Bay of Islands Discovery Experience from Auckland incl. Hole In The Rock Cruise
Description
Embark on a voyage of discovery on this unique luxurious private experience from Auckland to enjoy the beauty, discover the scenery, captivating wildlife, and rich history on the Bay of Islands cruise. Get up close to the cliffs at Cape Brett and travel through the iconic Hole in the Rock. Spot dolphins, whales, and other marine wildlife, and enjoy a 1.5-hour island stop to swim and walk. You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to must-dos in the Bay of Islands!
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 Northland region.
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.
The Bay of Islands is a natural playground offering a huge variety of activities to keep you entertained for days. With scenic landscapes to explore by land, sea or sky, abundant wildlife including the playful dolphins, plenty of rich and colourful history and of course water sport opportunities around every corner. Once a booming, bustling and bawdy seafaring centre, it’s now a peaceful and pristine spot, and offers the perfect base for exploring Northland. You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to must-dos in the Bay of Islands! Embark on a voyage of discovery and enjoy the beauty of this area when you join a daily cruise to hole in the rock, the most popular dolphin watching cruise in the Bay of Islands.
After an exhilarating fun-filled adventure 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
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- 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.
- 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 food. There is also hot and cold food available for purchase on board.
- A full commentary is provided by your skipper. A limited number of multi-lingual headsets are available in German, French and Mandarin Chinese.
- A portion of your fare contributes to marine mammal research and conservation.
- You will be able to purchase lunch or dinner, depending upon the sailing time, from the café at Otehei Bay.
- Snacks and drinks are also available for purchase onboard the vessel.
- Easy and good fitness level required.
- Interacting with common and bottlenose dolphins, orca, whales and other marine mammals is subject to DOC regulations.
- 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.
Reviews(16)
Fantastic day to the Bay of Islands. Our guide Karthik was super knowledgeable, taught us alot about the history and culture. He was very accomodating, our travels were comfortable, everyone had a wonderful time. Truly one of the best tours we’ve done!
Kia Ora Kerry, Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had such a fantastic day exploring the Bay of Islands with us. It’s great to know that Karthik helped make the journey so memorable through his knowledge, storytelling, and care throughout the day. We’re especially pleased everyone felt comfortable and well looked after along the way. Hearing that this was one of the best tours you’ve done truly means a lot to our team. We hope to welcome you back again for another unforgettable New Zealand journey. Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
Kartnik was very informative about New Zealand geography and history. Everything went smoothly and it was an enjoyable day
Kia Ora David, Thank you for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear you had such an enjoyable day and that Karthik’s insights into New Zealand’s geography and history added to the experience. It’s great to know everything ran smoothly throughout the journey. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again for another memorable adventure in Aotearoa. Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
We enjoyed this tour. It is quite a long journey to the Bay of Islands but the drive is very scenic. Karthik, our guide, was very informative about New Zealand’s history and geology The boat ride was quite nice We had dinner at one of the islands and had a beautiful view. We would recommend this tour
Kia Ora Dawn, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the journey north, it’s a longer day, but as you experienced, the ever-changing scenery along the way makes it truly special. It’s wonderful to know Karthik’s insights into New Zealand’s history and geology added depth to your experience, and that you were able to relax and enjoy the cruise through the stunning Bay of Islands. Finishing the day with dinner overlooking such beautiful views is always a highlight. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are so glad we could be part of your New Zealand adventure. Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
Pickup was on time the rides wasn’t boring bcs the driver had so much history and information about all of New Zealand. Everything was organized and seamless. From the pick up to the drop off. We got to see beautiful islands and we went on a ferry and it was breathtaking. I highly recommend the million Island cruise.
Kia Ora Laurie, Thank you for your fantastic 5-star review! We’re so pleased the journey was engaging and seamless from pickup to drop-off. It’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed the beautiful islands and breathtaking cruise experience. We truly appreciate the recommendation! Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
Lovely boat, friendly guides along the whole tour. Beautiful views on the way back to the Wharf. The island where they drop you off for lunch is efficient with good food. Wish the art gallery was open while we were there.
Kia Ora Meg, Thank you so much for your lovely 5-star review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the beautiful cruise, the friendly guides, and those stunning views on the return to the wharf. It’s great to know the island lunch stop was smooth, efficient, and tasty too, it’s such a special part of the day. We’re sorry to hear the art gallery wasn’t open during your visit, but we hope the rest of the experience still made for a memorable and enjoyable adventure. We’d love to welcome you back again for more wonderful moments across Aotearoa! Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
Great views. But 6.30 hours drive back and forth was a bit too much. Marty, the driver, very engaging and knowledgeable. Boat ride a bit bumpy but worth seeing dolphins playing around the boat
Tena Koe, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the stunning views and that Marty made the long journey engaging and informative, he’ll be so happy to hear your kind words. And what a treat to see dolphins playing around the boat! We completely understand that the travel time can feel long. This experience is advertised as a 13-hour return tour from Auckland, which includes approximately 4.5 hours on the cruise, so guests can plan their day knowing it’s a full and scenic adventure. We truly appreciate you joining us for the journey and hope the memorable moments made it worthwhile. Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
We had a wonderful day today. We were lucky to see a lot of dolphins swimming around our boat. The hiking on the Otehei Bay island was fantastic, green grass on the hills with sheep scattering around and overlooking the ocean and islands. It’s very picturesque. We love the trip. Our driver/tour guide is very friendly and provided us with a lot of information about New Zealand. We enjoyed the ride with him.
Kia Ora Grace, Thank you so much for your beautiful 5-star review! We’re absolutely delighted to hear you had such a wonderful day surrounded by dolphins, rolling green hills, and the stunning views of Otehei Bay. It sounds like a picture-perfect adventure, and we’re so glad you enjoyed the hike and the peaceful island scenery. We’re thrilled that your driver-guide made the experience even better with his warmth and knowledge, sharing the stories and spirit of Aotearoa along the way. It means so much to us that you loved the journey, and we hope to welcome you back soon for more unforgettable adventures across New Zealand! Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
Our day started with being picked up at our hotel in Auckland CBD. The travel bus was newer, roomy and had wifi! Our guide Karthik was a pleasure to spend the day with. He shared informative info on our long journey to Paihia. He answers all our questions. We stopped a few times for comfort. The Bay of Islands tour was stunningly beautiful. Highly recommend if you have entire day with no other plans. We couldn’t be happier spending our last full day on this tour.
Kia Ora Jennifer, Thank you so much for your wonderful and thoughtful 5-star review! We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that your Bay of Islands adventure was such a perfect way to spend your last full day in New Zealand. It’s fantastic to know that you enjoyed the comfort of our modern vehicle (and onboard Wi-Fi!) and that Karthik made the long journey engaging with his insightful commentary and warm hospitality. We’re so glad the scenic stops, thoughtful pacing, and breathtaking beauty of Paihia and the Bay made the experience truly special. Your kind recommendation means a lot to us, and we’d be honoured to welcome you back for more unforgettable journeys across Aotearoa! Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
A must, when going to the Bay Of Islands. A very nice and cozy guide. Thank you Karthik for an unforgettable day. We'll be back.
Kia Ora, Thank you so much for the amazing review! We're beyond thrilled to hear you had such an unforgettable day in the stunning Bay of Islands – it truly is a must-see, and we’re so glad Karthik made it even more special for you! He’ll be so happy to know his warmth and guidance made a lasting impression. We can't wait to welcome you back for more adventures! Ngā mihi nui, The ExperienceKart Team
Wonderful trip and our guide was so incredibly knowledgeable about New Zealand history. We loved it! Bay of islands is beautiful. We wished we had more time there!
Kia Ora Stacey, Thank you very much for taking your time to leave us a beautiful review of your travel to the Bay of Islands from Auckland and it is our pleasure and great honour to have had the opportunity to host you and we are truly grateful to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your trip and our guide shared some amazing insights of our incredible country! We look forward to hosting you again in the future!
