Coast and Rainforest Eco-Tour from Auckland with Picnic Lunch
Recommended by 99% of travelers
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Auckland, New Zealand
- 7 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
See the untamed beauty of New Zealand’s west coast on this North Island day trip from Auckland, which saves you from having to navigate rugged roads on your own. Travel with a guide to the Waitakere Ranges, with a stop at the Arataki Visitor Centre overlook for views of the Tasman Sea out to the Pacific Ocean. Admire Maori carvings before a guided rainforest walk, then visit giant kauri trees and one of the area’s magnificent black sand beaches. A moderate fitness level is required for this active tour.
- Focus on the scenery as someone else transports you between sights
- Panoramic views from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean
- Transportation by vehicle helps you see more in less time
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from Auckland are include for ease
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Local guide
- Light refreshments
- Picnic lunch
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.10:00 am
Itinerary
Start your day trip to the windswept western coastline north of Auckland with pickup from your city hotel. After a short drive, you’ll arrive at the Arataki Visitor Centre, considered the gateway to the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, which contains more than 39,500 acres (16,000 hectares) of rugged coast and rainforest.
From the panoramic decks, enjoy sweeping views of the Tasman Sea extending all the way to the Pacific. View traditional Maori carvings on display while your guide focuses on the natural and cultural heritage of the area.
Continue further west to the coastal rainforest and learn about native flora and fauna unique to New Zealand — 70 percent of which can be found nowhere else in the world. Walk alongside giant tree ferns growing near the stream, then dig your toes in the black sands of one of the region’s notorious beaches, bordered by rocky outcrops.
Enjoy a picnic lunch, served at a scenic location, before continuing your journey to an old-growth forest of giant kauri trees, some of them 1,000 years old. Listen for native birds as you walk among thee majestic giants, then re-board your vehicle for the return to Auckland.
*please note areas visited will differ depending on weather & fitness levels of the clients on the day. MODERATE LEVEL OF FITNESS REQUIRED. This tour is not suitable for people with mobility issues. The walks involve stairs and gradient changes.
From the panoramic decks, enjoy sweeping views of the Tasman Sea extending all the way to the Pacific. View traditional Maori carvings on display while your guide focuses on the natural and cultural heritage of the area.
Continue further west to the coastal rainforest and learn about native flora and fauna unique to New Zealand — 70 percent of which can be found nowhere else in the world. Walk alongside giant tree ferns growing near the stream, then dig your toes in the black sands of one of the region’s notorious beaches, bordered by rocky outcrops.
Enjoy a picnic lunch, served at a scenic location, before continuing your journey to an old-growth forest of giant kauri trees, some of them 1,000 years old. Listen for native birds as you walk among thee majestic giants, then re-board your vehicle for the return to Auckland.
*please note areas visited will differ depending on weather & fitness levels of the clients on the day. MODERATE LEVEL OF FITNESS REQUIRED. This tour is not suitable for people with mobility issues. The walks involve stairs and gradient changes.
1
Arataki Visitor Centre - Waitakere Ranges
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Mercer Bay Loop
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Piha Beach
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Waitakere Ranges
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- High level of fitness required.
- Please note: tour includes a minimum of 3x 1 hour short hikes, including stairs and hills
- Not recommended for travelers who find stairs challenging
- Not recommended for travelers with any kind of mobility issues
- Not recommended for young children
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Tom_W
This tour provided an immersive experience of the Kauri forest, Mercer Bay cliffs, and Piha Beach. Our guide, Meredith, is a local and is extremely knowledgeable about the area. She was friendly, engaging, informative, and answered all of our (many) questions. Everything about the day, from the enormous Kauri trees in the rain forest, to the picnic with stunning views from the cliffs, and the black sand beaches, was memorable. This tour is highly recommended, a fantastic getaway from the city!
Reviews
4.9
based on 280 reviews
Christine_J, May 2026
This includes some short hikes that are beautiful but the first is a bit steep in spots. The views make the effort totally worth it!
Michael_G, May 2026
This was a wonderful tour! Our guide, Murray, was interesting, knowledgable and accomodating. We saw beautiful scenery in the greater Auckland area and learned a lot. We would highly recommend this tour! It was a highlight during our stay.
Carl_B, Mar 2026
Fantastic day tour from Ackland the day after we landed. Ian, our guide with Bush and Beach, was a local with vast knowledge of the area. Of the 3 walks only one could be considered a bit of a challenge. The walk consisted of numerous ups and downs with some steep sections but the entire walk was on graded paths and stairs. Ian, paced the walk based on the participants ability. The other two walks consisted of a sand beach and a boardwalk thru a forest reserve. We had a great day that kicked off our 3 week New Zealand vacation.
Michele_B, Mar 2026
Great day out even in the rain to experience nature in all its glory! Our driver & guide Annie was absolutely wonderful and very knowledgeable! The lunch was awesome; I recommend picking the steak, cheese and jalapeño pie! Even though the weather was not ideal, it was a great day overall! I highly recommend this tour and Bush and Beach!
Maree_G, Mar 2026
Knowledgeable and friendly staff who made the experience very enjoyable. The diverse scenery was beautiful in different ways. Pleased I signed up.
Elizabeth_s, Mar 2026
It was a wonderful experience. The guides were very informative and accommodating. We were able to go to many different locations. I would definitely recommend recommend this tour.
David_S, Feb 2026
Kevin and Ian were tremendous leaders of this very interesting and informative excursion. We were retrieved just as informed and were glad of the phone call the day before to confirm the pick up and day coming. The pace of the outing was as described and we all felt very “taken care of!” Highly recommended!
Donna_B, Feb 2026
This was an incredible tour—we were here over 2 weeks and this was the best. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and spent so much time making our experience special!
Brendan_M, Feb 2026
Had a great day with Ayla! All three stops were fantastic and the lunch provided was excellent. Would recommend for anyone looking for a little adventure and fun for their time in Auckland.
Lech_H, Feb 2026
The tour was amazing. Kevin, our guide, was conveying to us both a lot of specific knowledge and, with his sense of humor, great vibs into our party. Thanks a lot for a wonderful day.
Tom_W, Feb 2026
This tour provided an immersive experience of the Kauri forest, Mercer Bay cliffs, and Piha Beach. Our guide, Meredith, is a local and is extremely knowledgeable about the area. She was friendly, engaging, informative, and answered all of our (many) questions. Everything about the day, from the enormous Kauri trees in the rain forest, to the picnic with stunning views from the cliffs, and the black sand beaches, was memorable. This tour is highly recommended, a fantastic getaway from the city!
Carol_B, Jan 2026
This experience was incredible. It included hiking up to cliffs overlooking the Tasman Sea, walking through a rainforest, and walking along one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. We were also probably one small group of 20 people along an entire stretch of pristine Beach so beautiful! And who knew that New Zealand has the third biggest tree species in the world. Our guide Kevin and our driver Erin did an exceptional job of keeping us moving, well informed, safe, well fed, and engaged the entire time. I highly recommend this experience.
Andrew_V, Jan 2026
Kevin and Erin were amazing, professional and made the tour worthwhile. Super knowledgeable and had all 12 travellers engaged throughout. Thank you both.
Colette_S, Jan 2026
A lot of walking but not difficult. Felt so good to be out and about. The guides were great - lots of information but also not overwhelming. Didn't feel like they were saying the same things over and over but very good communicators. Such beautiful scenery and also a great way to get a glimpse of NZ life.
Jim_B, Jan 2026
Great tour right outside Auckland… see the coast and rain forest. The guide was very thoughtful of guests concerns. Recommend 😎
Uwe_B, Dec 2025
Very knowledgeable and friendly driver/guide Ian, who also lives in this area. He showed us the nicest places and I could have listened his explanations for hours. very good experience!
Nancy_T, Dec 2025
Leon was an amazing guide! He’s such a genuinely nice person. The views were breathtaking. I feel so blessed. Our world is amazing.
WonHee_K, Dec 2025
Our tour guide, Ian, did a great job and helped us enjoy the trip. It was convenient as we were pick up at our hotel.
Kaarlo_R, Dec 2025
You get some walking, quite a lot of nature, lunch and knowledge about city/nature. Hotel pickups included.
Hui_C, Dec 2025
Annie was very knowledgeable and friendly. We learned so much about the ecological environment in New Zealand. It was a great tour!
Christa_S, Dec 2025
This was truly a highlight of our trip! Our knowledgeable guide, Meredith, took us on a sustainable tour to three stunning locations, all of which were worth a trip on their own merit. We saw unique vegetation, saw a multitude of birds, and learned a lot. On top of being informative, our guide was also a delight to be around, and the picnic lunch was delicious (you get to pick what you want). Even when it poured rain at our final location, we still had an incredible time. It was absolutely worth it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to experience your beautiful country!
Elissa_L, Dec 2025
Paul was a wonderful tour guide. He had a wealth of knowledge on the history of the area, and we especially loved seeing the visitor center. The untouched cliffside beach views were spectacular. Some of the most beautiful scenery we've ever seen. Piha Beach was incredibly unique. It was a very engaging, educational, and beautiful tour. Thank you, Paul, for a beautiful day trip experience!
Carol_G, Dec 2025
This is a fairly active tour but should be a great nature experience for most folks. Our guides were helpful and guys who cared about the group
Aaron_S, Dec 2025
We booked this tour as a cruise ship excursion on our own. We met at the bus stop in front of the HSBC building, about a 5 minute walk from the ship. We were picked up at 0945h and there was a total of 12 people on the tour. Our guides was Kevin and the driver was Ian. They provided a lot of history about the local area throughout the journey. We stopped at a bakery to pick up our lunch and a snack, provided by the company. We stopped at the Arataki visitor centre where Kevin explained the significance of Maori carvings at the site. We went to our first hike at Mercer Bay Loop. There was an easy hike down to a split in the trail, where guests could choose to return to the bus or continue along. Those who chose to proceed went down 65 stairs along a well maintained gravel trail to a lookout point and then up a very steep gravel trail to get back. A moderate level of physical fitness was required for this part. The views were amazing! Then we went to Piha Beach to eat our lunch and Kevin and Ian provided hot drinks and juice. After lunch, we walked along Piha Beach, which is a black sand beach. Footwear is required on the dry sand because black sand is very hot and can cause burns. We were able to walk along the water line and enter the water if we wished. Finally, we went to Waitakere Ranges for a rainforest walk that had Kauri trees. This walk was along a well maintained boardwalk and gravel trail, suitable for basic physical fitness. Kevin told us about the flora and fauna along the trail. Ian was an excellent driver, navigating the winding roads, and got us back to our starting point at 1700h, exactly as planned. He also provided excellent commentary along the way. There was plenty of time to get on to the ship.
Mari_M, Nov 2025
Perfect combo of different beautiful places with nice sceneries. We had great tour with our guide Mari.
Marisa_P, Nov 2025
A wonderful experience, I highly recommend. The coastal walk was stunning, the sand on Piha beach was surreal and the rainforest walk was beautiful. Our guides Leon and Erin were fantastic and so knowledgeable. I really appreciated all the details on the area and the culture. Thank you
Jake_E, Nov 2025
Very fun tour with lots to do! Annie was really knowledgeable with tons of factoids to tells us as we went through the tour. She was also very sweet and attentive, making sure no one felt left out and interacting with everyone. If you end up having a tour with Annie, you know it'll be a good one.
Highly recommend the tour and the tour company!
Stephen_C, Nov 2025
Great way to experience the tropical landscape, including tropical forests, cliffs and beaches. Guide was knowledgeable and provided tons of information about the history, geography, and details of places visited
Josemaria_H, Nov 2025
Was the best of my Auckland Day Trips, Mary was an expert guide and helped make the experience very pleasant and enjoyable for everyone. She was very insightful and her cheerful attitude created the perfect atmosphere for the entire tour group. Highly recommend this tour, would definitely book with the company again. 6/5 stars.
JOONYOUNG_C, Oct 2025
I had an unforgettable day.
I would recommend this tour to my friends.
Thank you Meredith.
You made my day.
From $188.81
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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