Maori Legends, Bay of Islands, Te Araroa
New Zealand: Hidden Treasures of the Far North
Overview
A thriving Maori culture, impeccable stretches of native forest and sheltered beach, a perfect subtropical climate—this is New Zealand’s North Island, with its own distinctive South Pacific character. We’ll boat out to the marine sanctuary of Poor Knights Islands for snorkeling and kayaking, explore the northern reaches of Whangaroa, home to stunning white-sand beaches and native forest, and hike the Te Araroa Trail along the Kerikeri River. Other adventures find us exploring seaside Russell, New Zealand’s first European settlement, boating in the maritime sanctuary of the Bay of Islands, and sampling fresh cuisine and fine wines from the region. Our hikes are varied and our small group size (maximum 12) makes for a flexible adventure.
Arrive: Auckland, New Zealand
Depart: Kerikeri, New Zealand
Highlights
- Enjoy scenic walks on the North Island’s Te Araroa Trail
- Snorkel and kayak in the pristine Poor Knights Islands marine reserve off the Tutukaka Coast
- Walk fantastic coastal trails along sea cliffs, white-sand beaches, and bays sheltering native forest
- Travel to the Bay of Islands, one of New Zealand’s most beautiful maritime and wildlife sanctuaries
- Learn about Maori culture at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Itinerary
From Auckland, we head to picturesque Waipu for a coastal walk that grants us stunning vistas of the rocky cliffs and bays, and at Whangarei Falls, we walk amid native kauri forest. A boat journey brings us out to the marine reserve of the Poor Knights Islands for a fine day of snorkeling, kayaking, cave exploration, swimming, and spotting sea mammals.
Our hike from Whangaroa Harbour to the top of St. Paul’s Rock offers views across a stunning natural bay blanketed in native forest, and we’ll make a spectacular traverse along the spine of the Mahinepua Peninsula, descending to a white-sand beach for a picnic. We’ll also stop for a visit to the Rainbow Warrior Memorial overlooking Matauri Bay.
A short walk on the Te Araroa Trail brings us to Rainbow Falls and the Stone Store, founded in 1819 on land granted to an Anglican mission by the powerful Maori chief Hongi Hika. We’ll explore the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the birthplace of the nation, then head to historic Russell, New Zealand’s first seaport. Our grand finale is a private boat trip out to the Bay of Islands, one of New Zealand’s most beautiful maritime and wildlife sanctuaries, on the lookout for dolphins, penguins, and seabirds in their gorgeous natural habitat. Depart on Day 8 via Kerikeri.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. This is a trip for people who enjoy hiking. In general, you can set your own pace while hiking, and there is no need to keep up with the fastest walkers. You will need to be comfortable hiking up to 6 miles a day and being on your feet for 3 to 5 hours a day. Trail conditions, weather, and the group's level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing.
Average Hiking Day
- 4-5 miles
- 3 hours
- 700' ascent/descent
Although you carry only a daypack, there are some steep ascents and descents and some sections that cross rough or rocky trails. On one or two occasions, our hiking routes cross an estuary or small stream and you will likely get your shoes wet (bring some Tevas or shoes appropriate for walking through water). You must be confident in your balance for these sections of the trail that include loose gravel and wet rocks.
To get the most out of this trip, we recommend you make a special effort to be in good physical condition. Daily brisk walking and/or regular hiking (or using a stair-climbing machine at your gym) are excellent preparatory exercises.
Temperatures on the North Island in midsummer usually range between 65°-72°F, but it can get much colder. Since the weather in New Zealand is often variable so we may occasionally have to wait for it to change in order to participate in our planned activities or change our activities to suit the weather. In such a case, we may rearrange the daily itinerary to accommodate the weather conditions.
We stay in a range of delightful accommodations along the way. The rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
One of the highlights of this trip is the chance to enjoy the fresh local food New Zealand is famous for. We’ll be close to the source of much of the food we eat, experiencing a variety of dining experiences, most of which will also be memorable for the location and the company.
Our van will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need for the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or spend the day in town).
Client Testimonials
"A well planned trip to an area of New Zealand that foreign tourists might not have on their radar. Beautiful area, well organized, and stunning day trips/hikes, excellent leaders and a fun group. Delighted that we chose this particular trip."
Tony A.
Richmond, NY
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.