TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
-
Private tour of Auckland city
-
Auckland Harbor Cruise
-
Auckland City Food Tour
-
Coromandel Peninsula Day Tour
-
Waiheke Island Private Gourmet Food and Wine Tour
-
All transfers
-
Breakfast Daily
ITINERARY OVERVIEW:
Destinations: Auckland
No. of days: 5 Days
Make the most of your visit to Auckland with this itinerary designed to showcase the best scenery, landmarks, harbor views, artisan products, food and wine. To get orientated you begin your visit by seeing the best of Auckland from the land followed by scenic highlights from the water on a Waitemata Harbour tour. Walk the city and discover the sights on foot while sampling delicious local produce and learning about Auckland’s history. Besides immersing yourself in Auckland City and surrounding areas you get to experience the Coromandel Peninsula a very popular holiday destination for locals. Finish your trip with a relaxing visit to beautiful Waiheke Island for a private gourmet food and wine tour where you will visit boutique vineyards and feast on local delights while enjoying the stunning scenery.
DAY BY DAY:
Day 1: Today you arrive in Auckland. Upon arrival you’ll be met at the airport by your private tour operator. This tour is designed with your interests in mind and to showcase Auckland including selected historical and cultural sites of significance, cityscapes, harbor views and coastlines, views of ancient volcanic peaks and parks with unique flora and fauna in and surrounding New Zealand’s largest city. This is the perfect way to spend your first day in New Zealand, sit back, relax, enjoy the views and get a feel for Auckland.
Day 2: Enjoy a harbor cruise this morning on the sparkling waters of Auckland's beautiful Waitemata Harbour. View all the highlights of the harbor’s 70 square miles, including Rangitoto Island, Bean Rock Lighthouse, and Devonport's North Head volcanic cone. Cruise under the Auckland Harbour Bridge and finally past Viaduct Basin. After lunch you’re off on a food tour, the perfect way to take in sights, tastes and history of the city. The tour includes a visit to one of the city's finest purveyors of artisan products, locally made chocolates, visit to one of the cities favorite eateries and world class ice cream. Conclude the tour relaxing with a local wine or beer sampling.
Day 3: Today you are off to explore the Coromandel Peninsula – a favorite holiday destination for many New Zealanders. Spend the day with your experienced guide finding out about the best that the Coromandel Peninsula has to offer. The tour includes amazing ancient native Kauri forest, stunning white sand beaches on the east and the sheltered bays on the west. Highlights are the famous Hot Water Beach where you can dig your own hot tub right beside the lapping waves and stunning Cathedral Cove.
Day 4: You’re off to beautiful Waiheke Island today. Arrival is via a short scenic ferry ride from downtown Auckland. Waiheke Island is the perfect destination to enjoy a private gourmet food and wine tour. You will have the chance to enjoy succulent fresh oysters, award-winning olive oil and other locally-produced specialty foods, accompanied by wines from some of the Island's top boutique vineyards. Indulge in a platter lunch or a fine dining experience at one of the islands top restaurants.
Day 5: Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
TOP ACTIVITIES: Auckland
Customized Itinerary
-
All aspects of this itinerary can be changed to suit your requirements.
-
The itineraries provided are great introductions to your chosen destination. You can create a travel plan using the itinerary provided or make modifications to destinations, activities and accommodation and create the dream trip you want.
-
Not every traveler is the same, we get that and so that’s why we recommend making changes to suit your needs. In fact, we insist - we want you to have the best trip.
-
If you would like any recommendations for dinner or shopping areas please let us know we are happy to help and make bookings for you where necessary.
Visa requirements:
To travel to Australia you will need a US passport valid for at least 6 months and we can process an ETA Visa for free for US Citizens. We will need a copy of your Photo Page of your Passport. Nationalities of any other countries please enquire with your agent to see if you are eligible for a free ETA Visa or if you need to apply for a Visitor Visa.
To travel to New Zealand you will need a US passport valid for at least 6 months and an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority. More information on the NZeTA application requirements and process can be found on our FAQ page here.
Travel Insurance:
We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment. We will provide a travel insurance quote at the time of booking, and you are free to use our recommended insurance with Travelguard, find your own, or book without insurance.
A product that we can offer is a Cancel For Any Reason policy that will provide you with 80% back in refunds. If the cancellation is for medical reasons there is a 100% refund..
Additional information:
Downunder Journeys services travel requests from the United States and Canada for travel to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands and Tahiti. All pricing on this website is in US Dollars.
All of the sample itineraries on this website do not include airfares as the airfare price changes daily and to ensure you get the best possible price we will work with the best airfares at the time. If you happen to buy your airfare first and then need a package to fit it, we can certainly help with that as well, just let us know.
As an idea for a 2-week vacation to Australia or New Zealand we recommend a budget of around $8,000-10,000 (including economy airfare), this would be for a 4 star and above itinerary, a little cheaper if we did more moderate accommodations.