Taranaki Garden Festival & Art Trail

Taranaki Garden 1

Itinerary

2nd - 6th November 2026
Day One:  Auckland to New Plymouth
Dinner
From Auckland we travel south to New Plymouth through the spectacular Awakino Gorge.
Devon Hotel New Plymouth    4 nights
 
Day Two:  Town Gardens
Breakfast & Dinner
Visiting New Plymouth’s town gardens, we discover how even the smallest spaces can be transformed into charming, peaceful retreats—each garden is unique in size, layout, and landscape.

Day Three:    Country Gardens
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today we visit some of the regions most beautiful and outstanding country gardens including Cairnhill - a vibrant, colourful garden framed by a canopy of deciduous trees underplanted with hosts and heuchera, and Stanleigh with views to both the coast and mountain on fine days. Enjoy a picnic lunch in one of the gardens.
Day Four: Pukeiti & Arts Trail
Breakfast & Dinner
This morning visit some of the studios on the Taranaki Arts trail. Later we travel to Pukeiti one of the worlds biggest and most diverse rhododendron collections developed over eight decades along with other exotics amidst the native rainforest.
 
Day Five:  New Plymouth to Auckland
Breakfast 
Farewell Taranaki this morning and commence the journey back to Auckland. Stop at Hamilton Gardens to explore the stunning collection of enclosed gardens showcasing the cultural meaning and context of each from ancient Egypt to the modern garden—a journey through 4,000 years of garden history and creativity.
Arrive into Auckland at approximately 5.30pm.

General Information
  • The festival programme is released late July and as such some gardens mentioned in the itinerary may not be participating in this year's festival. Gardens will be substituted with a similar style garden.
  • Twilight Travel reserves the right to alter the itinerary and gardens due to operational and logistical requirements.
  • Gardens, tours and sightseeing may involve walking over uneven ground  and steps. This tour is not suitable for wheelchairs and walking frames. 
  • Passengers joining from Wellington or Palmerston North will travel by Intercity Coach, scheduled service, to New Plymouth.
About Us

Twilight Travel & Tours is a New Zealand owned boutique tour operator providing small group tours within New Zealand since 2005.
More About Us

   
Member of
  • wte primary logo transparent steel-blue-192
  •      TAANZ Logo