Most international travellers to New Zealand, will arrive in the City of Auckland. And after a long flight, it is a good idea to get out and explore the city, before you get that well earned sleep.  If you love boutique tours – or a private tour for just the two of you, then Auckland walking tours with Aucky Walky is a must-do.

Liz, the owner guide of Aucky Walky, is a 4th generation local and she knows all the award-winning eateries. Plus she will take you up those gorgeous little back lanes to the real hidden gems. We chose the Taste Auckland Food Tour and believe me, it was a pure experience. BTW, check out the best time to visit New Zealand.

What Happens on the Aucky Walky Taste Auckland Tour?

Mouth-watering New Zealand Game

Liz doesn’t really see her guiding as just a job. She clearly enjoys showing off food made with love, beautiful art and especially those people wanting to experience the real deal. The Taste Auckland Tour is a progressive lunch tour where good food and cool vibes are everything. Our first stop was an eatery owned by award-winning chef Al Brown. This is where you will get taste plates galore – and this is real ‘nosh’ folks.  Our lamb spare ribs were mouth-wateringly tender and delicious!

History & helpful info

There is not a lot of ‘trekking’ that goes on with this tour.  In fact, most eateries are within a short distance to each other. But it really is all about what you see along the way, that makes this tour pretty darn special. For example, a lot of travellers don’t actually know that New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote.  There is a story behind this historical mural – it commemorates the collection of over 32,000 signatures supporting the right for women to vote.

Art & objects of interest

As we passed through the lobby of the Skycity Grand Hotel, Liz didn’t really need to point out these stunning paintings.  In fact they are the first things you notice when walking through here.  At first, you may be mistaken into thinking that they are photographs.  But on closer inspection, you can see they are actually paintings.  These gorgeous works of art are by Karl Maughan, a New Zealand painter based in Wellington.

As we made our way across to another eatery, we passed through the Britomart Shopping Precinct. And right through the middle and lined up in a large row, were these volcano sculptures.  And these actually represent some of the inactive volcanoes in the Auckland region.  Now if you look down the glass on top, you can clearly see the underground railway lines. We thought these were pretty cool.

Auckland’s exciting Asian-food scene

A major highlight on this tour, was a visit to an Asian food eatery. This restaurant really challenged our taste buds with its use of spice.  The thing is about some of these places, they can look so unassuming from the outside. It is only when you walk through to their ‘inner sanctum’ that you find some pretty spectacular layouts. In this eatery, we actually feel as though you are sitting in a huge glass house. There were gorgeous tropical plants everywhere and massive palm trees growing outside.

But really folks, it is all about the flavour, followed by the spice ‘kick’ at the end. Our tasting plates were so pretty and moorish.

Sweet Treats?

The treats kept on coming.  Liz had heard of my chocolate cravings so it was no surprise when we entered the what can only be described as ‘chocolate heaven’. The culture in inner-Auckland is very diverse due to the rich history of immigration from around the world – and that has to be good for Auckland. We had the choice of 2 chocolates each to take away with us.  It was such a hard decision.

Desserts Divine

No Auckland Walking Tour is complete without a visit to the to an Icecream and Gelato shop – Liz introduced us to what can only be described as delicious works of art.  No room for guilt here folks – like everyone else we sat outside and savoured each mouthful.

Just before our last stop, we make a quick visit to a gorgeous little dessert shop down one of the lanes. Seriously, we would never have found this one by ourselves. Read more on why to use a locals in New Zealand.

But really, that’s the beauty of Auckland Walking Tours.  Liz will point the quality restaurants and hidden gems Auckland offers.  Then later on, you can find these yourself at your leisure – that way, you can make a booking at an eatery you already know something about.

Check out some New Zealand travel itineraries, which can include Aucky Walky Tours.

Waterfront Heritage Pub

Auckland Walking Tours are not complete without a visit to a pub – but not just any old pub. We thought it was a great way to finish our tour down at the wharf.  Liz did give us the choice of a beautiful rooftop bar, but we chose this option.  It was a fine thing to kick back in this beautiful historic building with a cider and enjoy the pub vibe.

Why choose Auckland Walking Tours with Aucky Walky?

The cool thing about Liz’s walking tours are that they are only for 2-3 hours. This means you stay engaged and excited and still have some spare time to revisit the ones you liked the most. Liz’s tours can either be done in the morning or in the afternoon. She told us that many travellers, who arrive with an early morning flight at 6-7am, are out and about walking with her at 10am. What a great way to get those tired legs moving!

To get your New Zealand travel planning started check out our sample nature & lifestyle itineraries.

Happy walking with Aucky Walky!