Bush and Beach, Eco & Day Tours, Auckland
Bush and Beach offers interactive, enjoyable and innovative guided sightseeing tours in the greater Auckland region and North Island of New Zealand. Escape from the city on full or half day tours of Auckland's Coastal Rainforest, Great Barrier Island or Coromandel Peninsula. See nature at its best on the doorstep of New Zealand's largest city or take a fresh look at Auckland on our small group city sights tour.
The unique Waitakere rainforest and wild West Coast black sand beaches are a thirty minute drive from Downtown Auckland. Untamed Great Barrier Island is a thirty minute scenic flight from Auckland Airport.
Let our knowledgeable and experienced guides walk with you on easy bush tracks amongst giant tree ferns, view New Zealand's famous kauri trees, cross lush wetlands to natural thermal springs and stroll some of the most awe-inspiring beaches the world has to offer.
When looking for things to do in Auckland, whether it is sightseeing or something more active check out our range of tours.
Daily Tours - Bush and Beach run specialised small group tours every day. They are designed to give the visitor an intimate and memorable experience of Auckland’s wilderness without any impact on the environment and wildlife.
Rates quoted in NZ$, Subject to Change. Inner city pick up and drop off is included in tour prices.
Each tour is led by an experienced guide with extensive knowledge of native flora and fauna and awareness for client and environmental safety.
Auckland City Revealed
Runs every day (except Christmas Day) 9.00am – 12.00pm. No minimum numbers. NZ$75 per person includes inner city pick up.
Your City Highlights tour is a journey of discovery designed to explore the history and sights as well as see how Aucklanders live and play.
Travel up Queen Street, through Auckland's central business district, past the Auckland University and through the inner city park, known as the Domain. Continue on through the picturesque suburb of Ponsonby, known for its historic buildings before heading over the Harbour Bridge to Auckland's North Shore. Stroll on Narrow Neck Beach in historic Devonport. There is time here for a coffee before continuing up to the summit of Mt Victoria with its stunning panoramic views of Auckland City. Travel back over the Harbour Bridge to Westhaven Marina, one of the largest marinas in the Southern Hemisphere. Then visit the Wynyard Quarter and Auckland Fish Market before continuing on to the Viaduct Harbour.
Wilderness Experience
Waitakere Rainforest and black sand beaches. Runs every day (except Christmas Day) from 12.30 pm to 5.30 pm. No minimum numbers. NZ$140 per person. Includes inner city pickup and refreshments
Only 30 kilometres from downtown Auckland is the city's largest regional park, the Waitakere Ranges. No other city in New Zealand has such a wonderful asset so close to it. In just 30 minutes you leave behind the bustle of the city and step into the tranquility of the rainforest. Travel to the Arataki Centre perched high on the ridge of the Waitakere Ranges and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Learn about and admire the magnificent traditional Maori carvings.
Continue on to the lush rainforest where you can walk the easy bush tracks amongst giant tree ferns and view New Zealand's famous kauri trees. Unwind by a spectacular cascading waterfall. Move on to experience the power of the wild and rugged west coast. Feel the black sand beneath your feet as you stroll along some of the most awe-inspiring beaches the world has to offer.
Best of Both Worlds
Experience the best sights of Auckland city in the morning followed by Wilderness Experience in the afternoon. Runs every day except Christmas Day from 9.00am to 5.30pm. No minimum numbers
NZ$209 per person, Includes inner city pickup and refreshments
Experience the best sights of Auckland City in the morning combined with an afternoon Wilderness Experience - a day of contrasts. Auckland is set on 48 dormant volcanic cones and between two harbours, the sparkling Waitemata and the brooding Manukau. Known as the City of Sails, it is New Zealand's largest and busiest city. Your morning tour is a journey of discovery designed to explore the history and sights as well as see how Aucklanders live and play.
Travel up Queen Street, through Auckland's central business district, past the Auckland University and through the inner city park, known as the Domain. Continue on through the picturesque suburb of Ponsonby, known for its historic buildings before heading over the Harbour Bridge to Auckland's North Shore. Stroll on Narrow Neck Beach in historic Devonport. There is time here for a coffee before continuing up to the summit of Mt Victoria with its stunning panoramic views of Auckland City. Travel back over the Harbour Bridge to Westhaven Marina, one of the largest marinas in the Southern Hemisphere. Then visit the Auckland Fish Market, before continuing on to the Viaduct Harbour.
Travel to the Arataki Centre perched high in the Waitakere Ranges where the sweeping decks give breathtaking panoramic views from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Absorb the local history and admire the magnificent traditional Maori carvings that stand guard there. Head further west and experience the power of the wild and rugged West Coast. Feel the black sand beneath your feet as you stroll along some of the most awe-inspiring beaches the world has to offer.
With our knowledgeable and experienced guides your eco-tour continues on to the lush rainforest where you hear native birdsong as you walk the easy bush tracks amongst New Zealand's famous kauri trees and giant tree ferns.
Lunch can be purchased on the tour.
Full Day Tour. Runs every day (except Christmas Day) 10.00am - 5.00pm
Minimum 2 passengers.
NZ $225 per person includes inner city pick up, picnic lunch and refreshments
Our full day excursion goes first to the Arataki Visitor Information Centre situated within Auckland's largest Regional Park, Waitakere Ranges Regional Park. The breathtaking panoramic views from the sweeping decks extend from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Absorb the area's history and admire the magnificent traditional Maori carvings that stand guard there. Continue further west with our knowledgeable and highly experienced guides to the wild and rugged west coast where you get to experience the isolation of the area. Our guides walk you through an area of Auckland's coastal rainforest where they explain the local flora and fauna with its giant tree ferns growing alongside picturesque streams in regenerating rainforest. You then get the opportunity to stroll on an awe-inspiring beach and experience the uniqueness of the black sand and the clear ocean breeze. We provide a kiwi-style picnic lunch at a scenic location.
Your journey then takes you to an area of untouched original rainforest with mature 1000 year old kauri trees. New Zealand has existed for millions of years separate from the rest of the world so has evolved in isolation to produce its own unique flora and fauna - 70% of our native plants are found nowhere else in the world. Our guides will explain about our native species as you walk amongst New Zealand's famous kauri trees and native birds.
Coromandel Day Tour
Full Day tour - Runs every day except Christmas Day and public holidays from 7am to 7pm.Minimum 2 pax.
NZ $345 per person includes inner city pick up, entry to Driving Creek Railway, lunch and refreshments
Experience Coromandel Peninsula, a favourite holiday destination for many New Zealanders. Its amazing landscape consists of a mountainous, forest-covered backbone, with the Pacific Ocean on the east, and the sheltered bays and coves of the Hauraki Gulf on the west. Spend the day in this unique area steeped in history associated with kauri logging and gold mining and stunning coastlines. A 90-minute drive south-east of Auckland is Coromandel's main town, Thames, where we take a short break. Then the spectacular western coast road leads us to Coromandel township where renowned New Zealand potter, Barry Brickell has his studio. Ride his own designed and built mountain railway system on a memorable journey through the rugged landscape.
Our next stop is for a quiet stroll in the pristine rainforest to view some of the magnificent kauri trees which once covered the Coromandel Peninsula. The journey continues across the mountain divide and descends towards the east coast beaches where we stop for lunch. Visit Hot Water Beach with its hot spring in the middle of the beach. Take a dip if you wish! A short drive away is Cathedral Cove, where the Pacific Ocean washes through a natural arch onto a white sandy beach backed by white cliffs. There is a half hour downhill walk to the beach from here which means of course the walk back is uphill! Our journey home to Auckland heads back over the hills by a different route.
Cathedral Cove walk subject to guide discretion.
Auckland's Untamed Island Tour
Runs every day (except Christmas Day) 7.15am - 5.30pm from Auckland Airport. Minimum 2 passengers
NZ$695 per person includes inner city pick up, flights, breakfast and picnic lunch
A stunning thirty minute scenic flight by light plane over the sparkling waters of the Hauraki Gulf brings you to majestic Great Barrier Island. After breakfast at a local café take an easy half hour walk on gravelled tracks and boardwalks past giant Nikau palms and rare native flora and fauna over unique wetlands to the Kaitoke natural thermal springs.
The adventure continues as we drive past native bush and rugged peaks to a scenic location where we have a relaxed kiwi style picnic lunch. We then visit a sweeping, often deserted stretch of pristine white sand. There is time for a swim or a meander along the beach. Here the world’s largest population of Brown Teal can be found, a friendly little duck on the verge of extinction. At a nearby stream, monster eels come when called and can be fed – if you dare!
This unforgettable day is rounded off with a climb to the top of Windy Canyon, a spectacular walk around rocky outcrops and past sheer cliffs coated with rata vines. The views are breathtaking. This is a day that can truly be described as a “once in a lifetime” experience.
The flight back returns you to Auckland Airport at 5.30pm.
Group or Exclusive Tours - Have complete control over a very special day with your own luxury air-conditioned vehicle and guide. The trip gives you an intimate and memorable experience of Auckland’s wilderness without any impact on the environment and wildlife. Revel in your own full or half day Wilderness Experience, combine it with city highlights or choose from some of our other tour selections available.
These tours can be arranged for any number of passengers. There is a minimum cost that allows for up to 5 pax with a per person cost applying after that.
- Group or exclusive - up to 5 hours $675, then $140 per person
- Group or exclusive - up to 8 hours $1080 then $216 per person