Things to do in  North Island

This was an awesome tour provided by the awesome folks at FlexiTours! We got to see a huge part of the North Island, all in one day! If you want to see the greatness of New Zealand's North Island and the famous sites all in one tour and day with good value, sign up on this tour! I would do it again! Thanks FlexiTours!

Fran and a Rick were amazing guides and very entertaining! If you are in Auckland, you will want to see a lot of the country side. The drive showed us the beauty of the North island and we were able to hear about the history and culture along the way. Thank you for an amazing tour!!! A must do!!!!!

We had a wonderful tour, thanks in large part to our incredible driver and guide, Tom Stuart of The Road Trip! Tom was expert at helping us to see and appreciate the spectacular natural beauty of New Zealnd and we are so glad we were able to travel the country with him. North Island has a lot to offer and we loved every minute of it!

A very informative and well organised tour that fitted in what we wanted to do. All elements of the tour were excellent value for money and I would highly recommend this tour as a way to see all of the northern part of North Island.

Our trip to Hobbiton exceeded my expectations! Having only ever seen one of the LOTR movies, I expected to be underwhelmed by this tour, but I was so wrong. Hobbiton was a magical experience and there was so much to see. We were the first tour of the day in Hobbiton which made for the best pictures. Our driver for the day, David, was so funny, knowledgeable, and kind.. He looked out for our safety all day and left no questions unanswered, even pointing out specific attractions along the drive that he thought we would each enjoy based on our interests. The glowworm caves were also spectacular. I was so happy to have found a combined tour since these were the two things I wanted to do while we were in the North Island. It was one of our best days in NZ! The van was comfortable and spacious too which isn't always the case for these types of tours. Thank you!!

First, great and accommodating tour company Bush and Beach. Informative guides. Waterfall was great. Beach views are stunning though we were not on the beach for the sunset picture as seen on the tour pic. A great compliment to seeing the western side of the North island and still so close to Auckland. Felt a tiny bit of time underutilized at park center, but otherwise all great good. Trees are indeed magical.

Nice way to get out of the city, to the western shore! We met our driver/guide Rob right across from the cruise port. He had already picked up 4 American women from hotels. We drove in a very comfortable, clean van.         We left the city of Auckland and headed towards the west coast, the Tasman Sea. We stopped first at the visitors center for the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park. From here we could see both coasts, the Pacific and the Tasman Sea. There were very nice displays about the local flora and fauna as well as showing / explaining the lumbering business that denuded the rainforest that is now regrown. Then we continued on to Karekare, taking a short hike to a very high cascading waterfall. From there we walked on a sandy path to the beach where scenes from The Piano wer shot in 1993. The black sand is from the volcano and the sparkles in the sand are titanium. Rob said the steel used to make Hyundai cars comes from the North Island of NZ. Back to the van, there were picnic tables and we had lunch: delicious sandwiches Rob had picked up at a small local store, juice or water, and a Danish. There were about a dozen ducks looking for handouts of bread and providing some entertainment.         After lunch we drove to a high viewpoint of Piha, the famous surfing beach. Homes were tucked into/onto the very steep mountainside below us. We continued on a ways before stopping for a very nice hike through the rainforest seeing 1000 year old trees, the Kauri, and other interesting trees and plants. We finished with a beverage break and then headed back to the city to drop us off at the ship. Highly recommended way to spend a single day in Auckland!

Great trip! Covered a range of activities on the North Island, all appealing to different tastes and interests. Tour guide was excellent and we were kept safe and confortable throughout the day. Timely return after a big, worthwhile day.

Excellent guide, well informed, it's great to see the other side of the north island

This was our favorite tour during our stay in North Island Museum. We had a very informative guide who made us feel very comfortable and relaxed. We got to see many lambs, green pastures, and views of the rugged coastline. My wife and I especially enjoyed Cathedral Cove and the adjoining beach--the scenery is absolutely stunning. We stopped by the forest for an antique train ride, which was interesting but not the best use of our time. Another great spot was Hot Water Beach. Mini tubes of lava lie beneath the sand, and mini pools of hot water collect on the beach, giving many families and couples their own private jacuzzis. I would say the highlights were the hike down to Cathedral Cove and the free time we had to swim in the Tasman Sea/Pacific Ocean.

If you're a fan of the LoTR films, and you find yourself on the North Island, it would be regrettable to not visit The Shire! The only down point was the weather, but we did go in their winter, so while it was wet and rainy it wasn't cold, and didn't detract from the joy of just being there! The Green Dragon was the highlight - being able to see so much film memorabilia and to enjoy a drink from the bar was fab. And then there was the shop - full of wonderful Hobbit related mementos to bring home. The glowworm caves were beautiful - a perfect end to a day of must-do sightseeing! The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly, and took us through some of the most amazing scenery on our way to Hobbiton.

I have been to Tiritiri Matangi once before and it was wonderful to see how much denser the planting had become and the increase in the number of birds was good to see. The hard work put in by the volunteers and specialists has really paid off. Our volunteer guide, Chris was both knowledgable and hugely enthusiastic which made the walk a very pleasant experience. The sighting, twice, of the North Island Kokako was the icing on the cake of an already fantastic morning. I would recommend that the longer walk be done with a guide through the more established vegetation as it then helps you to know what to look out for when it comes to your own discovery time. Do remember to bring your own food and cold drinks because the shop only has tea and coffee, although this kindly free.

Wonderful day trip covering a few of the highlights of the North Island. We only had a few days so this was a great taster into the beauty of New Zealand. It is an early start at 6:30 but well worth it. We stopped off for a quick coffee on the roadside after an hour so you get to stretch your legs. We had taken along some muffins which was good to go with the coffee. Hobbiton was the first stop and is an amazing place....so well designed for the movie. After the guided tour you get a free beer or cider or coffee at the Dragon Inn. There is a souvenir shop at both the entrance and at the exit but check with your driver so you dont miss out..we got ours at the start and put them in the bus. It is a fairly long haul to Rotorua so Some napped while others watched the beautiful scenery go by while learning facts about New Zealand from our friendly driver John. You receive a lunch which is deliscious, we opted for the hungy style chicken and vegetables. You are then given time to stroll down to see the geyser, mud pools and kiwi exhibit. We were lucky to see the geyser gushing but the kiwis were in the nesting boxes. Next stop was the gloworm cave. This also has a guided tour down into the cave and you exit out below in a boat. The gloworms put on an awsome display but as you are not allowed to take photos you can buy photos that they superimpose you into various cave scenes. They are well done so we purchased these. It is then the trip back to Auckland for drop off at your hotel. A long day but very well worth it.

Had a wonderful time on this tour - Ramon with Flexi Tours was very informative and gave us great insights into North Island as we traveled down to each of the spots. We were the first tour of 2018! It rained at Hobbiton but it was still a beautiful landscape to see. The glowworms was also fascinating to see. Loved the geysers and the bubbling mud pools at Rotorua. Wish we had an opportunity to see Maori cultural song/dance but we missed the timing. All in all, a fantastic trip and would highly recommend it!

Fantastic tour! This was a great way to see 3 defining sites of the North Island in just 1 day. It was not exhausting at all because the driving time in between each location allows time for rest. Along with the sites we got a lot of detailed information about New Zealand's history, culture, and industries from our awesome tour guide, Mike. Amazing tour if you have limited time!

This tour was great because it covered three major highlights of the North Island. We only had one full day in New Zealand, so we wanted to see as much as we could. This tour enabled us to do this without having to worry about transportation or tickets. Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable and provided us with a lot of other interesting information about Auckland an New Zealand while we were driving between sites.

This is a great tour for fans of the Lord of the Rings and those who want to visit New Zealand's version of Yellowstone National Park, Rotorua. Beautiful drive through the rolling hills of the North Island, driving south out of Auckland. The Caves at Waitomo, where glow worms hang from the cave ceiling, was the part of the tour my family and I disagreed about. I was less impressed than my wife and daughter, especially because the trip to Waitomo made for a very long day. So, I would have been happy to skip the Caves and get back to Auckland earlier, but my wife and daughter disagree. Overall, a great way to see the countryside and natural wonders of the North Island.