8 – 14 September 2026
The Coromandel Peninsula does not just have an abundance of natural beauty but is also rich in Māori history and early European settler heritage. This tour will explore the historic town of Thames with a knowledgeable local guide. We visit the Carnegie Library and Thames School of Mines, as well as the Thames Goldmine Experience and Thames Art Gallery. In Coromandel town we will be going on a guided walking tour and we experience the famous Driving Creek Railway and Pottery. As we wind our way around the peninsula, we visit Whitianga for a Glass bottom boat cruise to picturesque Cathedral Cove, a visit to the amazing Lost Spring Spa and we enjoy a lovely lunch with wine tasting at Mercury Bay Estate in Cooks Beach. We will stay for 2 nights in Whangamata as a base to explore the historic town of Waihi with all its gold mining history. We will also take a ride on the historic Goldfields Railway from Waihi to Waikino and visit the Victoria Battery Tramway museum and Karangahake Gorge. On our last day, before heading back to Auckland we have time to explore the Paeroa Historical Maritime Park and Museum.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Tuesday 8th September (D)
Arrive Auckland airport by 10.00 am for a departure of 10.30 am.
Arrive in Thames around midday for lunch at the Melbourne cafe (own expense).
This afternoon we visit the Thames Gold Mining Experience. A guided tour takes us through an operational 19th century Stamper Battery and into one of the richest goldmines of the time. This is followed by a visit to the Thames Art Gallery, established 50 years ago in the historic Thames North school building.
Welcome dinner in Thames and overnight in Thames (Avalon or Rolleston motel).
Day 2: Wednesday 9th September (D)
After breakfast this morning at a local café we meet Rosalie, a local historian/storyteller.
Rosalie will share with us her vast knowledge of local early settler and Māori history, including a visit to Shortland Wharf and Totara, a historic Pah site.
After some free time for lunch (own expense), we will enjoy a guided tour of the historic Carnegie Library and the Thames School of Mines and Mineralogical Museum which is part of Heritage New Zealand. This is followed by afternoon tea.
Around 4.00 pm we depart Thames for the approx. 1-hour scenic drive along the coast to Coromandel town. After check-in at our motel, we will enjoy some free time followed by dinner together at The Peppertree Restaurant. Overnight at The Anchorage motel, Coromandel.
Day 3: Thursday 10th September (D)
Enjoy some time at leisure this morning and get breakfast at a local café.
At 10.30 am we will go on a 90-minute “Boom, Bust and Beyond” Guided Walking Heritage tour of Coromandel town.
After lunch (own expense) and some free time to explore the local shops and art galleries, we visit the Driving Creek Railway and pottery, a working legacy of art, nature and ingenuity created by potter Barry Brickell.
Dinner tonight will again be at The Peppertree restaurant and overnight at The Anchorage motel, Coromandel.
Day 4: Friday 11 September (D)
After breakfast at leisure, we depart Coromandel town at 10.00 am towards Whitianga with a stop at Kuaotunu historic hall, listed with NZ Historic Places trust. After some time to look at the hall and the beach, we continue to Whitianga for some free time and lunch (own expense).
At 1.00 pm we embark on a 2-hour Glass Bottom Boat cruise to picturesque Cathedral Cove with several stops along the way to view the wildlife and coastline.
After the cruise we check into our centrally located motel and have some free time to explore Whitianga.
At 4.30 pm we visit the “Lost Spring Spa” where you can soak in natural geothermal pools surrounded by native bush followed by a dinner at the Lagoonside Restaurant. Overnight at Peninsula Motel Whitianga.
Day 5: Saturday 12 September (L)
After breakfast at leisure and check out, we enjoy a walking tour of Whitianga with a member of the Mercury Bay Historical Society, this will end at the wharf, where we catch a short ferry ride to Ferry Landing. This is where the bus will pick us up and take us to Cooks Beach and Mercury Bay Estate for lunch and wine tasting.
In the afternoon we visit Hot Water beach at low tide. There will be time to dig your own hot pool on the beach for those who wish to do so. From here we will continue our drive to Whangamata and check into our motel for the next 2 nights.
Free time in Whangamata followed by dinner (own expense).
Overnight at The Breakers Motel, Whangamata.
Day 6: Sunday 13 September
At 8.30 am we depart for a short stroll on the beach followed by breakfast at the Oceans Fishing Club (own expense). Thereafter we depart for Waihi where we travel on the historic Goldfields Railway from Waihi to Waikino. After lunch at the Station café, we enjoy a guided tour of the Victoria Battery Tramway Museum.
After the tour the bus will pick us up and take us back to Waihi for a visit of the Waihi Gold Experience and the Cornish Pump house.
This is followed be a drive back to Whangamata and dinner at the local RSA (own expense). Overnight at The Breakers Motel.
Day 7: Monday 14th September (L)
This morning we check out and depart at 8.30 am.
We enjoy breakfast at Blackie’s café at the beach before departing to the Karangahake Gorge, a region which combines gold mining history and natural beauty. We will stop here for about an hour for some optional walks before we continue our travels to Paeroa.
Here we visit the Historic Maritime Park and Museum for a guided tour. After our included lunch we head back to Auckland where we intend to arrive at 3.00 pm, in time for a flight back to Wellington (from 5.00 pm onwards).
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Tour price includes:
- Pick up/drop off from/to Auckland airport
- Comfortable transport in modern air-conditioned coach
- Escorted by Claudia Moir – NZ Travel Brokers
- 1 nights in Thames (Rolleston Motel or Avalon Motel)
- Visit to the Thames Art Gallery
- Guided tour at the Thames Gold Mining Experience
- Welcome dinner in Thames
- A morning with local historian/storyteller Rosalie in Thames visiting various historic sights of Māori significance and early settler heritage
- Guided tour of the Treasury and Carnegie Library
- Guided tour of the Thames School of Mines Museum followed by afternoon tea
- Coromandel “Boom Bust and Beyond” guided walking tour
- A visit to Driving Creek Railway and pottery
- 2 x Dinners at the Peppertree Restaurant in Coromandel
- 2 nights at Anchor Lodge Motel Coromandel
- a visit to Kuaotunu historic Hall and talk by a local
- 2-hour Glass bottom boat tour from Whitianga to Cathedral Cove
- 2-hour pool entry at “Lost Spring Spa” Whitianga followed by dinner at Lagoonside Restaurant
- 1 night at Peninsula Motel Whitianga
- Lunch and wine tasting at Mercury Bay Estate, Cooks Beach
- 2 nights at Breakers Motel in Whangamata
- Waihi Gold Experience and a visit of the Cornish pump house
- Goldfields railway from Waihi to Waikino
- A guided tour of the Victoria Battery tramway museum
- A visit of the Historic Maritime Park and museum in Paeroa including lunch.
Meals included: 4 dinners and 2 lunches (see D and L on the itinerary). All other meals at own expense.
Price per person: $3,390 per person twin share
Single supplement: $900 if a single room is required. Please note: There are only limited single rooms available on this tour. Some nights you may be accommodated in a 2-bedroom unit with your own room but a shared bathroom.
T’s and C’s: To secure your place on this tour a deposit payment of $500 per person is required at time of booking. The deposit is refundable up to 90 days prior to departure or in case the minimum numbers for the tour are not reached. If cancelled within 90 days of departure the deposit payment becomes non-refundable. Full payment is required 60 days prior to departure, this is non-refundable. We recommend travel insurance.
Minimum 12 passengers, maximum 18
To book contact:
Claudia Moir – NZ Travel Brokers Mangawhai
ph. 09-4315899 or mob. 021-431589
email: [email protected]
Trading as a member of NZ Travel Brokers Ltd, TAANZ Bonded & IATA Accredited
Above image: Cathedral Cove, Coromandel; Mike Bordignon.