10 Day Ultimate North Island
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
A portion of this tour runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by an expert tour leader. Another portion is self-guided, whether conducted by rail, cruise or land, and you will travel between destinations on your own, with free time to explore at your own pace.
Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.
✓ Travel with Grand Pacific Tours
✓ BONUS OFFER - Includes Savings of up to $275pp off RRP
✓ BONUS OFFER - Includes Free Night in Auckland, pre tour
✓ Professional Coach Captain
✓ 20 Business Class seats on a full-size coach
✓ 9 nights 4.5 star accommodation
✓ 3 two night stays
✓ 1 cruise
✓ All sightseeing and prepaid attractions
✓ Extensive Optional Activities
✓ Ultimate Documentation Pack
✓ 8 cooked breakfasts including a specialty breakfast: Stratosfare Restaurant, Rotorua
✓ 6 sumptuous dinners including Complimentary pre-dinner drink at the Welcome Dinner and 2 specialty dinners: Mãori Hãngi and Concert, Rotorua; Intimate Farewell Dinner with selected beverages, Wellington
✓ 1 Shire’s buffet lunch: Hobbiton™
✓ Enjoy GPT Wine Time (discounted drinks)
✈ Needing international airfares to accompany your Inspiring Vacation? You will be able to access our flight portal after securing your package to add international airfares to your booking.
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
On arrival into Auckland you will be met by a Grand Pacific Tours representative and transferred to your hotel.
Today is free to explore Auckland. This evening enjoy a complimentary pre-dinner drink as you meet your travelling companions.
Board the luxurious Ultimate Coach, depart Auckland and travel to the Parry Kauri Park to see a magnificent example of a Kauri Tree. Enjoy a visit and informative talk at the Kauri Museum in Matakohe, then travel via Whangarei to Paihia, situated in the heart of the beautiful Bay of Islands. Enjoy a guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the location of the signing of the treaty between the Mãori tribes and the British.
Today is a free day. Choose from the many optional activities available, including the Cape Reinga coach trip via Ninety Mile Beach, a spectacular scenic flight over the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Bay of Islands or you might be interested to sail in a classic tall ship. This evening is also at leisure, you may like to enjoy a relaxing dinner cruise (optional) or try one of the waterfront restaurants.
This morning you will explore the scenic beauty of the Bay of Islands aboard a luxury catamaran. Cruise to Cape Brett and the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’, keep an eye out for dolphins and other marine life. On return to Paihia travel south via Whangarei before returning to Auckland.
An Auckland city sights tour includes a visit to Sky Tower, one of New Zealand’s most spectacular attractions. Standing at 328 metres tall, it has become an iconic landmark in Auckland’s skyline. Continue through the picturesque countryside to Hobbiton™ for a buffet lunch. This is followed by a guided tour of the Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Your guide will recount details of how this beautiful piece of farmland was transformed into The Shire from Middle-earth.
Today begins with a gondola ride and breakfast at Skyline Rotorua, where spectacular views are on offer. There is also time for a thrilling luge ride! Next stop is Agrodome for an action-packed hour of farming entertainment and education that is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Enjoy some free time this afternoon before travelling to Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome geysers that Rotorua is famous for. This evening you will experience an entertaining Mãori cultural performance which features the graceful poi dance and ferocious haka. This is followed by a Hãngi feast, prepared in the traditional way, over hot coals and buried in the ground.
Depart Rotorua and travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to Huka Falls and Lake Taupo. Continue to Napier known as ‘The Art Deco Capital’, where the most comprehensive collection of art deco buildings in the world can be found. Hear informative commentary of the city’s fascinating history. Enjoy some free time this afternoon to explore the city, you might choose to do a guided walk (optional).
Travel south this morning into Wellington for a city tour of the nation’s capital which will highlight the history and culture on show here. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner including selected beverages with your new found friends.
Time to say goodbye. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight home after a memorable New Zealand holiday
Secure your trip with a $99.00 deposit per person.
Once we receive your deposit, we will send you an invoice with your remaining balance and payment options.
Instalment Schedule:
This is a land only package.
This package does not include international airfares. If you would like to add airfares to your booking our flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub. The flight portal will allow you to search for all available airfares to your destination. The function works like most general flight search engines allowing you to select your preferred airline, book different cabin classes (eg. Business class) and view flight durations and transit times to your destination.
The flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub once the following criteria has been met:
Visit our Flight Hub for more information on terms and conditions, amending your flights and information on luggage allowances.
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return. Visas may be required for your destination. For further visa information, click here.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, but we can’t guarantee your request will be available at all properties.
Single travellers
When booking this tour, solo travellers will be presented with two options:
1 - Single Supplement
By paying an additional $1,640.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price, you guarantee the privacy of your own room throughout the entire trip.
2- Shared Room with a known friend
If travelling together with a friend, you can opt to share your room with him/her and avoid paying a single supplement.
You and your friend can create a unique booking each. Creating a unique booking, gives each of you the flexibility of making different travel arrangements (such adding extra accommodation, flights, etc), make separate payments and have individual access to our Traveller’s Hub
During the purchase path, you will need to provide your friend’s booking ID (if known) or at a minimum, your friend’s full name.
Triple Share
Not Available
Airport Transfers
Airport transfers in New Zealand are included on the first and last day of your tour. This includes any pre or post tour accommodation directly linked with the tour hotel. Transfer vehicles will wait up to 1 hour after the flight lands in New Zealand.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.
Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.
Group Size
Ultimate Small Group Tour itineraries are for a maximum of 20 travellers.
Children
On Ultimate Small Group Touring and Signature Mid-Size Group Touring, children under 16 years are not permitted.
All participants must be in good physical condition to fully engage in this journey. For the safety and welfare of yourself and fellow travellers, if you are feeling unwell prior to departure, we advise staying home and contacting us to arrange alternate plans.
Prior to selecting your trip, carefully review the itinerary to assess your ability to comfortably manage our travel style. Please be aware that if, based on evaluation by our leader or local representative, a participant is deemed unable to safely complete the itinerary, we retain the right to exclude them from all or part of the trip without reimbursement.
It is advisable to consult your physician for current medical travel advisories and any required vaccinations before embarking. We recommend carrying a first aid kit and any necessary medications in their original packaging, as they may not be readily available during travel. For those carrying medication, it's essential to check your government's foreign travel guidelines for local restrictions or regulations.
*Conditions apply. Prices are land only. **Travel on selected seasonal departures in Sep 2024 and save up to $550 per couple ($275 pp). All other departure dates save $175 per person off the brochure price. Maximum savings are reflected in the advertised prices. Bonus Night is a pre tour night in Auckland, at the nominated tour hotel, subject to availability upon request. Only if a hotel is not available at the time of booking, receive $100 per person, twin share discount instead. Special Offer Valid on new bookings only until 12 April 2024 for travel Sep 2024 - Apr 2025. Not to be used in conjunction with any other special offer; not applicable on group departures; can be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Please note that your tour is operated by Grand Pacific Tours and documentation is provided via delivery to your residential address approximately 14 days prior to departure.
In order to ensure a smooth process for delivery of your documents, you will receive a phone call directly from Grand Pacific Tours leading up to the delivery dispatch date to confirm your delivery address details.
Please ensure you answer this call and provide accurate details to the supplier. In the event that an incorrect address is provided there may be additional costs to redirect the delivery to the correct address.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above please do not hesitate to contact us.
