Waiheke Island Double Headland Coastal Walk
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Experience the twin headlands of Matiatia and Church Bay on Waiheke Island, walking in a small group with an expert local guide.
This walk consists of two parts, with lunch in between. Sometimes we do the northern route first, and sometimes the southern. Why is that? Well, we often need to work around the tides!
Northern route (approx 2 hours): We’ll walk around the Matiatia headland and past Owhanake Bay, enjoying beautiful views of the Hauraki Gulf Islands, Great Barrier Island and Coromandel Peninsula. You’ll spot sea birds, native plants and, if you’re lucky, orcas or dolphins.
We’ll stop for lunch at Oneroa Village. You can eat in one of the local cafes or have a picnic on the beach with food you’ve purchased or brought with you.
Southern route (approx 2 hours): We’ll walk through Pio Rehutai Reserve and around the Church Bay headland through a sculpture park and a stunning bush reserve. We’ll pass hidden coves and amazing homes, as we enjoy view of the city and sea.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Advisable to bring: Walking shoes, Water, Raincoat, Sunglasses, Hat, Sunscreen
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Waiheke Island
Experience the twin headlands of Matiatia and Church Bay on Waiheke Island, leaving from and returning to the ferry terminal. This guided walk is suitable for those who can walk five hours on hilly terrain. We begin your trip back to nature by greeting you as soon as you step off the ferry. Straight away you’ll be drawn in by the gorgeous scenery and beautiful coastal environment. Our guided walks are small and highly personal, so groups for this walk are limited to 12 people. Please book well in advance as this is one of our most popular walks and gets booked up!
What‘s Included
Lunch
Return transfers to the ferry (or your island accommodation)
Walking maps
Fantastic scenic walk and expert guiding and interpretation
Ferry fares
Options
Waiheke Island Double Headland Coastal Walk
Reviews
41 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent Well Guided and Informative Hike
152deborahj,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful hike through Terra Tide with Renee! She was incredibly informative, sharing so much about the island’s nature and Māori culture in New Zealand. She was very mindful of our fitness levels and adjusted the pace perfectly for us. We had just arrived after 30 hours of travel, so we decided not to complete the second part of the hike and instead explored some quaint galleries in town. Renee was flexible and completely understanding. The lunch provided was delicious as well! Renee is an excellent guide — knowledgeable, warm, and professional. We would highly recommend her and Terra Tide to anyone visiting.
Great tour and wonderful guide.
WJJest,,Feb 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Waiheke Double Headland Walk with Renee was amazing! She has a wonderful way of explaining the natural terrain, its evolution over time and its relationship with the people that have inhabited the island. I highly recommend this to tour company and Renee as a guide.
Nice walk around the headlands with a few strenuous sections.
Chris J,,Feb 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Rene was our guide for the day and did an exceptional job of allowing the walk to proceed at a pace well suited for everyone. The views are just spectacular and the information and history provided gave us a real sense understanding of the area. Excellent day.
Too long and too hot for mid 60 year olds
Sightsee56536919593,,Feb 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00We are a couple in early mid 60s and this tour was a bit challenging with +90 F degree heat. It was approximately 5 to 6 miles of up and down terrain. Most importantly about a 1/3 of it was walking on a residential road with nothing interesting to be viewed. The guide was nice enough but not enough interesting dialog about the area.
A Magical Place and A Magnificent Tour Guide
Scenic26592290785,,Feb 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Where do I begin… My family arrived at Waiheke Island soon after receiving some very sad news. We were all feeling pretty emotional, but as soon as we met Liz, it was apparent that we were going to have a wonderful day alongside a kind, genuine, and knowledgable person. She quickly got us out of our funk, giving us some digestible history about the main villages on the island and a little bit about what life is like there. Once we got to the first of two trails, she encouraged us to take a moment to really take in the scenery around us and try to connect with the ancient energy and wildlife that we were entering into. From that moment forward, we felt like we were in a truly magical place. Waiheke on its own is something you have to experience, but Liz’s tour made it something we will never forget. She took such care in answering our questions, expanding upon them in every way she could. She let us know about all of the efforts that locals (herself included) are carrying out in order to protect the land and eliminate the non-native mammals from the ecosystem, restoring it to its original state as a haven for birds with no natural predators. She took us to an incredible lunch spot (Cafe Fenice) where we were able to further connect with the other members of our group. Liz has truly achieved a perfect balance of allowing for space to contemplate the nature and truly be present while also providing the necessary and fascinating context behind the island. As a resident of the island for more than twenty years, she has a deep understanding of both the natural and human history of Waiheke. At the end of it all, she offered to drop us at the winery we planned to visit, something which saved us both time and money. Hopefully one day soon we will return to Auckland and Waiheke, both to experience this magical place and run into our magnificent tour guide once again. From the bottom of the Czuj family’s heart, thank you, Liz!!!
Beautiful walk with two lovely guides.
JackR741,,Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful walk with friendly and knowledgable guide Robyn with her colleague Renee. Beautiful views, good balance of easy and hard walk. Good lunch (cold), and very adaptive to conditions (tide, heat/shade, our fitness ).
Amazing Hike on Waiheke
troyy412,,Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My wife and I had a fantastic day hiking Waiheke with Dell. The views were magnificent, the pace was great, and Dell provided us with a lot of great information about the wildlife and the area throughout the tour. Dell was wonderfully flexible about how we spent our day, and it was such a joy to share it with her.
HEADLANDS WALK
sjwol,,Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent trip. Couldn't ask for a better guide. Justine was kind, personable, knowledgeable and with a great sense of humor.
Evenly paced walking tour with a personable and informative guide.
lindasP8085YR,,Apr 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a beautiful and informative introduction to Waiheke - and NZ. Justine, our guide did a wonderful job pointing out the sights, scenes and 'finds' that were representative of NZ, the culture and the way of life. Justine adjusted the tour to suit our needs and kept us all safe, secure and satisfied. She shared great insights into the various features and practices. An amazing few hours. The lunch place served some of the best sandwiches and brownies.
Great Hike!
melissafE2270QP,,Feb 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Dell was great. Very knowledgeable and fun guide. We enjoyed the hike tremendously. The views were amazing and we even got to see some native birds.
From NZ$420.00
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Operated by Terra & Tide