Bay of Islands Heritage Experience from Auckland incl. Waitangi & Russell
Description
Embark on a voyage to one of New Zealand’s most historic locations on this day trip from Auckland to the Bay of Islands on a luxurious private tour. Find the deep history - Nestled in the birthplace of New Zealand. Experience the spectacular scenery in an area rich in culture and traditions. Visit the most historic locations, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, enjoy a high-energy Māori cultural performance then take a ferry from Paihia to the first European settlement of Russell and take in the sights of Russell on an intimate coach tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We pickup travellers from most locations in the Auckland CBD location. If your pickup location is not available on the list, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our very best to accommodate your request.
We stop to get some great coffee at your own expense and a comfort break before we continue our journey into the Northland region.
We stop to get some great coffee at your own expense and a comfort break before we continue our journey into the Waikato region.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are an absolute must-do when you are in the Bay of Islands – rich in history and stories of the momentous events which shaped our nation. Take time to wander through the beautiful grounds of the Waitangi estate, complete with extensive gardens, bush tracks, beaches, and fabulous views over the Bay of Islands and beyond. Enjoy an inspiring and interactive experience as you discover Waitangi’s two contemporary museums, powerful Maori cultural performances, informative guided tours, lush native forest and gardens, carving studio with live demonstrations, marvel at the scale of Ngatokimatawhaorua, the world’s largest ceremonial war canoes (waka taua), a quality café in tranquil surrounds, and so much more, all with stunning views over the Bay of Islands.
Board the Fullers ferry to Russell, the first capital of New Zealand and a significant place in history for both the Māori and European settlers. Getting to Russell from Paihia is easy, so within 15 minutes you have the freedom to explore on the other side. Take in the sights of Russell on an intimate one-hour coach tour combining historical knowledge and local insight. Learn about significant sites like the Pompallier House and Christ-Church and stand atop Flagstaff Hill for stunning Bay of Islands views. We take a ferry to return to Paihia.
We visit one of the main tourist attractions in Kawakawa, the colourful public toilet designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. First visiting New Zealand in the 1970s for an exhibition of his work, he decided to make the country his second home and bought property on the Waikare inlet, east of Kawakawa. In 1998 with the help of the community he transformed the town’s public toilets into a work of art.
After an enchanting fun-filled cultural experience at Paihia, it is now time to head back to Auckland to conclude your evening and drop-off at your hotel in Auckland. We can also drop you at your accommodation in Paihia if you are staying locally in the region.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please wear comfortable clothing suitable for the conditions, walking shoes, Sun protection, jacket/warm layer, & any essential personal items.
- Please also bring a jersey or coat if it is cold.
- Easy and good fitness level required.
- Bring a camera or a phone with camera capability as this is the perfect place to get some great experiences photos.
- You are welcome to bring your own prepared food, snacks and or beverages (alcoholic beverages limited to guests 18 years and older by New Zealand law).
- This is a guided walking tour and sensible walking footwear is recommended.
- Children below 8 years old are required to travel in a child safety car seat.
- Children between 5-7 years old are also recommended to be in a booster seat for their safety.
- Tours are suitable for people of all ages and average fitness. Our scenic walks are short and optional. Please let our guide know at check in if you have any fitness concerns.
- Bring a camera or a phone with camera capability as this is the perfect place to get some great experiences photos.
Reviews(10)
Good way to visit the area if you don’t have a car. Really enjoyed the cultural experience. Our guide Mary was brilliant and really looked after us. All in all felt the tour was expensive for what it was though.
Kia Ora Caitlin, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the cultural experience and that Mary made your day so special – she’s truly exceptional at what she does and always goes above and beyond for our guests. We appreciate your feedback regarding the pricing, and it’s a great opportunity for us to highlight what sets ExperienceKart apart. All of our tours are private, premium experiences – meaning your journey was fully tailored with a personal driver guide, a luxury vehicle just for your group, and the flexibility to travel at your own pace. This elevated level of comfort and service is what defines us as a luxury operator and is consistently praised by guests who seek a more enriching and exclusive way to explore New Zealand. Thank you again for choosing ExperienceKart – we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable journey! Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
The view was amazing, we were down in Phaia and took the ferry over to Rusell, an absolutely fantastic tour. A lot of cultural and nice information. And our lovely guide Mary. Thank you for making our trip so nice.
Kia ora Börge! Thank you so much for your beautiful message — we’re overjoyed to hear you had such an amazing experience exploring Paihia and Russell with us! That ferry ride is such a special part of the journey — the scenery, the history, the culture — it all comes together in the most memorable way. We're especially delighted to hear that Mary helped make your day so enjoyable. She’s truly passionate about what she does, and your kind words will mean the world to her. It was our absolute pleasure to host you, and we’re so grateful to have been a part of your New Zealand adventure. We hope your travels continue to be just as wonderful, and we’d love to welcome you back anytime to explore more of Aotearoa’s magic with us! Ngā mihi nui, Vee & The ExperienceKart Team
Great service, very good experience to see heritage of New Zealand, nice trip to Russel city and one hour city tour.
Kia Ora Sergei, Thank you so much for your kind words and we are very glad that you enjoyed your travels with us to the Bay of Islands. We look forward to hosting you again and hope Flora enjoyed bungy jumping off the harbor bridge!
We had a fantastic day Tour with Karthic from our early morning start (6.30am) until our drop off in the evening. He was extremely organized and explained each stage of on advance. WE learned very much more about the area than we would have learned from other guides. He has a wealth of knowledge about New Zealand. In fact as we were going on a cruise leaving from Auckland he asked about the ports we were going to visit and proceeded to give us places we should consider visiting. We travel frequently and Karthic is the engaging, thoughtful and knowledgeable guide we have had over the years. We completely endorse him and highly recommend him to design your itineary. You will be so glad you did. Maureen and Fred
Kia Ora Maureen and Fred, Thank you very much for your lovely words and leaving us with a wonderful 5 star review. We are very glad that you had an amazing day travelling up to the Bay of Islands and exploring the beautiful Northland regions. We are stoked to hear about your comments and very humbled at the same time. We look forward to hosting you again in NZ and until then, we wish you safe travels.
I highly recommend this trip to the Bay of Islands with Experience Kart, it was a full day from Auckland but well worth it. Our driver Karthic was very obliging and showed us interesting spots & scenes along the way. It was especially very informative at the treaty grounds. Loved the hole in the rock!
Kia Ora Janice, Thank you so much for your kind words and taking your time to review your experience travelling with ExperienceKart. We are very pleased you had such a lovely day at the Bay of Islands exploring the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and the Hole In The Rock Dolphin Cruise, both of which are phenomenal to experience! We really enjoyed hosting you and look forward to seeing you on another tour hopefully sometime soon! Best wishes from ExperienceKart!
I very much enjoyed having Karthik from ExperienceKart as our guide. He was punctual and wanted to anything to make our experience a success. I certainly would recommend using ExperienceKart and use him again when I come back to Auckland.
Kia Ora Keith, Thank you so much for taking your time to write a review of your travel experience with ExperienceKart. We are very pleased that you enjoyed your travel experience on this beautiful day at the Bay of Islands. We are extremely humbled by your kind words of appreciation. We look forward to hosting you again in the near future. Wishing you safe travels back home and all the very best!
I highly recommend this tour company and this tour. The day we went was pouring rain in the morning, but our guide called gave us an opportunity to reschedule. We elected to go ahead and our guide did everything he could to give us a great experience in spite of the weather. We were unable to see the Hole in the Rock because of choppy water, and the glow worm cave was flooded, but he arranged for us to take a ferry to Russell and tour this beautiful town with great views of the Bay of Islands. The Māori Treaty Grounds Cultural Tour was very interesting. The weather cooperated in the afternoon, and he also took us to see a beautiful waterfall which was not usually on the tour. He even stopped at a hardware store for me to look for a needed item I had forgotten to pack. He was so kind and gracious, and made our day a great experience. You won’t be disappointed with this tour, or this company.
Kia ora Sherry, Thank you so much for your lovely and kind words, we are extremely grateful and feel humbled to hear that you had such a lovely experience travelling with us to the Bay of Islands. Moreover, thank you so much for taking the time to review your experience travelling with us, these words mean the world to us and we certainly look forward to hosting you, your friends and families during your next travel down to New Zealand. We wish you and your family all the very best in the mean time!
Mr. Karthek was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable, a careful driver, and a perfect organizer of this long day tour; he was very amiable and considerate; We liked the tour very much as it allowed us to see and visit a good part of the beautiful Northland landscape, the Bay of Islands - a great tour by itself - a Maori cultural performance and a great historical tour of Waitangi.
Dear Dr. Reto, We are extremely humbled by your kind words and thank you so much for taking the time to review your experience with us. We are very glad that you enjoyed your day trip to the Bay of Islands and Waitangi Treaty grounds especially on a beautiful day. We certainly look forward to seeing you and your friends and families back in New Zealand and until then, we wish you all the very best and safe travels!
I have nothing but praise for Karthik, I been trying to get to Auckland from Australia to visit the Bay of Islands but due to Covid restrictions my trip has been cancelled again in .February. Previously I was booked last February, May and in August. Karthik was so helpful in putting my trip in credit and rebooking when asked if I could do so, he had even offered to take me up as a solo traveller on the dates I required going above and beyond! I am not sure when I will be travelling but i will definitely rebook this tour with Experience kart you should too if given the opportunity!
Kia Ora Sue, Thank you so much for your kind words and the trust you had in our services. We certainly look forward to serving you during your trip down to New Zealand. Yours sincerely, Karthik
