Auckland Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf is compact enough for a rich day charter yet deep enough in variety to fill a week without repeating an anchorage. The 3-day and 4-day itineraries below cover different ground and can be combined into a 7-day voyage that takes in vineyards, volcanic summits, predator-free bird sanctuaries and some of the most pristine cruising water in the South Pacific. Every route is fully customisable – your captain adjusts stops and pacing based on wind, sea state and your group’s mood.

Day Charter Routes from Auckland

Auckland to Waiheke Island: The Vineyard Day

Depart Viaduct Harbour mid-morning and cruise 14 nautical miles east to Waiheke Island (under 1 hour). Anchor off Oneroa beach in sheltered turquoise water and tender ashore for a full day of wine tasting. Start at Stonyridge for the legendary Larose, then walk to Mudbrick for a long vineyard lunch overlooking the Hauraki Gulf – the lamb shoulder, local greens and a glass of the estate Bordeaux blend is the combination that keeps guests coming back. After lunch, visit Cable Bay’s hilltop tasting room or Tantalus Estate for a Syrah that holds its own against the best in the Southern Hemisphere. Return to the yacht for sundowners on the aft deck as the light turns golden, then cruise back to Auckland by nightfall. Duration: 8–10 hours.

Auckland to Rangitoto: The Volcanic Hike

Cruise east from the Viaduct to Rangitoto Island – 9 nautical miles, 30 minutes. Tender to the wharf and hike through ancient pōhutukawa forest to the 259-metre summit (roughly 45 minutes each way, moderate difficulty). On a clear day, the panorama stretches from the Coromandel Peninsula to the Waitakere Ranges. Return to the yacht for a chef-prepared brunch, then cruise to nearby Motutapu Island for an afternoon swim in Home Bay’s calm, sandy shallows. Back to Auckland by late afternoon. Duration: 6–8 hours.

Auckland to Motuihe Island: The Beach and Birdlife Day

A 40-minute cruise south-east from the Viaduct brings you to Motuihe – a predator-free DOC reserve with sandy beaches on both sides of its narrow isthmus. Swim in the sheltered western bay, snorkel the rocky eastern shoreline (look for snapper, trevally and blue maomao in the kelp), and walk the island’s coastal track through regenerating native bush alive with tūī and bellbirds. Your chef lays out lunch on the aft deck – fresh sashimi, green-lipped mussels and a Waiheke rosé. An afternoon of paddleboarding and swimming before the cruise home. Duration: 7–9 hours.

3-Day Auckland Yacht Charter Itinerary: Inner Gulf Islands and Waiheke

Day 1: Rangitoto, Motutapu and Motuihe

Board at Viaduct Harbour by mid-morning. Cruise to Rangitoto (9 NM, 30 minutes) for a summit hike through pōhutukawa forest. Descend to the causeway linking Rangitoto to Motutapu Island and walk across to Home Bay for a sheltered swim and chef-prepared lunch on the aft deck. In the afternoon, cruise south to Motuihe Island (roughly 4 NM) and anchor in the western bay for an evening of snorkelling, paddleboarding and a barbecue dinner on deck as the sun sets behind the city skyline.

Day 2: Waiheke Island

Morning cruise to Waiheke (5 NM from Motuihe). Anchor off Onetangi beach – one of the finest white-sand stretches in the Hauraki Gulf – and tender ashore for a full day among the vineyards. Stonyridge, Mudbrick, Cable Bay and Tantalus Estate are the must-visits; long vineyard lunches with Hauraki Gulf views are the reward. Return to the yacht for sundowners off Palm Beach, a small horseshoe cove with turquoise water and native bush to the waterline. Your chef prepares dinner on the aft deck: fresh market fish, local greens and Waiheke wines.

Day 3: Tiritiri Matangi and Return

Depart early for Tiritiri Matangi (roughly 15 NM north, 1 hour). Spend the morning on this extraordinary predator-free island: takāhe picking through the grass, kōkako calling from the canopy, robins hopping to your feet and a dawn chorus that reverberates across the forest. Your crew prepares a farewell brunch as the yacht departs for Auckland (15 NM, arriving by early afternoon). Guests with an extra day can add Great Barrier Island – 50 nautical miles north-east, a longer passage rewarded with hot springs, ancient kauri forest and truly remote anchorages.

4-Day Auckland Yacht Charter Itinerary: Outer Gulf and Great Barrier Island

Day 1: Viaduct Harbour to Waiheke Island

Board mid-morning and cruise direct to Waiheke (14 NM). Anchor off Oneroa and spend the day on the vineyard trail: Stonyridge’s cellar door, a long lunch at Mudbrick with gulf views, an afternoon tasting at Cable Bay. Overnight at anchor in Man O’ War Bay on Waiheke’s eastern end – a quiet, bush-lined cove home to Man O’ War Vineyards, the island’s most remote and most beautiful winery. Dine on the aft deck under a canopy of stars.

Day 2: Waiheke to Great Barrier Island

Depart early for the cruise to Great Barrier Island – roughly 40 nautical miles north-east from Waiheke’s eastern tip, 2–3 hours at cruising speed. Great Barrier is wild, sparsely populated and off the grid (no mains electricity, no reticulated water). Anchor in Tryphena Harbour, a deep natural inlet on the island’s southern coast. Tender ashore to explore the Kaitoke Hot Springs – natural thermal pools hidden in the bush, a short walk from Whangaparapara Road. In the afternoon, cruise north to Port FitzRoy and anchor in the calm waters of Kariaotahi Bay. Great Barrier is a Dark Sky Sanctuary, and the night sky from the aft deck is breathtaking – the Milky Way arcs overhead with a clarity that city dwellers rarely experience.

Day 3: Great Barrier Island Exploration

A full day exploring Great Barrier’s eastern coast. Cruise to Medlands Beach for a morning swim on a broad crescent of golden sand backed by dunes and pōhutukawa. Hike through ancient kauri forest on the Aotea Track (the island’s Māori name is Aotea, meaning ‘white cloud’). After a chef-prepared lunch in one of the sheltered eastern bays, snorkel the rocky reefs where crayfish, blue maomao and snapper are abundant. The diving around the island’s outer reefs is exceptional – your crew can arrange a local operator for a guided dive. Overnight in one of the eastern anchorages as the kiwi begin calling from the bush after dark.

Day 4: Great Barrier to Tiritiri Matangi and Auckland

Depart early for the cruise south to Tiritiri Matangi (roughly 30 NM, 1.5–2 hours). Spend the late morning among the island’s extraordinary birdlife – takāhe, kōkako, saddlebacks and a dawn chorus that will stay with you long after the charter ends. Your chef prepares a farewell lunch on the aft deck as the yacht cruises south to Auckland (15 NM), arriving at the Viaduct by mid-afternoon with time for a final waterfront dinner or a visit to the New Zealand Maritime Museum.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day inner gulf itinerary with the 4-day outer gulf route for a comprehensive 7-day Auckland charter covering vineyards, volcanoes, rare birdlife, hot springs, ancient forest and a Dark Sky Sanctuary – without repeating a single island.