Sanctuary Mountain (Mt Maungatautari) & Hamilton Gardens Day trip from Auckland

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Kaihere Lookout, State Hwy, Kaihere 3597, New Zealand

Departing Auckland at 7am you will take a pleasant drive south over the Bombay hills into the rich dairy farmland of the Waikato, then turning east. A short stop at an elevated view over the Hauraki plains, with the Kaimai Coromandel range in the distance, makes for a great photo stop.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Kaimai Cafe & Store, Hawes St, Waharoa 3401, New Zealand

It’s all flat driving across the plains through farmland as we follow the Kaimai Range to a disused dairy factory for a tea/coffee break. You may like to try the cheese platter.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Arapuni Swing Bridge, Waikato River, Arapuni New Zealand

Our scenic drive to Sanctuary Mountain continues to impress as we catch up with the Waikato river, before stopping in the rural town of Arapuni and a short walk over a swing bridge to view the Arapuni hydro electric power station. The first on the Waikato dated 1929.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Sanctuary Mountain, 99 Tari Rd, Pukeatua 3880, New Zealand

We cross over the dam and it’s a short drive to Mt Maungatautari (Sanctuary mountain). A mainland ecological island created by a 47km pest proof fence, Sanctuary Mountain is the largest of it’s type in the world. Join an informative 1½ hour guided tour about many of New Zealand’s rarest and most endangered plants, insects, birds, fish, geckos, frogs, bats and flora that co-exist in this spectacular environment, on one of the many well maintained tracks to the 16m viewing tower. A picnic lunch is included here.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Mighty River Domain, Lake Karapiro, 601 Maungatautari Rd, Karapiro 3494, New Zealand

On to lake Karapiro, where we cross over the dam of the second hydro-electric power station on the Waikato River, dated 1947 for a photo stop, with The majestic 797m Mt Maungatautari (Sanctuary mountain) looming in the background.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Hamilton Gardens, Hungerford Crescent, Hamilton East, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand

Then on to The Hamilton Gardens, awarded International Garden of The Year 2014. Not technically a botanical garden, but rather 21 themed gardens representing the art, beliefs, lifestyles, and traditions of different civilizations or historical garden styles.

Duration: 1 hour

Pass By: Taupiri Marae, 706A Kainui Rd, Taupiri 3791, New Zealand

Our drive back to Auckland takes you through the city of Hamilton, some small townships and past the Sacred Maori burial ground of Mt Taupiri.