Day 1 - With bags packed, and a pick up at your door, we head off for a getaway to wonderous Waiheke Island. We enjoy the relaxed drive to Auckland, getting to know your new tour mates with plenty of stops along the way. Through the scenic Karangahake Gorge to Paeroa for morning tea at the L&P cafe, then across the Hauraki Plains before climbing the Bombay Hills to our ferry departure at Half Moon Bay.  The 45 minute ferry to Waiheke is spectacular with scenic views of the harbour, city and surrounding islands such as Rangitoto and Browns Island. 

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On arrival on Waiheke we take a short tour of the western end of the island before heading to our beachfront accommodation at Onetangi Beach. Tonight we dine out at a local restaurant.

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Over the next 3 days we explore as much of the island as possible, here are some of the highlights, we will plan a more detailed itinerary over the next few weeks.

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• Mudbrick Vineyard for wine tasting and then relax in the casual Mediterranean influenced bistro for our included lunch today. The restaurant sits on a ridge overlooking the sparkling waters of the Hauraki Gulf.

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• ​Explore "The Village" as the locals call the largest settlement on the island - Oneroa.  Time to mooch around the shops, boutiques and art galleries or just chill out with a morning coffee at any of the many cafes. We include a visit to the Waiheke Arts and Crafts Centre. 

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• A visit to Waiheke Museum and Historic Village, which has a selection of historic buildings with period rooms and plenty of exhibits. There is also a working, manually-operated telephone exchange, the original Waiheke jail and and even a fine old long-drop toilet! A chance for us to see what the island was like in days past.

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• Visit to a boutique wine producer set in a stunning location. Their hi-tech gravity-flow winery is located at the island’s highest vineyard and produces wines which are crafted in small lots without compromise. ​

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• An island wide tour with a local, to explore more of the island, our guide has a wealth of knowledge and is a real "Waihekean" so will impart some interesting stories as we travel the more remote eastern side of the island, leaving behind the residential areas where most of the 10,000 locals live. Our destination is "Man O War" Bay and its beach front winery of the same name. The winery is part of a 4,500 acre family farm with 75 vineyards, as well as orchards, olive groves, restored native forests, beehives and livestock.

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Day 4 - Today we are homeward bound, departing Waiheke after breakfast and maybe that last stroll along the golden sand beach. We take the ferry back across the Hauraki Gulf to Half Moon Bay and begin our journey south.

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​We make a mid-way stop for refreshments on the way back home and will have you dropped at your door late afternoon after this great trip.

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All Hinterland multi-day tours can be taken by clients from any region of New Zealand or Australia. Please contact us for details. Additional charges may apply.

What's Included:

• 4 days of touring

• 3 nights quality accommodation

• Door to door service (Tauranga area)

• Quality air-conditioned vehicle

• Full commentary by your guide

• Breakfast provisions on the island

• 3 lunches and 3 dinners

• Guided tour on Waiheke Island

• Wine tasting 

• Mudbrick Winery

• Man O War Winery

• Visit to an arts & crafts gallery

• Waiheke Island Village Museum

• Plenty of stops along the way

You will see:

• Stunning scenery throughout

• The Waitemata Harbour

• Waiheke and the Hauraki Gulf

• The island from end to end

Options:

• Visit to the Stony Batter Tunnels