Here’s part 2 of these wonderful ads for nature.
If you missed part 1, you can see it here.
Scientific research also shows the mental health benefits of nature walks.
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Video: Get your dose of nature – part 2
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- Karen B
Loved our tour with Gabrielle - We really appreciated the knowlege of Gabrielle about the island, its history and the flora and fauna of the area. We learned so much about the positve steps NZ is... read more taking to restore the natural habitat, the history and the efforts to protect the ecological system of Waiheke. It was interesting to see where/how the traps are set to irradiate the rodents of New Zealand. We enjoyed our lunch with Gabrielle as well as our walk in the bush. We also enjoyed learning about the native traditions, which were repeated in other cities on our travels. Loved ending the tour at a great winery. 
28 March 2023marioshay Fabulous private tour with vineyard lunch - Our day with Nicky was wonderful! We were excited to find out it was a private tour! Nicky drove us all around the island and showed us so much in... read more a day!
We stopped at a vineyard for lunch which was superb and enjoyed a wine tasting at another vineyard! After the tour she gave us some recommendations to stay on the island for a drink so we did and took a later ferry back to Auckland. We loved the island. Nicky was friendly and informative. We couldn’t have had a better start to our time in Auckland.
1 March 2024sjoukjeR Nature and wine - We, a couple, had a nice walk with Cindy. She explained a lot of interesting facts about the plants, birds and the Māori culture. After the walk we got a... read more very tasty lunch sandwich and tasted different wines at 2 wineries. We had a nice group and a good laugh.
6 March 2024 - EmmiTYR Really knowledgable local guide and beautiful walk. Local history, geography, flora, fauna and current regeneration projects. Well worth it.
1 April 2023Anston25 Sailing Waiheke with Blue Penguins - My husband and I had such a lovely time touring the islands around Waiheke for our honeymoon! Bruce and Gabrielle were such lovely hosts and we had an amazing time... read more learning about New Zealand wild life on our hike and seeing the ocean. They had a paddle board and kayak, which were fun to use in the Bay Area. We even saw blue penguins! Gabrielle made a fantastic lunch and charcuterie and we felt very much at home on the catamaran. Thank you for the hospitality and we look forward to coming back to New Zealand!
11 March 2023swelgus Great walk - We took the vineyards and bush walk around Waiheke. I don't really like bus tours and this was a nice option. A little longer walk than advertised but... read more very slow easy
pace. Great views and 2 winery stops. Good guide.
6 March 2023 - BCistg A rewarding hike. - We really appreciated the knowlege of Gabrielle about the island, its history and the flora and fauna of the area. We learned so much about the positve steps NZ... read more is taking to restore the natural habitat, the history and the efforts to protect the ecological system of Waiheke. All with a personal touch, The two hour plus hike was at a pace that provided good exercise for the day, Bruce and Ann, San Diego CA.
25 February 2023Peter B Excellent first day in NZ tour of Waiheke. - Having a lunch with my guide on the sandy beach. As it turned out, I was the only guest for the tour time and date I had chosen. ... read more My guide, Dell, nevertheless was totally gracious and enthusiastically showed me around the island. She allowed me to choose which types of activity I wanted; more or less walking, beach lunch, whatever. She is an island resident, so knew anything about the place. We were like friends on a day trip. It was very nice.
9 March 2023thestlfox Seeing art works on Waiheke Island - It was an extraordinary tour. Gabrielle made me feel like she was showing me her own island and the artworks and artists on it. I have traveled to many... read more countries, and this was one of the most memorable tours I’ve ever had. Thank you Gabrielle for giving me such a special day.
19 February 2024 - Jo S A fun way to meet some nice people and enjoy the lovely island.
So much beautiful and creative art to see!
A great way to tour around some different areas... read more of the island as well. Would recommend!
21 April 2024Maps240818 Beautiful Day on Waiheke - I had the best day touring Waiheke Island with Maria of Terra & Tide. We discussed my interests when we met and she tailored the day to fit... read more my interests. We visited wineries, an art gallery (and i bought a piece of art), a couple of beaches (I am a beach person) and did an olive oil tasting when i noticed and mentioned all of the olive trees on the island. Things I liked best about Maria include: she grew up and has lived and worked on the island, has a deep knowledge of the island and its history and can provide great stories of the island as you tour around the island from place to place; she often offered to take my photo when i was taking pictures and since i was traveling solo i truly appreciated that as most guides do not offer and you need to ask. I ended up loving Waiheke and thought i could easily live there and i think that's due, in part anyway as i was able to view the island through Maria's eyes.
6 March 2024jandrews Perfect boat trip - We had the best tour. We started sailing and went to a beautiful island and hiked around and then had lunch and sailed back. It was just wonderful and we... read more loved it
15 April 2024 - Curious271653 Great time. - The hiking tour we took of Waiheke Island was one of our highlights to the Auckland NZ area. Tyler, our guide was knowledgeable, energetic and FUN! I highly recommend... read more using Terra and Tide and ask for Tyler.
29 March 2023Road53601199255 An Absolute Must - Our time on Waiheke Island was amazing. Nicky, our tour guide, took us around the galleries on the main road of the island and if felt like walking through a... read more large, live outdoor art museum. We also visited a sanctuary garden and looked over scenic country and beach views of Waiheke. We learned so much about its rich history, as well as the current lifestyle of the locals. By far, this was the best part of our Australia/New Zealand trip.
27 March 2024margaretg511 Relaxed Day - Gabrielle"s wealth of knowledge of the flora and fauna of the island was amazing. Even though the weather meant plans had to change it was a most enjoyable day hiking... read more on Waiheke Island. I got to test my wet weather gear! The day was relaxed and informative.
14 March 2023 - Anthony N What an amazing experience exploring the beautiful Waiheke Island with Gabrielle, a passionate nature lover with in depth knowledge of the flora and fauna of the island. Gabrielle also... read more had extensive knowledge of the Māori history of the island which was great. The tour took us through different forrest and seaside environments, including a delicious lunch and swim at a secluded beach. The walk itself was easy to moderate with some panoramic vistas. I’d highly recommend this tour to the nature lover!
11 March 2023Johanna E Waiheke wonderland - My husband and I had splendid tour with Nicky who really did show us the best of Waiheke Island. We had several wine tastings, a super lunch and enjoyed many... read more incredible vistas.
Waiheke is a very unique and beautiful place that I can understand why it’s such a popular destination. Nicky looked after us very well and was a very informative and interesting guide and she helped make our visit such a success.
1 March 2024Bazzacam Sailing - Fab journey, Bruce and Gabrielle great hosts
Anchored up and swam, not much wind but all good, great food :)
27 February 2023 - bergelsonjeff A Day on Waiheke Island - We had a wonderful day on Waiheke Island. Our guide, Nydia, was terrific. She was friendly, she told us all about the flora and fauna as well as... read more about Maori culture, the history of the island. She led us on a beautiful hike, which included a picnic and two wine tastings. She planned to take us back to the ferry, but when we said we would like to stay longer, she took us to a gorgeous beach. She recommended a restaurant for dinner. We like to bird watch, and on our return walk to the ferry at dusk we saw at least 7 new birds. My husband and I were joining a walking tour in Christchurch a few days later, and our day on Waiheke was the perfect beginning to our trip. Thank you!
14 March 2023OnAir40077127244 Incredible day on the catamaran with Bruce - My wife and I had the BEST day out on the water with Bruce this February. We booked rather last minute, but Bruce and Gabrielle were incredibly accommodating and provided... read more the absolute best experience. The boat is beautiful and very comfortable, Bruce was a great guide not only as boat captain of the catamaran, but also of the dinghy – make sure to ask him to take you into the cave at Otata Island (I think that was the one). The prepared lunch was also delicious and fresh, we were really impressed. All around 10/10, beyond worth it – it was our honeymoon and filled with great days, but this was and remains our favorite day of the trip!
17 April 2024EvdWRotterdam Highly enjoyable introduction to cultural and natural highlights of the island. - Justine was super friendly and accomodating, and knowledgable about Maori culture and history as well as nature. She drove us to some interesting locations on the island, and after an... read more enjoyable walk through a magical fern-and Manuka forest we arrived at the Mudbrick vineyard for a wine tasting. We had another nature walk at a quiet beach, admired the 500 year old NZ Christmas tree, and then had a nice fresh lunch together. The day was relaxed, we could chat and learn about culture and history, and simply had a great day together. Highly recommended for a one day trip.
27 February 2024 - Kyoungfnp Hiking to Wine! 🍷 - Wonderful adventure to explore the island. Spectacular scenery. Wineries were amazing. Thank you, Dell, for your knowledge, hospitality, and kindness! Highly recommend this experience.
20 February 2024Enjoylifetooshort Perfect day away from the Hustle and Bustle - We really enjoyed the stunning views and bays of Waiheke isl. Tyler guided us during the walk and shared her great knowledge about the beautiful nature. Towards the end of... read more the hike Tyler got us a nice lunch so we got our energy boosted for the last hills to a beautiful 360* view of the island.
We'll certainly come back for another adventure.....
6 March 2023Stay20157446255 This was such a great tour and hike of the island!!! It was such a beautiful day and our guides were awesome!! They were super friendly and knowledgeable and made... read more it such a fun day!! I cannot say enough positive things!!! Highlight of our trip!!!
3 March 2024 - Travel10852737093 Fantastic day out on a catamaran - We took a catamaran out with Bruce to Tiritiri Matangi Island. Not only was the island itself an incredible experience but Bruce was an outstanding and informative host. He let... read more us try our hand at sailing, provided excellent food, and was a fantastic companion overall. Had a great time and couldn't recommend this enough!
26 March 2024Abbey B Nydia was a lovely tour guide. The scenery was amazing. We had a tight schedule due to a flight and they modified the tour time to accommodate us. Great people... read more to work with. Lunch was nice
4 March 2023AniHaf The perfect way to explore the Hauraki Gulf - We had a fabulous day out on board Pacific Star with skipper Bruce and walking guide Lucie. Can’t think of a better way to explore and learn about the history... read more and wildlife of the Hauraki Gulf. We dropped anchor in a lovely bay for a spot of kayaking and swimming and then enjoyed a delicious platter in the sunshine. Later we landed on one of the islands and Lucie took us on a short hike where she shared plenty of insights about the local flora and fauna and Māori culture. If you want to learn a bit about sailing Bruce is happy to show you - my dad enjoyed taking the helm for a while and his dream of owning his own Cat has been reignited! Thanks again!
6 March 2023 - B195 Nikki was fantastic- her knowledge of the island & her delightful personality made the day very enjoyable. We were blessed with stunning weather & Nikki showed off the best of... read more Waiheke, a very special place
15 March 2024karenbQ4590RK Excellent four and introduction to Waiheke Island. - Fantastic tour! Walking and hiking with coastal views, and on a trail through the forest. Then an absolutely delicious picnic lunch on the Mudbrick winery estate before a lovely... read more wine-tasting. Then on down the lane to Cable Bay winery for a second tasting. The perfect combination of hiking through beautiful parts of Waiheke and a relaxed winery experience. Justine, our guide was warm and friendly, and genuinely cared about insuring a good experience for our smalll group of three. Highly recommend.
3 March 2023John M Wonderful experience on Waiheke Island! - Although the weather was dull with light rain at the beginning of our hike, our wonderful guide Tyler engaged our attention right away with her knowledge of the flora and... read more fauna on this island where she lives. She showed us the endangered khauri trees and explained why we had to clean our hiking boots on entering the island from the ferry. Our group of four quickly climbed to the cliffs above the harbour and started on a most interesting hike where we learned about the different birds and trees and the medicinal qualities of some of the leaves which we sampled. Tyler also showed us the traps in various areas which are to protect the environment from predatory mammals, particularly stoats (or weasels as we call them In Canada). We stopped at some beautiful viewpoints where we saw some of the other islands in this bay, with Tyler telling us about their history. After a few hours the weather became very inclement with lots of rain, so our hike took a pivot. Tyler called another member of the company, Bruce, who came and picked us up in the company van and drove us to the first of our two wineries, where we enjoyed the tasting experience. He then took us into the village where he picked up our packed lunches which we ate in the van as it was still pouring rain. The sandwiches were made with very tasty local bread - delicious! The bonus since we couldn't hike was that we got a driving tour of the island, going up and down the hills and seeing a variety of places where people live, as well as driving by some of the major beaches of the island. We spotted some long-legged birds digging for oysters on a particularly long beach. The second winery was also very enjoyable, but then it was time to return to the ferry to Auckland after a day with unexpected changes which turned out all to the good. Tyler was very attentive to our questions and shared many details of her famiily's experiences abroad and on Waiheke Island. We were all very impressed how Tyler and Bruce were both able to re-design our day on the island when the weather interfered with our original plans. Definitely one of the highlights of our time in New Zealand.
26 February 2023
