I have experienced both the 10 day South Island adventure and the 4 day Abel Tasman getaway, and both while being different vibes were as amazing as each other!
$599.00 NZD
Auckland > Rotorua
Friday to Sunday
Experience it all with our Weekend Road Trip to Rotorua!
Get amongst our weekend tour to the Rotorua, an adventure-lovers backyard! Rich in Maori history and tradition, there are numerous reasons why you should choose to discover this epic weekend getaway. White water rafting, Visit Hobbiton, the famous Rotorua Luge and ZORB, geothermal rock pools and bubbling mud baths, 30m exploding geysers, extinct volcanoes, and that’s just scratching the surface. Secure your getaway now as this tour will be the perfect holiday getaway with new friends!
Trip Details
The Particulars
Price
$599.00 NZD
You can secure your spot with a $99 deposit and pay the rest later! Check our Terms & Conditions for more details.
Meeting point
On Friday, you’ll need to meet us at 6pm in Auckland CBD at Lylo Hostel on Cook Street
We will be finishing this tour back in Auckland CBD at Lylo Hostel at 7Pm on Day 3 (Sunday)
On the road
3 days, 2 nights
Accommodation
Multi-share hostel with shared facilities
Group size
Small groups of up to 12 people
Participation
You must be 18+ years old to book
Tour staff
You will have a tour leader with you during your road trip with us. They will be your driver, host, cook, and new best mate!
Availability
2023 dates
- 3rd March – 5th March
- 17th March – 19th March
- 31st March – 2nd April
- 14th April – 16th April
- 28th April – 30th April
What's Included on this tour?
Tasty continental breakfasts every day
2 nights in a CBD hostel accommodation (dorm share)
Comfortable mini-bus transport & Passionate local kiwi guides
Try our world-famous Māori hāngī buffet dinner at your cultural evening!
Visit a our beautifully carved Marae (Māori meeting house) Te Aronui a Rua.
Witness a Māori pōhiri (traditional welcome), waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka.
Enjoy a morning at the stunning Blue lake, a short 5km return walk is optional
Take in a special hot chocolate and steamed pudding surrounded by steam and the geyser terrace bathed in coloured light.
Auckland to Rotorua Itinerary
Get amongst our weekend tour to the Rotorua, an adventure-lovers backyard! Rich in Maori history and tradition, there are numerous reasons why you should choose to discover this epic weekend getaway. White water rafting, Visit Hobbiton, the famous Rotorua Luge and ZORB, geothermal rock pools and bubbling mud baths, 30m exploding geysers, extinct volcanoes, and that’s just scratching the surface. Secure your getaway now as this tour will be the perfect holiday getaway with new friends!
Welcome aboard! Today is the first day of our Weekend Roady. After a quick meet and greet in Auckland, we load into our van and head south towards the Rotorua. Whilst in the van your tour leader will explain all the add on activities you can do in Rotorua and you can book it all in! It is a late start so we will be pretty much just getting to our destination and heading out for our first group dinner.
Accommodation: Multi-share hostel with shared facilities
With far more to do than you can fit in just one day you have most this to explore! With plenty of optional activities on offer all around the city we are sure you’ll stay busy! If you’re an adrenaline junkie and want to tackle the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall, or if zip-lining through the forest canopy sounds more like you, we’ll be sure to offer you all the best experiences based on what you’re looking for. In the evening you will get to taste a hāngī buffet dinner and experience a cultural performance which will include a pōhiri (traditional welcome), waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka (war dance). The evening culminates with hot chocolate and steamed pudding surrounded by steam and the geyser terrace bathed in coloured light.
Accommodation: Multi share hostel with shared facilities
Included meals: Breakfast and Hangi Buffet Dinner
Optional Activities:
- Redwood Altitude Walk – $99
- Rotorua Zipline – $159
- Adventure rafting – $109
- Adventure Sledging – $125
- Mount Tarawera hiking tour – $164
- Skyline Rotorua (Gondola + 3 Luge rides) – $52 pp
- Zorb Rotorua – $40
After breakfast and a van-load of new friends, it’s time to enjoy our last day and make our way back to Auckland. Before this we will take a short walk to Blue Lake and hang out there for the morning. After this we will leave our geothermal wonderland and will have the option to get lost in the magical world of Hobbiton or check out some of the clearest springs you’ve ever seen. We should be arriving back in Auckland CBD by 7PM!
Included meals: Breakfast
Included activities:
- Blue Lake Walk – 5km (optional)
- Experience the clearest waters at the ‘Blue Springs’
Optional activities:
- Hobbiton Tour – $89 – you will need to pre booked with us!
Some Important Details
COVID restrictions/changes or cancellations to your booking
- All cancellations of bookings by you must be made in writing. We will not regard a booking as cancelled unless an email written notice has been received by us from you.
- Cancellation can only be made up to 14 days before the departure of your tour. Once the cancellation is accepted a refund of the total ticket price (minus the $99 deposit) will be paid to you. The refundable portion does not include the non-refundable $99 deposit.
- No refunds will be available for cancellations within 14 days of the departure date.
- We recognise that our current tours may require flexibility around cancellations during this evolving global situation. As such, if your travel arrangement to the meetup zone has been affected due to COVID Alert level restrictions your tour purchase will be 100% refundable (excl. any credit card fees).
What to bring:
- We recommend a medium-sized bag for most of your stuff and a small day bag to keep with you in the van where you can keep water, snacks, a camera, and an extra layer handy.
- New Zealand weather can be unpredictable, so make sure you bring swimwear and a towel, as well as warm clothes and a rain jacket.
- Sun smart things (hat, glasses, sunscreen)
We will be meeting inside Lylo Hostel on the ground level where the restaurant and bar is! Address is 54 Cook St, Auckland, NZ 1010
Of course!! your tour leader can let you know about all the epic activities on offer and help you book them in! You will just need to pay the activity supplier on the day!
Nope! We will be staying at a hostel in the heart of the CBD for both nights! Walking distance to everything! How good!
Hobbiton Movie Set tour is an add on activity which you can purchase when you book your tour for $89 NZD. Best to book this as if you try on the day it may be sold out!
You get a most of the day in Rotorua on Day 2 free to yourself and your group to explore! In the evening we will be doing to a cultural evening and dinner.
Yes! 100%, On the evening of Day 2 you will get to taste a hāngī buffet dinner and experience a cultural performance which will include a pōhiri (traditional welcome), waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka (war dance). The evening culminates with hot chocolate and steamed pudding surrounded by steam and the geyser terrace bathed in coloured light.
A minimal level of fitness is required for our tours.
For walking the blue lake track, firm footwear is required, but boots are not essential, walking sandals or sports shoes are fine.
Some Lovely Words From Past Roadies
Abel Tasman was my second Backyard Roadies experience and just like the South Island tour, it was INCREDIBLE. I got to see another stunning piece of New Zealand I hadn’t before, sail, swim, kayak, meet incredible people and reunite with others, make new friends and just have an epic time!
My sister and I did the 4 day Abel Tasman getaway and we honestly had the most incredible time! All of the guides were phenomenal in making sure it was a trip to remember! We’re already thinking about signing up for another one.
Fantastic experience and worth every cent. Jason has very in depth knowledge on all the spots and will take you to a number of different locations you probably wouldn’t normally go to. Thoroughly recommend it for anyone considering it!
Isaac and Jason really were able to capture the essence and beauty of the land, keeping it wholesome, epically fun and adventurous! Definitely recommend Backyard Roadies!
