Waitakere Ranges Eco-Tour: Rainforest and Piha Beach

Escape the city and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges. Explore rainforests, stroll along black sand beaches, and enjoy informative commentary on this 5-hour eco-tour.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Arataki Visitor Centre - Waitakere Ranges - Enjoy amazing views and hear about the history of the Waitakere Ranges at the first stop on this tour. The visitors centre is also home to some traditional Māori carvings and your guide will talk about them and explain their significance for the area.
  • Waitakere Ranges - Enjoy a easy walk through the…
What's Included
  • Visit a black sand beach
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
  • Enjoy stunning coastal views
  • Inner city Auckland hotel pick up and drop off
  • Tea and coffee
  • Guided rainforest walk
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food
Additional Information

Explore and admire Auckland’s largest regional park, the Waitakere Ranges, on this 5-hour afternoon eco-tour. It’s the perfect way to escape the city and enjoy the natural beauty right at Auckland’s doorstep.
You’ll be picked up from your centrally located Auckland hotel and travel 30 minutes west to the Waitakere Ranges.
From there, you’ll head further…

Location
SkyCity Auckland
Federal Street
If you have not confirmed an inner city hotel pick up with us then our central meeting point is the entrance to the SkyCity Hotel at 12.10pm. However you MUST confirm with us that you are meeting us at this point before 8am on day of travel. Please call to confirm.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(578 Ratings)
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Barbara_g
Dec 7, 2024
Beautiful scenery.... - Beautiful scenery. Excellent guides. Black sand beach was very special. Enjoying walking in the forest.
Review provided by Viator
Trek664356
Dec 5, 2024
Amazing tour - So glad I decided to do this tour! Piha beach was so beautiful, up there with Australian beaches 😊Annie and Erin were very knowledgeable and approachable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carlotta_s
Dec 5, 2024
An eventful day - We had a wonderful and somewhat eventful day on our outing. Felicity was a loving ‘mother hen’ watching over us and feeding us information, while excellent driver Chris provided more stories. The views were stunning and the rainforest walk was informative and invigorating. The highlight came when stopping for a peak of Lion Rock above Pihu beach. Upon returning to the bus, the motor didn’t start. No problem: a nearby company bus scooped the travellers up and drove us down to the beach while Chris sent a mayday to his boss. But first we were served juice and cookies. While we enjoyed the black sand, a second bus seamlessly arrived, along with tea, coffee, water and some Manuka honey. You can tell how good a business is when they handle difficulties and Bush and Beach excelled. Chris and Felicity kept calm and had a sense of humour about the situation. Many thanks.
Review provided by Viator
Marie_h
Nov 29, 2024
Good times! - Fun tour. Pick up was prompt, driver and guide friendly. The bush walk was pretty short but we learned a bit about the local fauna and flora. Piha Beach was just beautiful! This is a great option for those who don’t want to rent a car!
Review provided by Viator
Dealyb99
Nov 28, 2024
Great day at Piha and the bush area - Really enjoyed learning about the history and culture of the bush area from Jason, our guide, who was very knowledgeable about the area and its history. It was a real pleasure to spend time with the group and him. Our family agreed it was a great trip and we were glad we went.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meike_l
Nov 28, 2024
Great vibes and great views. - The Piha Beach and Rainforest Tour was great. Mark was very knowledgeable about the trees, wildlife, and history. He stopped at a great bakery, so we could get a coffee and a snack for the ride out (just in case some people skipped breakfast) and he had tea and biscuits at the beach for a departing snack. We were very happy that there were tasty gluten free options. The views from the welcome center were gorgeous and the black sand beach was quite lovely for a stroll along the water’s edge. I highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Hoyt_p
Nov 27, 2024
Great excursion - Wonderful experience in a comfortable van. The guides were great and the two main stops were incredible. Great way to see sights outside of Auckland. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Momof2wildchilds
Nov 26, 2024
Rainforest & Beach fun - Great afternoon fun for my teen daughter & I with Erin as our guide. Fun to visit the visitors center & see the beach from above. Then a hike thru the rainforest. Saw a pair of amazing pigeons. No eels wanting to munch on our crumbs in the stream. Beautiful hike on the beach to the blow hole. Erin was super personable & very kind. Crazy how the volcanic black sand is so magnetic. Thanks for dropping us back in town for a little shopping before they closed. Needed to spend our NZ $ as we were going hm in AM.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachel_f
Nov 26, 2024
Wonderful, accessible introduction to wilderness around Auckland - A wonderful afternoon getting to know some of the local flora around Auckland, and taking in some gorgeous sights. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the region, and I felt like I learned a lot in a short time. The pace was good — I feel like we got a good amount of time in the rainforest and on the beach without being rushed, and I liked our little pause for tea and biscuits as well. A great intro to the area.
Review provided by Viator
N4030immelissam
Nov 24, 2024
Stunning scenery and local insights - great Auckland day trip! - Thank you, Milton and Michelle, for a wonderful day exploring the stunning Piha Beach and the surrounding rainforest! I truly appreciated your warmth and friendliness. It was a privilege to learn about the area from someone who grew up here, and your insights made the experience even more special. This was a true highlight of our first trip to Auckland, and I highly recommend it as a day trip for anyone visiting the city, especially if you don’t have access to a car.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 9 guests
1 Adult
December 2024
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