HIGHLIGHTS & INCLUSIONS:
• Sanctuary Mountain with guided tour & picnic lunch

• Lake Karapiro

• Hobbiton Movie set tour

Departure information:
Departs Auckland 7.00am

A pleasant drive south over the Bombay Hills into the rich dairy farmland of the Waikato and beside the Waikato River before arriving in Cambridge, billed as our most English like town. With it’s stately oak trees, village green and historic St Andrew’s Anglican Church 1881. A morning tea/coffee break is taken here. Then it's a short drive to lake Karapiro and the hydro-electric power station on the Waikato River for a photo stop, before crossing over the dam. The majestic 797m Mt Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain) looms in the background. A mainland ecological island created by a 47 km pest proof fence, the largest of it’s type in the world. Join an informative 1 ½ 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.

Our scenic drive to Hobbiton continues to impress, as we pass over the Arapuni Dam, first of the hydro-electric power stations on the Waikato River dated 1929. On arrival your local guide will escort you around the movie set, containing 44 hobbit holes, Bilbo’s house, Bag End (Bilbo & Frodo Baggins home), the Mill and the double arch bridge and party tree. The tour Concludes at the Green Dragon, where you can enjoy a complimentary beer, cider or non alcoholic ginger beer, while soaking in the atmosphere. Your drive back to Auckland will take you via Matamata, along the Hauraki Plains and beside the Kaimai Mountain Range.

HIGHLIGHTS & INCLUSIONS:
• Hamilton Gardens

• Lunch

• Hobbiton Movie set tour

• Waikato River/Lake Karapiro

Departure information:
Departs Auckland 7.00am

A pleasant drive south over the Bombay hills into the rich dairy farmland of the Waikato, following the Waikato River to Hamilton, our largest inland city. The Hamilton Gardens were 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.

Onto Cambridge, billed as our most English like town, with it’s stately oak trees, village green and historic St Andrew’s Anglican Church 1881. Our lunch stop is taken here.

A short drive to Lake Karapiro and the hydro-electric power station on the Waikato River for a photo stop. The majestic 797m Mt Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain) looms in the background. Then on to Hobbiton, for your fascinating two hour guided tour over the most picturesque of private farmlands. The set has been completely rebuilt for the Hobbit. You'll see the Hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, the Mill, double arched bridge and other structures. At tours end a complimentary cider, beer or ginger beer is included.