In Northland and looking for adventures to experience? You need look no further than this Awesome Cape Reinga day tour & 90 mile beach trip. A perfect day.
So, spending $120 on a trip when you are an independent traveller is a big ask at any time so I was very keen to experience the Awesome Cape Reinga day tour by coach to understand whether this was a good spend or not . During my travels I have always been loathe to go on any type of organised tour but have always kept an open mind. A recent organised tour around Siam Reap springs to mind where we had just the most brilliant day with a local guide and learnt so much more then we would have done had we travelled alone.
So, an early start (8am from the bottom of Hone Heke Lodge drive) with blue skies and a full bus was an encouraging start to the day. What I have always loved about kiwis is that they never complicate things or make things formal when they do not need to be. It is always nice to get on a bus and have the driver smiling and shaking your hand like you were old friends.
Cruising down 90 mile beach in the hot, hot sun
As we head out onto State Highway 10, Jim the coach driver gives us a taster for the day, a stop on the way at Puketi Forest to see some of the few Kauri left in Northland. It is very hard to explain how much local knowledge Jim shared with us during the day, he talked more or less non stop from the start to the end of the trip. The huge difference with this tour is that you wanted him to keep on talking because it was delivered with such a wonderful manner and with relevance throughout the trip.
Like I say I am not a big fan of organised tours but learnt so much about the Northland and in particular Maori culture and history that I found the trip absorbing. If you then match this commentary with the truly spectacular landscape you start to get a feel of the very special day we had.
I mentioned it at the start but think it is important a sunny day not only lifts the spirits but the colours it creates on this landscape is breathtaking at times especially at the Cape itself where the two oceans meet, stunning !!!!!
Tasman Sea & Pacific Ocean meet
The stop at Puketi Forest is a nice sub plot but the journey up 90 miles beach is something else. Rarely I guess will many of us experience a 60 minute or so journey up a wonderful beach but to do it on a coach with superb relevant commentary is something I will remember for a long time. The sand boarding was fun but so hard getting up those dunes !!!!
Dave on his way down the dunes!
The star though and something I will always remember will be walking down to the Cape itself. The lighthouse calls you down for sure but we were so lucky to be there when a Maori family were doing there own calling for a recently departed brother. So spiritual and just something else really to remember from your travels.
Made it to the top
So was it worth $120 ??? What do you think, if you do 5 great things in NZ and you must do this Cape Reinga Day tour !!!
Rest of the world seems so far away.
You can book through us for 10% discount or check them out here
