Discover the beautiful country gardens of the Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Northern Wairarapa and Manawatu. Stay in Masterton and Feilding, both winners of town beauty contests, and wander the fair and acres of rhododendron and azalea gardens at Cross Hills.
$3,390 per person twin share
$600 single supplement
16 – 22 Nov, 2022
We’re excited to let you know that we have partnered with MoaTours, one of New Zealand’s leading and most trusted local tour operators since 1971. MoaTours offers a range of small group tours all over New Zealand that we think you’ll love — from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island.
A a family run business just like Tours Direct, MoaTours has great connections and unbeatable local knowledge of New Zealand’s best kept secrets. They also share common values so we know you will be well looked after and have a great experience.
We’re following a garden trail along country lanes to discover special historic homes and hidden gems. There’s lots of natural beauty to enjoy – relaxing over a garden lunch with our hosts or wandering the paths at the Cross Hills Gardens Country Fair.
Tour Dates:
26 October – 1 November, 2022
Tour Dates:
16- 22 November, 2022
Tour Dates:
22 – 27 October, 2022
25 – 30 October, 2022
All travellers joining this tour must be fully vaccinated. Your 'My Vaccine Pass' must be brought on the tour as proof of full Covid 19 vaccination.
It is important that the date of your final dose is at least 14 days before the tour departure date.
All travellers joining this cruise must be fully vaccinated. Your 'My Vaccine Pass' must be brought on the cruise as proof of full Covid 19 vaccination.
It is important that the date of your final dose is at least 14 days before the cruise departure date.
To safeguard your deposit and tour payment in the event of you having to cancel your reservation or curtail your tour, we highly recommend you take out travel insurance.
call us on 0800 868 748 if you like a travel insurance quote
The bike trails in the Hawke’s Bay are easy to ride and generally flat and smooth. Introductory Level.
If you have never ridden an E-Bike before we can help you learn, usually in 15 minutes. These trails are great to build confidence and increase your riding skills.
Needless to say the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the rides. Most days, 2 – 3 hours on an E-Bike (with frequent breaks).
All clients and support crew are required to be fully vaccinated.
Extensive Terms and Conditions are outlined in the free Information Pack
To safeguard your deposit and tour payment in the event of you having to cancel your reservation or curtail your tour, we highly recommend you take out travel insurance.
call us on 0800 868 748 if you like a travel insurance quote
The bike trails in the Hawke’s Bay are easy to ride and generally flat and smooth. Introductory Level.
If you have never ridden an E-Bike before we can help you learn, usually in 15 minutes. These trails are great to build confidence and increase your riding skills.
Needless to say the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the rides. Most days, 2 – 3 hours on an E-Bike (with frequent breaks).
All clients and support crew are required to be fully vaccinated.
Extensive Terms and Conditions are outlined in the free Information Pack
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We visit renowned Hamilton Gardens including the recent addition, the Mansfield garden. We lunch with Jeanette and Stephen Williams at Moondance Manor in Tamahere and enjoy their expansive garden beside the Waikato River.
We stay at the Millennium Hotel & Resort, Manuels on Taupo’s lakeside and dine in this evening.
From Taupo we drive through Hawkes Bay to lunch with Phyllida and Stuart Gibson at Gwavas Homestand and stroll in their garden in Tikokino, first established by the family 120 years ago. In Eketahuna we visit Warren and Robyn Walker’s Braemore Farm Garden where the rhododendrons are in bloom.
We arrive in Masterton and stay at the Copthorne Hotel & Resort, Solway Park, our home for two nights, and dine in this evening.
Masterton is the home of the Golden Shears championship so naturally our first stop this morning is the town's Wool Museum.
We join Edward Beetham for morning tea and a guided tour through his family’s Brancepeth homestead built in the 1850s. We lunch nearby with Angela Williams at Te Parae homestead built in 1905. Te Parae shares family history with Brancepeth and thoroughbred horse breeding is a family tradition. We return to Masterton in the mid afternoon and dine at Solway Park this evening.
We meet Judith Callaghan for morning tea at Dursley garden. From Woodville we climb over the Saddle Road to Te Apiti wind farm where we stop to view the turbines stretching along the ridge.
We lunch in the Giraffe House at Lynne Atkin’s Greenhaugh Gardens, a six star garden of national distinction, where wonderful, lush plantings surround the homestead built in 1874. We stay two nights at South Street West Motel and dine out this evening.
We check out the Friday market in Feilding's town square and a local farmer guides us through the historic sale yards where the livestock auction is underway.
At Kairanga we lunch with Kathryn Wells in the Alfred Buxton designed garden, Lansdale, featuring ponds and a grotto and still tended by the original owner's family. We tour to Palmerston North's public gardens including the Dugald Mackenzie Rose Garden then return to Feilding and dine out this evening.
We visit Heritage Park Rhododendron Garden which is maintained by volunteers. At Cross Hills Gardens’ Country Fair 180 stalls showcase unique and New Zealand–made products displayed in Rodney and Faith Wilson’s magnificent 7ha garden of 2000 rhododendrons and azaleas.
In the afternoon we drive the scenic Ruahine Road to Mangaweka and on to Turangi to stay at the Tongariro Lodge where we dine in this evening.
Stunning views are a feature of the scenic road from Turangi to Taumarunui. At Ailsa and Carey Sanson's 14 year old Parkwood Garden near Otorohanga there are sweeping lawns and colourful borders.
We lunch nearby at Debbie and Fraser Robertson’s Crosshills Farm and visit Chris and Bev Gatenby's unique Tree Church garden at Ohaupo on the way back to Auckland.
