Trip Report - New Zealand ABD March 13 - 24, 2023 Updated 1/17/24!

[distravel]

Luckily my husband and I were in the early ziplining group so we didn't have to spend so much time in this tiny town which in my opinion was the least interesting of all the little towns we saw. I know some people from the late ziplining group were very angry about wasting so much time that morning. Wine tasting at a Vineyard, Ziplining , and time on your own in a small town are all activities that are repeated later in the itinerary. In my opinion ABD should change this day entirely with an another activity in Auckland or maybe include Hobbiton. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed the day but if I am only visiting beautiful New Zealand once then I don't want to repeat activities. The itinerary just needs a little tweaking.

 

[sayhello]

Sounds like a fun day, although I agree about option to go back earlier would have been nice. Your post reminded me of one of my reactions to the Greece ABD, which we really loved, but I was pretty over the beach/meal on your own time in a cute little town by the end of the tour as there was so much of it. I've never zip-lined, and I think it's probably not no my list. I don't have fear of heights necessarily, but that first step would be hard.

Actually, the option they need is to get there later, not go back earlier. I think it was OK as far as our (the early group) leaving was concerned, although the stop in Oneroa was honestly unnecessary. (There was nothing special about Oneroa). But they didn't have anywhere else for the late group *to* go until lunch time (which was almost 1pm!). So having them leave Auckland on the 9am ferry just seems ridiculous.

And the first step *is* hard! Very hard! But once you do it, it's amazing! But I get it. You would never in a million years see me bungee jump or skydive!

Luckily my husband and I were in the early ziplining group so we didn't have to spend so much time in this tiny town which in my opinion was the least interesting of all the little towns we saw. I know some people from the late ziplining group were very angry about wasting so much time that morning. Wine tasting at a Vineyard, Ziplining , and time on your own in a small town are all activities that are repeated later in the itinerary. In my opinion ABD should change this day entirely with an another activity in Auckland or maybe include Hobbiton. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed the day but if I am only visiting beautiful New Zealand once then I don't want to repeat activities. The itinerary just needs a little tweaking.

Yep. I totally agree with you that Oneroa was not very interesting. It was pleasant, but nothing special, and could easily have been skipped. And I mostly agree with you about that whole day. I *really* enjoyed the ziplining on Waiheke, but since we had the ziplining in Rotorua, also, it was pretty redundant. And the Rotorua ziplining is definitely the better of the 2. Hobbiton would be an amazing addition (they could just head to Rotorua a day earlier than currently). I think it's cute and fun enough that even non-LOTR fans would enjoy it. Then you could stop in Matamata for a bit. It does seem weird that with all the stuff to see and do in New Zealand, they chose to repeat activities like this, and have now compounded it by doing ebike excursions twice, too! (Which was not even that popular!)

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[chuff88]

I have to wonder if they don’t include Hobbiton because LOTR isn’t a Disney-owned property.

 

[sayhello]

I have to wonder if they don’t include Hobbiton because LOTR isn’t a Disney-owned property.

Perhaps, but a lot of the local tour guides, especially on the South Island, pointed out LOTR-related shooting sites. But yes, it might be hard for them to advertise going to a LOTR-themed area. I wonder if they'd have to get Newline's permission, or if the permission of the family running the Hobbiton tours on their farm would be enough... That's an interesting point.

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[CaliforniaGirl09]

Actually, the option they need is to get there later, not go back earlier. I think it was OK as far as our (the early group) leaving was concerned, although the stop in Oneroa was honestly unnecessary. (There was nothing special about Oneroa). But they didn't have anywhere else for the late group *to* go until lunch time (which was almost 1pm!). So having them leave Auckland on the 9am ferry just seems ridiculous.

Ah, sorry for that. Yes, I got it jumbled. But that long in a little town would have really annoyed me, too, were I in the first group who went to the town for 2.5 hours. A later ferry would have made much more sense.

 

[sayhello]

So, sorry it's been so long between updates! I had a family wedding out of state to go to (it was *LOVELY*!!) and a bunch of doctor's appointments and stuff to catch up on, and I'm kinda still dealing with COVID brain, although that's getting better. Anyways, I'm hoping to be back on a better schedule for updates now!

Day 4 - On the Glow

Today had an early start (luggage out at 7am, meet up at 8am) as we were driving down from Auckland to Rotorua. Some of this route was the same way I'd been on when I'd gone to Hobbiton, which is in the area of Rotorua. It was a gorgeous blue sky morning with some low hanging clouds clinging to the hills we passed.



The 3 hour morning trip was broken up a bit by a mid-morning stop at a small shopping area where we could get coffee drinks and snacks, stretch our legs, do a little shopping and hit the restrooms. It was a pleasant stop with darned good coffee!



Right around noon, we stopped at the Roselands BBQ Restaurant for lunch. We'd pre-selected our barbecued entree, and all the sides and desserts were on a pretty extensive buffet. The weather was quite lovely, and we sat in their outdoors seating area for a very tasty lunch.







After lunch, we continued on to where we met up with the Vans that were to take us to today's location (which was one I was *really* looking forward to!): the Waitomo Caves with Spellbound Glowworm & Cave Tours. We were issued hard hats with lights on them. Once we'd boarded our vans (again, split up into smaller groups that would rotate between which caves we saw) we passed some beautiful rolling hills with a lot of rock formations dotting them. Our driver explained to us that a lot of what we were seeing was the external top parts of the caves.





There were lovely streams that flowed past and into some of the caves.



The group I was with (with Nettie) started out by going to the cave that held the famous glowworms. We put on our hardhats, and followed our Guide into the cave. At first we used our lights to see where we were going, but eventually, the Guide had us turn them off so that our eyes could adjust to the dark. He and Nettie had flashlights that they kept pointed at the ground so that we could still tell where we were putting our feet, but mostly we were guided by ropes and railings strung along the path. Eventually we got to a point where we stopped, and all the lights were off, and you could see several pinpoints of light lining the ceiling of the cave. Our Guide explained that the glowworms (which actually aren't worms, but are the larvae stage of the fungus gnat) attach themselves to the ceilings and have a tentacle-like thread that hangs down. The glowworms' glow attracts insects, and as they are drawn to the light, they get entrapped by the sticky dangling threads (which you can't see in the dark) and are then eaten by the glowworms. He briefly turned on a small flashlight so that we could see the dangly threads (where did *those* come from??!!?!) and then turned the light back off. It was pretty crazy. Photos just don't turn out or even vaguely do this place justice! (I tried while we were stopped, but failed miserably, so just quit trying. You don't want the phone/camera light spoiling the view, anyways!)



After this brief stop, we kept walking deeper into the cave, and eventually got to an area where you could hear water. They had a little boat docked there that we loaded into, and everyone was told to be quiet. We very slowly were pulled out along the water, deeper into the cave, and let me tell you, it was spectacular! It just didn't look real! I won't give too much away, but let me just say it looked better than Disneyland's best special effects, but it was all natural and very real!! Seriously awe-inspiring!

Eventually, we were done with our viewing, and started back out. Nettie took photos of our family groups, and then we exited the cave. It was really an amazing experience!



Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

Exiting the glowworm cave back the way we'd come in.



There were some eels in the stream outside the cave, and our Guide told us a bit about them and fed one of them. Weird but cool!



We headed back to the area where the Vans were, to meet up with the other groups, have some refreshments and use the restroom, and eventually switch caves.



The second cave (Te Anna O Te Atua, the Spirit Cave) didn't have many glowworms (and also wasn't kept as dark), but it had some really fascinating formations, and the ancient remains of some animals, including the now extinct giant Moa bird. These caves were very beautiful in a totally different way.















Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

After we were done with the caves, we headed back out to Rotorua, stopping on the way in the tiny town of Tirau (I looked this one up) which is known for some very quirky buildings/sculptures made out of corrugated metal! They were definitely *very* unique! (The restrooms were in the dog building!)





A lot of signs in the town were also made of corrugated metal. It's what the town is known for.



As we got into Rotorua, our motorcoach driver pointed out to us one of the crazy features of Rotorua - vast areas where thermal steam is escaping. There are lakes that just "smoke". It's quite something.



We then headed to a marae (a community house) belonging to a Māori community. This was another activity I was really looking forward to. We were welcomed into the marae with a traditional welcome.



The marae was quite lovely, brightly painted with beautiful paintings and weavings. We got a bit of a lesson in Māori life and legends, there was singing and storytelling and a traditional haka dance.







We eventually made our way over to an area where our dinner, a traditional hāngī feast, was cooking buried in a pit in the ground. We watched as they unearthed our meal (which smelled incredible) and then followed them over to the hall where we would be dining. There were several children there, helping out, as they happened to have a school holiday that day.



The meal was delicious, with an array of lamb, chicken, green-lipped mussels and various vegetables.



It was really a wonderful meal and experience, having this family and community invite us in. I love these kinds of cultural experiences that ABD does, immersing you in the lives of the locals.

Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

We then headed off to check into our hotel for the next 2 nights, the Pullman Rotorua. As it's been reported in other trip reports, while a very nice hotel, the room setup was rather on the odd side. The bathroom was basically right in the room, with just little cubicles for the toilet and shower. It was fine for someone like me traveling solo, but likely more than a bit problematic as far as privacy is concerned for folks with more than 1 in their party.



And the room was split up by this odd pillar in the middle of the room, with the TV mounted on it.



It was very strange, until I realized that it did this:



It was still awkward, but at least made a bit more sense at that point!

Then it was off to bed, as we had a full day the next day, touring around Rotorua, and our second zipline day!

Next up: Day 5 - Save the Kiwis.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Very cool! Really enjoying the report. The caves looked awesome, and I liked the dog bathroom, LOL.

 

[sayhello]

Very cool! Really enjoying the report. The caves looked awesome, and I liked the dog bathroom, LOL.

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it. The caves were just spectacular. And the bathroom was pretty funny!

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[hbg1]

Thanks for posting this trip report, I’m in the early stages of planning and you’ve provided a lot of useful info for me

 

[sayhello]

Thanks for posting this trip report, I’m in the early stages of planning and you’ve provided a lot of useful info for me

My pleasure! Let me know if you have *any* questions! It's a fabulous trip!

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[mwr62]

c

 

[sayhello]

Day 5 - Save the Kiwis

Today was our day around Rotorua. The day started out rainy, and it rained on & off for much of the day. But we still had a good time and got a lot done! Our motorcoach driver, who was from Rotorua, took us on a quick drive around town to show us a few landmarks.

The Bath House (which used to be a Spa and is now a Museum).



Geothermal steam rising from a pond in the park.



We then headed off to the National Kiwi Hatchery to learn about Kiwi birds and the center's conservation efforts to save the Kiwis from extinction and help them to survive and thrive.







There was a kiwi youngster in a cage (and behind glass) that we could look at - quite adorable!



We also learned a bit about Kiwi egg anatomy and how the folks from the Hatchery gather eggs to help them hatch and survive.



They had a baby Kiwi in one area (also behind a glass wall) and one of the folks that worked there brought it out for us to look at as he tried to hold the squirming chick to show to us.

A Kiwi puffball!





They had a Kiwi in a "Nocturnal" area (i.e,, really dark) and it was pretty impossible to see it in there. But they are nocturnal, and they don't want to disrupt it's cycles.



Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

We then had a nice bit of time to shop the Hatchery's kiwi-themed gift shop that had some really nice T-shirts, stuffed kiwi birds, wooden wall ornaments, books, etc. I bought a wood ornament, a T-shirt and a stuffed kiwi bird with "Real Sound" when you squeeze it!





After our time at the Kiwi Hatchery, we headed to an area called the Agrodome, which they dubbed "The Ultimate Farm Experience". It's a large farm where they keep sheep and llamas and deer and cattle.



We were then taken in a tractor-driven tram around the grounds, where we stopped at a couple of spots to feed sheep. As always, cavorting with the animals was fun!





We were then taken into the large barn where we were shown a demonstration of how they sheer sheep. The sheep were surprisingly docile during the process!





We then headed back to our tram, and saw more sheep, and lots of deer and cattle and llamas.







Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

We got out to feed the llamas, and that was a total crack up!











The Agrodome's mascot!



After our tour, we walked over to their "Farmyard Cafe" for a private buffet lunch in their back room.





We then had some free time to shop their gift shop until we needed to meet out front to head out for our second Zipline excursion. The shop had an extensive collection of wool clothing and accessories and other farm animal themed items. I bought a cute red & black striped merino wool hat, and got a free jar of Agrodome branded "Placenta Cream" with sheep lanolin. Not something I'd've purchased, but it *is* nice and creamy!

By the time we met up to head to the Ziplining, it was raining pretty steadily, and the outfitters lent us rain gear (pants & jackets) to wear, which really worked nicely. This set of Ziplines was definitely more challenging than the ones on Waiheke. They were pretty high up, went through the trees (serious rainforest!) and into areas that you couldn't see from the platform and where you could not see the next platform you were heading to.



A bit of a lesson between platforms about the local bird life - both extinct and current.



Continued in next post.

 

[sayhello]

One of the things that was also a bit scary was that most of the platforms did not have handrails, although they *did* have a line around the trees in the center of the platforms for you to hook onto. They had us do some different things during the runs, like flap our arms like a bird or try and go upside-down, things like that. I didn't even try! I was quite happy, thank you, to make it to the next platform! They did, for one of the platforms, have us launch ourselves backwards. We stepped down a few steps, already facing backwards, and then just pushed off. It wasn't too bad, until my foot got caught!! I had my ankle brace on, so my foot couldn't point, and my boot hooked under one of the steps! For a moment I had the horrid image flash through my brain of my boot and brace all getting pulled off, and falling down into the abyss of the jungle below, never to be found!! It really was just for a second, and my boot did not even come close to coming off, but it scared me for a moment there!

There were a few long bridges that were a tad nerve-wracking, but not horribly so, as they had plenty of ropes for you to hang on to for "security".



But they also had a short bridge that was fairly narrow and had no side rails at all. You were totally hooked into the line above you, but it was still pretty scary. And to make it worse, they stopped folks part way across to try and get photos of folks leaning out over the abyss.



I was, at that point, *totally* incapable of doing that despite quite a bit of encouragement, so they just took a photo of me standing there on the bridge. Good enough! Would I have liked to have had a photo of me leaning out? Of course! Was I going to get one? No way!



Overall, even with all the rain, it was a very fun Zipline experience.

After we finished Ziplining, we headed back to the hotel to clean up (and dry up!) for dinner. For our dinner, we took the Skyline gondolas up to the "Stratosfare" Restaurant on top of Mount Ngongotaha (yes, I Googled that!) According to the itinerary, this was *supposed* to be dinner at a place called "Eat Street", but for whatever reason (I forgot to ask) this place was substituted. It was a very nice dinner, although I don't know how it would compare to Eat Street.

Unfortunately for us, the area below the Stratosfare was TOTALLY socked in. You can see us heading up into the thick cloud layer in this photo:



You could not see a thing below the gondolas or from the restaurant, which at first was pretty sad, because the restaurant had sweeping floor to ceiling windows meant to (normally) show off the amazing view.



Fortunately, as the evening went on, the clouds started to lift, and we were able to see the panoramic view of Rotorua below us.





The Stratosfare is an ENORMOUS buffet restaurant. The selection just went on and on and on! Pretty much anything you could think of, they had there. And the food was pretty good, too. There was just SO much food, I can't imagine that they don't have tons of food left over at night. Nobody left hungry!



Then it was back to the hotel to pack up and head to bed, as we were heading out to Christchurch and the South Island the next day!

Up Next: Day 6: Island Hopping

 

[chuff88]

@sayhello Are they still sending the pins out in advance or did you get them each day on the trip? I'm just curious what to expect for our upcoming trip in August. Also I've seen water bottles mentioned in other threads and we didn't get water bottles last year for Norway. Are they not doing that any more?

 

[sayhello]

@sayhello Are they still sending the pins out in advance or did you get them each day on the trip? I'm just curious what to expect for our upcoming trip in August. Also I've seen water bottles mentioned in other threads and we didn't get water bottles last year for Norway. Are they not doing that any more?

They sent out the pins in advance, with the rest of "the box". (Although they forgot to include my "Insiders" pin, so I had to call ABD to get that one sent).

There *were* water bottles for my New Zealand trip, but I'm not sure if it's for all trips or what. They sent them to us because New Zealand is very eco-conscious, and we were told the Guides would not be providing bottled water on the motorcoach and during the trip (we did still get them in our hotel rooms) so we needed to bring them with us. The Guides actually had extra water bottles when we met up with them on the first day, in case anyone hadn't brought theirs. The tap water in New Zealand is excellent. But again, I don't know if they are doing the no bottled water/sending water bottles for all trips now or what.

They do not appear to be giving out duffel bags anymore. So if you like using those (I use it for stuff I want to carry back & forth for the motorcoach) bring one from home!

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