Coast And Rainforest Eco-tour From Auckland With Picnic Lunch

Kevin and Erin were excellent guides - knowledgeable, personable, and had local insight into the areas we visited. The were also very attentive to the group's needs and mindful of the weather. The day of our tour had quite a bit of rain and they did a great job of sticking to the itinerary while also being mindful of giving us the best experience. They were able to adjust plans to keep us mostly dry, were prepared with rain jackets and shoe scraper, made on-the-fly arrangements for the picnic lunch location, and made sure we were able to see all the sights with plenty of time to enjoy them - we also had the rare opportunity to include the Karekare waterfall. Fantastic experience overall and would definitely recommend!

I needed a little solo reset, and this tour delivered everything—dramatic coastlines, black sand beaches, and peaceful forests. Every stop was beautiful, and it was a great way to experience a different side of New Zealand. A big thank you to the tour operator for such a well-organized day. It also gave me a chance to take a little break from my travel companions—one is a huge *Lord of the Rings* fan, and the other is a devoted BTS fan—so having a day to enjoy nature at my own pace was exactly what I needed! 😄 The guide Erin was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the experience enjoyable from start to finish. I also appreciated learning about protecting the native environment, including the importance of helping prevent Kauri dieback. Highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see some of New Zealand's incredible landscapes beyond the city.

Small group, two nice hikes, great views of the coast, learned much about the local flora/fauna… Mairi was a great guide!

The tour was great from start to finish. We were driven in a really nice coach bus, and provided with lunch and drinks which we ate in a lovely picnic. The hikes were easy to moderate. You will do one up and down hike on the hill overlooking the beach, you will also be able to walk some of the beach, and finally walk a flat path in a rainforest. Pretty doable for people with average fitness.The scenery was all around breathtaking, and our guide Mari was very knowledgeable about the plants and birds are on the area. It’s a great and easy excursion outside of the city

Great tour....highly recommended.

This is the best excursion to experience the beauty of the west coast! The guide was so knowledgeable and we had the best day.

We had a lovely day with Jason. He couldn’t have been more accommodating with my food restrictions (gluten free). He was knowledgeable about the local fauna and folk lores. Overall a great experience!

This includes some short hikes that are beautiful but the first is a bit steep in spots. The views make the effort totally worth it!

This was a wonderful tour! Our guide, Murray, was interesting, knowledgable and accomodating. We saw beautiful scenery in the greater Auckland area and learned a lot. We would highly recommend this tour! It was a highlight during our stay.

We had a great time with Chris venturing to Auckland's coast with a 45 minute walk to a lovely beach. His knowledge of birds and local flora was impressive and he gave us our first introduction to meat pies while listening to crashing waves. We headed to the rain forest next and it started to rain. Then really rain and Chris provided raincoats way better then ours. But then the hail came and we headed back to the van for a hail show like none other. It didn't last long as weather seems to do in NZ and it made for a good story. Chris was terrific and we highly recommend this tour! Thanks, Chris! Sue, Susan, Carolyn and Christi

Fantastic guide and great tour! Murray was so knowledgeable, easy to talk to and we only had another couple with us on the tour. Very personal!

Fantastic day tour from Ackland the day after we landed. Ian, our guide with Bush and Beach, was a local with vast knowledge of the area. Of the 3 walks only one could be considered a bit of a challenge. The walk consisted of numerous ups and downs with some steep sections but the entire walk was on graded paths and stairs. Ian, paced the walk based on the participants ability. The other two walks consisted of a sand beach and a boardwalk thru a forest reserve. We had a great day that kicked off our 3 week New Zealand vacation.

Great day out even in the rain to experience nature in all its glory! Our driver & guide Annie was absolutely wonderful and very knowledgeable! The lunch was awesome; I recommend picking the steak, cheese and jalapeño pie! Even though the weather was not ideal, it was a great day overall! I highly recommend this tour and Bush and Beach!

Knowledgeable and friendly staff who made the experience very enjoyable. The diverse scenery was beautiful in different ways. Pleased I signed up.

Ayla and Ian picked us up outside our hotel. Visitors center was a good introduction since it was our first day in New Zealand. Cliff walk was very stunning on our sunny day. A bit more steep then we expected. Piha beach was interesting, but warning DO NOT WALK BAREFOOT ON BLACK SAND BEACH ON A SUNNY DAY. We were able to choose our own included picnic lunch. Bush walk was very nice and we were back in Auckland at 5PM.

It was a wonderful experience. The guides were very informative and accommodating. We were able to go to many different locations. I would definitely recommend recommend this tour.

Kevin and Ian were tremendous leaders of this very interesting and informative excursion. We were retrieved just as informed and were glad of the phone call the day before to confirm the pick up and day coming. The pace of the outing was as described and we all felt very “taken care of!” Highly recommended!

This was an incredible tour—we were here over 2 weeks and this was the best. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and spent so much time making our experience special!

Had a great day with Ayla! All three stops were fantastic and the lunch provided was excellent. Would recommend for anyone looking for a little adventure and fun for their time in Auckland.

The tour was amazing. Kevin, our guide, was conveying to us both a lot of specific knowledge and, with his sense of humor, great vibs into our party. Thanks a lot for a wonderful day.

The experience was awesome, and while it was rainy and windy (no one can control that, and anyways I’m not one to stop having fun when the weather’s bad) the tour guides did their best to provide a great experience. My favourite part was walking on the beach with rolled up jeans, my legs did get absolutely sanded down by… well, blowing sand, but it was worth it. The tour guides did a fantastic job, and the cafe we got food at was so delicious.

This tour provided an immersive experience of the Kauri forest, Mercer Bay cliffs, and Piha Beach. Our guide, Meredith, is a local and is extremely knowledgeable about the area. She was friendly, engaging, informative, and answered all of our (many) questions. Everything about the day, from the enormous Kauri trees in the rain forest, to the picnic with stunning views from the cliffs, and the black sand beaches, was memorable. This tour is highly recommended, a fantastic getaway from the city!

This experience was incredible. It included hiking up to cliffs overlooking the Tasman Sea, walking through a rainforest, and walking along one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. We were also probably one small group of 20 people along an entire stretch of pristine Beach so beautiful! And who knew that New Zealand has the third biggest tree species in the world. Our guide Kevin and our driver Erin did an exceptional job of keeping us moving, well informed, safe, well fed, and engaged the entire time. I highly recommend this experience.

Was absolutely wonderful, would highly recommend! It was the highlight of our trip to Auckland. Our guides were very knowledgeable and entertaining.

Kevin and Erin were amazing, professional and made the tour worthwhile. Super knowledgeable and had all 12 travellers engaged throughout. Thank you both.

Ayla and Ian were fantastic guides during our rainforest tour. They really took the time to explain the history and the unique ecosystem of each site we visited, which made the experience so much richer. It wasn’t just a walk through the woods; they provided great context for everything we were seeing, from the native plants to the local stories. Their knowledge and enthusiasm were top-notch. Highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting a deeper connection to the area!

A lot of walking but not difficult. Felt so good to be out and about. The guides were great - lots of information but also not overwhelming. Didn't feel like they were saying the same things over and over but very good communicators. Such beautiful scenery and also a great way to get a glimpse of NZ life.

Great tour right outside Auckland… see the coast and rain forest. The guide was very thoughtful of guests concerns. Recommend 😎

Our tour guide, Erin, was fantastic. She shared her personal insights from a 6th generation Kiwi's perspective, which added depth to the tour. Her understanding of the flora and fauna helped me appreciate their practical and medicinal uses. We did have a hiccup in our tour as 3 of us were willing to do a longer loop hike, but we all misunderstood the instructions of "stay to the right". We were supposed to 'stay to the right' until the path started to ascend to the left. But...we all continued taking right hand turns until we all wound up miles away from where we were supposed to be...and actually ended back at the same beach we started the day from. Fortunately, one person was able to call the head office, who then called Erin. It was an unexpected 40 minute roundtrip delay in Erin's schedule, but it was an honest mistake, and we all were sincerely apologetic to the inconvenience of others in our group. That being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the hike and got to see more of the coastline than expected. In spite of the delay we caused, all were willing to extend our trip to cover a site we were going to have to pass over because of the delay. I was impressed that Erin was so gracious and courteous to accommodate us despite the inconvenience we inadvertently caused. If you enjoy a walk through the woods, the final stop through the rain forest reserve was spectacular and was the crown jewel in our trip from my perspective. I had a wonderful and memorable day and would highly recommend Bush and Beach with any tours.

Very knowledgeable and friendly driver/guide Ian, who also lives in this area. He showed us the nicest places and I could have listened his explanations for hours. very good experience!

Leon was an amazing guide! He’s such a genuinely nice person. The views were breathtaking. I feel so blessed. Our world is amazing.

Our tour guide, Ian, did a great job and helped us enjoy the trip. It was convenient as we were pick up at our hotel.

You get some walking, quite a lot of nature, lunch and knowledge about city/nature. Hotel pickups included.

Annie was very knowledgeable and friendly. We learned so much about the ecological environment in New Zealand. It was a great tour!

This was truly a highlight of our trip! Our knowledgeable guide, Meredith, took us on a sustainable tour to three stunning locations, all of which were worth a trip on their own merit. We saw unique vegetation, saw a multitude of birds, and learned a lot. On top of being informative, our guide was also a delight to be around, and the picnic lunch was delicious (you get to pick what you want). Even when it poured rain at our final location, we still had an incredible time. It was absolutely worth it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to experience your beautiful country!

Paul was a wonderful tour guide. He had a wealth of knowledge on the history of the area, and we especially loved seeing the visitor center. The untouched cliffside beach views were spectacular. Some of the most beautiful scenery we've ever seen. Piha Beach was incredibly unique. It was a very engaging, educational, and beautiful tour. Thank you, Paul, for a beautiful day trip experience!

This is a fairly active tour but should be a great nature experience for most folks. Our guides were helpful and guys who cared about the group

We booked this tour as a cruise ship excursion on our own. We met at the bus stop in front of the HSBC building, about a 5 minute walk from the ship. We were picked up at 0945h and there was a total of 12 people on the tour. Our guides was Kevin and the driver was Ian. They provided a lot of history about the local area throughout the journey. We stopped at a bakery to pick up our lunch and a snack, provided by the company. We stopped at the Arataki visitor centre where Kevin explained the significance of Maori carvings at the site. We went to our first hike at Mercer Bay Loop. There was an easy hike down to a split in the trail, where guests could choose to return to the bus or continue along. Those who chose to proceed went down 65 stairs along a well maintained gravel trail to a lookout point and then up a very steep gravel trail to get back. A moderate level of physical fitness was required for this part. The views were amazing! Then we went to Piha Beach to eat our lunch and Kevin and Ian provided hot drinks and juice. After lunch, we walked along Piha Beach, which is a black sand beach. Footwear is required on the dry sand because black sand is very hot and can cause burns. We were able to walk along the water line and enter the water if we wished. Finally, we went to Waitakere Ranges for a rainforest walk that had Kauri trees. This walk was along a well maintained boardwalk and gravel trail, suitable for basic physical fitness. Kevin told us about the flora and fauna along the trail. Ian was an excellent driver, navigating the winding roads, and got us back to our starting point at 1700h, exactly as planned. He also provided excellent commentary along the way. There was plenty of time to get on to the ship.

Perfect combo of different beautiful places with nice sceneries. We had great tour with our guide Mari.

A wonderful experience, I highly recommend. The coastal walk was stunning, the sand on Piha beach was surreal and the rainforest walk was beautiful. Our guides Leon and Erin were fantastic and so knowledgeable. I really appreciated all the details on the area and the culture. Thank you

Very fun tour with lots to do! Annie was really knowledgeable with tons of factoids to tells us as we went through the tour. She was also very sweet and attentive, making sure no one felt left out and interacting with everyone. If you end up having a tour with Annie, you know it'll be a good one. Highly recommend the tour and the tour company!

Great way to experience the tropical landscape, including tropical forests, cliffs and beaches. Guide was knowledgeable and provided tons of information about the history, geography, and details of places visited

Was the best of my Auckland Day Trips, Mary was an expert guide and helped make the experience very pleasant and enjoyable for everyone. She was very insightful and her cheerful attitude created the perfect atmosphere for the entire tour group. Highly recommend this tour, would definitely book with the company again. 6/5 stars.

I had an unforgettable day. I would recommend this tour to my friends. Thank you Meredith. You made my day.

I didn’t actually do this particular tour! I was booked on the full day trip but understandably as I was the only one booked the trip, it didn’t go ahead. Beach and Bush booked me on the shorter tour for that afternoon. I was picked up at the agreed time from my hotel. There were only 6 of us on the tour. Erin was the driver and gave a very good commentary about Auckland. Rainforest walk was very easy and informative. Then beach walk along black volcanic beach which is very scenic. Tour finished with afternoon tea before driving back to Auckland. Great tour to get out of the city and see the nearby nature.

Worth it for the Mercer Bay Loop alone! Incredible views and our tour guide was very knowledgeable and ecowise. Some healthy walking with a few inclines, but anyone with moderate fitness can do. Lunch spot by a creek, Pisa and rainforest to follow. Happy days!

The tour guide is passionate and engaging. The pacing was just right. It felt like a small group tour with friends than a formal tour -warm & welcoming.

It was an amazing tour. Annie has incredible knowledge of history, fauna and facts you never knew you need to know😊 She has such warm yet funny side that is so engaging. We had the next time and would definitely recommend

Awesome tour with plenty of beautiful scenery, a treat especially for those who love nature. Sadly, no animals but the bush is beautiful. Murray, the driver, had a great sense of humour and made the trip all the more enjoyable. Pity he couldn't change the weather - September is still rainy, cold and windy