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Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui
Rotorua
Rotorua

Tauranga

Tauranga → Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland → Te Puia → Government Gardens → Tauranga

12 hours Up to 12 guests Tauranga pickup

Tauranga → Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland → Te Puia → Government Gardens → Tauranga — photo 1

Overview

Leave Tauranga early with your own driver and head inland to Rotorua. Stop at the colourful Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, see the Champagne Pool and Lady Knox Geyser, then explore Te Puia for the Pōhutu Geyser, Māori carving and weaving, and a kiwi house. Time permitting, walk the Government Gardens or relax lakeside before the scenic return to Tauranga.

Fully private, fully flexible

Private car and driver for up to 12 hours (return to Auckland) with unlimited kilometres. Stop wherever you like, linger longer at one spot, skip another, or change plans on the day.

Highlights

  • Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
  • Champagne Pool
  • Lady Knox Geyser
  • Te Puia & Pōhutu Geyser
  • Māori cultural experience
  • Lake Rotorua

Your day at a glance

You pick the start time. Most guests leave around 9:00 am and are back by roughly 9 pm. Earlier or later starts are fine — just tell us at checkout. Nothing below is a fixed schedule; your driver flexes with how long you want at each spot.

  1. 1
    Pickup from your Tauranga accommodation
  2. 2
    Arrive Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
  3. 3
    Drive to Rotorua city
  4. 4
    Lunch in Rotorua
  5. 5
    Te Puia guided experience
  6. 6
    Government Gardens or lakeside walk
  7. 7
    Return drive to Tauranga
  8. 8
    Drop-off in Tauranga

⇄Round trip — you start and finish at Tauranga. Numbers 2 onwards are the stops along the way.

This route is a suggestion, not a timetable

  • Booking this trip doesn't lock you into these exact places. On the day you can ask your driver to skip a stop, linger longer somewhere, or head somewhere else entirely.
  • The one thing we do need to keep is where you're picked up and where you finish — those stay as booked.
  • Your booked time still applies (12 hours for this trip). Your driver has to get home too, so anything beyond that needs to be arranged and paid for in advance.

Price covers the private vehicle, driver and fuel. Activity tickets (e.g. Hobbiton, Waitomo Caves, geothermal parks) are the customer's responsibility.

What's included

  • Private vehicle & driver
  • Hotel pickup & drop-off in Tauranga
  • Fuel & road costs
  • Flexible itinerary
  • Local driver commentary

What's not included

  • Attraction entry tickets
  • Meals & drinks
  • Guided tour bookings
  • Travel insurance

Pickup points

These are just examples. We can pick you up from any address inside Tauranga — your hotel, home, airport or anywhere else within the town boundaries. Just type your address when you book.

  • Tauranga CBD hotels
  • Mount Maunganui accommodation
  • Port of Tauranga cruise terminal

What to bring

  • Sturdy walking shoes
  • Hat and sunscreen
  • Water bottle
  • Light layers

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 48 hours before pickup.

Frequently asked questions

Are Wai-O-Tapu and Te Puia tickets included?

No. We coordinate timing and can help pre-book, but attraction tickets are paid separately.

What time does Lady Knox Geyser erupt?

Lady Knox Geyser erupts daily at approximately 10:15 AM, so we plan the morning around it.

Is this suitable for cruise passengers?

Only on longer port days. The drive is 1.5-2 hours each way, so we need a full day ashore.

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From
$999.00 NZD
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