Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand, reaching up to 1.4 million people if you count all its outlying areas. Based on your itinerary are there places we should or shouldn’t go to due to weather? It’s the first place to see the sunrise in New Zealand and a popular destination for New Year. The Bay of Islands in the historic Northlands region is set amongst some of the most spectacular natural scenery on New Zealand’s North Island. Driving time from Taupo: 3 hours 40 minutes Driving time from the Tongariro Crossing: 3 hours 40 minutes Driving time from Waitomo: 2 hours 30 minutes. Copyright © 2017-2021 The Invisible Tourist. I love to see people try it for the first time, nervousness on their faces turning to absolute delight when they realise how much fun it is! This is some serious wanderlust-worthy content. In 1886 the nearby Mount Tarawera erupted and buried Te Wairoa village in a sea of mud and ash. You can walk up Mount Maunganui (aka the Mount to locals) for views along the coast, go surfing, or enjoy a day at the beach. I’ve asked my fellow travel bloggers what they believe are some of the lesser-known, most beautiful places in New Zealand’s North Island and suggested some mid-range accommodation along the way to inspire your visit. As New Zealand's largest city, it's a great place to explore for at least a few days. Pop into Pedal and Paddle rental shop and rent a double kayak for 2 hours for $60 NZD. The Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Auckland Domain holds collections on New Zealand, natural history, overseas exhibitions and military history. Wellington is the beautiful capital of New Zealand, therefore no North Island, New Zealand road trip should be without a visit. Book your tickets for the Hobbiton Movie Set early because they do get booked out. Weekend Route Ideas: South Island ex Christchurch. I also enjoyed myself while I was visiting this kind of places! It’s a great thing to do in Rotorua with kids! What a great article! Even though New Zealand appears close to Australia on the map, do not expect scorching hot summers in New Zealand. This is one of my favourite places to visit in Auckland, just because it’s so different to anywhere else I’ve been. Also, don’t miss the street-food market if you’re in town on Thursday nights, the dumplings are to die for! South Island trips. Peter Jackson is one of the founders of the company and used them to create the props for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, but they’ve also done digital work and props on a number of other high profile films. Of course, having lived in Wellington myself I would definitely recommend at least spending a few days here. Thanks for your comment , Going to Visit Wellington next week so I was looking for a blog to know about this city thanks for sharing your views. Hey! I still squeal with excitement when I see sheep-sprinkled green hills and it baffles me that the nature is so green even in the winter. If you like nature and skiing etc or not, and without knowing if you’re flying into Auckland or Christchurch. I hope to visit New Zealand one day and I love how organized your tips and advice are. It depends what you’re into really, so hard to recommend. The staff will help you plan a route and there are lots of cycleways in the region. We will be traveling for a week starting July 17, 2019. There is a strong Maori population in the region and the culture will represent this – it’s a peaceful, friendly place where you can really experience the magic of small town New Zealand. As always, I only recommend a product or service that I genuinely love and use myself! Taupo covers such a vast space that where you stay depends on what you want to do! The best way to see New Zealand is on a road trip like in this New Zealand North Island itinerary. The view from the top is tremendous! Then with the assistance of our caving guides, we waded in and out of the cave waters in our wetsuits, squeezed between rocks and tight passes, climbed up rock, and meandered through the giant cave. TIP1 - Driving times & New Zealand North Island Map Tourism. Just a 15-minute drive from Waitomo, but the Otorohonga Kiwi House is well worth the trip! It has both a vibrant inner city filled with culture and history, and plenty of beautiful green spaces and beaches. So, which destinations will you add to your North Island New Zealand road trip? If you enjoyed this article, please share it or come and join me over on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram or Pinterest! Piha is well-known as one of New Zealand’s most popular surf beaches, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Paihia and Russell are common places to stay in the Bay of Islands, depending on what you’re after. Our absolute favourite Rotorua activity was visiting the Tamaki Maori Village, where we got to experience authentic Maori culture through poi ball dancing, games, food, and seeing a renowned Haka warrior dance. The thought and the detail that you have put into this is amazing! Go on. Your email address will not be published. Published September … In the interior of the island the carter walls stand fragile and sulphur vents dot the landscape making it difficult to breathe. On a good day the afternoons will be busy, but morning surfs are less crowded and you’ll have a stunning sunrise to go with it. If you are not on a tight budget, you can also book helicopter tours from places such as Rotorua and Tauranga. Driving time from Auckland: 3 hours Driving time from Waitomo: 2 hours Driving time from Tauranga: 1 hour Driving time from Matamata: 1 hour. There are some great surf beaches and fantastic walks, not least of all Mount Taranaki itself, which takes a gruelling 10 hours in changeable weather and should only be attempted on fine days and at specific times of years if you don’t have mountaineering experience. This was until I had the opportunity to live in Wellington and I was able to get out and discover what treasures the North Island had up its sleeve! Napier is such a lovely little snapshot of the 1930’s. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions! How long would you recommend that we stay in each place? North Island road trips. This guide to a North Island New Zealand contains some affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Haha there are so many LOTR locations around NZ so you’d have an absolute ball . Ok, so I know you’re travelling but even browsing the antiques at the shops in the Wairarapa is fun! This island has a lagoon in the middle with sea access only by kayak. The barren landscape shows the harsh realities of this environment and the ocean water around the island turns from blue to a milky green colour. Unfortunately the weekend I visited there was a dreadful rainy storm that cut out electricity to the north-eastern section of the North Island so I would love to go back. The North Island of New Zealand is famous for pristine beaches, geothermal wonders and rich Māori culture. But if you have 6 weeks, I would spend 4 weeks in the South and 2 weeks in the North. You’d end up driving most of the time and not enjoying the trip. Maori were bathing here for centuries before Europeans began to take part from around 1878 too. If you want to make the most of your next travel experience, learn how you can 'be invisible' here! 1. The Best National Parks to Visit on your North Island Road Trip. You’ve made my planning easy. We were given helmets and gas mask to protect ourselves from the harsh conditions on White Island. A great way to explore is by bicycle which you can hire in any of the towns. In summer you can walk across the Tongariro Crossing, one of the best day walks in New Zealand, and close to Mount Ngauruhoe (which was used as Mount Doom in Middle-Earth). You can expect wine, natural attractions (like a rock waterslide), great beaches and SUN. The Champagne Pool is a highlight, so called because of all the little bubbles coming up to the surface. With so much to see and do the North Island has something for everyone. It’s a bit off the beaten track, and therefore often overlooked as an addition to a North Island itinerary. I’d love to get to the Bay of Islands as well. Featured image credit: Pixabay I’m wondering if you’ve heard of this place. I hope you get to beautiful NZ someday too . However, if you have limited time, it’s definitely worth considering visiting just the South Island. New Plymouth is the largest city and a great base option for exploring the Taranaki region. I’m sure the information you shared here will be very helpful in planning our trip. Divided in two by the huge rock you can climb on called the Lion Rock, Piha is a beautiful wild beast. You won’t need to look far to find them, including walking to Cathedral Cove and digging in the sand at low tide Hot Water beach to make your own temporary hot pool. No backpacks, hostels or 5-star hotels! However, the Manawatu is often skipped over as travellers journey from Taupo to Wellington. Contributed by: Wendy, Adventurous Retirement  144 islands are dotted around this gorgeous stretch of the east coast. If you do take the time to get off the beaten path (aka State Highway 1) then you’ll find acres of farmland with views, remote beaches, plenty of walks, beautiful towns and of course, the largest livestock sale yards in the Southern Hemisphere located in Feilding, New Zealand’s most beautiful town (voted 16 times). Cheers, Max . This New Zealand North Island itinerary is jam packed with things to do, where to stay, best photo stops, a map of our route and more to ensure your New Zealand road trip is epic. You could choose fewer locations for 3 nights and use them as a base to see a larger area, or move more frequently but have to do less overall driving each day. You’ve described all the places we didn’t see and those we want to visit again better than any article I’ve read so far. Here is my suggested 1-week road trip itinerary that covers most of the highlights and some fun things to do on The North Island in New Zealand. Poor Knights Islands and Marine Reserve is 15 miles northeast from Tutukaka and accessible on a boat ride from Tutukaka harbour. Top of my list of places to visit was the Hamilton Gardens, and I enjoyed every minute of appreciating the various themed gardens on the grounds. It is a huge and diverse country with tons of things to see and do. Where to stay in Wellington: QT Museum Wellington Apartments. These photos are gorgeous! They also offer their traditional black water rafting experience and an accessible cave adventure in Ruakuri Cave that includes viewing stunning cave formations and glowworms. Down logging roads to a campsite, parking area and a short hike over the dunes to a gorgeous white sand beach and turquoise water. There are a ton of different Waitomo caving options out there, but we decided to go with the 7-hour epic caving tour with Waitomo adventures called the Lost World Epic. 01 of 09. I’ve been white water rafting in Croatia and Montenegro, but Rotorua easily takes the cake. On the way to White Island dolphins followed the launch, jumping out of the water and playing in the wakes. Rocky Horror Show fans may want to pay tribute at the Riff Raff Statue, which marks the former site where the actor Richard O’Brien once worked as a hairdresser. I’m going to visit New Zealand in a month, and I would just like to thank you for this very thorough post. Not to worry though, there are plenty of other walks including the Coastal Walkway (3 hours one way), and other smaller adventures. Always about the next destination and how to make the most of it by "blending in". Gorgeous! The Buried Village is kind of like New Zealand’s answer to Pompeii. Submit. People say New Zealand has some similarities so, I ready to go! My absolute favourite is the beach not easily reachable on your daily commute from work to home. Learn how to create your own. Big parts of the North Island are skipped or rushed through by the majority of travellers. The Wairarap is so often overlooked, it can be really beautiful there! . Thanks!! It is amazing to find yourself on a boat in the protected ‘harbour’ of Poor Knights surrounded by the sheer cliffs and caves. Travelling for two weeks on the North Island and looking for the perfect road trip itinerary? https://atravellersfootsteps.com/north-island-new-zealand-road-trip-itinerary-3 You can really stay anywhere as you’re likely to be passing through or just staying a couple of days, in which case base yourself near the place(s) you want to see. The numerous thermal pools are interesting and beautiful, set within the natural and protected New Zealand landscape. I’ll even admit many years ago I used to think the South Island hogged all the stunning wonders. Contributed by: Chantae, Chantae Was Here And thanks for the feedback on the blog. Whilst I prefer the South Island there’s still loads I haven’t done on the North Island. The area was nominated as one of the best regions to visit in the world by Lonely Planet. Yes, the vineyards of the Hawkes Bay are some the best in the country and most are coupled with excellent restaurants and beautiful views. The climate is not dissimilar to that of the UK’s! If you only have a little time to spend in New Zealand, this short road trip encompasses the beauty of the northern coast as well as the country’s largest city, Auckland. Your North Island itinerary can take in volcanoes, bubbling mud pools and shooting geysers, lazing on idyllic islands and exploring exciting metropolises.

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