Island of Auckland
Auckland IslandMrs. Sage said it was an aggressive plan to rid the 46,000 hectares of the island of beasts. The Auckland Island is the principal island of the subantarctic Auckland Isles and the biggest and biorichest of the five archipelagos that make up New Zealand's subantarctic islets.
Imported swine and cat had ravaged the indigenous flora and fauna on New Zealand's fifth biggest island, and the mouse was also a major issue, Mrs Sage said.
Up to 6 Nights - Secret Islands of Auckland, Luxury Cruise
Come aboard the luxurious'Island Passage' and discover the Hauraki Gulf in Auckland. Great Escape Cruises offer first rate cruises with experienced guide who will take you on a journey to discover the secrets of the region's fauna, accompanied hikes, kayak, fishing, exploring small boats, land transfer and island outings.
Choice.... Large escape trips include: luxurious accommodations, all on board cooked food, juice, water, excluding land trips, snorkeling gear, kayaking and small boating trips, on board excursion leaders, angling gear and coaches. The" Inselpassage" offers space for only 20 people. Every single one of the days aboard the Island Passage is different and different.
We' ll get together with all the planes that arrive in Auckland on sail days and take you to Princess Wharf. You will be welcomed by our welcome team when you embark the boat for your Auckland Hauraki Golf Tour on Monday afternoons. Waiheke Island, on the way to the mooring for the evening, we cross the mystical Rangitoto Island and get to know the interesting story of the island over a cocktail in the presence of the other people.
Supper is available from 7pm and this evening you can spend your first evening on the boat and live the world. After that we go to our winetasting onshore. Kennedy Point, a private winery founded in 1996 to make the best Waiheke products using sustainability method.
We' ll also be visiting another interesting winery, Obsidian Vineyard, situated in the Onetangi Valley hill. We will also be visiting Passage Rock Wines; this winery was founded in 1993 and has six golden awards for their Syrah, which is considered one of the best in New Zealand and is listed among the best in New Zealand.
We end our winetour in the Passage Rock Café, where we have a tasty dinner with a wonderful view. This is a small, crowded, wild and charming heaven with astonishing tales to tell. We drive to the protected side of this lovely island and stop at Fitzroy Harbour, one of New Zealand's largest docks.
There is a choice of hikes to Kauri Damm, Kaitoke or the top of Mount Hobson; sea going by kayak in the lovely port; an excursion to Miners Head or you can fish from the top or take pictures of seabirds. It' French Fine Dining Night tonight, with duck and pannacotta on the menu.
We begin the morning with a delicious US buffet before exploring the island of Kawau. Former island proprietor Sir George Gray, who possessed the island from 1862 to 1888, gave Kawau its unparalleled temper. The island of Kawau is almost halved by the long bay of Bon Accord Harbour, which is a" sunken valley".
You can visit Sir George Grey's mansion and then take a leisurely drive along the street that Grey's coach (pulled by two zebras!) took. The Redwood Track is another great Kawau promenade, showing an interesting selection of tropical plants that Grey has grown - redwood, Australia's brush-cherries and the Bounya-Buna pine, to name but a few.
Visiting the yachting shop will reveal some interesting locals and you will find that Kawau is a very worthwhile area. Today's luncheon will take place at the Mahurangi River Wineyard and before you enjoy the traditional food you should stop by the cellar, the cask and taste the wines. We will also be visiting the Brick Bay sculpture trail and exploring the exhibit of New Zealand sculptures by New Zealand's top sculptors.
At the end of the afternoon, they go to Chocolate Brown, where they make chocolate by impudent craft. After that we go back to the boat, leaving Kawau Island behind us and drive to Rakino Island, where we reach later for supper. Prepare for a long evening, because we will be enjoying our last evening with a going-away-part.
We start sailing from Rakino this mornings and have our breakfasts on the way before we arrive at Princes Wharf at 11am. For the 5-night Treasure Islands of Auckland Cruise, please take the opportunity to take a look at our "Virtual Tour". A complete listing of all activity offered at each of the locations on this trip can be found in the "Destination Guide" at the top of this page.