Group Tour To Bay Of Islands Return From Auckland

Beautiful day with a small group. Well worth the travel from Auckland. Our tour guide Adil entertained us with fun facts about Auckland, New Zealand and the region we were travelling to. Adil was very accommodating and made restroom stops as often as we required. Would highly recommend.

The bay of islands was beautiful and we were lucky on the weather. However i would recomment making this a 2 day tour. 7 hours drive is too much.

Simon was great! Kept us informed and entertained. Long day but well worth it. Bay of Islands beautiful.

I had a great experience with Auckland & Beyond on their Bay of Islands Day Tour. The trip was well organised from start to finish, and it was a great way to explore the area from Auckland without having to organise everything yourself. Our guide, Jon, was definitely one of the highlights. He was very knowledgeable about the area, professional throughout the day, and also had a great sense of humour and a very friendly attitude. He made the experience feel relaxed and enjoyable. The Bay of Islands scenery was beautiful, and having a guide who could share information about the places we visited added a lot to the experience. My tip: if you're visiting Auckland and don't have enough time to stay overnight in the Bay of Islands, this is a great option for getting a taste of the region in one day.

The Bay of Islands tour with guide Dave was amazing ! His knowledge and laughs made the long trip from Auckland well worth it. Highly recommend this tour amd hope you are lucky enough to have Dave 😀

Absolutely brilliant day. Raymond our driver was very friendly and knowledgable. Punctual throughout. Guided us every step of the way. Highlight of the trip was definitely seeing the dolphins!

Wonderful and informative . Our your guide Simon was amazing , very knowledgeable and entertaining. He certainly is an asset to the company. Keep on doing what you’re good at Simon .

Mum and I had a beautiful day , bit disappointed about not being able to go out to the hole in n the rock , but we do understand that due to the weather was not possible, safety comes first, we had a beautiful 4 hours on the boat just being shone all the islands, got off at one , and walked up a hill for a beautiful view

A very exciting and pleasant journey by our driver and guide Paul, Cruise to the hole in the rock is a must do around Auckland.

Great trip with transport from our hotel in Auckland to the Bay of Islands. Simon was a great tour guide full of enthusiasm and fun facts about the Bay of Islands, Auckland and the rest of NZ! He was happy to answer all our questions which made the 3 hour return journey fly by! We sadly didn't see any dolphins and the journey to the hole in the rock was a bit choppy but all in all a great day out!

Very enjoyable trip. Long journey but this was expected did manage some stops on the way to break up the time and comfort stops. Beautiful landscapes and countryside. The driver was great company and made sure we all were included and he explained some interesting things to do on our short stops. Can thoroughly recommend Warren. The cruise to around the Bay of Islands was a good experience. The captain and crew very helpful and provided useful insights to each island we stopped at, felt very safe onboard. Managed to be able to drive through the hole in the wall but the captain made it very clear she would only do if sea conditions were suitable . Lovely rest stop on an island you are able to explore, took a short walk and time for a drink and ice cream too. A great day out.

It makes for a long day but with a great guide like Warren and a fabulous 4 hours out on the salt water, it's well worth the hours to get there and back plus, your guide does all the driving and you get to sit back and enjoy the scenery. Warren was an awesome tour guide, sharing lots about Aotearoa culture, history, flora and fauna. He also had a extensive music Playlist that was great to listen to on the drive back to Auckland. Our skipper and crew were also awesome! Lots of knowledge shared and our skipper took us through the hole in the rock and made it look effortless. She was fantastic! Lots to see and many photos taken. Simply a great day all the way around!

This tour provides a convenient way of seeing a bit of New Zealand’s northernmost part, without the need of staying there overnight - so if you plan to go north to south, this is a great start. It’s very professionally organised, and our guide was fantastic. I learnt a lot, and the views on the way were just stunning. The tour departs from Auckland in the morning, stops at artistically very interesting Hundert Wasser museum/ shop, and continues north to catch the 2pm ferry from Paihia. The ferry navigates the beautiful Bay of Islands landscape up till the famous Hole in the Rock, and then leaves a bit of rest/ exploration/ hiking time on one of the islands. Be mindful - it’s a very long day, with limited time to grab food; so, packing a few sandwiches/ snacks is highly recommended. That said, I would not mind starting the tour earlier, staying at Hundert Wasser for a bit longer and perhaps stopping at the Sculptureum as well for a complete tour of the north.

This is an excellent tour. Got a history, culture knowledge of NZ. Great stop off for snack. Beautiful views of NZ countryside and then the slightly bumpy cruise (sure it was our day!). When I thought it couldn’t get any better we had a large pod of dolphins come to visit. Finished it off with some time on Urupukapuka. It’s a very long day and totally worth it and has given me inspiration for a longer stay next time. So glad I persevered with this trip. Thanks Paolo our wonderful driver and guide.

Our driver Jon was great! Very personable and lovely guy with a brain full of New Zealand local knowledge. The boat trip was amazing, although a little choppy due to weather, but the crew was lovely checking in on everyone. Highly recommend to spend a day at the Bay of Islands

A Bay of Islands boat tour is definately worth doing. The scenery is beautiful. The boat is comfortable and well run. The Island stop was great. However I found the trip to and from Auckland long, cramped and uncomfortable. This is not a 12 hour tour. It would be 14 hours on a good day. Due to a series of mishaps ours was 15 hours, arriving back in Auckland at 11pm. Bring a picnic lunch. We didn't get access to a meal until 4pm.

Not much info on this trip so I’ll give you as much as possible. Good: The Bay of Islands was a beautiful area. We came on a partly sunny day in the sky was blue and the water was clear and warm. He stopped by a beach for an hour and a half where you can get something to eat or play in the water. The boat was more ferry than catamaran but had an informative crew with a great commentary. Bad: Not much information was given in the instructions other than it was all day and we’d take a boat. When we arrived at Paija after a 3 Hour drive. We were told we had 30 minutes to go find Takeaway because we didn’t have time to eat parentheses when I ask if we should eat on the island or in the town before the boat ride, the guide said he didn’t know. He didn’t know where we should eat, but that we should just walk around until we found something (the sandwich shop down an alleyway was delicious and quick). You then get on a boat that picks up people in Russell and drops off people at the island picnic area which also has a café . Then you go for a pleasant ride around the bay out to the Pacific Ocean, where you see hole in a rock up close. (not sure this boat ever goes through.) however it was very fun. You even return to the island where you get off for an hour and a half and get something to eat or play in the water or sit on the grass/sand. You then go back to Paiha where the bus takes you home. There are several places to eat where you could take your own however, this was not clearly explained any of that the description or by the guide. The ugly : We rode and 18 passenger van in which the were comfortable. However, there were four of us squished in the rear seat ( akin to 3 row seats made for children). These were very uncomfortable. There was no legroom for anyone greater than their 30s inch in scene and it was a short seat that that didn’t support your thighs. There was also structural protrusions at the back of the van that cut off both your shoulder room and View. The seating would be doable for one maybe two hours, but was not acceptable as it was too uncomfortable for a total of six hours in one day. I reached out to the company when we first were forced back to that seat. They answered and said that they would take it under advisement that the seats were not acceptable. And that their goal was to make everyone comfortable. They suggested we should rotate seat seats. However, because people had been told they could leave their jackets, etc., in their seats that was not feasible or reasonable as everyone should have comfortable seats the entire way for the price. Conclusion: If you plan to go to the Bay of Islands with Auckland and beyond tours then you want to make sure that you are not the last to be picked up or make sure that there are four empty seats left so that you can get a comfortable one. As much as I enjoyed the Bay of Island tour. I would not go if I was forced to sit in the backseat of a van.

If you don’t have much time in Auckland but really want to visit Bay of Islands then I highly recommend this small group tour. It’s a very long day (expect to be gone 12-14 hours) but worth it. Our tour guide Aidan was fantastic. Really knowledgeable and friendly. Make sure you eat on the island stop as you won’t get another chance until you return to your hotel very late at night.

Great tour. Driver John was excellent informative polite and attended to our tour in an extremely friendly and professional manner.

Simón was our guide and he made the ride go smooth and fun! He was so knowledgeable. Having him as your tour guide is like having a living, breathing walking encyclopedia. I appreciated his kindness and inclusion. I would say to the company: keep him happy. He is a valuable asset to your company. The Bay of islands tour was AMAZING. The views were spectacular! 100% recommended.

A long day but worth it to see the Northland and Bay of Islands landscape especially if you do not have your own transport. Raymond the driver/guide was educational and pleasant and the mini coach was pleasant with just 5 other passengers.

Amazing experience, Nancy our tour guide made it even more special for us - she was attentive, knowledgeable and so friendly. Highly recommend!!

Mr.John is gem of a person, he explained all the enroute spots very well, so friendly and smiling always. This trips unforgettable for me. Thank you John

We had such a fantastic day with our wonderful guide, Steve. He was knowledgeable, interesting, and was very professional. He is so enthusiastic about his country and all of the cultures that make it what it is today, plus he knows some great spots, even architecturally/artistically interesting toilets! We had a really long day and it involved a lot of time on the road, but the views were amazing and we could relax and take in the sights with the calm and confident driving of our guide. It was great to learn about the history of New Zealand and the impressive legislative changes that the country has introduced over recent generations to restore rights to the Maori population, all while heading to a beautiful boat trip around the Bay of Islands. The stopover at Otehei Bay was a great midway point and we enjoyed a picturesque lunch on the grass, overlooking a peaceful beach and jetty. Thoroughly recommended day out!

nice trip. the island was amazingly beautiful: clean sea with various colors. being covered by tropical trees. meeting herds of sheep on the way.

Long day but worth it. Weather was lovely. Windy on boat but sun keeps you comfortable. Food & drinks @ the end on the island stop was great. Driver was fun, courteous and made interesting stops on the way. He was on time and no one had any problems meeting him.

The bay of islands are absolutely beautiful and well worth the drive. I thought that it would seem like a long day (12-13 hours) but it flew by. Nancy our tour guide included extra stops that she thought would interest us, as well as sharing lots of history and trivia. She made the trip extra special. The bus was very comfortable and as we were a group of 5 it made it easy to interact and get to know the group. A very relaxed day that created lots of memories :)

Tour was well organized. Being in a small group was very good. Nancy was happy to share her knowledge and we had a great day.

Great day out, travelling to Auckland to the Bay of Islands. Nancy was very knowledgeable and made the trip fun and smooth!

Extremely long day picked up at 9am and returned at 11pm, my recommendation is to do this tour over 2 days. Long stretches in bus going and returning but the actual bay of islands cruise and lunch was lovely, even saw dolphins

The tour is simply amazing.Stunning ocean acapes, sun kissed islands, naughty dolphins and clear blue skies.The walks and views on the island stop are breathtaking.It is a long drive from Auckland and back but worth the effort. Our tour Guide David was very nice

Make aware to everyone, there is a 2 1/2 travel time each way. Boat tour way very picturesque and beautiful

Amazing experience and a must do. Its a long drive to the coast but our driver Henrick made it so enjoyable that we didn't mind. He was super friendly, knowledgable and very easy to talk to. The boat staff was just as helpful and the views were spectacular. This was by far the best way to end our honeymoon adventure.

Did this tour on 10/8 with Guide Nancy and Steve with Auckland and Beyond Tours. I’ve done tours all over the world and this was hands down the best. Nancy and Steve treated us like family and made an outstanding day for us. True assets for this company !!!

Beautiful scenic drive to Bay of Islands and then amazing four hour cruise on boat to South Pacific Ocean to see Hole in the Rock. Stop over on Otehei Bay which was stunning. Our driver Jon was very accomplished driver and also friendly and polite. Overall great trip.

I have booked more tours with viator than I can count and this was the BEST. Nancy was an amazing guide for our group. She kept us laughing all day while showing us some of New Zealand's most breathtaking scenery. There were plenty of times for restroom breaks and to get snacks if we were hungry. She knew an incredible amount about local history and culture which made the day even more amazing.

This was one of the top tours I have EVER taken. Out of dozens of tours all over the world I think Nancy was the best tour guide I have ever had. She was funny, professional, knew all kinds of things about local culture and history. The day was simply perfect. We adapted to the weather, had plenty of time for breaks to eat and use the facilities. We saw some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen and I have been to New Zealand many times. I really look forward to taking another tour with Auckland & Beyond and will request to work with Nancy again. Fantastic! Highly recommend.

We had a great experience with our guide Nancy! She told us a lot about New Zealand and showed us some really interesting spots on the way to the Bay of Islands. She also gave us a couple of options along the way and let us choose what we preferred to see, which we really appreciated.

Nancy was a fantastic guide. Very informative and kept the tour interesting and fun for the family. She was full of fun facts about New Zealand.

Tour was great. Long day but the new vans were comfortable. Palo our drive was fantastic. Friendly, amusing and very knowledgeable.

What a beautiful place! As others have said, this is a long day from Auckland but so worth it. The cruise is beautiful, and stopping off to explore the islands with a little hiking was wonderful. Martin was kind, thoughtful, and informative as a guide and worked hard to make sure everyone in my small group (just 5 people) had a great day.

Warren was such a wonderful guide. Made the tour super fun and special. Itinerary was great. A beautiful day.

A long day but worth the effort for the fabulous scenery, the boat trip, island visit and exceptional driver hosting knowledge of Warren. We were delayed with traffic but Warren remained calm and got us to the boat and back. A little bit of paradise

Fantastic and great value tour. Warren was our guide and we gave us a very warm welcome, he was so informative and very humerus too. The journey from Auckland to the Bay of Islands passed quickly and we could appreciate the vast landscape which is beautiful and lush. Warren spoke movingly about the heritage of his country and this was excellent Once on the boat we sailed for about an hour and the sailed through the Hole in the Rock which was superb. Had relaxation time on a beach with welcoming cool drinks. Heading back to the city we saw a beautiful sunset. Thank you for a very well organised tour

Our trip to the Bay of Islands was absolutely fantastic! Adil, our tour guide, made the day unforgettable. He was incredibly informative, attentive, sharing New Zealand’s history and other insights. Also, while ensuring everything ran smoothly. The Bay of Islands itself was stunning. Adil’s professionalism and friendly demeanor truly elevated the experience. Highly recommend this tour and guide to anyone visiting New Zealand!

We had a fantastic day with our guide, John. He was extremely personable, very knowledgeable, and made every attempt to do what he could to keep us on track for the day. I was very thankful he was driving as I could NOT have done all the up, up, and up with winding turns every few feet. It’s a long day but totally worth every minute as the views are gorgeous and there is so much history to the region. All in all would highly recommend this tour and this company!

Beautiful day on the Bay of Islands. Lucked out with perfect weather. Cruised through the Hole in the Rock. Great way to spend a day.

Our driver, Geoff, and new guide, David, were prompt, professional, and informative. Geoff was a safe driver. Snacks and water were provided. They made the tour fun and memorable. We highly recommend the tour.

The tour of the bay islands was spectacular. The day started with a view of a beautiful waterfall. Our guide Adil was fantastic. He provided so much history about New Zealand. He was great with directions and setting expectations. He even added some additional stops that were very interesting. He was very thoughtful and had water for us throughout the day. He even surprised us with chips and cookies at the end of the tour. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate with us on the boat tour. However we did see dolphins up close and they followed us for a while.