Travel south from Auckland through the rich farmland of the Waikato to the region of Waitomo. Enjoy a guided tour through the long galleries and lofty chambers of the world-famous Glow Worm Caves. Your tour continues with a boat ride through the Glow Worm Grotto, illuminated by thousands of tiny lights from the glow worms suspended from the cave ceiling. Enjoy a delicious picnic-style lunch as we make our way east to Rotorua, a thermal wonderland of roaring geysers and boiling mud pools. On the outskirts of the city, we stop at the Agrodome, an organic working farm where you can learn all about farming in New Zealand. Take a tour of the Agrodome farm in an all-terrain vehicle, see how sheep are shorn and watch a live sheep dog trial.
Leaving the Agrodome, we make our way to Te Puia, one of New Zealand’s foremost cultural venues. At Te Puia’s marae (meeting house) you will receive a traditional welcome and be invited to experience a Māori cultural performance, in which ancient and modern stories are told through song, dance, poi and stick games. You’ll gain an understanding of this unique culture and its history and be thoroughly entertained by the talented and charismatic performers.
Next to Te Puia is the famous Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Take a guided tour of its active geysers and boiling mudpools. See the world-famous Pohutu geyser unleash vapour jets up to 30 metres high. Your tour also includes entry to Te Puia’s woodcarving and weaving schools, where you can see apprentices being trained in these traditional skills
