Come and join us for 7 nights, experiencing the spectacular Taranaki Garden Festival, the magnificent Hamilton Gardens, rugged West Coast scenery, travel the Forgotten Highway and enjoy stunning
music events from our artists.
TARANAKI GARDEN FESTIVAL AND HAMILTON GARDENS
27 October - 03 November 2026
Come and join us for 7 nights, experiencing the spectacular Taranaki Garden Festival, the magnificent Hamilton Gardens, rugged West Coast scenery, travel the Forgotten Highway and enjoy stunning music events from our artists.
$5250 per person twin share
Single Room Supplement Add $1645
Initial Deposit On Booking $1000
Second Deposit Due: 30 April 2026 $2000
Final Balance Due: 09 July 2026
Days
7 Nights
Highlights
Experience glorious gardens at Taranaki Garden Festival plus Hamilton Gardens and 3 of our own concerts and special flavours.
Group Size
42
Travellers
Meals
All breakfasts
1 Morning Tea
6 Lunches
1 High Tea
5 Dinners
Mobility
Easy Tour
SPECIAL FEATURES
• 7-night Garden Tour with 2 nights in Hamilton and 5 nights in New Plymouth.
• 2 nights in Hamilton including The Hamilton Gardens, seeing their amazing, themed gardens: Katherine Mansfield Garden, Italian Renaissance Garden, Ancient Egyptian Garden, Indian Char Bagh Garden and more.
• Visit Cambridge and Hobbiton and drive the Forgotten Highway, New Zealand’s oldest heritage trail.
• 5 nights in New Plymouth experiencing the famous Taranaki Garden Festival.
• We visit at least 9 participating, contrasting gardens throughout the Taranaki region, from the established park-like country gardens, inner-city tropical rainforests and native sanctuaries. Discover and explore gorgeous scenery and award-winning gardens.
• 3 Operatunity concerts: Magical Musical Moments, a selection of favourite music theatre songs from different eras, My Song Goes Round the World, a musical journey, The Greatest Song Ever Written as we showcase greatest hits through the ages, all presented by our artists.
• Visit Tawhiti Museum in Hawera, widely regarded as the best private museum in the country.
• Drive along the beautiful coastline and through gorges on the return journey to Auckland, stopping enroute to visit the magnificent Waitomo Caves.
• Hosted and concerts presented by Alex Milligan, Alex Foster-Winder and John Bayne.
TRIP ITINERARY
Experience the Exceptional:
TUESDAY 27 OCTOBER 2026 (L, D)
Novotel Hamilton Tainui (2 nights)
Novotel Hamilton Tainui is a four-star hotel, centrally located on the banks of the Waikato River.
Highlights Include:
• We meet at the airport and travel by coach from Auckland to Hamilton.
• Visit the magnificent Hamilton Gardens with their fabulous themed gardens.
• Welcome Dinner and concert: Magical Musical Moments, a selection of favourite music theatre songs from different eras – at Woodlands Estate, a beautiful New Zealand Homestead surrounded by exquisite Victorian themed gardens established in the 1870s.
WEDNESDAY 28 OCTOBER 2026 (B, L)
Highlights Include:
• Today it’s off to Cambridge to browse the tree-lined streets, heritage buildings, or be delighted by the variety of shops in this lovely town.
• Then we experience the real Middle-earth with a guided walking tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set with lunch included.
• Free time this evening to meet friends or have your own dinner experience in one of the myriads of restaurants close to our hotel.
THURSDAY 29 OCTOBER 2026 (B, MT, L, D)
Novotel New Plymouth (5 nights)
Novotel New Plymouth is a 4-star hotel located just a short walk from the CBD and city attractions.
Highlights Include:
• Today we drive to New Plymouth, taking our time as we drive along the Forgotten Highway - New Zealand’s oldest heritage trail is remote, mysterious and scenic.
• Stop along the way at Lauren’s Lavender Farm for tea and scones and a chance to possibly see the early beautiful lavender.
• Next stop is the iconic Whangamomona Hotel for lunch.
FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER 2026 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• Visit Tawhiti Museum in Hawera, one of the most innovative museums in New Zealand. Tawhiti uses life size exhibits and scale models to capture the past.
• Visit 2 gardens in South Taranaki and enjoy lunch.
• Dinner this evening and concert from the artists entitled My Song Goes Round the World, a musical journey from France, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and NZ.
SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER 2026 (B)
Highlights Include:
• Today we visit 2 beautiful country gardens near Inglewood, with stunning views of the coast and mountain.
• Time off to enjoy the boardwalk of New Plymouth, its many shops and restaurants.
SUNDAY 01 NOVEMBER 2026 (B, L, D)
Highlights Include:
• Visit gardens in and around New Plymouth, including Te Kainga Marire, considered a private garden of international significance by the prestigious RNZIH New Zealand Gardens Trust.
• Casual dinner tonight, sharing a laugh and great food.
MONDAY 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (B, HT, D)
Highlights Include:
• Visit Pukekura Park at leisure and guided tour of the Fernery.
• High Tea at The Tea House, nestled by the main lake.
• Visit 2 gardens, including a woodland garden with an extensive variety of trees, along with rare and unique plants.
• Our final night dinner this evening with The Greatest Song Ever Written as we showcase greatest hits through the ages.
TUESDAY 03 NOVEMBER 2026 (B, L)
Highlights Include:
• Depart New Plymouth and drive along the beautiful west coastline and through gorges.
• Visit Waitomo Caves, including the Cathedral Cave and a boat ride through the glowworm grotto, before returning to Auckland for our flights home, filled with memories of music, flowers and great company.
This Trip Includes:
• 8-day, 7-night tour, staying 2 nights in Hamilton at Novotel Hamilton Tainui and 5 nights in New Plymouth at Novotel New Plymouth Taranaki.
• 3 Operatunity concerts: Magical Musical Moments, a selection of favourite music theatre songs from different eras, My Song Goes Round the World, a musical journey, The Greatest Song Ever Written as we showcase greatest hits through the ages, all presented by our artists.
• Discover and explore numerous award-winning gardens in the Taranaki Garden Festival. Gardens are subject to final availability which we will only know when the programme is announced for 2026.
• Visit to the magnificent Hamilton Gardens and wander their amazing themed gardens.
• Numerous tours as listed in the itinerary including the Hobbiton Movie Set, Pukekura Park Fernery and the marvellous Waitomo Caves.
• Numerous special experiences as listed in the itinerary including scenic drive along the Forgotten Highway, visit to Tawhiti Museum and High Tea by the lake in Pukekura Park.
• All breakfasts, 1 morning tea, 6 lunches, 1 High Tea and 5 dinners included.
• All tours, transfers, tips, concerts, taxes, as listed in the itinerary are included.
• Escorted by Alex Milligan, Alex Foster-Winder and John Bayne.
PLEASE NOTE: As our travellers are coming from all over NZ, airfares are not included. If you require us to book your flights at an additional cost, please contact us.
Important Information
• All itinerary details are subject to change, but changes will be replaced with a comparable or better option.
• Initial & Second deposits are fully refundable up until final balance due date, minus an administration fee of up to $500 plus any non-recoverable costs.
• All monies are non-refundable at final balance due date. This becomes an insurance claim.
• Bank transfer payments incur no surcharge. Credit card payments incur surcharge of 1.5%.
• Travellers need to be independently mobile and fit to travel.
• Bookings will only be accepted with initial deposit & booking form.
• All travellers must obtain comprehensive travel insurance for international travel and insurance for domestic travel is recommended.
• Please refer to our terms and conditions on booking form.
Mobility - Easy Tour
This tour will suit people with a stick, but not a walker or in a wheelchair. You will be required to walk to get from place to place and stand in museums and gardens, but it is designed to be an easy tour with lots of time to rest, travel on a coach and walk easy leisurely distances. You will need to be able to get on and off a bus with ease.