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Helicopter Flight and Volcano Walking Tour

TylerRose

By TylerRose,
in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

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TylerRose

TylerRose

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My husband is an avid photographer and it becomes his primary focus when we travel. We dock in Tauranga (Rotorua), NZ on Sat, Feb 22, 2020.  I am trying to decide if the White Island Helicopter Flight and Volcano Walking Tour are worthy of thier expense & truly offer a once in a lifetime experience.

 

I am also seeking recommendations for best photographic opportunities in our other ports (esp. wild life, nature, geographic, or local would be appreciated). We will be in Aukland 3 days precruise...  

Our ports in NZ include Aukland, Picton, Wellington, Akaroa (Christchurch), Port Chalmers, & Oban (Half-moon Bay).

Followed by Melbourne, Phillip Island (Victoria), Eden & Sydney.  ---Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

 

 

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getting older slowly

getting older slowly

Posted
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HI have looked at this

 

It is Great the tour is about $370 NZ   flight and walk to white island

 

But the tour people generally do not so the tour for most cruise ship as a do it self direct with them

 

The ship tour is only a fight over white island  $1000 Aus

 

Not worth it we have decided to wait until we do a land tour of NZ and this is on the list

 

Google it you will find the tour company and check your Date in their calendar for your day in  Tauranga.

 

You might be in luck

 

Cheers Don

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icat2000

icat2000

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We did helicopter flight over Philip Island through ship. Worth every penny.

 

I did a quick google and it seems like similar pricing to ship excursions for White Island flight and tour is NZ$980 through company direct and NZ$900 for just flight. 

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getting older slowly

getting older slowly

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On ‎11‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 10:28 AM, icat2000 said:

We did helicopter flight over Philip Island through ship. Worth every penny.

 

I did a quick google and it seems like similar pricing to ship excursions for White Island flight and tour is NZ$980 through company direct and NZ$900 for just flight. 

 

Sorry I was wrong... I was looking at  trip to white island which was by boat which landed and you walked around $370...... must have had a senior moment....

 

Will give the helicopter flight a second thought....   As will be there in a couple of weeks....

 

Cheers Don

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getting older slowly

getting older slowly

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20 hours ago, icat2000 said:

We stop in Tauranga in December but unfortunately the White Island flight is a bit too much $$$. We are considering doing the flight over Bay of Plenty instead. I love to do White Island but $1800 a lot for couple of hours.

 

 

the fly and walk one is

 

https://aerius.rezdy.com/165578/white-island-flight-and-tour

 

$980 per person  ( 2 hours )

 

as flight only one about the same price... I am thinking ( please mr lotto )

 

Cheers Don

 

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lissie

lissie

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If you are in Akl pre-cruise- I'd suggest do it then - they fly from Rotorua and from TAuranga - or do the boat tour - which is a 1/2 day - exact timing depending on tides I think. We just did the boat trip a few days ago. I'm an ex-geologist and phogographer and it don't impressed me. I get  horribly sea-sick - its about an hour each way by sea - but to me its worth it. Both the helicopter and the  sea people do the same walk - there was a helicopter landed when we were there. I think the helicopter is a bit overpriced 

DMC-GX85 - P1080428.JPG

DMC-GX85 - P1080430.JPG

DMC-GX85 - P1080440.JPG

DMC-GX85 - P1080451.JPG

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getting older slowly

getting older slowly

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I am thinking now seriously of doing this, just need to justify the cost, yes it is a lot of money....

but when you look at the ship tours a lot of interesting one are $500 per head.....

 

and the Princess tour to white island is only fly over for a couple of hundred more  than fly and land and walk

 

Also White Island was in the travel section of the newspaper as one of the top 10 accessible volcanos in the world

 

Or one could do the Arthur Pass train trip one way ( on the Tranz Alpine ) for $480 per head.......

and get to sit in a bus for 5 HOURS........

 

Cheers Don

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getting older slowly

getting older slowly

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31 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Just noticed this article in NZ Herald..,,,,

White Island might put on a great display for you....

 

Volcanic Alert Level raised as activity increases on White Island

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12286168

 

A bit of extra excitement......

 

Let's hope it does not boom on the 2nd, but we will be back in Tauranga on the 15th.. giving as two bites of the cherry

 

Cheers Don

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Suzi66

Suzi66

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As far as Port Chalmers goes we did a trip with Monarch Wildlife Cruises.  They collected us from the port, took us out to where their boat was moored and we had a trip around the harbour looking at the different wildlife.  We saw fur seals, sea lions, albatrosses (as well as many other different sea birds) and a penguin during the day.  My husband loved it and his camera was on overdrive.  The only thing we missed was the dolphins.

However on a previous visit he did a tour through Shoretrips and tours at Akaroa which took him around the harbour there and he got to take photos of the Hectors Dolphins and seals on that trip. https://www.shoretripsandtours.com/Product/Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise.php#!

I do not recommend the Wildlife and Wine trip that they offer at Picton as the company that offers it through them has a misleading description.  The short stroll was 1 hour up a big hill (which was a bird reserve with NO birds).  The wine was a small sample glass (half full) and we saw one seal and some ducks and fed some fish in an overcrowded boat.  We would have got better photographs just wandering around town and going up the hill on the other side where the birds probably were.

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Suzi66

Suzi66

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2 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

Well Just got back from White Island.......

 

We smell of sulphur ......

 

It was amazing   only took about 160 photos... unreal scenery   sort of like moon but will yellow and gas

 

Basically if you want to see something like this..... Just Do It..

 

Cheers Don

 

 

This is something that has been on a bucket list.  It might be what we spend the majority of our money on next NZ cruise.

 

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TylerRose

TylerRose

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Ty all so much for your advice, thoughts & to Lissie for those stunning image shares...
After those pics and the encouragement of others on this board, I've decided to book the Volcano Walking Tour via Helicopter Flight in Tauranga.
Any other shares always most appreciated!

 

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TylerRose

TylerRose

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On 12/1/2019 at 10:46 PM, Suzi66 said:

As far as Port Chalmers goes we did a trip with Monarch Wildlife Cruises.  They collected us from the port, took us out to where their boat was moored and we had a trip around the harbour looking at the different wildlife.  We saw fur seals, sea lions, albatrosses (as well as many other different sea birds) and a penguin during the day.  My husband loved it and his camera was on overdrive.  The only thing we missed was the dolphins.

However on a previous visit he did a tour through Shoretrips and tours at Akaroa which took him around the harbour there and he got to take photos of the Hectors Dolphins and seals on that trip. https://www.shoretripsandtours.com/Product/Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise.php#!

I do not recommend the Wildlife and Wine trip that they offer at Picton as the company that offers it through them has a misleading description.  The short stroll was 1 hour up a big hill (which was a bird reserve with NO birds).  The wine was a small sample glass (half full) and we saw one seal and some ducks and fed some fish in an overcrowded boat.  We would have got better photographs just wandering around town and going up the hill on the other side where the birds probably were.

TY for specific recommendations...  That may be the same tour I booked in Picton... so I will be sure to reevaluate further options both there & Akora. 


 

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Suzi66

Suzi66

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18 hours ago, TylerRose said:

TY for specific recommendations...  That may be the same tour I booked in Picton... so I will be sure to reevaluate further options both there & Akora. 


 

I have gone through my paperwork to find out the company name who is the sub-contractor at Picton.  They are E-Ko tours.   We did not have a good day with them and we let Shoretrips and Tours know who refunded our money.   First our 10.30 booking was lost and the company had hired out their boat to a private tour.  They then put us on the 12 noon trip which they oversold, and it was standing room only.  We went a short distance in the boat to the island that our ship was moored on the other side of, and they told us we were going for a short stroll.  All fine and good.  They offered to let us keep our bags on the boat so many did and didn't take a water bottle.  Why would we, as it was a short stroll and the boat was just there?  And then it took off and didn't come back for an hour.  It was a very warm day and the short stroll was as I said up a hill, and for this little black duck who uses a walking stick very steep.  My husband said he was proud of me for getting up 2/3rds of the way.  Others quit before I did.  Many who came down were muttering about no wildlife at all as they all huffed and puffed, and then the boat returned with the next load of victims.  Time for wine and some mussels and finally to see some wildlife.   As I said, a sample glass, a mussel on a toothpick, some ducks.  Those standing outside did get to see the fish feeding and we saw one singular seal.

Considering hubby had done the fantastic Akaroa tour also organised by Shoretrips he was so disappointed (so was I), but we more than made up for it when we went to Dunedin and did the Monarch tour

 


 

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TylerRose

TylerRose

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5 hours ago, Suzi66 said:

I have gone through my paperwork to find out the company name who is the sub-contractor at Picton.  They are E-Ko tours.   We did not have a good day with them and we let Shoretrips and Tours know who refunded our money.   First our 10.30 booking was lost and the company had hired out their boat to a private tour.  They then put us on the 12 noon trip which they oversold, and it was standing room only.  We went a short distance in the boat to the island that our ship was moored on the other side of, and they told us we were going for a short stroll.  All fine and good.  They offered to let us keep our bags on the boat so many did and didn't take a water bottle.  Why would we, as it was a short stroll and the boat was just there?  And then it took off and didn't come back for an hour.  It was a very warm day and the short stroll was as I said up a hill, and for this little black duck who uses a walking stick very steep.  My husband said he was proud of me for getting up 2/3rds of the way.  Others quit before I did.  Many who came down were muttering about no wildlife at all as they all huffed and puffed, and then the boat returned with the next load of victims.  Time for wine and some mussels and finally to see some wildlife.   As I said, a sample glass, a mussel on a toothpick, some ducks.  Those standing outside did get to see the fish feeding and we saw one singular seal.

Considering hubby had done the fantastic Akaroa tour also organised by Shoretrips he was so disappointed (so was I), but we more than made up for it when we went to Dunedin and did the Monarch tour

 


 

TY for such a specific share. I've taken your advice and gone with the tour "Marlborough High Country Safari" directly through our ship in Picton. It will be more of a touring, sight seeing, and local visiting of a sheep farm than I might have otherwise pursued... but we will hit the many photographic musts and avoid that boat tour I planned previously.
I am always grateful for the advice and honest planning  direction shared by others on this board...
As for the helicopter... The aerial views are his true passion... I cannot deny him that in Tauranga.

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