Sweet North Epic 14 Day North Island Tour

Sweet North Epic 14 Day North Island Tour

Blitz the North Island & discover all the best bits from Volcanoes to Hot Springs on our epic all-inclusive Sweet As Travel 'Sweet North' 14-day adventure for 18-35 year olds!

Looking for a fun way to experience the New Zealand & meet new friends without the stress of having to plan your own travel? We’ve got you covered! Journeying through epic landscapes rich in Maori culture, get ready to see the “real New Zealand” on an unbeatable tour that covers the entire North Island & takes you to a bunch of awesome, handpicked spots as you travel with a group of like-minded people.

Whether you're an adrenaline junkie or couch potato, our tour is super flexible to suit your travel style. So you don't miss a thing, we cover all the “must do” activities, travel, food and accommodation.

Dates:   2018 - 23/10, 13/11, 4/12  |  2019 - 2/1, 22/1, 12/2, 5/3, 26/3, 16/4, 7/5

Itinerary

Day 1: #1 Auckland to Paihia

Stop At: Tane Mahuta Walk, Sh12 Waipoua Forest, Opononi 0376 New Zealand
Situated in the heart of the Waipoua Forest and as tall as it is impressive, the Tane Mahuta (‘Lord of the Forest’) is one of the world’s oldest and largest Kauri trees. Standing at around 50 meters tall, the tree is estimated to be around 2,500 years old.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Opo the Dolphin Statue, 19 State Highway 12, Opononi 0452 New Zealand
On route up the West Coast, we'll stop off at the picturesque harbour town Opononi for a lunch break before our final destination.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Paihia Harbour, Paihia New Zealand
Renown for its picturesque bays, laidback atmosphere and fantastic local fish n chips, our next stop takes us into the heart of the Bay Of Islands, Paihia. Take the ferry over to the historic town, Russell, where you can check out Flagstaff Hill, wineries & visit one of New Zealand's oldest Churches, the Christ Church!

So if swimming with dolphins, island cruises or famous Maori treaty grounds for a spot of Kiwi culture aren’t your thing, borrow a free kayak or bike and explore the bay your way.

For those who just can’t get enough, optionally top the day off with an overnight cruise. Sail through the bays with a sunset buffet dinner, followed by night kayaking to experience the bioluminescence. Note, the 'Overnight BOI Cruise' extra overrides day two's itinerary.
Duration: 2 days

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Paihia lodge situated within 5 minutes from the beach & town.

Day 2: #2 Paihia to Cape Reinga

Stop At: Cape Reinga Rd., Cape Reinga New Zealand
This land holds great significance to the Maoris and their ancestors and if you don’t catch a glimpse of a dolphin or whale out to sea, you’ll be guaranteed to see where the Tasman Sea (from the west) collides with the Pacific Ocean (from the east)
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Te Paki Sand Dunes, Te Paki Stream Road, Pukenui New Zealand
Following on from the Cape, grab your boards because along the shores of the famous 90 Mile Beach, we find Te Paki Sand Dunes. Perfect for sand boarding, we’ll spend the afternoon gliding down New Zealand’s largest dunes, and to top it off, you can experience an optional traditional Maori Hangi lunch to get back that energy.
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Paihia lodge situated within 5 minutes from the beach & town.

Day 3: #3 Paihia to Auckland

Stop At: Whangarei i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, 92 Otaika Road, Whangarei 0110 New Zealand
After heading south, we'll finish off before heading home at New Zealand's northernmost city, Whangarei.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of Auckland.

Day 4: #4 Auckland to Tauranga via Coromandel

Stop At: Ocean Beach Road, Hot Water Beach New Zealand
If one beach wasn’t enough, try two! And what better way than to escape a hangover than lying in nature's jacuzzi - Hot Water Beach.

If you didn’t already guess, this beach gets its name from the geothermal hot springs that rise up through the sand. If the tides right, grab your spades and start digging.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Cathedral Cove Walk, 65 Grange Rd S, Hahei 3591 New Zealand
Packed full of rugged coastlines and exotic beaches, sit back on this scenic drive as we pass through the Coromandel over to our next spot, Cathedral Cove. Arguably one of the most popular beaches in the North Island, with its pristine sands and golden cliffs, be sure to test the acoustics under the Te Hoho rock as we stop at the cove for the morning.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Mount Maunganui Summit Track, Adams Ave, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga 3116 New Zealand
Putting the beaches behind us, we sashay south through the Bay of Plenty and the coastal town of Tauranga. Here you can kick back on the beach or catch the sunset from the top of Mt Maunganui for the rest of the arvo (Kiwi for afternoon).
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of Tauranga, Bay of Plenty.

Day 5: #5 Tauranga to Rotorua

Stop At: Mount Maunganui Summit Track, Adams Ave, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga 3116 New Zealand
If you didn't already venture up last night for an epic sunset, todays your day! Standing at an impressive 761ft, the 'mount' as it's known is challenging as it is beautiful.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Rotorua i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, 1167 Fenton Street, Rotorua 3007 New Zealand
Winding our way out of the hills of Waikato, for our next culture injection, we head down to the geothermal capital of New Zealand, Rotorua! Smell that? No, that wasn’t your buddy’s meal from last night, that my eager Beavers’ is Sulphur, so get out your nose pegs kids.
Duration: 1 day

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of Rotorua.

Day 6: #6 Rotorua to Taupo

Stop At: Kerosene Creek, Old Waiotapu Road, Waiotapu 3073, New Zealand
Just down the road from our next stop, we'll take a dip in the natural hot spring - Kerosene Creek, famous for it's hot spring waterfall!
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, 201 Waiotapu Loop Road Rd 3, Rotorua 3073 New Zealand
Famed for it’s boiling mud pools, hot springs and spurting geysers, we give you – Wai O Tapu! A wonderland of natural beauty that will leave you mesmerized! Hmmm, or maybe that’s just the Sulphur?!
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Huka Falls tracks, Huka Falls Road, Taupo New Zealand
Which brings us onto Taupo (“Toe-Paw”). This monster of a lake is claimed to be bigger than the size of Singapore and twice the size of the second largest lake in New Zealand! This central North Island town sits on the south shore where you’ll find 220,000 litres of water gushing over the Huka Falls every second!
Duration: 45 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of Taupo.

Day 7: #7 Tongariro National Park

Stop At: Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Off State Highway 48 Mangatepopo Valley, Whakapapa Village, Tongariro National Park New Zealand
Wait, who's got the ring? Strap up your boots troops, ‘cause this is going to be a long day! We rise at the crack of dawn, for your next journey takes you unexpected Hobbits to the top of Mount Doom! This eight-hour shoe shredder isn’t for the faint-hearted, as you’ll hike above the clouds through 19km of unforgiving volcanic terrain called, the Tongariro Crossing!

But don’t sweat couch potatoes, we’ve got you covered. If you weren't brave enough to journey south, we’ve lined up kayaking around the Mine Bay Maori Rock carvings to skydives and white water rafting to keep your mind off what you’re missing.

Later, relax for a well-deserved dip in the Otumheke thermal stream amongst your worn-out wolf-pack.
Duration: 10 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of Taupo.

Day 8: #8 Taupo to Napier

Stop At: Hawke's Bay Trails, Napier 4144 New Zealand
After yesterday, you’re probably wanting a break. Start practising your spitting (off the bus), ‘cause we’re showing you exactly what put New Zealand's wine on the map with an epic Hawkes Bay wine & brewery tour! Visit two of Hawkes Bay's best wineries including one of NZ's oldest, plus visit a quirky craft brewery which hosts a variety of worldwide styles.
Duration: 5 hours

Stop At: Napier i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, 100 Marine Parade, Napier 4110 New Zealand
Whether your legs are wobbly from the wine or yesterday's crossing, get settled into the art deco city of New Zealand, Napier.
Duration: 1 day

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of the Art Deco city, Napier.

Day 9: #9 Napier to River Valley

Stop At: Gumboot Statue, Taihape 4720 New Zealand
Home to the annual Gumboot Day, welcome to New Zealand's Gumboot capital! Here we'll test your throwing skills in a "boot off" before heading into our last stop, River Valley Adventure Lodge!
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in the River Valley Adventure Lodge.

Day 10: #10 River Valley to Wellington

Stop At: Tui Brewery, State Highway 2, Mangatainoka 4982 New Zealand
For those still thirsty from Hawkes Bay, we'll make a quick stop off at the famous Tui Brewery to send us on our way.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Wellington Cable Car, 280 Lambton Quay, Wellington 6011 New Zealand
As much as we love nature, it’s time for another city… and boy is this one windy!

Windy? That’s right, if you haven’t already blown over, welcome to the NZ's capital - Wellington. Sitting on top of the Cook Strait, don’t let the wind scare you off! Welly’s chilled atmosphere, stunning promenade and vibrant nightlife will be sure to keep you distracted.

Home to a myriad of surprises, for those who can’t sit still, check out the Weta Caves before you get settled in for the night.
Duration: 1 day

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of Wellington.

Day 11: #11 Wellington

Stop At: Wellington Botanic Garden, 101 Glenmore Street, 6012 New Zealand
Finally a free day! We’re handing the reins back to you for today, but if you're stuck for ideas - start off the morning with a walk up to the top of Mt Victoria to get your bearings in check. From here, you can head into the city for a guided tour and another Kiwi culture shot at the famous Te Papa Museum.

Later, take a trip up the iconic Wellington Cable Car where you can check out the views from the Botanical gardens. If you didn’t already get accustomed to the town last night, no worries, after dinner we’re cracking out our drinking boots for an epic bar crawl.
Duration: 1 day

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in the heart of Wellington.

Day 12: #12 Wellington to New Plymouth

Stop At: Kamahi Loop Track, Pembroke Road, Egmont National Park New Zealand
Goblins? Where? Thriving off the neck of the mighty volcano, we come to our next Middle Earth treasure, the Goblin Forest. Found deep in the Egmont National Park, look out for orcs, elves or hung-over backpackers. Oh wait, that’s us!
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: New Plymouth Coastal Walkway, New Plymouth New Zealand
After a short walk around the Kamahi loop, we'll take the arvo off where you can stroll through the Botanical Gardens or check out the Paritutu Rock as we explore New Plymouth, a city shadowed by our second volcano, Mt Taranaki!
Duration: 1 day

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight boutique motel stay in the heart of New Plymouth.

Day 13: #13 New Plymouth to Raglan

Stop At: Waitomo Glowworm Caves, 39 Waitomo Village Road, Waitomo Caves 3943 New Zealand
Peeps, you’ve earned it. Lie in and slow sip that coffee before we head back up north for a Kiwi classic, the glow-worm capital, Waitomo! Strange as they are beautiful, glow-worms are the stars of the underworld. Today we’re putting on our headlamps and taking to the caves on this epic journey below! Climb into the unknown, sail under blue-lit caves or black water raft down into the abyss, this place has it all.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Raglan Wharf, Wallis St North, Raglan 2051 New Zealand
Home to New Zealand's coolest surf town, this arvo we'll get stuck in with those beach vibes before we end our last night with an awesome sunset boat party & BBQ.
Duration: 1 day

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight hostel stay in New Zealand's coolest surf town, Raglan.

Day 14: #14 Raglan to Auckland

Stop At: Auckland Domain, Park Road, Auckland Central, Auckland New Zealand
After a well-deserved bite for lunch, we'll arrive back in Auckland around 15:00 to end this epic trip off. So, this is it folks, the final piece of the puzzle! So steady your feet, hold on to something tight… no not us! Amigos, welcome back to Auckland!

It’s time for you culture pros to say ciao to the tribe and in years to come remember what we did in the land of the Long White Cloud.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.