Discover Hidden Treasures. Enjoy stunning lake and coastal views, a gondola ride to dinner, and peaceful stays in charming towns. Highlights include the beautiful Eastwoodhill Arboretum, historic Tolaga Bay Wharf, Napier’s Art Deco heritage, and a gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers. With lovely gardens, local food and wine, and warm hospitality throughout, this tour offers a gentle yet enriching experience of New Zealand’s lesser-known gems.
Activity Level 1
Early Booking Discount - Book by 04 Sep, 2025 and save an extra $70 per person
Home pick up and return within the Auckland metropolitan area (if applicable).
Services of Travelwise Holidays Tour Leader throughout.
Quality accommodation on a share twin basis.
Breakfast daily, 3 lunches, 7 dinners.
All locally guided sightseeing tours and entry fees as per this fabulous East Coast itinerary.
Rotorua view Ohinemutu, St Faith’s Church and Government Gardens. Ascend Mt Ngongotaha by Gondola for dinner with spectacular views.
Thermal Explorer Highway from Rotorua to Whakatane via lakes Rotoiti and Rotoma.
Opotiki Museum and coastal drive Opotiki to Te Kaha.
Drive around the isolated East Cape of New Zealand, visit Hicks Bay, Tolaga Bay and its prominent wharf.
Gisborne Farmers Market, Eastwoodhill National Arboretum, home to over 3500 different varieties of trees.
Tairawhiti Museum and art gallery. Kaiti Bay and see the spot where Captain Cook first landed.
Napier, dinner at Mission Estate Winery. Cape Kidnappers Gannett Safari and Art Deco Sights of Napier.
Waiouru via the scenic Gentle Annie route. Waiouru Army museum lunch.
Huka Falls and Rosenvale Gardens lunch.
Travelwise Holidays documentation.
WED 04 MAR - AUCKLAND/ROTORUA
Head to Rotorua and view Ohinemutu, home to historic St Faith’s Church which was completed in 1914, and Government Gardens where the New Zealand government opened a large and elaborate bath house, built in the Elizabethan Tudor style of architecture. Later we ascend Mt Ngongotaha by Gondola for an early dinner with spectacular views over Lake Rotorua. Stay Novotel Hotel, Rotorua 1 night. Included: D
THU 05 MAR - ROTORUA/TE KAHA
Our route takes us on the Thermal Explorer Highway via stunning lakes Rotoiti and Rotoma, to Whakatane - the heart of the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Then we visit Opotiki and step back in time at the fabulous Opotiki Museum. View the extensive collection of implements and vehicles and early pioneer photographs. Experience the 100 year old shelves and original fittings from Opotiki's Shalfoon and Francis grocery and hardware store. The founders, George Shalfoon and his cousin Stephen were from the Lebanon and arrived in Opotiki in the late 1890s. We hug the coast to Te Kaha arriving this afternoon. Located halfway between Ōhope and Hicks Bay, Te Kaha is surrounded by rolling hills, rugged coastline and vibrant pōhutukawa trees. The rest of the day is yours at leisure before dinner at the Hotel. Enjoy the pool and spa at your beachside hotel. Stay Te Kaha Beach Hotel, 1 night. Included: B, D.
FRI 06 MAR - TE KAHA/GISBORNE
Experience an untapped part of New Zealand as we drive around the isolated East Cape of New Zealand. En route we visit Hicks Bay, renamed after one of the crew of the “Endeavour” is a truly lovely place. In times past a freezing works and port were established at the western end of the Bay. We enjoy an included lunch at Manuka Café near Te Araroa (or similar) and head to Tolaga Bay and its prominent wharf, notable for being 660 metres long and for its robust concrete design. When the wharf was built, it was a significant engineering achievement. for many years the only access to the town was by boat. We continue on to Gisborne. Stay Emerald Hotel, Gisborne, 2 nights. Included: B, L, D
SAT 07 MAR - GISBORNE
Spend the first part of the morning at the Gisborne Farmer Market before we head out to the world renowned Eastwoodhill National Arboretum, home to over 3500 different varieties of trees. We then visit the Tairawhiti Museum in the afternoon, the museum and art gallery has a reputation as one of the very best, most innovative regional museums in New Zealand. Included: B, D
SUN 08 MAR - GISBORNE/NAPIER
Before departing Gisborne we visit Kaiti Bay and see the spot where Captain Cook first landed on New Zealand shores in 1769. We arrive in Napier in the early afternoon arrival. A world famous Art Deco city. The rest of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner at the hotel tonight. Stay Scenic Circle Te Pania, Napier, 2 nights. Included: B, D
MON 09 MAR - NAPIER SIGHTSEEING
This morning we head to Cape Kidnappers for a Gannett Safari. The guided tour will take you on a stunning discovery tour to the top of Cape Kidnappers' Gannet Colony where you will encounter over 20,000 gannets. Later we enjoy the Art Deco Sights of Napier. Evening dinner at the fabulous Mission Estate Winery. A multi-award-winning winery and an iconic landmark in the Hawkes Bay. Included: B, D
TUE 10 MAR - NAPIER/TAUPO
We head to Waiouru via the scenic Gentle Annie route. Once the army's largest base, Waiouru lies at the southern end of the Desert Road – a naturally dramatic stretch of the highway. We stop at the Waiouru Army museum for lunch and then continue to Taupo. Stay Millennium Hotel, Taupo, 1 night. Included: B, L, D
WED 11 MAR - TAUPO/AUCKLAND
This morning we start with a visit to Huka Falls. This incredible waterfall is the most-visited natural attraction in New Zealand – it's hard to tear your gaze away from the endless, mesmerising torrent. Then head North through the lush Waikato farmlands to lunch at Rosenvale Gardens. Later we continue on to Auckland arriving back in the late afternoon. Included: B, L
