This New Zealand vacation is an exceptional opportunity to experience the best of the country’s Northern Island. Your travels begin in Auckland, a diverse city with the world’s largest collection of MÄori and Pacific artifacts. You’ll spend one full day with a gourmet food and wine tour on Waiheke Island, just off the coast. Also known as The City of Sails, make time to enjoy the beautiful waters. Auckland is quite large but outdoor adventure and scenic wonders are all nearby.
After picking up your car, you’re on the road to Matamata and a tour of the Hobbiton movie set. Get into the Lord of the Rings! Continue on to Rotorua, a geothermal miracle. A Polynesian spa, in a private deluxe pool, awaits. Soak up the beauty of wildly-colored sulfur springs, northern lakes, and volcanoes on a helicopter tour over land that few people are privileged to see.
Your next stop is Napier. Along the way, go to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Park and Haku Falls. Be prepared for a thrilling, jet-boat ride. In Napier, take advantage of a self-guided bike tour from the port village of Ahuriri to the city center. (Napier is an Art Deco treasure.) You might also explore the sacred grounds of Te Urewera or a colony of 13,000 wild gannets at the Cape Kidnappers Reserve.
Your final day is spent in Wellington, capital of New Zealand. On a brilliant blue harbor, you’ll have time on your own to discover a wealth of culture, including the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Head to Willis or Cuba Street to shop, and when the evening rolls around, check the Cuba Quarter for great nightlife. This tour of New Zealand is ideal for an insider’s view of the North Island.
Included Unique Activities
- Experience Locally-produced Foods & Wines on a Full Day Gourmet Food & Wine Tour of Waiheke Island
- Experience the Real Shire From the Lord of the Rings and the 'Hobbit' Trilogies with a Visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set
- Relax and Unwind on the Tranquil Shores of Lake Rotorua at Polynesian Spa in Your Own Private Mineral Pools
- Experience a Helicopter Sightseeing Tour over Volcanos and Pristine Lakes
- See the Most Colourful Wai-o-Tapu Geothermal Park & Experience the Eruption of the Lady Knox Geyser
- Enjoy a Thrilling Jet Boat Ride Down the Waikato River to the Base of Huka Falls
- Cycle Through the Orchard-dotted Countryside and Sophisticated Villages of Ahuriri and Havelock North
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Full Day Gourmet Food & Wine Tour

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
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Polynesian Spa Private Deluxe Pools
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Rotorua Lakes, Mount Tarawera, Orakei Korako by Helicopter
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Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Park
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Huka Falls Jet Boat Experience
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Ahuriri to Havelock North Self-Guided Scenic Bike Ride
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Take the Ferry to Waiheke Island
Accommodations
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2 Nights
Stylish Designer Hotel.jpg)
2 Nights
Stunning Attractions Hotel.jpg)
2 Nights
Waterfront Village Hotel.jpg)
1 Night
5-Star City Heart HotelTransportation and Guides
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Auckland
- Private Transfer From Hotel to Airport in Wellington
- Rental Car with Automatic Transmission for 5 Days
Meals Included
- 6 Full Breakfasts
- Platter Lunch and Wine Tastings on Waiheke Island
Points of Interest
- Auckland
- Waiheke Island
- Hobbiton Movie Set
- Rotorua
- White Island
- Mt. Tarawera
- Rainbow Mountain
- Waiotapu Thermal Region
- Huka Falls on the Waikato River
- Ahuriri Village
- Napier City Centre
- Te Mata Estate
- Black Barn Vineyard
- Havelock North Village
- Wellington
Lake Taupo, North Island
Sky Tower, North Island
Auckland Art Gallery, North Island
Mount Eden, North Island
Auckland, North Island

Lake Taupo, North Island
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Sky Tower, North Island
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Auckland Art Gallery, North Island
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Mount Eden, North Island
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Auckland, North Island
2024
Available Tour Dates
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
From $4,838 per person
Your Price Includes
ACCOMMODATION
- 7 Nights in Authentic Superior Hotels
TRANSPORTATION
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Auckland
- Private Transfer From Hotel to Airport in Wellington
- Rental Car with Automatic Transmission for 5 Days
DINING OPTIONS INCLUDED
- 6 Full Breakfasts
- Platter Lunch and Wine Tastings on Waiheke Island
INCLUDED UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
- Experience Locally-produced Foods & Wines on a Full Day Gourmet Food & Wine Tour of Waiheke Island
- Experience the Real Shire From the Lord of the Rings and the 'Hobbit' Trilogies with a Visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set
- Relax and Unwind on the Tranquil Shores of Lake Rotorua at Polynesian Spa in Your Own Private Mineral Pools
- Experience a Combination Helicopter Tour Landing on Both Mount Tarawera and White Island
- See the Most Colourful Wai-o-Tapu Geothermal Park & Experience the Eruption of the Lady Knox Geyser
- Enjoy a Thrilling Jet Boat Ride Down the Waikato River to the Base of Huka Falls
- Cycle Through the Orchard-dotted Countryside and Sophisticated Villages of Ahuriri and Havelock North
POINTS OF INTEREST
- Auckland
- Waiheke Island
- Hobbiton Movie Set
- Rotorua
- White Island
- Mt. Tarawera
- Rainbow Mountain
- Waiotapu Thermal Region
- Huka Falls on the Waikato River
- Ahuriri Village
- Napier City Centre
- Te Mata Estate
- Black Barn Vineyard
- Havelock North Village
- Wellington
Prices Based On
- All Taxes & Fees Included
- Prices are Per Person based on 2 people traveling together and sharing a room.
- Traveling Alone? No Problem. Just Ask Us for a Single Supplement Price.
"Family vacation and the ND/Navy Game in Dublin"
Sep 19, 2023Deer Park, IL
We worked with Authentic Vacations as we planned a trip in Ireland around the Notre Dame/Navy game in Dublin. Specifically, we worked with Joleen and her team for planning and during our trip. I cannot express enough positive comments about how great this organization is to work with, and I have referred them to many friends that are planning trips to Ireland! The hotels were just amazing and in perfect locations for our travels, can’t say enough good things about the tours booked and choices and recommendations you provided. But what I was most impressed with was the ability to reach out to Joleen during our trip to make last minute changes to our itinerary! It was like I had a full-time person on staff that I could reach out to any time! All of my guest were so impressed and appreciative that we selected Authentic Vacations! Thank you very much!
"Iceland & Ireland - Mother & Son Adventure"
Sep 14, 2023Washington
Amber, we just returned from our trip to Iceland & Ireland, and we had a wonderful time. I really want to thank you for putting our trip together. Everything went like clockwork! We will definitely be back in touch with you when we plan our next trip. Thank you again!!
"UK Ladies Adventure"
Sep 11, 2023Tennessee
Ellie, I wanted to share the below with you! I appreciate all you do to make it possible!!! This feedback is from my clients you helped me with.
Hey Megan- before I get too immersed in catching up at work, I wanted to take a minute and thank you. You knocked it out of the park! The hotels were so amazing and well placed for convenience, can’t say enough good things about the tours you booked and choices and recommendations you provided. It’s hard to imagine how it could have been any better with you in the background thinking everything through from airport transfers to day excursions. You’re my/our travel agent for life and we’re going to keep you really really busy. Thanks for everything- you created an amazing, fun, memorable, once in a lifetime intro to Europe that I’ll never forget.
"Scotland Chauffered"
Sep 11, 2023California
Ellie, Thank you for the best, most beautiful and easiest vacation we have ever been on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jerry, our driver, was so knowledgeable and kind-hearted that I think it wouldn't have been so exciting to be there without him. HE'S THE BEST!!!! And you Ellie, what a God send that you were to our beautiful vacation. The Gordon Castle at the end was something we will never forget. THANK YOU FOR EXPERT KNOWLEDGE AND ALLOWING FOR US TO HAVE AN AMAZING TIME. (Oh, except our luggage got lost and we didn't get it until we got home. Jerry was nice enough to take us places to buy some new clothes !!!!! )
"Small Guided - Devon & Cornwall"
Sep 8, 2023Ontario
Hi Joleen, thank you! We had a wonderful time - really enjoyed exploring the small coastal villages in Cornwall and the moors in Devon. Fascinating history and folklore - our guide Chris was very knowledgeable and made it very interesting. Some of the highlights for us was a visit to the Tea plantation Tregothnan as well as visiting Doc Martin’s house in Port Isaac! The Wells Cathedral was fascinating with its history and architecture, featuring a novel scissor-arches to sustain the weight of stone. We enjoyed the small group (17 in total) and mantra - off the main roads and willing to take suggestions from the group - even to visit a small village for an Australian lady with family roots in Cornwall. The itinerary was well planned, without hurrying from point A to B - more like meandering through the countryside and catching some lesser-known sites, like an abandoned tin mine site near the sea, or stopping to mingle with Dartmoor ponies on a hillside in the moors. Having a free day to explore on our own was also great - we walked to a nearby village called Charlestown, which had an interesting museum on shipwrecks and Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica. The harbour is also featured in filming Poldark with a two masted tall ship alongside. All in all, I felt that this was a fantastic vacation for us and I’m very happy that we signed up for it. Thanks for your support in getting us prepared for this adventure- I hope there’ll be more!
"Ireland & Scotland Combo"
Sep 8, 2023Ohio
We had such a wonderful, beautiful vacation! Everyone thought the spacing of activities and traveling every few days fit us all perfectly. I loved that we started in the beautiful countryside and then had the city life keep building as we changed locations. Scott’s favorite activity was St. Andrews golf. They loved their car service driver as well! The guys had a rainy day of golf in Dublin, but still enjoyed the course. I think the guys were both sad they couldn't play Lacinth (spelling?), however, they did have lunch there and enjoyed. My favorite activity was the Guinness Connoisseur Experience. Loved the private bar, tasting, and pouring my own draft! Also, I loved the Military Tattoo. Perfect ending to the trip. All activities were spot on and enjoyable! My favorite hotel was Fiddle and Bow, so unique and cute in the country. Excellent breakfast! A nice add on that we didn’t expect was the Fringe Street shows in Scotland. We also visited the Queens Royal yacht. Traveling was easy. The Irish and Scottish people were very friendly and welcoming. We can’t say enough good things about the trip. Thank you for organizing such a wonderful, memorable trip for us Joleen! I love that you are always reachable and go above and beyond to help us when needed. You are truly amazing! Hopefully we can get something on the calendar for next year! Thanks a million!
"Italian Honeymoon"
Sep 5, 2023Minnesota
We worked with Mandie at Authentic Vacations to plan our Honeymoon. We picked the "Opulent Italian Lakes and Cities" trip and then worked with Mandie to customize a few pieces that made more sense for our trip. Let me tell you that this was the best trip of our lives! The hotels that we stayed at were beyond incredible, and there were the perfect number of activities planned. Everything went extremely smoothly, and we didn't have to worry about a thing while we were on our trip! We can't wait to book another vacation through Authentic Vacations!
"Enchanted Ireland Family Vacation"
Aug 23, 2023Raleigh, NC
My wife, daughter, her BF (now fiancé) & I went to Ireland in May-June 2023 w/ Authentic Vacations' ten day "Enchanted Ireland Revealed" tour. It was THE best vacation any of us had ever had, & I've been to many countries for work or pleasure.
We happened to have Authentic employees Jorie, Jennifer, & Kate on the tour with us, to internally assess the tour for themselves. They were a fun, accommodating, & helpful bonus to our tour. While they didn't guarantee us the 10 straight days of sunshine we had, the tour stops, accommodations, & food (& "Craic") were fantastic, lol.
The ladies at Authentic knew that my daughter was going to be surprised at the Cliffs of Moher on Day 9 of the tour. We all nervously rode through 9 days of everyone on the tour knowing, but my daughter. They were so nice, that on the day of the "event", they rushed out & got balloons & champagne for us when we got back to the coach. This proud Dad teared up at the simple gesture of grace & kindness. I will never forget it ❤️.
I STRONGLY recommend Authentic Vacations for any tour you may be thinking of taking. Their prices are fair, their people care, & they do a great job!
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