North Island Hotels & Resorts

Travel south from Auckland to the Waikato region where you will arrive at the Shire's rest to embark on your Hobbiton film set tour. You will see 44 hobbit holes, the Mill and double arch bridge, the party tree and visit the Green Dragon Inn. You can also get a picture taken at Bilbo's front door at Bag End. After the tour your lunch is included at Shire's Rest Cafe before heading back to Auckland.

• Duration: full day
• Start time: 7am
• Departs daily
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Make your way from Rotorua for Matamata, home to the Hobbiton Movie Set. Drive through a working sheep farm to the Shire’s rest where you will join a tour of the famous film set. Learn how the set was created as you discover hobbit holes, the Mill and double arch bridge and the party tree. You can also have your picture taken by Bilbo’s front door at Bag End. Finish your tour with a tasty lunch in the Party Marquee and take in the view across the lake to the mill and Bag End.

• Duration: 6½ hours
• Start time: 7.45am
• Departs daily
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Depart from Wellington and drive through the picturesque Hutt Valley and the Rimutaka Range to Martinborough for this full-day guided tour of the famous wine region. With a wide choice of wineries, there is a selection of award winning wines to sample, including the Pinot Noirs that the region is known for. Stop for lunch at Poppies winery and enjoy a superb platter of local delicacies matched with their fine wines. Continues on to a further 2 or 3 wineries or head to the lovingly restored colonial town of Greytown, where you can browse the main street taking in the craft and antique shops or stop for a coffee, before heading back over the hill to Wellington.

• Duration: full day
• Start time: 9.30am
• Departs daily
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Learn about Napier’s fascinating heritage during this guided walking tour of the city’s colourful Art Deco Quarter. Depart from Napier’s Art Deco Centre and discover striking examples of the city’s distinctive architecture. Hear stories of the 1931 earthquake that destroyed the city, the people that were affected, and how the city made a remarkable recovery and was rebuilt within two years. The walk is followed by an optional short film screening.

• Duration: 2 hours
• Start time: 10am, 2pm or 4.30pm
• Departs daily
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Depart from Napier for this private guided tour of Hawke’s Bay which can be customised to suit your interests. Admire Napier's diverse collection of art deco buildings and visit local artists to view their paintings and sculptures. Meet innovative food producers and enjoy tastings of locally grown delicacies. Visit a rural coastal settlement to expeience a traditional welcome and learn about Maori culture and heritage before enjoying tastings at some prestigious wineries.

• Duration: full day
• Departs daily
• Operates year-round
• Private experience

Enjoy an evening of cultural discovery and indigenous stories at Rotarua's Mitai Maori Village. The experience starts with a welcoming ceremony and continues with a cultural performance and the chance to watch as Maori warriors paddle a war canoe along the Wai-o-Whiro stream. A generous buffet dinner, packed with regional dishes that have cooked in a traditional hāngī pit is served before you wander through the forest to the site of the old village where you'll learn about the Maori way of life and their history.

• Duration: evening
• Start time: 6pm
• Operates year-round
• Group experience