Northern Spotlight (Best Buys)

8 days

•

From Auckland to Wellington

4.8

4 traveler reviews

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Operator: AAT Kings
Explorer: Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
Group Tour: Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Medium Intensity: Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
Guided in English
Group Size 20 - 48
All Ages Welcome

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Day 1
Auckland
Accommodation
Hotel (Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre)
Optional Activities
- Explore Auckland's two harbours at leisure
- Relax at a waterfront precinct
Landmarks
Auckland Waterfront
Day 2
Auckland to Bay of Islands
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Copthorne Hotel and Resort)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds
- Explore the Bay of Islands
Landmarks
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Bay of Islands
Day 3
Bay of Islands
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Copthorne Hotel and Resort)
Optional Activities
- Venture to Cape Reinga via Ninety Mile Beach
- Scenic cruise among 144 islands with lunch and visit to Hole in the Rock
- Guided tour of Russell
Landmarks
Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua)
Ninety Mile Beach
Hole in the Rock
Russell
Day 4
Bay of Islands to Whangarei to Auckland
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre)
Included Activities
- Explore Whangarei at leisure
Landmarks
Whangarei
Day 5
Auckland to Rotorua
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner (Buffet dinner with locally sourced cuisine and authentic Maori influences)
Accommodation
Hotel (Ibis Rotorua Hotel)
Included Activities
- Te Po Indigenous Experience at Te Puia including cultural performance in Te Aronui a Rua
- Geothermal valley exploration via waka
- Hot chocolate on naturally heated rock terrace overlooking Pohutu Geyser
- Buffet dinner with locally sourced cuisine and Maori influences
Landmarks
Te Puia
Pohutu Geyser
Day 6
Rotorua
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Ibis Rotorua Hotel)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Waitomo Caves including Glowworm Cruise
Optional Activities
- Relax at Wai Araki Hot Springs & Spa (own expense)
- Hobbiton movie set tour (own expense)
Landmarks
Wai Araki Hot Springs & Spa
Hobbiton
Waitomo Caves
Day 7
Rotorua to Wellington
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Travelodge Wellington)
Included Activities
- See Huka Falls from a panoramic viewpoint
Landmarks
Huka Falls
Lake Taupo
Kapiti Coast
Day 8
Wellington
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- City sights tour of Wellington
- Visit Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand (entrance fee applies)
Landmarks
Te Papa

Landmarks
Auckland Waterfront

Landmarks
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Bay of Islands

Landmarks
Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua)
Ninety Mile Beach
Hole in the Rock
Russell

Landmarks
Whangarei

Landmarks
Te Puia
Pohutu Geyser

Landmarks
Wai Araki Hot Springs & Spa
Hobbiton
Waitomo Caves

Landmarks
Huka Falls
Lake Taupo
Kapiti Coast

Landmarks
Te Papa

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre
Hotel
Days 1, 4
Copthorne Hotel and Resort
Hotel
Days 2, 3
Ibis Rotorua Hotel
Hotel
Days 5, 6
Travelodge Wellington
Hotel
day 7

Operated by

AAT Kings

4.3

(116 reviews)

Number of tours

414

Age Range

5 to 99 years old

Response time

within 3 days

Response rate

85%

Since 1912, AAT Kings as a tour operator has been helping people from all...

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Other

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Traveler Reviews

4.8

Overall rating based on 4 Reviews

Itinerary
4.8
Transport
5.0
Guide
5.0
Accommodation
4.8
Food
4.5
Tour Operator
4.3

B
Beverly
March 12th, 2023
All excellent - loved Dexter and John - until the last day. Too much driving that day, lunch hour was rushed, and...
All excellent - loved Dexter and John - until the last day. Too much driving that day, lunch hour was rushed, and then the Wellington Travelodge wasn’t a good choice. Lots of mistakes checking in - someone was already in the room they gave us! And the elevators could not service the number of people staying there - made us worried about getting out in an emergency. One of our friends also got locked behind a fire door after using the bathroom on the 6th floor! We had to go search for her and could barely hear her calling behind the fire door. Bay of Islands and Rotorua were terrific - the latter dinner and culture show in particular were compelling. And we enjoyed the variety of people on the tour.Show more
Traveled in March 2023
T
TANIA
January 15th, 2023
Great tour guides. Met great people as well
Traveled in January 2023
T
TammyVanExan
October 28th, 2019
This trip was excellent! We started in Auckland, worked our way up to the beautiful Bay of Islands where we saw heaps...
This trip was excellent! We started in Auckland, worked our way up to the beautiful Bay of Islands where we saw heaps of dolphins during our cruise. Then we went down to Rotorua for a couple of nights where we saw Hobbiton, we saw geysers erupting at Te Puia, and we got to watch the Haka at Tamaki Maori Village. The we headed down to finish in Wellington. The Travel director was amazing and knew so much about the places we were travelling to and the food was really yummy.Show more
Traveled in June 2019
Reply from: AAT Kings
Hi Tammy, thanks for sharing your feedback. We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your time with us on the Northern Discovery Guided Holiday! We hope to see you again soon on another AAT Kings tour.
Show more
W
William
March 19th, 2019
Good balance to tour and guides/ drivers were excellent.
Traveled in March 2019
Reply from: AAT Kings
Hi William, thanks so much for sharing your feedback. We are so glad to hear you enjoyed your experience with AAT Kings. We hope to see you again soon on another AAT Kings tour! Many thanks, AAT Kings
Show more

Dates & Availability

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Upcoming departures

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Ends on 28 Apr, 2026

From Saturday
5 Sep, 2026
To Saturday
12 Sep, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
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From:
US $3,245 per person
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From Saturday
19 Sep, 2026
To Saturday
26 Sep, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
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$3,245
US $2,985 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Saturday
26 Sep, 2026
To Saturday
3 Oct, 2026
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From Saturday
3 Oct, 2026
To Saturday
10 Oct, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $3,310 per person
Multiple Room Types
Instant Confirmation
From Saturday
24 Oct, 2026
To Saturday
31 Oct, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $3,310 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Saturday
31 Oct, 2026
To Saturday
7 Nov, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
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From:
US $3,245 per person
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From Saturday
7 Nov, 2026
To Saturday
14 Nov, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $3,310 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Saturday
21 Nov, 2026
To Saturday
28 Nov, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
Sold out
From:
US $3,245 per person
See Similar Tours For These Dates
Instant Confirmation
From Saturday
28 Nov, 2026
To Saturday
5 Dec, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $3,310 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Saturday
5 Dec, 2026
To Saturday
12 Dec, 2026
This departure date is not available or sold out
Sold out
From:
US $3,245 per person
See Similar Tours For These Dates

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 289302

Currency
$
New Zealand Dollar
New Zealand
Plugs & Adapters
As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type I.
Type I
New Zealand
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before June 26th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after June 26th, 2026, a minimum payment of $200 is required to confirm your booking with AAT Kings. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- Some departure dates and prices may vary and AAT Kings will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
- The following cards are accepted for "AAT Kings" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- Your money is safe with TourRadar, as we only pay the tour operator after your tour has departed.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of AAT Kings. Please familiarize yourself with the AAT Kings payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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Northern Spotlight (Best Buys)

No departure dates available

Itinerary

Auckland

Optional Activities

Auckland to Bay of Islands

Included Activities

Bay of Islands

Optional Activities

Bay of Islands to Whangarei to Auckland

Included Activities

Auckland to Rotorua

Included Activities

Rotorua

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Rotorua to Wellington

Included Activities

Wellington

Optional Activities

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Where You'll Stay

Sustainability Initiatives

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

Travel Insurance

Traveler Reviews

Dates & Availability

Want to read it later?

Why book with TourRadar?

No departure dates available

Good to Know

Keep Exploring New Zealand

Northern Spotlight (Best Buys)

No departure dates available

Itinerary

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Where You'll Stay

Sustainability Initiatives

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

Travel Insurance

Traveler Reviews

Dates & Availability

Want to read it later?

Why book with TourRadar?

No departure dates available

Good to Know

Keep Exploring New Zealand

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