Hokianga

The Hokianga harbour is widely regarded as the home of Kupe, the very first voyager and Maori to discover New Zealand over 1,000 years ago. Kupe and his followers settled in the harbour with its protected waters and abundance of food. Later some of the earliest European settlers came to the Hokianga and small communities were formed on the harbour's edge.

A Lonely Planet Code Green "Experience of a Lifetime"

Experience Footprints Waipoua when you book for Crossings Hokianga - named by leading travel guide Lonely Planet as one of 82 top responsible travel experiences in the world.

Spend a day in the beautiful Far North of New Zealand, where you will hear the legends and history of local Maori and enter the spiritual environment of the Waipoua Forest - a site of particular importance to Maori and home to massive ancient kauri trees, regarded as guardians of the forest.

Step into our world for a journey of history and cultural discovery.

The Hokianga Day Tour is a day trip from the Bay of Islands to the rugged West Coast and historically significant Hokianga.

This beautiful environment is rich in history and spectacular scenery: from the vast kauri trees in the Waipoua Forest to giant sand dunes. The landscape is also home to small communities and ancient sites of significant interest. It is a place that is as important today to modern Maori as it was to their ancestors hundreds of years ago.

Our tour departs Paihia and travels across upper Northland to Opononi with a culturally informative commentary of the area, culture, history and people - both Maori and Pakeha (European). Learn about the many myths and legends of the local hapu (sub-tribe) drawing you deep into this spectacular region.

Once in Opononi we meet up with a local Maori guide from Footprints Waipoua, who will explain about the area and its people through their stories, their history and their land. The spiritual environment of the Waipoua Forest provides a natural stage for an unforgettable encounter with some of the largest remaining kauri trees in the world.

Step into our world and our local guides will take you on a memorable journey through nature's stages of evolution whilst providing a mythological interpretation of life in the forest.

Meet our ancestors; the mighty Te Matua Ngahere, the Father of the Forest. Estimated to be 4,000 years old his mighty girth is over 5 metres in diameter. The Four Sisters are a graceful collection of kauri trees that have grown close together in sibling harmony and finally, Tane Mahuta, the Lord of the Forest, stands an impressive 51 metres tall.

After leaving the forest we return to Opononi for a lunch stop (boxed lunch option is available and able to be pre booked). This small town has been lovingly restored by the local people to reflect the way it was in the 1800's and provides an outstanding location to relax and enjoy the local cuisine.

An optional scenic cruise on the Hokianga Harbour cruise is available and is highly recommended.

Those choosing to relax and enjoy Opononi will have approximately one hour to explore.

The coach will depart Opononi, meet the cruise passengers further up the harbour in a small town called Kohukohu and then journey back to Paihia arriving back at 4pm. Those wishing to travel back to Auckland evening can do so on the Newmans coach service departing Paihia at 4.30pm.

Itinerary

7.45am	Commence pick ups in Paihia
8.00am	Coach departs Paihia
9.30am	Stop at Opononi to collect a Footprints Waipoua guide
10.00am	Arrive at Waipoua Forest for the 1 hour guided tour of Tane Mahuta
11.30am	Arrive Opononi
	Passengers not joining cruise are dropped off at the Copthorne for lunch
11.45pm	Boat departs Opononi Wharf on guided Hokianga harbour cruise
12.45pm	Coach departs from the Copthorne Hotel to meet the boat at Kohukohu
1:15pm	Coach arrives at Rawene
1:30pm	Coach catches car ferry to Kohuhohu
2.20pm	Coach departs Hokianga for the Bay of Islands
4.00pm	Coach arrives in the Bay of Islands (to meet Newmans Coach service to Auckland or transfers to accommodation)
Included	Return coach transport, Tane Mahuta Encounter with local guide Hokianga Harbour Cruise Adult $125 / Child $62.50
Optional Extras	Picnic Box Lunch $17
	Hokianga Harbour Cruise (approx 2 hours) Adult $55, Child $35
	Coach travel only - one way Adult $45, Child $23
	Crayfish Lunch at the Copthorne Hotel $65

Night time options for those staying overnight in the Hokianga:

Twilight Encounter

The Footprints Waipoua signature tour, this 4-hour night experience visits the oldest and largest known kauri trees in the world, Te Matua Ngahere (The Father of the forest) and Tane Mahuta (The Lord of the forest). Let the night noises, foreign environment, time, local Maori guides and ecological and cultural interpretation (Maori story, song and instruments), awaken your senses.

Minimum: 2 / Maximum: 25

Departure time: From March 5pm / October to March 6pm

$85 Adult

$25 Child (5-12) / Not recommended for children under 5

Meet Tane at Night

For those with minimal time available or families with young children this 1.5 hour shortened version of the Twilight Encounter tour has been developed to allow those to still participate in viewing this majestic environment and the largest kauri tree in the world at a time most people haven’t, ‘NIGHT’. This is one and a half hours not to be missed.

Minimum: 2 / Maximum: 25

Departure time: From March7.30pm / October to March 8.30pm

$60 Adult

$25 Child (5-12) / Not recommended for children under 5

More about Lonely Planet's Code Green:

Code Green is all about travel experiences that will challenge, change and inspire you. It's about making a connection with people who lead very different lives to you, and connecting in a sustainable way, so that the same opportunities will be there for the future. Code Green draws together almost 100 responsible travel experiences from across the planet, all linked by three defining principles; tread lightly on the environment, immerse yourself in the culture and have a positive economic benefit for the local community.