory and of course the gorgeous lakefront. Plenty of free time in Taupo for shopping and lunch (at your own cost) before heading back to Tauranga on the rural roads via Rotorua City and Lake Rotorua.
Explore the worlds youngest geothermal valley – the Waimangu Volcanic Valley just south of Rotorua. Time for a light lunch on arrival ( your cost ) and then head off [mostly down hill] on a 1 hour guided walk, past hot springs, steaming craters and the amazing landscape. Next we take a 45 minute cruise on Lake Rotomahana while your guide tells the history of the lake, the Pink and White Terraces and the Mount Tarawera eruption of 1886 which changed the local landscape significantly.
Limited time at this price as the Waimangu fee is currently less than half price.
Our adventure today is the Redwood Treewalk in Rotorua. This is a must do experience, and with 700m of walkways, 28 swing bridges, the walk offers a unique view over the forest below and the treetops above. This award winning eco-tour is set among the 118 year old Redwood trees. Morning tea is included before the walk and we have plenty of time after to tour the sights of Rotorua, such as the Blue and Green lakes.
A classic kiwi day out, a Fish N Chip lunch [including desert] by the sea at the historic Bay of Plenty settlement of Maketu. Time to take a walk on the beach to work up an appetite and then sit down with friends at the Maketu Beachside Café overlooking the sea with Mount Maunagnui in the distance. We will take a scenic ride home to see some of the sights, past Kiwifruit and Avocado orchards before returning to Tauranga.
Join our half day tour to see and learn about the history of our fast growing city of Tauranga. From the historic Elms Mission House and gardens, the battle site of Gate Pa and stories of the conflicts of the 1800's, our city has a rich history that is often overlooked. We include morning tea and cakes to keep us sustained on this easy and informative trip around what is the best place to live in New Zealand.