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Art of the North

From $1,570 per person

Thursday 30 June – Sunday 03 July 2022 (4 Days)

This tour is full of creative and artistic delights. Perfect for nurturing your creative side, we visit some of the most incredible art collections found in New Zealand and even in the Southern Hemisphere, like the recently opened Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangarei. Also included is the Auckland Art Gallery and the Sculptureum in Matakana.

Day 1 Thursday 30 June 2022
JOURNEY TO AUCKLAND (D)
We start our tour today with a drive to Auckland, where we visit the incredible Auckland Art Gallery. The Gallery is home to a permanent collection of 17,000 artworks, including some of New Zealand’s most treasured works, and stages an ever-changing series of exhibitions and public programmes. Our museum guide takes us on a fascinating tour through the Gallery, revealing stories behind the artworks and exploring the history of the building itself. Following our time exploring the extensive art collections, we travel the short distance to our hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to explore the City of Sails. We reconvene at the hotel for dinner tonight in the Fortuna Restaurant.
Accommodation: SkyCity Hotel, Auckland – 1 night

Day 2 Friday 01 July 2022
AUCKLAND - WHANGAREI (BLD)
Departing Auckland this morning, we travel north to Matakana where our first visit is at Morris & James Pottery. A Matakana institution, Morris & James was established in 1977 by Ant Morris, and today is run by over 15 artisans and crafts people. There is time here to browse a selection of colourful ceramics, pots, home décor and gardenware, all created on-site. We then travel the short distance to the Sculptureum, a unique art destination containing over 750 different works of art combining to build a creative playground spanning over 1.5-km of sculptural gardens. Each area has an engaging mix of local and international art. The six indoor art galleries are home to the best collection of international glass art in the Southern Hemisphere, we enjoy lunch today at the Sculptureum. Departing Matakana we carry on with our journey north to Whangarei to our accommodation for the next few nights. Dinner is at the hotel tonight.
Accommodation: Distinction Hotel, Whangarei – 2 nights

Day 3 Saturday 02 July 2022
WHANGAREI SIGHTS (BD)
Today we visit two art museums in Whangarei. Our first visit is to the recently opened Hundertwasser Art Centre, an original Hundertwasser architecture project. Alongside his famous public toilets in Kawakawa, the Hundertwasser Art Centre is the only other example of Hundertwasser’s architecture in the Southern Hemisphere. It is home to about $16 million worth of Hundertwasser's art and is the only permanent collection outside of Vienna. The Art Centre is also home to the Wairau gallery, the world's first gallery dedicated solely to contemporary Māori art. There will be plenty of time to explore the Art Centre at your own pace. We also visit the Whangarei Art Museum, Northland’s public art gallery, and the permanent home of the city’s art collection, which embraces both heritage and contemporary artworks. After we enjoy our lunch (own cost) in the Town Basin, we take a scenic drive out to Whangarei Heads with the road following the edge of the Whangarei Harbour. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel.

Day 4 Sunday 03 July 2022
JOURNEY FROM WHANGAREI (B)
After breakfast this morning, we depart Whangarei and begin our journey home. We stop in at Orewa Beach for our lunch stop (own cost), before continuing to Hamilton.

SkyCity Hotel, Auckland

Right in the heart of Auckland City, the SkyCity Hotel is the perfect location to explore the sights and sounds of this vibrant city. Enjoy genuine kiwi hospitality and modern, spacious accommodation.

Distinction Whangarei

Distinction Whangarei Hotel & Conference Centre is perfectly suited to both business and leisure travellers. Conveniently located opposite the stunning Whangarei Town Basin and a few minutes walk from the Whangarei city centre as well as some of Whangarei’s most tranquil bush walks and gardens. The majestic Bay of Islands is less than one hour’s drive from our 4 star Whangarei hotel.
All comfortable guest rooms and suites are air-conditioned and offer SKY TV channels and FREE unlimited WiFi.

Tour Inclusions

Door to door home collection & drop off service available from select areas – refer to flyer for further information
3 nights accommodation - twin/double rooms, all with private facilities (single rooms available with surcharge)
Tour admissions as per itinerary
Touring in modern air-conditioned vehicle
Breakfasts (B), Lunches (L), Dinners (D) where indicated on your daily itinerary – 3x breakfasts, 1x lunch, 3x dinners
Roadside Morning Teas – where possible
Guided tour of Auckland Art Gallery
Admission and lunch at Sculptureum Matakana
Admission to Hundertwasser Art Centre

Tour Payments Per Person ($NZD)

Club Member Guaranteed Share Twin Cost:	$1,550.00
Non Member Share Twin Cost:	$1,570.00
Single Supplement:	$300.00
Non-refundable deposit due at time of booking	$200.00

Full balance of tour payment due by Thursday 19 May 2022

Are door to door collections included on this tour? YES

Yes. Leisure Time Tours offers a free home collection and drop off service from selected Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua and most Auckland City areas. Our complimentary collections are based on your individual post code, other home collection locations available at an additional cost. Alternatively you may wish to meet us at our Hamilton depot in which case you can park your car in our secure yard free of charge for the duration of your holiday. For all tours that have a flight component, we can also offer door to door collections from Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin city areas.

Please refer to our Home Collection flyer for further information about this service.

Is the Guaranteed twin Share Price available on this tour? YES

Yes. Our Guaranteed Twin Share price is available for those passengers willing to share with another single traveller of the same gender. If there isn’t another passenger of the same gender to share with we GUARANTEE our twin share price. Leisure Times Tours accepts no responsibility for the compatibility of passengers travelling under this arrangement. If someone is not compatible with the person they have been matched up with, all additional costs incurred to assist with changing their shared room type to two single rooms will be at the expense of both travellers and will be subject to availability. Acceptance of a guaranteed twin share room is subject to the individual’s medical condition being suitable for this type of arrangement.

Please note that the guaranteed twin share pricing is not available to pre & post tour accommodation arrangements.

What fitness level is required for this tour? EASY LEVEL

To ensure that you select the right tour for you, we’ve developed a very clear set of fitness recommendations for our tours. These physical ratings clearly explain how much physical exertion is required to participate on each tour.

Level 1 – Easy

Relaxed paced tour
Be able to participate in guided or unguided small walking tours at a relaxed pace.
Walk on mostly level ground
Tackle an occasional flight of stairs
Occasionally need to stand for up to 10 minutes
Able to get on and off transportation unaided

Level 2 – Moderate

Be able to participate in walking tours with time to rest at least every 10 minutes
Stand for 15 minutes without needing to sit down
Tackle a flight of stairs or incline
Able to get on and off transportation unaided
Walk confidently on bush tracks

Level 3 – Active

Participate in walking tours without having to rest for up to 20 minutes
Walk up an incline equal to a flight of stairs without stopping
Stand for 30 minutes without needing to sit down
Walk over uneven ground and walk through soft sand
Able to get on and off transportation unaided

Is this tour a guaranteed departure? NO

This tour will be guaranteed once there are 10 passengers booked on the tour.

Can you assist with pre & post tour accommodation? YES

Yes we can. Should you wish to arrive earlier or stay longer we can book in some pre and post tour accommodation for you. Please ask at the time of booking if you require this.

Will there be a daily seat rotation on this tour? YES

Passengers rotate seats in the coach daily so that all passengers have the opportunity to enjoy forward and window seating. All passengers are expected to participate as a booking condition.

Are roadside morning teas included on this tour? YES

Yes. A point of difference is that wherever possible we offer our passengers roadside refreshments served from the coach. This gives all passengers the chance to mix and mingle over a hot cuppa allowing us to share our experiences as we journey together.

Do I need travel insurance?

Leisure Time Tours strongly advises all passengers to purchase a travel insurance policy. A comprehensive travel insurance policy may prevent you from spending extra money in case of an emergency and will help you feel protected during your holiday. We are agents for Cover More Travel Insurance. Ask us for a no obligation insurance quote today.

How much luggage can I bring?

Luggage is restricted to one suitcase and one small item of hand luggage per person. Baggage handling of one suitcase per person, at each hotel, is included in the trip price. Carry-on/hand luggage handling is the responsibility of each guest and all personal items must be taken off the coach by you each day of the trip.

What clothing should I pack?

When on tour, dress is generally relaxed and casual with an informal dress standard on most occasions. Casual wear is recommended for travelling with something a little more formal for evening dining. If taking part in outdoor activities, make sure you have a waterproof coat, comfortable footwear and dress in layers to help you adjust to any sudden changes in climate. Be prepared for New Zealand’s powerful sun, even on cold windy days, bringing a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.