Join the experience of the real Middle-earth™ at the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, where, in the heart of the Waikato region, you can step into the lush pastures of the Shire™, as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
10 Day North Island Eastern Delight

10 Day North Island Eastern Delight
Experience the magic of the North Island's eastern regions. From the purest white sandy beaches in the Coromandel to the remoteness of the East Cape, on this journey you will marvel at the coastal scenery, from within your car or on the water.
Highlights
Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach Cathedral Cove Kayaking Te Urewera Rainforest Geothermal wonderlands Rotorua East Cape LighthouseRegions Visited
Terms and Conditions
Prices are based on twin share occupancy in a 4 star rated hotel double room, and are subject to availability. If anything comes back unavailable, we will endeavor to find you a suitable alternative.
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Day 1 : Auckland
Welcome to Auckland and New Zealand. On arrival you will be picked up at the airport and transferred to your first night’s accommodation. Or if you’ve decided to pick up your rental vehicle immediately, you pick up your vehicle at the airport and drive to your accommodation.
Your detailed tour information pack will be given to you once you arrive at your accommodation.
You’ll most likely be pretty tired from a long flight, so take the rest of the day to relax and explore the inner city. The city centre of Auckland is not too big, so you can easily walk around. Visit the Skytower to take in great views of the city, and stroll around the waterfront with its many nice bars and restaurants where you can enjoy a great meal.
Accommodation :
Day 2 : Auckland - Coromandel
Your self drive holiday around New Zealand's North Island starts today. Once you've collected your car first thing in the morning (in case you don't already have it), your destination will be the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula with its secluded bays, white sandy beaches, and spectacular but rugged mountainous interiour. Follow the Hauraki Trail until you arrive in Thames. Take a side trip to the Valley, and keep driving north along the waterfront until you reach Coromandel town, a town full of history from New Zealand's early gold mining and logging days. Over the hill you reach the Coromandel's East Coast and the coastal views along this drive are amazing. Stop at the famous Hot Water Beach to dig your own spa at low tide, and walk down to Cathedral Cove.
Between Coromandel Town and Whitianga we recommend you visit New Chums beach, which was voted one of the best 10 beaches in the world!
Accommodation :
Driving distance : 177 km - Driving time : approximately 3 hours 10 mins
Day 3 : Coromandel
We've organized an amazing kayaking trip to Cathedral Cove this morning, no doubt one of the best in the country. This trip will show you stretches of coast line no other travellers get to see.
After your kayaking experience your journey continues further south, and you'll pass a number of pretty cool beach towns on the way such as Tairua and Whangamata, where you will spend the night.
Accommodation :
Activity :
Driving distance : 76 km - Driving time : approximately 1 hours 10 mins
Day 4 : Coromandel - Rotorua
Leaving the Coromandel, you drive through the lush farmlands of the Waikato on your way to Rotorua.
Rotorua s also nicknamed Roto Vegas by Kiwis for the amount of attractions it has. The main attractions are Maori culture and amazing geothermal activity. The region also has many beautiful lakes to explore. World-class biking trails, excellent hiking traills, natural hot streams, luxurious spas, a whole range of adventure activities such as rafting, sledging, jetboating, zorbing, racing down a steep hill in a luge, Rotorua won't bore you. We recommend that you take the afternoon to experience one of these activities on top of the Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland which we've included.
Accommodation :
Activity :
Driving distance : 176 km - Driving time : approximately 2 hours 30 mins
Day 5 : Rotorua-Taupo-Napier
The drive to Taupo from Rotorua is only about an hour, but there are many things to see en-route. Wai-O-Tapu geothermal wonderland with its colorful hot springs, boiling mud pools and barren moon landscapes will leave you in awe. This is one of the most unique places you'll ever visit.
About 2kms north of Taupo, a must see are the impressive Huka Falls. This is where the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river, enters a shallow ravine of hard volcanic rock. The resulting sight is nothing but spectacular. More than 220,000 liters of water per second rushes by.
Another waterfall worth a stop is the less known is the Waipunga waterfall about halfway on the Taupo-Napier highway.
After your arrival in Napier, you have the option visit the world's largest Gannet Colony at Cape Kidnappers on a guided tour in the afternoon. This fun eco-experience is suitable for all ages and fitness levels, with personalized service and guides who point out the natural and geological wonders of the area. Or you may decide to join a wine tour in the afternoon, and sample some of New Zealand's best wine.
Accommodation :
Activity (Optional) :
Driving distance : 219 km - Driving time : approximately 2 hours 45 mins
Day 6 : Napier- Te Urewera
From Napier you'll head north and into the remote wilderness of Lake Waikeremoana in Te Urewera National Park. one of the most untouched and beautiful wilderness areas of the North Island. Take a water taxi and hike part of the Lake Waikaremoana Track, one of New Zealand's epic 9 Great Walks, or do the short 45 minute hike up to Lake Waikereiti where you may hire a small rowing boat from the Department of Conservation.
Accommodation :
Driving distance : 174 km - Driving time : approximately 2 hours 45 mins
Day 7 : Te Urewera -Gisborne
It's not such a far journey to Gisborne today. As you head out of the wilderness, and drive to the coast stop at the Mahia Peninsula, with its sandy coves, rocky bays and long expanses of surf coast.
From there it's only a short drive to Gisborne. Gisborne is the first city in the world to see the sunrise, and it has a reputation for great food, wine and surf beaches.
Accommodation :
Activities : and
Driving distance : 159 km - Driving time : approximately 2 hours 30 mins
Day 8 : Gisborne - Hick's Bay
Slow down today as you make your way to the East Cape. Traditionally a stronghold for Maori culture and a natural wonderland, Eastland is less explored and less well-known, but well worth the journey. You are well off the beaten track here!
Visit Tolaga Bay and walk down the longest pier in New Zealand. Stop in Te Araroa to admire our oldest pohutukawa tree, then climb up to the lighthouse on the most eastern point of New Zealand. Take a guided tour to see Maori carvings at Mt Hikurangi, the highest mountain in the region.
Accommodation :
Driving distance : 180 km - Driving time : approximately 2 hours 34 mins
Day 9 : Hick's Bay - Mount Maunganui
Continue your journey along the Pacific Coast, as the highway meanders along the waterfront with stunning pacific views. This is one of the best coastal driving experiences in New Zealand, if not THE best.
Once you enter the Bay of Plenty, it gets a little busier again, but the long straight stretch of road is always near the coast. Your destination today is Mount Mounganui, or simply "The Mount" as it's called by the locals. The Mount is a relaxed beach town that occupies a peninsula at the southern end of Tauranga Harbour. At the very tip of the peninsula is a distinctive peak - Mauao - which rises to 230 metres above sea level. There's a choice of tracks leading to the summit, some more challenging than others. Huge views of the harbour, beach and Pacific Ocean make the effort totally worthwhile.
Accommodation :
Driving distance : 276 km - Driving time : approximately 4 hours
Day 10 : Mount Maunganui - Auckland
On the last day of your tour, you'll join a Hobbiton movie set tour in the picturesque setting of "The Shire" near Matamata, before making your way back to Auckland where your tour ends.
Driving distance : 218 km - Driving time : approximately 2 hours 48 minutes
NZD1,755.00
Price includes
- Complimentary airport transfers
- Detailed tour pack upon arrival ot accommodation.
- 10 day car rental with unlimited daily kilometers
- Standard insurance with zero excess reduction option.
- 9 Nights Accommodation.
- Cathedral Cove Kayaking
- Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland entrance fee.
Cancellation policy
- Where the date of cancellation is a date 45 days or more before the start of the tour, the cancellation fee will be equivalent to the deposit paid
- Where the date of cancellation is a date 30 to 45 days before the start of the tour the cancellation fee shall be 25% of the contract price
- Where the date of cancellation is a date 7 to 30 days before the start of the tour the cancellation fee shall be 50% of the contract price
- Where the date of cancellation is a date 7 days or less before the start of the tour the cancellation fee shall be 100% of the contract price
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