1930s Art Deco architecture
Around Hawke's Bay you'll find 1930s Art Deco architecture. Ask your guide about cycling — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Auckland → Hawke's Bay
Tuakau to WaipukurauDay tours & experiences
A day out from Tuakau to Waipukurau is an easy way to see a different side of Aotearoa without changing hotels.
Waipukurau sits in Hawke's Bay — Art Deco streets, big-red vineyards and a gannet colony on the cape. With your own vehicle and a local guide you can shape the day around what you actually want to see, rather than a timetable.
Hawke's Bay
What you might experience
A taste of what a day around Waipukurau can hold.
Cellar doors and farmers' markets
Around Hawke's Bay you'll find cellar doors and farmers' markets. Ask your guide about wine tasting — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
A clifftop gannet colony
Around Hawke's Bay you'll find a clifftop gannet colony. Ask your guide about coastal walks — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Orchard country and long sunny days
Around Hawke's Bay you'll find orchard country and long sunny days. Ask your guide about heritage tours — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Tour options
Ways to travel between Tuakau and Waipukurau.
Full-day guided tour
A whole day with your own driver-guide — the classic way to see the highlights without watching the clock or reading a map.
Half-day experience
A shorter loop for arrival days, cruise stops or when you want the afternoon back. Fewer stops, same local knowledge.
Scenic transfer with stops
Travelling anyway? Turn the journey itself into the sightseeing, pausing wherever the view, the coffee or the photo is worth it.
Custom group tour
Families, friends and small groups in one private vehicle, with an itinerary written around what your group actually wants to do.
Why travel between these towns
Your driver-guide is a local. They know which lookout is clear in the morning, which café is worth the stop and which short walk is worth the shoes.
The road between Tuakau and Waipukurau threads through the kind of country people fly across the world to see — Art Deco streets, big-red vineyards and a gannet colony on the cape.
Going private means the day belongs to you: no fixed departure times, no coach-load of strangers, and no rushing past something you wanted to photograph.
Gateway experiences
Make the most of both ends of your journey.
Tuakau
Before you set out, Tuakau is a good place to slow down — Auckland is known for harbour views from volcanic summits and island vineyards and long lunches.
Waipukurau
Once you arrive, Waipukurau opens up heritage tours, coastal walks and wine tasting in and around the wider Hawke's Bay area.
Frequently asked questions
More day trips from Tuakau
Ready to see Waipukurau?
Tell us what you'd like to do and we'll come back with a private itinerary and a clear quote.