Enchanting Northland

5 days
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Small Group Tour
Explore sub-tropical islands and world-famous coastlines on this five-day journey into Northland. Calling all nature lovers, this corner of New Zealand’s North Island is like another world. Northland is known for its dense forests and warm weather, creating a paradise made up of 144 islands – the Bay of Islands. With a small group, you’ll go swimming in the w...
$1,894
From$1,540
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy

Highlights

    • Cruise through the scenic Poor Knights Islands on a full-day adventure on the water to see some of the north island’s natural beauty. This area is also a Marine Reserve and has volcanic origins over 11 million years old, creating some pretty epic biodiversity.
    • Visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds to learn about an important piece of New Zealand’s fascinating history, then see the world’s biggest carved waka (ceremonial war canoe)!
    • Soak in the coastal beauty of Tutukaka – home to one of the world’s most gorgeous coastlines (as voted by National Geographic Traveller).
    • Explore Paihia at your own pace with a full free day to scuba dive, sail, swim or relax on one of the many coastal beaches within the Bay of Islands. With a handy local leader by your side, you won’t miss any opportunity!
    • Start and end your trip in modern Auckland – New Zealand's largest city. A big mix of cultures here has resulted in some pretty excellent cuisine, so why not hit up a few of the famous restaurants in your downtime?

What's this trip about?

    Explore sub-tropical islands and world-famous coastlines on this five-day journey into Northland. Calling all nature lovers, this corner of New Zealand’s North Island is like another world. Northland is known for its dense forests and warm weather, creating a paradise made up of 144 islands – the Bay of Islands. With a small group, you’ll go swimming in the warm seas, take a full-day cruise through the scenic Poor Knights Islands, go scuba diving, snorkelling and kayaking and pay a visit to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Gain insight into one of the most important moments in New Zealand’s history and learn about Māori culture. With free time for an adrenaline-filled adventure in Paihia (or some downtime kicking back on one of the gorgeous beaches), this journey will be nothing short of enchanting.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range18 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityAuckland
End CityAuckland

Travel Themes

  • High Adventure

Destinations

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

Trip includes

    • Matapouri Beach - Visit
    • Whangarei Falls - Visit
    • Tutukaka - Poor Knights Islands Day Cruise
    • Waitangi - Treaty Grounds

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Auckland

Welcome to New Zealand! Your adventure begins in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) with a welcome meeting tonight at 6 pm. If you arrive early, why not check out the Auckland Sky Tower – the tallest building in New Zealand. If the mood strikes, you can also jump off the Sky ...

Day 2 Auckland / Tutukaka

Start your day with a hearty breakfast at a local café for a dose of warm Kiwi hospitality. Then, take a scenic drive to Tutukaka, stopping at Whangarei Falls along the way. This 26 m-high waterfall is a great spot for a photo! Continue along the coastline to Matapour...

Day 3 Tutukaka / Paihia

After breakfast this morning, you’ll set sail on a full-day cruise to the Poor Knights Islands. As a total Marine Reserve, the islands boast 11-million-year-old volcanic origins, featuring some pretty memorable drop-offs, walls, caves, arches and tunnels both above an...

Day 4 Paihia

Today is a free day in Paihia – this coastal town is known as the gateway to the popular dive sites and sandy beaches of the bay. With more than 140 sub-tropical islands dotted around the coastline, there’s plenty to see and do here! Maybe hit the water and explore th...

Day 5 Paihia / Auckland

Today, you’ll discover the Bay of Islands’ important role in New Zealand’s history with a trip to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Get an insight into Māori culture and see the 35 m carved waka (a ceremonial war canoe) – the biggest in the world! After lunch, say goodbye ...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,540
Price per day$308
Last Updated: 2/27/2025
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
13 Apr 2025
17 Apr 2025
$1,555
03 Oct 2025
07 Oct 2025
$1,750
07 Nov 2025
11 Nov 2025
$1,820
06 Dec 2025
10 Dec 2025
$1,890
02 Jan 2026
06 Jan 2026
$1,890
16 Jan 2026
20 Jan 2026
$1,890
06 Feb 2026
10 Feb 2026
$1,820
15 Feb 2026
19 Feb 2026
$1,820
06 Mar 2026
10 Mar 2026
$1,750
20 Mar 2026
24 Mar 2026
$1,750

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (4 nights)

Transportation & Flights

Private Vehicle,Boat,

Transportation & flights

Private Vehicle,Boat
Guides
All Intrepid group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. In New Zealand your group leader is also your driver, taking you from start to finish in a coaster vehicle. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Our crew are chosen for their driving skills, their knowledge of the country, their personality, and of course their leadership abilities. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services Australians travelling to New Zealand are eligible for publicly funded health care whilst in New Zealand. This medical care generally covers emergency treatment and is free. Please note that Intrepid travellers still require comprehensive travel insurance to cover against emergency repatriation, personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects.
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements Some passport holders are required to request a NZeTA ((New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) prior to travelling to New Zealand. It's important that you check the requirements prior to travel. For the most up to date information on this and all visa requirements, we recommend you contact the New Zealand embassy in your country or visit http://www.immigration.govt.nz
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines
Age Requirements
18 years and up
Additional Information
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Trip ID
intrepid-PHKR

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