Mountain to Lakes Adventure - Summer!

DAY 1  - Auckland - Waitomo - Whakapapa Village

 

Kia ora and welcome to the 'Mountains to the Lakes Adventure!'

 

Our tour kicks off with a visit to  'Waitomo Caves' where we will have a four hour 'Black Water Rafting' Experience'. This involves jumping off underground waterfalls, walking and floating down underground rivers in a car inner tube looking up at glowworms.

 

In your backpack have your lunch from home, your swimwear and towel and some warm clothes for afterwards!

 

From here we're off to Whakapapa Village, our home for the next four nights.

 

Note: You will need a sleeping bag and pillow for the mountain lodge!

 

Tonight we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and then discuss the exciting

days ahead!

 

Includes: Black Water Rafting | First group dinner | Discuss the exciting days ahead | Meet your crew

 

DAY 2  - Tongariro National Park - Taupo

 

After breakfast, we make our lunches and prepare for a day of hiking in Tongariro National Park.

 

Our Alpine guides will meet us and after a briefing, will lead us over the spectacular 16 km 'Tama Lakes' track. This track is an easy gradient, non-technical and accessible to all fitness levels. There is a shorter loop for those who are not up for a big hike.

 

You’ll have panoramic views of Mt Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings), Mt Tongariro, Alpine lakes, Waterfalls and Mt Ruapehu. (A shorter ‘Taranaki Falls loop is an option for anyone not feeling up for a day hike).

 

This is a long hike, but don't worry, we will take plenty of breaks. You will need sunglasses, suncreen, warm hat & gloves, jacket, food and at least 1.5 litres of water each! 

 

Includes: Breakfast |  Guided Hiking Guided Hiking  | Lunch |  Smimming hole |  Dinner

 

DAY 3  - Old Coach Road Mountain Biking

 

Today is all about biking! If you're a bigginer, we recommend upgrading to an E-Bike.

 

We head to Ohakune, grab our bikes and helmets and have a safety briefing before transferring to the start of the Old Coach Road with our guides.

 

Originally used by horse-drawn coaches as a connecting route between the two rail heads of the unfinished North Island trunk line, the Ohakune Old Coach Road is steeped in history.

 

We have a very scenic day of mountain biking along the trail, with tunnels and abandoned bridges. The ride is a grade two 15 km trail ride. There are extension tracks for those with more energy, or you can just chill in town.

 

This will be a warm up ride for when we get to Rotorua! We'll have lunch on the trail and relax in Ohakune for the afternoon.

 

Includes: Breakfast |  Lunch |  Guided Mountain Biking  |  Lunch|  Swimming hole | Home Cooked Dinner 

 

DAY 4  - Whanganui River - Bridge to Nowhere

 

This is one of the remotest and inaccessible areas in the North Island.

 

After breakfast, we head inland from Raetehi to spend the day on the 'Bridge to Nowhere' experience.

 

The Whanganui River was once part of a thriving transport network but is now one of the remotest and inaccessible areas in the North Island. We jet boat upriver, before walking to a picturesque historic bridge in the native bush which was built to serve an abandoned farming community.

 

We'll go backby jet boat and if the conditions allow we will finish the journey in Canadian Canoes shadowed by a safety boat and river guide!

 

Includes: Breakfast |  Lunch |  Guided  Bridge to Nowhere Experience  | Restaurant Dinner

 

DAY 5 - Tongariro River Rafting

 

This morning we pack up and say goodbye to our alpine lodge, 

 

We’re up for another day of excitement as we head to Turangi to tame the Tongariro river’s roller-coaster rapids!

 

Unforgettable adventures await as you navigate 60 rapids in a 13km stretch – more rapids in one stretch than anywhere in New Zealand, how cool is that? The Tongariro River’s grade 3 rapids are perfect for first-time rafters: thrills and spills galore without any extreme drops requiring experience.

 

You'll have free time for lunch, After lunch we'll and find some hotpools to soak in or a swimming hole to jump in.

 

We'll then drive on through to Taupo where you'll have a free afternoon to explore the town and head out for dinner with your mates.

 

Includes: Breakfast | Lunch | Guided walk |  Free time for Dinner in Taupo

DAY 6  -  Taupo - Rotorua - chill or optional activity day

 

Today is a chance to relax a bit after some pretty full on action-packed days and enjoy the beautiful lakeside towns of Taupo and Rotorua.

 

If anyone has any energy and wants more, well there's more! The optional activities are: Bungy or Skydiving in Taupo in the morning, or Zorbing, or Ziplining in Rotorua. 

 

Grab some lunch in town and later we can head back to our accomodation for the last 2 nights and you can enjoy a hot swim.

 

Includes: Breakfast  |  Dinner

DAY 7  - Rotorua - Forest Loop Mountain Biking

 

Rotorua has been named one of the 10 best mountain biking destinations in the world. The Forest Loop, being mostly a Grade 2 track, with a couple Grade 3 sections mixed in, is designed to be accessible for almost all ages, abilities and fitness levels, as long as you’re a confident rider. 

 

The trail has been receiving rave reviews, riders love the variety of uphill, downhill and flat sections, they’re  interesting, fun and fairly easy to navigate.

 

The first 14kms is easy trail riding with breaks, followed by a 7km downhill on pavement. If you’re tired you can return your bike and grab a cold drink, or ride the last 12kms. If you’re not a strong rider, up-grade to an e-bike, and our expert bike guides will keep you safe on the trail!

 

After a clean up and another hot soak at our accomodation, we'll head out to a local buffet restaurant for dinner to replace all the days calories!

 

Includes: Breakfast |  Lunch |  Guided Mountain Biking  | Dinner out

 

DAY 8  -  Rotorua - Auckland

 

Maybe start the day with a hot pool soak, then breakfast and pack up for the journey home.

 

If you're flying out, you'll be dropped at the Auckland domestic terminal around 1pm. Please do not  book any flights out before 2pm!

 

The rest of you will be dropped at the CBD ferry terminal at 2pm.

 

Say goodbye to your new friends and reflect on your awesome adventure!

 

Includes: Breakfast

Do I need to have mountain biking experience?

No, but you will need to have some cycling experience and a reasonable fitness level. if you are a beginner or a weaker rider, we recommend upgrading to an Ebike. The tracks are not overly technical and we take plenty of breaks. Bike shorts and gloves are nice to have but not essential.

We will have 4 experienced professional mountain bike guides and 2 NZET guides to make sure everyone is happy and safe!

Will I need proper hiking equipment?

We recommend having good hiking/walking shoes with good grip or some very comfortable trainers. You can't hike in jeans, so shorts, trackpants or leggings if it's cold. You will need a day pack, a water bladder or 1.5-2Lwater bottles, a waterperoof jacket, sunhat,  beanie (woollen hat) and gloves for the alpine hike.

What else do I need to bring?

You'll need a sleeping bag and pillow for the mountain lodge, warm clothes, swimwear, towel, sunscreen.

We will send you more details before the tour including a packing list.