7 Day Big Kumara Tour - Sweet As Travel

Itinerary

Day 1: #1 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 2: #2 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 3: #3 Rotorua to Taupo

Stop At: Kerosene Creek, Old Waiotapu Rd, 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 4: #4 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 5: #5 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 6: #6 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 7: #7 River Valley to Wellington

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 hour

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