Destination Country: New Zealand
Regions/Cities include: New Plymouth	Activities include: Garden tour

TARANAKI GARDEN FESTIVAL

This tours departs from the Waikato and visits 7 gardens on the Festival program along with other sightseeing.

 

Mon 1st Nov

Depart Cambridge this morning and drive south to Te Kuiti.  Time to say gidday to a Kiwi legend, Pinetree Meads, who is immortalised in bronze right next to our morning tea stop.  We journey on through the picturesque rolling countryside of the King Country.  Lunch (own cost) at Mokau, renown for their whitebait fritters.

In the afternoon we arrive in to Waitara and visit gardens featured on the Festival program (gardens to be confirmed) before continuing to New Plymouth and checking in to our hotel.

The Devon Hotel is a 4* hotel located on the edge of downtown New Plymouth and just a few minutes walk from the impressive rugged coast and the famed 13km coastal walkway.  The hotel offers peaceful gardens, a heated outdoor pool, spa, bar, and restaurant.

Buffet dinner included at the hotel tonight.

 

Tue 2nd Nov

Optional morning roam along the award-winning Coastal Walkway.  This is a flat easy walk with picturesque views as you hug the coastline walking a paved path between farmland and pounding waves and across the dramatic Te Rewa Rewa bridge.  Fingers crossed for a clear day as the way this Bridge frames Mt Taranaki is an incredible sight.   Non walkers will be driven to the Bridge and from there we will drive to Tupare for a ramble through the sculpted gardens and Chapman-Taylor house.

Afternoon at leisure.  The hotel has complimentary bikes if you want to head out for a ride, or take a walk in to the city along the Coastal Walkway.  There will also be set transfer times to/from the city in our minivan.  In the city you might like to visit the contemporary art museum and home to the collection of modernist filmmaker and kinetic artist Len Lye, or stop by Puke Ariki with its heritage and art collections.  The Te Henui Cemetery garden is also an easy walk from the hotel.

This evening we dine at the popular Shining Peak Brewery.

 

Wed 3rd Nov

 

Prepare for a big day out enjoying Taranaki’s renowned gardens.  You will have plenty of time to explore Pukeiti – this is one of the world’s biggest and most diverse collections of rhododendrons and other exotics and at this time of year the gardens will be bursting with colour.  We journey on around the base of Mt Taranaki to a property established by renowned plantsman Bernie Hollard in the 1920s.  These gardens boast a plant collection of national importance and we will have a private one tour guided tour at Hollard.

Free time in Eltham for lunch and a look around the shops, including the quirky Bank full of treasures.

In the afternoon we will visit another garden (to be advised) before heading to the coastal surf town of Opunake.  Here you will have the opportunity stroll along a very picturesque walkway featuring colourful mosaic seats with fabulous views of the ocean and a cute garden lovingly tended by locals.

You might like to relax in the pool or spa when we arrive back at the hotel before enjoying a final buffet dinner at Marbles Restaurant.

 

Tue 4th Nov

 

After breakfast we bid farewell to New Plymouth and head over to Inglewood to visit a garden featured on the festival program (to be advised). 

By lunch time we’ll be pulling into the tiny quirky village of Whangamomona.  Take the time to roam around and learn about the controversial history.  “Wet your whistle” in NZ’s remotest country pub and grab a bite to eat (own cost).  Maybe you had plans to travel overseas in 2020/21 and collect a few more stamps in your passport … don’t worry you can bring your passport on this tour and have it stamped here in the Republic of Whangamomona! 

In the afternoon, sit back and relax as we wind our home home via the Forgotten Highway.  Our last garden stop is Lauren’s Lavender Farm on the outskirts of Taumarunui where we’ll have afternoon tea. 

Tour ends back in Cambridge around 5pm.

 

 

Cost:

$1160 per person twin share  (option to twin share with same gender, subject to availability)

$275 single supplement

 

Includes:

• 3 nights accommodation 4* hotel
• 3 buffet breakfasts, 3 dinners, 1 afternoon tea
• Tour leader / Driver
• Transportation in modern air-conditioned mini-coach
• Entry to 7 gardens featured on Taranaki Garden Festival program (tba)
• Pick up and drop off in Cambridge

 

Excludes

• Meals and refreshments (unless specified in inclusions)
• Items of a personal nature
• Optional tours