Join our small group tour to explore the Coromandel Peninsula – a favorite holiday destination for many New Zealanders. This Coromandel tour from Auckland includes the famous Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove. The tour includes amazing ancient native kauri trees, stunning white sand beaches on the east and sheltered bays on the west. Spend the day with your experienced guide finding out about the best that the Coromandel Peninsula has to offer. We use small comfortable vehicles for this day tour and limit the group sizes so you are guaranteed a small group tour experience.
A 90-minute drive from Auckland is the historic township of Thames. From there the spectacular western coast road leads you to Coromandel township where the famous New Zealand potter, Barry Brickell, had his studio. Visit Driving Creek Railway and ride his personally designed and built mountain railway through the rugged landscape and regenerating native forest. The views across the forest and harbour from the top are stunning. Your next stop is for a quiet stroll in the pristine forest to view some of the magnificent kauri trees which once covered the Coromandel Peninsula.
Your Coromandel tour continues across the center of the peninsula and descends towards the east coast beaches where you stop for a delicious lunch from a local cafe. We visit Hot Water Beach where you can dig your own hot tub right beside the lapping waves. This is one of the only places in the world where naturally geothermal heated fresh water bubbles up onto a beach!
A short drive away is Cathedral Cove, where the Pacific Ocean washes through a natural arch onto a white sandy beach backed by white cliffs. This stunning location was used for the filming of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. There is a half-hour downhill walk to the beach which means the walk back is uphill. Moderate walking ability is required.