MoaTours

23/10/2026

Escape to Aotea Great Barrier Island!

Just a 30-minute flight from Auckland lies a little slice of paradise that feels a world away!

With its beautiful beaches, lush native bush, peaceful harbours and relaxed island lifestyle, Aotea Great Barrier Island is a truly special place to explore.

Join us on our 5 Day Aotea Great Barrier Island Escape, where you'll discover the island's hidden gems, meet the friendly locals and experience its fascinating history.

- Cruise the sheltered waters of Port FitzRoy Harbour with local skipper Chris
- Explore the beautiful Medlands Beach and historic Whangaparapara Harbour
- Discover native bush and the natural Kaitoke Hot Springs
- Meet the locals, visit organic gardens and sample delicious local honey
- Enjoy four nights' accommodation, delicious meals and the company of your experienced Kiwi Guide

With a maximum of just 18 travellers, it's a wonderful way to experience the beauty and charm of island life without having to worry about the arrangements!

Upcoming 2027 Departures:

- 12 March – Sold out
- 18 March – Sold out
- 24 March – Filling up
- 5 April – Filling up

Five days, one beautiful island and plenty of unforgettable experiences!

Discover the full itinerary here: https://www.moatours.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/aotea-great-barrier-island-escape

20/10/2026

By Rail, River & Road – Discover New Zealand's Hidden Gems!

There's something special about exploring the more remote corners of New Zealand, and our 7 Day Bridge to Nowhere & Forgotten Worlds tour is full of unforgettable experiences!

- By Rail: Forgotten World Railway
Tootle through the stunning Tangarakau Gorge in your own rail cart, surrounded by native bush and remote countryside.

- By River: Whanganui River & Bridge to Nowhere
Jet boat along the beautiful Whanganui River, with the option to walk to the historic Bridge to Nowhere.

- By Road: The historic Gentle Annie
Journey through rolling hill country, remote sheep stations and spectacular backcountry scenery.

And there's so much more!
Explore Crosshills Farm's beautiful gardens, Napier's Art Deco architecture, Cape Kidnappers' gannet colony and Whanganui's rich art and history.

With a small group of no more than 18 travellers, your friendly Kiwi Guide leading the way and everything taken care of, it's a wonderful way to discover places you might never have explored before!

Upcoming departures:
9 February 2027 – Filling up

7 days of spectacular scenery, fascinating history and unforgettable experiences.

Have a look at the full itinerary here: https://www.moatours.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/bridge-nowhere-forgotten-worlds

07/10/2026

Hawke’s Bay in summer + the Art Deco Festival = something pretty special! 🎷

Join us on our 6 Day Hawke’s Bay Art Deco Festival Tour, departing 18 February 2027, and experience Napier when the whole city comes alive with 1920s and 1930s style.

Some moments to look forward to on this tour:
- Jazz & festival entertainment at the Soundshell
- Automobilia Vintage Car Parade
- Deco Dogs Parade
- The famous Gatsby Picnic
- Memorial flying displays
- Guided Art Deco tour of Napier
- W**e tasting & lunch at Mission Estate
- Private guided visit to the Cape Kidnappers gannet colony
- Lake Taupō cruise to the Māori rock carvings

You’ll spend four nights in Napier, staying on the waterfront at Scenic Hotel Te Pania, right near the heart of the festivities.

As always, we take care of the details with quality accommodation, all meals, activities and entrance fees, comfortable coach travel and your experienced MoaTours Kiwi Guide included – all with a small group of just 18 travellers.

Departs 18 February 2027 – and it’s filling up!

Come and experience one of New Zealand’s most colourful and entertaining festivals with us.

If you would like to learn more of our Hawkes Bay Art Deco Festival tour, visit our website here: https://www.moatours.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/hawkes-bay-art-deco-festival

02/10/2026

You may know the names Te Urewera, Lake Waikaremoana, Gisborne and Mahia - but have you had the chance to explore them?

Our 7 Day Te Urewera, Mahia & Gisborne tour takes you into one of New Zealand’s less-travelled corners, with ancient forests, dramatic coastal scenery, local stories and some very special experiences along the way.

Highlights include:

-Exploring Whakatāne with our local guide, William Stewart and learning about Ngāti Awa history

- Guided walk through the magnificent podocarp forest of Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne

- Enjoying a hāngī at Kohutapu Lodge beside Lake Aniwhenua

- Travelling through Te Urewera and stopping at Lake Waikaremoana and Aniwaniwa Falls

- Spending three nights in Gisborne to explore the area at a leisurely pace.

- Visiting Tatapouri Bay and Waikereru Ecosanctuary

- Exploring Mahia Peninsula with a local guide

- Riding the Awakeri Railcarts

As always with MoaTours, everything is organised for you, including comfortable coach travel, quality accommodation, all meals, your friendly Kiwi Guide and all included activities.

We have one departure on 25 January 2027, and it’s filling up. If you're interested, click on the link to view the full itinerary: https://www.moatours.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/te-urewera-mahia-gisborne

27/09/2026

We have a new Bird of the Year! 🐦

The karure, or black robin, has taken out the title for 2026 – and there’s quite a story behind this little bird.

Found only in the Chatham Islands, the karure came incredibly close to extinction. By 1980, just five birds remained, including only one fertile female. Thanks to decades of dedicated conservation work, there are now around 350 adult birds.

While you won’t spot a karure on our tours, its story is a wonderful example of the work happening across New Zealand to protect our unique native birdlife.

It’s something our travellers get to learn more about too. On our Southern Odyssey, we cruise across to predator-free Ulva Island, where native birds thrive amongst the forest, and our travellers get to see first-hand the difference conservation efforts can make.

Read the full story here 👇

Small, shy and clad head-to-claw in black, New Zealand’s karure, or black robin, has been crowned the country’s 2026 Bird of the Year.

23/09/2026

Spring is well underway, and our first tours of the season are off and running!

We still have a few places available on selected October and November departures, with plenty of variety across gardens, high country stations, Stewart Island and the World of WearableArt Show.

Our tours are all-inclusive and stress-free, with transport, accommodation, meals, experiences, and activities covered - all led by your knowledgeable Kiwi Guide.

World of WearableArt Show - 5 nights / 6 days
Enjoy the excitement of the WOW Show from Platinum seats, along with Taupo, Wellington, the Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay.
Departs: 1 October - filling up

High Country Stations, Gardens & Goldfields - 6 nights / 7 days
Travel through Canterbury, the Mackenzie Country and Central Otago, visiting historic stations, gardens and goldfields towns.
Departs: 29 October - just 4 seats left

Southern Odyssey: Stewart Island & The Catlins - 6 nights / 7 days
Explore Stewart Island/Rakiura, Ulva Island and the wild Catlins coast, with wildlife, history and coastal scenery along the way.
Departs: 31 October - filling up

Back Country Stations: Rakaia to Kaikoura Coast - 6 nights / 7 days
Travel the back roads of Canterbury, the Hurunui, Kaikoura Ranges and Clarence River Valley, finishing with a private cruise on Queen Charlotte Sound.
Departs: 22 November - just 3 seats left

Have a look at all available tour dates and availability here. We'd love to have you join us! https://www.moatours.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/dates-availability

19/09/2026

Spring has arrived, bringing longer days and warmer weather to look forward to, which has us thinking about the Coromandel. There's something distinctly relaxed about the region, with its golden beaches, pohutukawa-lined coastlines, small seaside towns and plenty of local character.

Our 6-day Coromandel Caper tour is a wonderful way to discover just how much variety is packed into this beautiful peninsula.

Here are a few of the highlights:

Driving Creek Railway and Coromandel Town:
One of our favourites is riding Barry Brickell’s narrow-gauge railway through the bush to the Eyefull Tower, with magnificent views from the top. Later, local screen-printing artist Pete Sephton joins our coach to show us around some of the town's historic buildings and artists' studios.

Cathedral Cove by boat:
From Whitianga, board a glass-bottomed boat and cruise through the marine reserve along the coastline to spectacular Cathedral Cove. Back in town, there’s time to explore the galleries, shops and beachfront.

Hahei, Hot Water Beach and local flavours:
Visit Hahei and Cooks Beach, warm your feet in the hot sands at Hot Water Beach, enjoy lunch at Mercury Bay Estate vineyard. You'll also meet Doug and Jillian Johnson at Cathedral Cove Macadamias and sample their local products.

Waihi, Karangahake Gorge and the Seabird Coast:
In Waihi, go “inside the fence” at the Martha Mine site with a local guide, then travel through historic Karangahake Gorge before meeting a nature guide at Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre.

It’s a lovely six days, with plenty to see and enjoy along the way.

Upcoming departures
3 March 2027 - Filling up
17 March 2027 - Filling up

If you can picture yourself exploring the Coromandel on our small group tour, simply visit our website below or call us on 0800 662 462. One of our team will be happy to help.

https://www.moatours.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/coromandel-caper

16/09/2026

And we’re off! 🎉

Today marks the beginning of a brand-new season with our first group of travellers setting off on our World of WearableArt tour with Kiwi Guide Tim behind the wheel.

After months of planning and preparation, it’s wonderful to see our tours heading back out on the road, with excited travellers ready for new experiences across our beautiful country and their knowledgeable Kiwi Guide leading the way.

To our first group, we hope you have a fantastic time and enjoy every moment of your WOW adventure!

And to all our travellers joining us throughout the season, we can’t wait to welcome you on board soon.

If you're still thinking about a small group escape, there’s still time to join us! Explore our upcoming tours at https://www.moatours.co.nz/

Here’s to a wonderful season ahead!

09/09/2026

Exactly one week until the first tour of the season sets off! Our office team has been busy getting everything ready for another wonderful season on the road.

Behind the scenes, there’s plenty happening as we organise the finer details, coordinate with our Kiwi Guides and local suppliers, and make sure everything is in place for our travellers.

It’s always an exciting time of year as the tours begin to fill, departure dates get closer and all the planning starts coming together.

Before long, our Kiwi Guides and travellers will be out exploring Aotearoa New Zealand, while our team back in the office keeps everything running smoothly along the way.

We’re geared up and ready for the 2026/27 touring season. Bring on the adventures ahead!

https://www.moatours.co.nz/

07/09/2026

Discover the beauty of Stewart Island 🌿

Stewart Island is one of the real highlights of our Southern Odyssey 7 day tour. With its rugged coastline, lush native bush, abundant birdlife and wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, it feels a world away from the everyday.

A scenic 20-minute flight from Invercargill brings us across to Halfmoon Bay, where we explore the island with a local guide and keep an ear out for kākā and tūī along the way. We’ll also cruise across Paterson Inlet to Ulva Island, where a guided nature walk takes us through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful native bush and birdlife.

As always with MoaTours, the essentials are all taken care of:

- Return airfares from Auckland (please ask us about flights from other regions)
- Return scenic flights to Stewart Island
- All transport by comfortable air-conditioned coach
- Six nights’ accommodation
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners
- Our knowledgeable MoaTours Kiwi Guide
- All included activities and entrance fees
- Small group travel – maximum 18 travellers

Upcoming departures:
- 31 October 2026 – Filling up
- 22 November 2026 – Sold out
- 19 January 2027 – Filling up
- 5 February 2027 – Almost full
- 9 March 2027 – Filling up
- 12 April 2027 – Filling up

If Stewart Island has been on your New Zealand wish list, our Southern Odyssey is a wonderful way to experience it, with everything organised for you and a small group of fellow travellers.

Discover Stewart Island on our Southern Odyssey tour: https://www.moatours.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/southern-odyssey