Explore More…Food for the Soul
Feed your soul on this five-day journey through the Central North Island. Enjoy Hobbiton’s exclusive banquet feast. Taste world-class seafood at The Coromandel’s mussel farms, then relax in the luxurious oasis of the Lost Spring, complete with poolside cocktails. Learn about manuka honey in the Bay of Plenty and try hāngi in Rotorua. Relax in your vineyard cottage and sip Hawke’s Bays’ award-winning wines.
Day One
Depart Auckland on the Thermal Explorer Highway and travel through the rolling green hills and pastures of the Waikato Region. Take time to wander around the award-winning Hamilton Gardens with its themed garden collection, exploring different civilisations and historically important garden styles from the farthest reaches of the world.
This evening you are in for a treat as you take a step directly into Middle Earth. Experience Hobbiton Movie Set in a different light with a guided tour through the shire at dusk. Take a seat in the Green Dragon dining room and be treated to a banquet feast fit for a Hobbit.
Stay: Waikato
Day Two
This morning depart Hamilton and take a coastal journey to The Coromandel, famous for its fresh seafood. As you drive around the coastal towns be sure to look out for macadamias, local cheeses, boutique wines and fresh Pacific oysters and green shell mussels. The sea is at the heart of The Coromandel way of life, so take time to fill a picnic hamper with a range of organic and specialty produce and enjoy it on a white sandy beach beside the ocean.
This evening discover a hidden oasis at The Lost Spring. Experience the pure decadence of having delicious cocktails and dining delivered directly to your poolside.
Stay: The Coromandel
Day Three
Continue your journey south around the coast this morning to the kiwifruit capital of New Zealand. The Bay of Plenty region is renowned for its kiwifruit, avocados and fresh produce. Take a tour of a working kiwifruit orchard for a behind the scenes glimpse of this important industry or learn about the powerful benefits of New Zealand’s manuka honey, seeing the world through the eyes of a bee.
Recharge with nature on a tour of Moutohorā/Whale Island, one of New Zealand’s most restricted pest-free wildlife sanctuaries. Enjoy a walk amongst the regenerated bush as you listen to the bird calls or dig yourself a geothermal spring pool at Onepū Bay. This is your opportunity to see New Zealand’s wildlife as nature intended it and shows what can be achieved when a concentrated effort on conservation is made, managed and protected.
Stay: Bay of Plenty
Day Four
This morning travel to the cultural heart of New Zealand, Rotorua. Visit the star of the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley – Pōhutu Geyser at Te Puia. Take the time to wander around and try the Ingo Lunch at Te Puia, offering a taste of food that has been cooked in woven flax baskets.
Continue south to the award-winning food and wine mecca of Hawke’s Bay, ensuring you take time to stop off at the lakeside resort town of Taupō on the way and visit the iconic Huka Falls.
After exploring the beautiful Art Deco architecture of Napier in vintage cars, this evening is the opportunity to really treat yourself. Spend the evening overlooking the grape vines in your private luxury vineyard cottage or wander around the myriad of restaurants and bars offering an abundance of fresh produce and award-winning wines.
Stay: Hawke’s Bay
Day Five
The opportunity today to explore the Food Basket of New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay. Experience the wineries of the region either by private tour, or by bicycle! With over 200 vineyards, 70 wineries and 30 cellar doors, the toughest decision you will have is where to start. Experience it in the best possible way with a tour led by one of the many local experts. You will benefit from their local knowledge, extensive contacts and knowing where to find those hidden secrets.
Add an extra day
• Experience New Zealand’s stunning East Coast. Take a marine adventure from the city of Tauranga to watch or swim with wild dolphins. You will cruise the blue waters in search of these magnificent creatures as well as other marine and bird life for an extraordinary eco adventure.
• Before heading to the Hawke’s Bay, spend a day at Lake Taupō and get out on the crystal-clear waters of the lake or out to one of the back-country rivers and streams to try your luck at catching a trout in this award-winning trout fishery. The local restaurants are happy to cook your catch!