Your holiday starts in Russell. We pick you up at Kerikeri airport or you can drive directly to Russell from Auckland. There is no walking scheduled for today leaving you free to explore your surroundings. Enjoy a stroll around the foreshore or spend the day relaxing in your centrally located accommodation. Enjoy dining at one of the many fantastic restaurants in Russell in the evening.

This might not be a wilderness experience but it’s a great introduction to the inner Bay of Islands, a 19km flat to gently undulating loop trail which takes you through small towns and native bush, along beaches and over boardwalks through mangrove forests, rarely more than a stone’s from the sea. You’ll have opportunities to stop for fish & chips or fresh oysters; you’ll also take two ferries, making for a varied and scenically rewarding day. Walk in and out of your accommodation today.

It wouldn’t be a trip to the Bay of Islands without a bit of island hopping. A private water taxi will whisk you between these three islands, each with its own distinct character and history. What they all have in common is great views and resurgent wildlift, thanks to a 10-year-long project to eradicate pests and bring back native birdsong. Highlights include the view from the top of Motuarohia; the bird-filled bush and beaches of Moturua; and the rugged, cliff-edge scenery of Urupukapuka. Your water taxi driver, Bob, is an added bonus. Let’s just say you won’t be short of stories. Once again walk in and out of your accommodation today.

A relaxing, scenically varied day which takes in a stunning, horseshoe-shaped bay, a ruined whaling station and a stand a kauri, New Zealand’s most famous tree. On your way back you’ll get a preview of tomorrow’s Cape Brett walk and a chance to swim at Oke Bay, one of the Bay of Islands’ most beautiful beaches – and believe us, there’s a lot of competition for that title.

We’ve saved the best for last. The Cape Brett Track, easily the best one-day walk in Northland, follows a rugged peninsula jutting into the Pacific with jaw-dropping views on all sides. You’ll start off in shady coastal bush which gradually gives way to wind-swept scrub and finally an exposed rocky ridge. Don’t be fooled by the relatively short distance – a lot of up and down makes this a challenging day. When you crest the final hill and a panorama of ocean, sheer-sided islands and a historic lighthouse opens up before you, you’ll realise it’s been more that worth it. To cap it all off your water taxi driver will pick you up from the rocks below the old lighthouse keeper’s cottage and take you through the iconic Hole in the Rock by boat before returning you to Russell

After a delicious cooked breakfast, you will be transferred back to Kerikeri Airport.