TOUR ITINERARY:

Day 1 - We start the tour with a short drive to the waterfront where we board our yacht for a day's sailing on Auckland's sparkling Waitemata Harbour. The harbour is situated in the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park. Before long, you will discover why Auckland is known as the City of Sails. Try your hand on the helm, learn the elements of sailing, or just sit back, relax and enjoy the sea breeze. A little after midday we drop anchor at a sheltered bay and enjoy a buffet lunch. Time to enjoy a swim at Motuihe Island or go for a walk along it's golden sands learning a little about the Island's history as you go. In the late afternoon we return to Auckland and make our way back to the comfort and quiet of the Sebel Suites on the Auckland waterfront. (L)

Day 2 - Today we head southwards through the fertile Waikato farmlands and out to a private cave system close to the coast. Here we meet Phillip and Ann plus their delightful family. A chance to meet real New Zealanders on their home ground. Changing to boots and overpants we enter their private cave system with its glow worms and stalagmites providing a sense of wonder. After approximately an hour underground we exit and enjoy a luncheon spread amidst the beautiful gardens. Finally it’s back on board and the drive on to Rotorua and a chance to try your hand at 4WDing! With full support from a nearby expert you get the chance to follow the track through pools of water, rutted tracks and some really exciting bits!! This is done in pairs with lots of opportunities to swap around! (B, L)

Day 3 - After an early breakfast, we head down highway 30 for an hour and a half to Whakatane, a small seaside town, whose main industries are forestry and a distribution centre for the surrounding dairy and fat lamb farming. It is also the launching point for our 50km launch ride to the steaming, active volcano, White Island. The launch anchors a few metres from shore. Here you don your gas mask and helmet and board the small tender vessel that ferries you to the old wharf. What follows is a fascinating tour, where you learn about the forces that are twitching, belching and rumbling all around you. Also hear the history of mans attempts to extract the sulphur from the island. The climax has to be the hike to the crater rim. Here you look down into the steaming, boiling crater lake. Back on board we have a delicious lunch as the boat begins the journey back to Whakatane. And who knows, with a little bit of luck we may even get to watch some dolphins and whales along the way. We return to Rotorua where this evening we visit a Marae, the traditional village centre of Maori life. Here you will experience a formal Maori welcome performed by your hosts. They will then entertain us with a Maori concert, followed by a hangi (food cooked in an earth oven). (B, L, D)

Day 4 - The day starts with a visit to the Rotorua Bathhouse museum where we explore aspects of the Maori cultural and watch a short video presentation which explains the awesome forces that helped form this famous thermal wonderland. On the way to Taupo we stop at a fascinating thermal valley to explore boiling mud pools, mineral terraces and steaming volcanic lakes. Later in the day we visit the Wairaki geothermal area and then stop at the Huka Falls. Here New Zealand's longest river, the mighty Waikato, thunders through a narrow chasm, forming the Huka Falls.(oh yes, people kayak this) A short walk along the banks of the river allow a good look at the falls, before we continue our drive along the eastern shores of Lake Taupo. Above Lake Taupo on the Volcanic Plateau, nestled at the base of Mt Ruapehu is Whakapapa Village, our home for the next two nights . (B, L)

Day 5 - From our hotel there are a wide range of activities available for today. Your guide will lead a trek out across the volcanic landscape heading to Tama lakes, a set of turquoise jewels hidden high on the slopes of Mt Ngarahoe. For those seeking a longer trek, the nearby Tongariro Crossing provides a challenging unguided alternative. A shuttle carries you to the start of the track and returns you from the far end at an additional cost. Locally there are numerous shorter tracks to explore and understand the convoluted landscapes, before returning at the end of the day to relax on the deck outside the hotel. (B,L)

Day 6 - After breakfast we load and head south for a scenic drive around the mountain, giving yesterdays tired muscles a chance to recover. Travelling through the rural landscape we turn inland at Taihape (gumboot throwing capital of NZ) and 30 minutes later, arrive at River Valley Lodge on the banks of the beautiful Rangitikei River.

The river (home to some of the spectacular Lord of the Rings footage) is also home to some high class, river rafting. Dependant on the degree of challenge sought, there are two options are available. Firstly, the spectacular gorges and cliffs can be viewed from the raft as part of a sedate drift trip, i.e. Minimum yelling and screaming required, and minimum wet clothing, or secondly, you get up close and personal with the river amongst the white water of the upper section. You choose, no pressure and there is horse trekking option as well! The meal provides a chance to relive the experiences and sleep tonight beside the river comes easy! (B,L)

Day 7 - From River Valley down to the coast and then onto Wellington, our capital, takes some 4 hours, so we enjoy a pleasant drive southwards. By early afternoon we arrive at our accommodation in Oriental Bay and then have free time to explore nearby Te Papa National Museum. At 6.pm we re-gather and walk to a nearby site for our final activity of this tour being a beer tasting, complete with knowledgeable guide and delicious snack food to accompany the tastings. After this you are free to explore the vibrant inner city and its many bars and restaurants. (B,L)

Day 8 -The trip finishes after your breakfast and check out leaving you free to travel on to further destinations – or to join us with the start of today’s Day 1 of the West Coast Encounter. (B)

(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)