16 Day New Zealand Wildlife Encounters

Raglan Boat Charters is located at the Raglan Wharf on Whaingaroa Harbour, the West Coast of New Zealand's North Island, 40 kms from Hamilton and approx 150kms from Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua. About our Cruises: Departing Raglan Wharf aboard the Wahinemoe to explore the charm of Whaingaroa Harbour – cruise past large conservation reserves, farmland and fishing villages. You will see marine wildlife and ancient limestone rock formations, and listen to fascinating tales about the history and culture of this very special area. Your friendly skipper and crew will take great care of you and make sure you have a magical experience. The sunset cruise is the best and its extremely rare on the west coast to find such an excellent viewpoint.

We offer scenic day tours to the local attractions, with the bonus of exploring some secluded spots and/or beautiful waterfalls while experiencing authentic Māori culture with our local guides. Our tours include snacks and refreshments for the budget wise traveler, allowing more time to visit some remote destinations and enjoy the beauty that New Zealand has to offer. Our guides are experienced to understand your needs and can take you to additional destinations while on tour to give you memories to last a lifetime. We can tailor each itinerary to meet specific individual needs.

As you descend, you’ll climb and abseil the cascading waterfalls all whilst under the light of your head torch, and the luminescent shine of the glow worms! Feel safe in the company of an experienced guide, as they lead you on a great adventure. Throughout the trip hear the stories, history, and knowledge of the landscape and local area from your passionate guide. As darkness falls, you’ll begin to see the luminescent transformation take place. Witness new worlds of light being created by the native New Zealand glowworms who call this place home. Take a minute to stop for a moment of peace and tranquillity, with a hot cup of freshly made Kawakawa tea. All equipment, photos and instruction is provided.

You’re probably surprised to see a vineyard in Raglan, within a region not well-known for its wine. So, this is a special opportunity to try unique local wines in an equally incomparable location. This 1-hour 15 minute wine tasting and platter experience includes a short vineyard and winery tour, where you can learn more about our property and process. Our generous platters, perfect for lunch, typically include olives, three types of cheese, ample crackers, preserves & relish, chocolate, dates, and cured meats. We can accommodate gluten-free and vegetarian diets. Although our wines are vegan-friendly, we cannot accommodate dairy-free or vegan diets due to the main ingredients of our platters. Availability is limited and bookings essential.

Karamu Trail Track offers safe unique & adventurous horse treks in the varied stunning surrounds of native bush, streams, limestone rocks, and rolling farmland. You'll often see our young horses & foals frolicking as well as cows, peacocks, turkeys, pheasants, rabbits, hares & birds as we ride along. With over 100 different tracks to choose from every trek is different, and allows us to cater for the very beginner to the advanced. Choose from 1, 2, or 4 hour treks, or for a really special treat try our 2hr twilight/glow worm rides. Scheduled treks go out every weekend, public holiday, and school holidays at 10am & 1pm, with 3:30pm available also. Weekdays by demand. Bookings essential. Accommodation is also available.

Escape the crowds and join Raglan Rock to explore the closest caving network to Hamilton City Centre. The original pioneer’s tour follows the first mapped route of the Karamu Cave. Descend into the beautiful natural limestone chasms and experience an out of this world adventure. A peaceful walk through the Karamu cave stream leads past a few fun wriggly squeezes before entering the magnificent auditorium, where the exciting wriggle and squeeze known as the keyhole leads you to a different world. Karamu cave is a treasure trove of delicate and prehistoric formations; stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and crystals, as well as showcasing many fossils, from cockles to kina shells. Come sink your teeth into the adventure for everyone.