Just a few hours south of Auckland lie three of New Zealand’s greatest natural wonders; geothermal Rotorua, stunning Lake Taupo and the awe-inspiring Waitomo Caves.

Join us, and bask in the dramatic beauty of Waitomo’s Glow-worm and Aranui caves. Feast your eyes on Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro Mountains reflected in Lake Taupo before watching the Waikato River launch itself over the Huka Falls. Then experience nature’s geothermal pyrotechnics at Wai-O-Tapu near Rotorua.

Heading south from Auckland, we are guided by New Zealand’s longest river, the Waikato. We pass the sacred mountain at Taupiri that watches over the home of the Maori king at Ngaruawahia before lunch in Otorohanga. ‘Oto’ to the locals, is a characteristic Kiwi one-street town proudly adorned with kiwiana kitsch.

A short drive leads us to the Waitomo Caves; one of New Zealand’s most celebrated attractions, where a local Maori guide will delight you with the cave’s stories and legends. A guided tour through the glow-worm cave offers a magnificent underground cathedral, ornate natural cave decoration and a breathtaking underground boat trip lit by millions of tiny glow-worms. Then another guide will introduce you to the mystical Aranui cave. Cloaked in native bush, the Aranui cave is steeped in Maori legend and contains an incredible collection of stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones. The Lonely Planet describes the Waitomo Caves as a ‘must do’, and by the time you leave, you’ll understand why.

From Waitomo our southeast direction leads us down picturesque rural roads between the Rangitoto and Hauhungaroa Ranges, before glimpsing shimmering Lake Taupo. Once a small lakeside village, Taupo is today a cosmopolitan town and gateway to the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Here we check in to our accommodation in time to watch the sun set across the beautiful lake.

Day two begins with a short drive to a lookout with stunning vistas across the lake to the snow capped peaks of the Tongariro National Park. We then pause beside the swirling water of the Waikato river, surging through a chasm and exploding in a torrent of foam and spray down the Huka Falls. Known to the Maori as Hukanui, meaning great body of spray, the droplets refract the sunlight into a blazing kaleidoscope of colours.

Winding north through pine forests and native bush we are soon greeted by billowing steam, announcing our arrival in Wai-O-Tapu. Meaning Sacred Waters, Wai-O-Tapu has been influenced by volcanic activity for more than 150,000 years and has the greatest area of surface thermal activity anywhere in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Wai-O-Tapu is home to the world famous Champagne Pool, the Artist’s Palette and the Lady Knox Geyser. During an easy 1-1½ hour walk on level boardwalks, you will witness nature’s fiery geothermal spirit: geysers, bubbling mud pools, steaming ground, huge volcanic craters and sinter terraces.

From Wai-O-Tapu, it’s north to Rotorua and the living Maori village at Whakarewarewa. Unlike some ‘stage managed’ Maori experiences, Whakarewarewa is home to a Maori community that has occupied the village for generations. It’s a great opportunity to taste a Hangi: a Maori feast traditionally cooked over hot stones in the ground (cost not included). Here, a village resident will explain - peppered with typically humorous anecdotes - how locals have harnessed the area’s geothermal power, and use its steam for cooking.

Later, we reach the shores of Lake Rotorua with its view of Mokoia Island, famed in the tale of Hinemoa and Tutanekai. From here you’re free to visit Government Gardens and its excellent museum, explore beautiful St Faith’s Church, shop for original souvenirs in the charming lakeside village of Ohinemutu or simply relax on the grass beside the picturesque lake.

Finally we return to Auckland, arriving back in the early evening to say our farewells.