Today your driver guide will collect you from your hotel at a time that suits you

We will take you up through Auckland Domain and view the Auckland War Memorial Museum with a short stop at the Wintergardens if desired. Carry on up to the summit of Mt Eden ( highest of Aucklands extinct volcanic cones ) for a superb panoramic view of the city. Proceed out in to the untouched rainforest of the Waitakere Ranges and the Arataki Visitors Centre for a quick stop and then on out to Cascades Park with a short walk in to view ancient giant Kauri trees approx 1000 years old.

We then journey through the winemaking area of Kumeu as we make our way to Muriwai Beach on the wild West Coast and the northernmost mainland colony of gannets (migratory seabirds). A short walk on the iron sands beach here is an option some might like to exercise.

A lunch break at a café in Kumeu would then be recommended and a chance to sample some New Zealand
cuisine. We can arrange to visit a local vineyard if sampling of some local wines is desired.

After lunch we drive across the top of the Waitemata Harbour via the Upper Harbour bridge at Greenhithe to the East Coast beaches and in particular Takapuna Beach. Should the tide be out we can show you the petrified forest here. Take a short walk on the beach itself and collect some shells to take home.

Down to Devonport , one of the oldest suburbs of the city having a look at some of the grand old villas from the late 1800s and up Mt Victoria. Our favourite spot to take it all in and use some space on the camera disk. Then across the Auckland Harbour Bridge to Westhaven Marina and the sea of masts.

As we get back towards the city we drive through the redeveloped Viaduct Harbour area with its new apartment blocks. The Maritime Museum, Princes Wharf and all its restaurants , cafes and bars, the Ferry Building ( 1913 ) and the Old Customs House ( now with heritage protection ) are all in this vicinity of our city.