Our adventure begins after we leave home and make our way to Waitomo. We enjoy lunch in the small settlement before reaching the Ruakuri Cave - this cave is an experience that must be seen to be believed! Unlike the main Waitomo Cave, this cave offers an even more complex and beautiful cave structure. It will leave you open-mouthed, awe-struck and humbled by the sheer majesty of nature! 

We then continue to New Plymouth for our first two-night stay.

Dinner

It’s "ships ahoy" this morning, as we depart on a wildlife cruise to NZ’s most northern fur seal colony. Enjoy the cool ocean breeze and views from the boat. 

Then its onwards to Pukeiti Park and Rhododendron Gardens, where we meet a local expert for a tour of the gardens. Pukeiti is a 360 hectare rain forest park at the base of Mount Taranaki, internationally renowned for its outstanding rhododendron collection, which covers approximately 27 hectares! 

Tonight, we dine at a local restaurant by the water and on our way home we stop to explore Taranaki’s Festival of Lights. This amazing exhibition of lights needs to be seen to be believed! Intricate works of art will seize your attention and beckon you to interact — they come alive with sound and music, creating a truly immersive experience!

Breakfast, Dinner.

Today, we pack our bags and depart on a leisurely mountain drive through lush native forest to the North Egmont Visitor Centre. Some may choose to walk, and some may choose to stay and explore the visitor centre.

Then it’s onwards to the Tawhiti Museum, now widely acclaimed as one of the most innovative museums in New Zealand. Tawhiti uses life-size exhibits and scale models to capture the past in a series of super-realistic displays. We’ll even take a boat voyage into history with traders and whalers and learn about our country’s past.

After a fabulous day in the Taranaki region, we arrive in Whanganui for our next two-night stay.

Breakfast, Dinner.

Whanganui, a city known for its picturesque beauty, awaits us today. Our first stop is the Whanganui River Boat Museum, a unique attraction that houses a collection of historic riverboats. We then embark on a cruise aboard the iconic Paddle Steamer Waimarie – NZ’s only coal-fired paddle steamer, a living relic from the golden riverboat era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

We have lunch in town and then set out to admire the beautiful grounds of the Bason Botanic Gardens. We then explore the city, including the Whanganui Regional Museum, a walk through the Durie Hill Tunnel and lift, a visit to some arts and crafts studios, and a trip to the mouth of the river.

We hope you packed your glad rags! Tonight, we prepare for an elegant dining experience at Bushy Park Historic Homestead (butler included!). 

Breakfast, Dinner

Today, we offer two options to cater to different preferences. First option is to depart for Pipiriki where you will board a jetboat and coast down the river to experience the famous Bridge to Nowhere. Alternatively, you may choose to depart with the local mail runner and do a fabulous tour of the road that follows the river - meet lots of locals and visit some hidden gems. This option also includes a 30 minute blast down the river on a jetboat.

Note for those doing the Bridge to Nowhere: Good trekking / tramping shoes are recommended. You must be able to walk 3km unaided over a well-graded bush track on an old roadway in each direction. The total walking distance is 6km. We recommend similar-distance training walks leading up to the tour. 

Later, we’ll all meet and continue to Taumarunui for our next two nights.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Get ready for an early morning start as we embark on a thrilling adventure on the Forgotten World Highway. This 40km journey by Rail Cart takes us through 10 hand-dug tunnels and over 25 bridges, showcasing the determination and hardship of the past. We pause for a delightful Ploughman’s lunch in Tokirima and on our way back, we make a stop at Lauren’s Lavender Farm to admire the beautiful flowers on display. 

Tonight, we have a wonderful farewell dinner planned at the beautiful Bradley Gardens.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we bid farewell to this beautiful part of New Zealand and make our way back up the North Island, stopping for lunch and a few interesting places along the way. 

Breakfast, Lunch