Rotorua and Te Puia in a Day: the Small-Vehicle Route the Big Coaches Miss

A single day from Tauranga into the middle of the North Island, built for people who have exactly one day and want it to count. The operator's claim is about size: this goes places the big coaches cannot, and the guide fills the driving with the stories and legends attached to the ground you are crossing. What the day covers: native bush and farmland, geysers, boiling mud pools, hot springs and sulphur vents that steam, volcanic lakes and clear streams. The main stop is Te Puia, where the guided walk through the geothermal valley is followed by a cultural performance in the marae, haka included, and time at the nocturnal enclosure where the kiwi is awake. In Rotorua there is a stop at the Government Gardens, the first formal gardens of their kind in New Zealand, and a pause at Rachel's Spring, whose geothermal water feeds the Polynesian Spa. The road out and back runs through Mount Maunganui and Tauranga, and through Te Puke, where most of the country's kiwifruit is grown. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.