Road trip on the North Island of New Zealand

Route Suggestion

Travel route: Auckland - Paihia - Kaitaia - Dargaville - Hobbiton - Rotorua - Whakatāne - Gisborne - Napier - Wellington - Tongariro National Park - Taupo - Waitomo Caves - Hamilton - Auckland

Remember, this road trip route is only a route proposal for your big trip. If you wish to receive personal assistance designing your road trip, please get in contact with our adventurous travel experts. They love designing dream trips and they give you great insider travel advice.

Auckland

A vibrant city of harbours, beaches and islands, Auckland is known as the "City of Sails". We've included the first night of accommodation so you can take it easy after you arrive after a long flight. Auckland is actually a really cool city, so that's why we have included 1 night in a hostel prior to the road trip and 2 nights in a hostel after your road trip, so you can digest and reflect before boarding the plane back home. You'll pick up the campervan in Auckland, and after a great day of chilling in the city, it's time for your amazing road trip!

Paihia

Around 3 hours north of Auckland, you'll find the small picturesque town Paihia. It's beautifully located at the Bay of Islands. It has a nice cozy vibe and provides plenty of bars and restaurants as well as a nice sandy beach. If you have time, you can opt in for a trip to nearby Russell or you can check out some of the marine life including seals, dolphins or even whales if you're lucky.

Hobbiton

If you're into Lord of Rings, take a guided tour! Hobbiton Movie Set is an enchanting community of life-sized Hobbit holes in the Hamilton - Waikato region, and is the first stop in "The Trilogy" - a Middle-earth themed package that includes the Hobbiton Movie Set, Waitomo Caves and Rotorua (which is next on your road trip). Enjoy a guided tour around Hobbiton, where your knowledgeable guide will enlighten you about the history and the on-location filming processes. Stop for a handle of ale at the Green Dragon Pub or grab a light lunch at the Shire's Rest Café.

Gisborne

On the Eastern part of North Island, you'll find Gisborne. Fun fact: This places is the first in the world to see the sunrise every day so make sure to wake up early at least one morning to experience this from the beach side. Oh, and speaking of beaches... Gisborne is famous for Waikanae Beach which provides excellent surf conditions, if you'd like to get active during the day. You can also visit Cook's Cove which is illustrated in the image above. As you can tell, you can get a pretty awesome view here.

Napier

Napier is a small coastal town located at Hawke's Bay. The city was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1931, but has since been rebuild in a cool Art Deco-style. Napier boast quite some wineries, so it's only natural to taste some of the locally produced wine (of course not on a day of driving!). Make sure you also visit Motara Pa, which is a Maori fortified village and one of New Zealands most important archeological areas.

Wellington

Movie production and a buzzing foodie scene. Located at the southernmost tip of the North Island, Wellington is home to Weta Workshop and the Weta Cave. Here, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at movie making magic in action and check out the nearby filming locations. Indulge in the city's buzzing food and wine scene, and enjoy a cable-car ride to the Kelburn lookout for expansive harbour views. If you're looking for a great place to eat, we can recommend Chocolate Fish Café a bit outside the city center. It's a local café and the drive here along the coast is absolutely beautiful!

Tongariro National Park

You can choose to take the direct route to get from Wellington to Tongariro, but we actually recommend that you take a detour towards west, so that you drive from Stratford and towards Taumarunui along the "Forgotten World Highway". It's something special and looks like an area where dinosaurs used to (or still do perhaps) live.
And then you should already start to get excited about the amazing natural wonder that Tongariro National Park is. It's New Zealand's oldest and obviously on UNESCO's world heritage list. The national park is home to 3 active volcanos, and needless to say some pretty awesome hiking trails as well.

Auckland

Your road trip in the North Island of New Zealand ends where it all started; back in Auckland. Drop off your campervan, and then we have inclueded 2 nights in a hostel here so you can digest and reflect on your adventure through some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world. Take it slow and make sure to check out the different corners of the city. And if you feel brave you can opt in for some bungy jumping while you're here.

Recommended duration

Around 3 weeks

Kilometres

Around 2700

Look forward to

Hot pools, nature & wildlife

When to go?

November to March

Prices from 2,150 EUR

Are you ready for an amazing road trip adventure through the North Island of New Zealand? In around 3 weeks you'll get to explore all the cool spots (and trust us, there's many!) in New Zealands North Island.

Start and end your road trip adventure in Auckland. Get a slow start, and check out the city before you head on in the included campervan. We've suggested a bunch of cool spots in the North Island that we encourage you to visit, but in the end, it's entirely up to you what you want to see on your road trip.

Some of the buzzwords for this itinerary is nature, wildlife and Maori culture. Check out the numerous hot pools, visit amazing volcanos and geothermal areas. In addition, you'll get a chance to experience the amazing Maori culture first hand, and we're confident that this will excite you!

What is road trippin’ the KILROY Way?

Well, we always encourage our travelers to be curious. To open up, and to embrace the unexpected. Stop where you can, go down the narrow side street and don’t get stuck in the camper. Don’t just drive for the sake of driving. Approach new people. Approach new ways of doing things. Explore and be open to changes – that’s where the magic happens.

*The price for the camper rental is based on the driver being 25 years or older. Reach out to us if you're a little younger than that - it's not a problem!

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Road trip New Zealand - North Island

Route Suggestion

Auckland

Paihia

Kaitaia & Cape Reinga

Hobbiton

Rotorua

Whakatāne

Gisborne

Napier

Wellington

Tongariro National Park

Taupo

Waitomo Caves

Auckland

What is road trippin’ the KILROY Way?

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Design your own trip