3-Day Bay of Islands Tour from Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand

Join this spectacular 3-day tour for the chance to see Auckland and the Bay of Islands conveniently. Pickup from Auckland airport on arrival and 2-nights’ accommodation in Auckland included. Experience a full-day tour up to the Bay of islands a year round destination and the birth place of our nation, including a guided tour of Waitangi. Explore the townships of both Paihia and Russell.

Day One
Meet and Greet at Auckland International Airport and transferred to your Auckland central city hotel, the remainder of your day and evening at leisure.

Day Two
One of New Zealand’s top destinations, the Bay of Islands, is located north of Auckland. Captain Cook gave the area its name almost two and a half centuries ago. Bay of Islands a subtropical aquatic wonderland made up of 144 islands and also home to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds which was the scene of the 1840 signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Depart Auckland by road and see the small rural townships and rolling countryside as you make your way to Paihia. Enjoy a guided tour through part of the 506 hectare Waitangi National Trust Estate which was gifted to the nation in 1932. The site of the historic treaty that was signed between the Maori and European people that shaped the nation. View a magnificent Maori Meeting house and a large war canoe, the largest war canoe in the world.

After a short ferry ride you will be transported from the vibrant seaside resort of Paihia to the historical township of Russell, once the hub of European settlement and now a big-game fishing base. Originally the first capital of New Zealand and a busy whaling community, Russell is a popular destination where visitors can enjoy a local sightseeing tour and hear the interesting stories of it’s past.

Return to Paihia by ferry with time to explore the busier side of the bay with its shops and arcades. You may even see a big game fish being weighed in at the wharf, before rejoining your coach for the return journey to Auckland in the early evening.

Day Three
Enjoy a morning of leisure. The tour will conclude at the hotel upon check out.