Top North Island Dining Experiences

Sail away on a harbor cruise in Auckland and enjoy a 3-course dinner as you sail past Waitemata Harbour highlights, including the Sky Tower and Auckland Harbour Bridge. Board your yacht at the Viaduct Harbour and enjoy a welcome drink. Learn about Auckland and its scenic sights from your captain. As evening falls, dinner is served onboard while you sail.

Our most popular evening experience encompasses all we have to offer - a guided tour, hāngī buffet dinner and a cultural performance. Guided valley tour – Explore geysers, mud pools, native bush, the Kiwi Conservation Centre, and the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, while learning about Māori culture from a knowledgeable guide. Hāngī buffet dinner – Enjoy a feast of traditional food at Pātaka Kai Restaurant, overlooking the geothermal valley. Cultural performance – Experience pōhiri, waiata, mōteatea, poi and haka in our carved meeting house.

Take a break from a busy sightseeing schedule and relax in the tranquil natural environment of the Secret Spot Hot Tubs complex. Surrounded by the Whakarewarewa Forest are a collection of hand-crafted cedar hot tubs in which you can soak your aches and stress away. With pretty views overlooking the Puarenga Stream, each hot tub can accommodate up to six people, but this is a private package.

Taste the bountiful produce of the Wairarapa region on this full-day tour. In a comfortable vehicle, enjoy the scenic ride through the Remutaka Ranges while listening to engaging commentary on the local flora, fauna, and history. Stop for tastings of local wine in Martinborough, award-winning olive oil, cheese, and beer. Top it all off with a lunch at a local vineyard with your small group of just 11 people or fewer.

Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand's premier wine regions—experience the best of it during a stress-free guided tour to four premium wineries, including Mission Estate and Trinity Hill. Taste a wide range of local wines, learn about winemaking, and visit New Zealand's oldest winery. This small-group tour includes all tastings and pizza for lunch, with hotel pickup and drop-off for added convenience.

Embark on a day of good food and wine on Waiheke Island with a package that includes a round-trip ferry ride across the Hauraki Gulf from Auckland, wine tasting and lunch, and a hop-on hop-off bus pass for semi-independent exploration. Visit local vineyards and other bus stops, and admire the beautiful views of the island and back across the water to Auckland. An easy way to get out of Auckland.

Take a break from Auckland's busy streets on this small-group tour to Waiheke Island. Arrive via boat from downtown Auckland for an action-packed itinerary among the island’s many vineyards and olive groves. Join your guide for a thrilling zipline experience, forest walk, and wine tasting, and recharge with a 2-course lunch.

Step into Peter Jackson's Middle-earth with this guided group tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set from 'The Lord of the Rings' film trilogy. Learn more about the movies than you ever would by exploring by yourself with the help of your local guide. And with a shuttle service at your disposal, you enjoy a truly seamless Matamata experience.

Sip and savor your way around Waiheke Island on this small-group wine tasting tour with a local guide. Enjoy pickup from the ferry or your accommodations and travel by air-conditioned vehicle, soaking up the scenic views and learning about the island and its inhabitants on the drive. Visit three different vineyards for wine tastings and food pairings, and enjoy a shared platter lunch with a glass of wine.

Learn how we make the finest New Zealand Manuka Honey. Join us on this exciting experience. The journey follows the full process from hive to jar.

Explore subtropical islands, Maori heritage sites and golden beaches on this cruise around the Bay of Islands from Paihia. Soak up the scenery as you float between the bay’s 144 islands and sail straight through the iconic Hole in the Rock (weather permitting). Along the way, spot dolphins swimming and playing alongside the boat.

Discover the wines of Waiheke on a day trip from Auckland with a small-group tour that visits boutique vineyards. It’s easy to hop a morning ferry and cross the Hauraki Gulf for the short ride to the island. Your guide meets you upon arrival and shares lively commentary as you head to local vineyards for tastings. Afterward, choose to have lunch in Oneroa with a transfer to the ferry, or stay longer and make your own way back to the ferry. Ferry tickets are excluded.

Our Wellington’s Chocoholics Walking Odyssey includes a minimum of 6 delicious tastings, dotted with cultural and historical commentary. Learn the meaning of the Wellington chocolate scene through your local guide who is passionate about all things Wellington. The perfect experience to capture some of Wellington’s best, hidden chocolate treasures. Your tour will begin with an iconic chocolate nibble and a ride on the Cable Car with a walk through the Botanical Gardens to the first chocolate stop.

Spend a day relaxing during this catamaran sailing trip, complete with an island stop and packed lunch. Sail aboard a spacious 40-foot (12-meter) catamaran in the Bay of Islands. Enjoy the scenery as you glide through the waters. Anchor at a secluded bay at an island accessible only by boat. Choose to stroll the island, swim, try stand-up paddle boarding, or snorkel. Relish a delicious catered packed lunch on beanbags upfront before cruising back to Paihia.

Enjoy an America’s Cup sailing experience aboard an authentic racing yacht on Auckland's scenic Waitemata Harbour. Feel the exhilaration of yachting as you take the helm and participate with the professional crew, or just sit back and soak up the harbor views. No sailing experience is necessary and this is a fun activity for keen sailors and complete beginners alike. Wet-weather jackets and sunscreen keep you comfortable.

Spend an evening immersed in Maori culture with a traditional ‘hangi’ dinner and live performance, held at the historically important signing site of the Waitangi Treaty. Enact a warrior challenge on a bush walk and watch energetic Maori music and dance. For dinner, feast on a multilayered meal cooked using the ancient hangi pit oven method.

The fictional, yet globally famous, Hobbiton™ Movie Set and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves rank among New Zealand’s top attractions. Visit both sites in one day on an intimate small-group tour, including hotel pickup, lunch, guided tours, and an underground cruise. Avoid the hassle of self-driving from Auckland and admire scenic views en route. Fans of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” will love the whimsical Hobbiton.

Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set on a full-day tour from Auckland that explores New Zealand's "Middle-earth," where "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" films came to life. Travel through a landscape of lush farms, then take a guided tour of the 12-acre (4.8-ha) Hobbiton Movie Set, from hobbit holes to gardens and the Green Dragon Inn. With free time to shop and explore, this tour includes transportation from selected locations in Auckland for your convenience.

The Waitomo Caves and Rotorua rank among New Zealand’s top attractions, offering natural beauty, geothermal features, and native culture in equal measure. Ideal for travelers short on time, this adventurous tour takes in both sites in the same day, with entry fees plus round-trip transport from Auckland included. Discover subterranean stalagmites and glowworms at Waitomo Caves and hit top Rotorua’s attractions, including Te Puia Geothermal Park.

The tour will be customized to meet your preferences where possible, in particular which types of wine tasting experiences you would like. You will be transported in a top of the line Mercedes V250D minivan with nappa leather seats and room for up to six passengers. Your guide, Geoff, is the owner of the business and has been a Waiheke resident for over 24 years. He is a wine enthusiast with excellent knowledge of wines from Waiheke and other parts of NZ.

Why Choose Our Gin Lab Experience? Personalised Gin Creation: Design a 500ml bottle of gin tailored to your tastebuds, selecting from an extensive range of botanicals, many of which are cultivated in our on-site permaculture garden. Educational Distillery Tour: Gain insights into our sustainable distillation process and discover how we harness the power of plants to craft our luxury gins and liqueurs. Award-Winning Tastings: After your session, enjoy a complimentary tasting at our Cellar Door, sampling our award-winning spirits, including New Zealand's Best Botanical Spirit. 36 x 5 star Reviews on Google... “What an amazing time we had! Our hosts were so welcoming and informative- the gin was delicious and there was plenty of it to try! All 3 of us learnt a lot about tasting notes and pairings, to improve our future gin drinking experiences." “A must-do for gin lovers. The setting is beautiful, the staff are knowledgeable, and the gin is outstanding.”

A diverse range of wildlife calls the calm blue waters of Lake Rotoiti—near Rotorua—home, including many species of local birds. Listen to the enchanting birdsong as you paddle across the lake on this half-day evening kayak tour. Then, set out towards the nearby glowworm cave to see bioluminescent light speckle the dark cave walls before a BBQ dinner at the Manupirua Hot Pools.

Experience the magic of our orchard and see firsthand how seasonal practices keep our avocados at their best. Uncover why this superfood has such a devoted following and treat yourself to a tasting of inventive avocado dishes that highlight its unique flavor. Ideal for avocado lovers and those keen to dive into local food culture, this adventure promises excitement and discovery for visitors of all ages.