How booking works: simple, personal and clear from the start
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Step 1: Send us an enquiry
Use our enquiry form, email us at tamaki.travel.ltd@gmail.com, message us on WhatsApp (+64 21 103 4040), or send a message on Instagram (@tamaki.travel.ltd). Tell us your dates, how many people are travelling, where you're staying, and anything you'd love to see or do. Not sure yet? That's fine. Just tell us what you enjoy.
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Step 2: We reply personally
Within 24 hours, one of us will reply by WhatsApp or email with suggested itineraries and a clear, itemised quote in New Zealand dollars. Every tour is tailored to your group, so there are no set prices: your quote is for your exact dates, numbers and wishes. If it helps, we're happy to talk it through by phone or WhatsApp.
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Step 3: Shape your day
This is where the fun starts. Change the order, add a tasting or a spa visit, swap lunch for a picnic, or slow the whole day down. Let us know about any dietary needs, mobility needs, celebrations or child seats.
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Step 4: Confirm your booking
When you're happy with the plan, we'll send a booking confirmation and invoice.
- Deposit: 30% of your quote secures your date. Pay by bank transfer, or by card using a secure payment link.
- Balance: due 14 days before your tour (or in full when you confirm, if your tour is within 14 days).
- Currency: All quotes and payments are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).
See our payment, cancellation and weather policies below.
We then book your tickets, tables, ferries and any extras on your behalf.
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Step 5: A few days before
A few days before your tour, we'll confirm your pickup time and place, share the weather outlook and what to bring, and send the name and mobile number of your guide-host. For cruise guests, we'll double-check your ship's arrival and all-aboard times.
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Step 6: Tour day
Your guide-host meets you at your door, hotel lobby or the cruise terminal. From there, all you need to do is enjoy the day. We'll bring you back to your accommodation (or your ship) at the end.
Customising your tour
Every tour on our site is a suggestion, not a script. Popular changes include:
- a shorter or slower day, or a different pace to suit your group
- upgrades such as a helicopter leg, water taxi, spa visit or premium wine tasting (subject to availability, and itemised in your quote)
- mixing favourite stops from different tours, where distances allow in a single day
- celebrations, such as a proposal, anniversary or birthday. Tell us and we'll help make it special.
Pickup and drop-off
- Included from central Auckland hotels, apartments and the cruise terminal.
- Airport pickups and addresses outside central Auckland are available and quoted on request.
- Waiheke tours start with a pickup or a meeting at the Downtown Ferry Terminal.
- Pickup times depend on the tour, and for the Coromandel they may shift with the tide.
Payments, deposits and cancellations
We like to keep things simple and fair. This is the short version. The full detail is in our Terms & Conditions.
Quote, deposit and payment
- Your quote: every tour is tailored to your group, dates and wishes, so we quote each one individually. Your quote is itemised, in New Zealand dollars, and stays open for 14 days.
- Deposit: 30% of your quote secures your date, your vehicle and guide-host, and the venue bookings we make for you.
- Balance: due 14 days before your tour. If you book within 14 days of your tour, we ask for full payment when you confirm.
- How to pay: by bank transfer, or by card using a secure payment link we send you. If a card fee applies, we'll tell you before you pay.
- Currency: all quotes and payments are in New Zealand dollars (NZD). Any fees your own bank charges for an international payment are yours.
If you need to cancel or change
Plans change, and we understand. Please let us know in writing (email or WhatsApp) as soon as you can. Your notice counts from the day we receive it.
| Notice before your tour | What we charge |
|---|---|
| 30 days or more | Nothing. Full refund of everything you've paid, less any non-refundable third-party cost we've already paid for you and told you about (we'll flag these in your quote). |
| 14 to 29 days | 30% of the tour price (your deposit is kept). |
| 7 to 13 days | 50% of the tour price. |
| 2 to 6 days | 75% of the tour price. |
| Less than 48 hours, or a no-show | 100% of the tour price. |
- Changing your date: free, once, if you ask at least 14 days before your tour and we have availability. Closer than that, we'll try to move your tour, or treat it as a cancellation.
- Changing group size: tell us as soon as you can. We may need to update your quote, and a smaller group is treated as a part-cancellation.
- No-shows: if we can't reach you and you haven't arrived within 20 minutes of your pickup time, we'll treat the tour as a no-show.
- If we can fill your date again, we'll reduce the charge.
- Illness or emergencies: please talk to us. We look at each situation kindly and may offer a new date or credit. We also recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation.
- Booked through Viator? The cancellation policy shown on your Viator listing applies, and changes are made through Viator.
Weather, safety and changes by us
- Weather: most tours run in light rain, and we may reorder the day or swap a stop for a better indoor or sheltered option. We keep a close eye on forecasts, ferry updates and road conditions, and we'll contact you as early as we can, usually the evening before and always by 7am on the day.
- If we cancel your tour (because of severe weather, safety, a cancelled Waiheke ferry, a road closure or anything else outside your control), you choose: a new date at no extra charge, or a full refund of everything you've paid. A new date stays valid for 12 months. Refunds go back to your original payment method within 10 business days.
- If only part of your day is affected (for example a closed track, cave or venue, or a boat trip that can't run), we'll swap in something of similar value, or refund that part.
- Cruise delays: if your ship arrives late, we'll adjust the day wherever we can. If your ship skips Auckland or you can't join the tour because of your ship, we'll move your tour if possible. Otherwise we'll refund what you've paid, less any non-recoverable third-party cost we've already paid and told you about.
- Venue closures on the day: if a venue closes unexpectedly, we'll arrange the best alternative, or refund that part if we can't.
Nothing in these policies limits your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or the Fair Trading Act 1986.