Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases on this site. This post might also contain some additional affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may receive a commission from these links to help fund this blog.

New Zealand is absolutely one of my favourite countries. We spent just over 3 weeks exploring this beautiful land from North to South on a self-guided road trip. If you’re planning your own New Zealand adventure then searching online for tried and tested itineraries is a good place to start. This is me speaking from experience as it can be a little overwhelming to plan, especially if you have time constraints. Read on for my New Zealand North Island itinerary which I hope will inspire others to take their own epic road trip.

New Zealand North Island Itinerary

We were actually on the North Island for 11 days, one of those days being our arrival day from Australia. So this itinerary does have some flexibility to it, particularly if you are also planning to visit the South Island too.

Day 1: Arrival (Auckland)

Arrive in Auckland. One of the international gateways to the North Island, Auckland is New Zealand’s largest and most populous city. Spend some time either getting your bearings or getting over jetlag.

We stayed in the vibrant suburb of Ponsonby, just a short bus ride or drive to the city centre and around 20 minutes drive from Auckland airport. As we were backpacking on a budget, we opted for a private room in a hostel in Ponsonby. However, this trendy neighbourhood caters for all so if hostels aren’t your vibe then there are plenty of other accommodation options to choose from.

Day 2: Auckland

Spend the day exploring Auckland. We started by browsing the quirky shops on Ponsonby Road. As we hadn’t picked up our hire car yet, we then caught the bus to Sky Tower Auckland to get a 360 degree view of this fabulous city from above! The Sky Tower is one of Auckland’s top rated attractions so an excellent place to visit on your New Zealand adventure (provided you aren’t too scared of heights!).

After lunch (we tried the New Zealand burger chain Burger Fuel and it was delicious) take the ferry over to nearby Devonport. You can catch the 12 minute ferry from the downtown terminal around a 10-15 minute walk from the Sky Tower. Devonport is Auckland’s seaside village and is rich in maritime history. If you’re short on time I recommend taking a short hike up Takarunga Mount Victoria where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city – including the Sky Tower where you were earlier in the day! Afterwards, wander along Victoria Road to admire the art and boutiques there.

Day 3: The Coromandel Peninsula

We picked up our hire car in Auckland and drove to the stunning Coromandel Peninsula.

• Auckland to Hahei: approximate drive time 2 hours 30 minutes. We broke our journey up by stopping in a town called Thames (around 1 hour 30 from Auckland). I recommend Cafe Melbourne in Thames where I had the BEST chocolate brownie!

The Coromandel is a scenic, unspoilt coastal area famed for its beaches. We stayed in Hahei which has a beautiful beach and is a popular holiday spot for New Zealanders.

A short drive from Hahei is the car park for Cathedral Cove. We spent the afternoon exploring this area by doing the Cathedral Cove walk which took around 45 minutes from car park to cove. The walk is very scenic and relatively easy, although sensible footwear is recommended! Cathedral Cove is one of the most famous beaches in New Zealand due to the naturally formed rock archway between two beaches. Despite its reputation, it was relatively quiet when we visited.

• Where to stay: The Church Accommodation at Hahei. We stayed in the garden studios which had a private bathroom, basic kitchen facilities and a veranda for enjoying the garden. Top tip: If you have more time then book an extra night here. I wish we had!

Related post: Beautiful Beaches of The Coromandel

Day 4: The Coromandel to Bay of Plenty

We started the day at Hot Water Beach. This is a beach famed for the naturally heated water running underneath it. If you’re here 2 hours either side of low tide you can dig your own hot water pool in the sand and have a soak. If you don’t have a spade then you can hire one from a nearby cafe.

Related post: Hot Water Beach – Tourist Trap or Must See?

Continuing our New Zealand North Island itinerary we then headed on to Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region.

• Hahei to Tauranga: approximate drive time 2 hours 35 minutes. We stopped in Whangamata just over an hours drive from Hahei. Here we stopped for a little beachside picnic for some lunch and to enjoy a little more of New Zealand’s scenery.

Being the largest city in the Bay of Plenty, Tauranga has accommodation to suit any budget. We stayed in a charming B&B for one night. We took a short drive to Mount Maunganui, a nearby beach town, to watch the sun set.

Day 5: Hobbits and Kiwis

Start your day with a bit of pop culture and book tickets to Hobbiton in Matamata, which is where Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed. Even if you aren’t a fan (confession: I haven’t watched any of the movies) then you will still find something to enjoy here.

• Tauranga to Matamata: approximate drive time 50 minutes. 

My husband wanted to visit Hobbiton and even though I have no clue about anything hobbit related, I still enjoyed my visit. The whole set is very cute and photogenic, plus I liked playing the little hobbit games they have there. At the end of your guided tour you can have a drink at The Green Dragon inn which is a lovely touch. And I even got to meet Pickles the Hobbiton cat!

After a morning tour at Hobbiton, it was my turn to choose the activity. We headed west to Otorohanga where we spent some time at Otorohanga Kiwi House where we could discover some of New Zealand’s native wildlife. Much of New Zealand’s wildlife are birds and while we only managed to see one kiwi (being elusive and nocturnal they aren’t easy to see!), the kaka and parakeets were entertaining.

• Matamata to Otorohanga: approximate drive time 1 hour 10 minutes.

End the day in Waitomo, just a 15 minute drive from Otorohanga.

• Where to stay: Juno Hall Backpackers. Budget friendly but private rooms are available. There is a farm next to it so you can say hello to the animals. Ideally located for Waitomo glowworm caves.

Day 6: Waitomo to Rotorua

If you’re in Waitomo then I can guarantee that you are visiting for the famous glowworm caves. Drawing tourists for over 130 years, the glowworm caves are exactly what you expect – caves where you can actually see glowworms!

There are a couple of ways that you can see them. Firstly, you can pre-book a 45 minute boat trip into the caves, which looks wonderful. We didn’t do this (although I wish I had!). Instead we did the adrenaline junkies version and went black water rafting which is basically caving in a wetsuit and a rubber ring. I am a bit of a wimp so although I loved seeing the glowworms, black water rafting was definitely a one time only thing for me.

Related post: Feel the fear… and do it anyway

After our time in Waitomo, we made tracks to our next stop in Rotorua. And boy was I TIRED!

• Waitomo to Rotorua: approximate drive time 2 hours.

If there’s one place that should be on every New Zealand North Island itinerary, then it is Rotorua. Rotorua is best known for its Māori culture and geothermal attractions. Upon arrival in Rotorua we spent some time unwinding, ready for a day of exploring the next day.

• Where to stay: Spa Lodge Backpackers. This hostel actually has a spa tub outside which was exactly what I needed after black water rafting and a 2 hour drive.

Day 7: Rotorua

Spend the day at leisure exploring Rotorua. Take a stroll to Kuirau Park which is free to visit and actually New Zealand’s only free geothermal public park. Here we actually saw mud pools and hot springs.

I would also recommend checking out the striking St Faith’s Church and Ohinemutu Māori village. St Faith’s is known for its fusion of Māori and European traditions and for a donation you can visit inside. Ohinemutu is a living village where visitors are welcome. It was very quiet when we went but amazing to see the intricate Māori carvings.

We did a little shopping in Rotorua (you can buy mud soap which is said to be good for the skin). We also enjoyed a picnic overlooking the lake and played on some swings haha.

In the evening, make a reservation for  Te Pō  – the cultural experience at Te Puia. This is a Māori cultural experience evening where you get to watch a traditional indigenous performance including the haka (traditional Māori dance you may have seen the All Blacks perform) followed by a hangi buffet dinner. Hangi is a traditional Māori method of cooking food using heated rocks buried in a pit in the ground. The food was excellent. We also took part in some dancing (poi dance) and drank hot chocolate beside a geyser.

Day 8: Rotorua to Taupo

In the morning head south out of Rotorua to experience more of New Zealand’s geothermal wonders. Around half an hours drive away is Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, home to the famous Lady Knox geyser. Lady Knox is induced every day at 10.15am so time your visit if you want to see this. For me though, the geothermal park was much more interesting. I liked being able to wander freely and loved seeing wonders such as the champagne pool, artist’s palette and devil’s bath.

After your wander through Wai-O-Tapu, drive towards Taupo. Some great free attractions along the way are Aratiatia Dam and Huka Falls. Aratiatia Dam and Huka Falls are both on the Waikato River, around a 10 minute drive apart. At Aratiatia Dam if you time your visit right, you can see the water gushing from the dam and filling up the rapids below. This occurs at 10am, 12pm and 2pm. As well as 4pm during summer. Huka Falls is just a 5-10 minute car journey from the centre of Taupo. It is a brilliant blue waterfall. Brilliant in both colour and sound. There’s parking at both of these natural attractions, so it’s easy to visit.

• Rotorua to Taupo: approximate drive time 1 hour (without pitstops).

Taupo is home to Australasia’s largest lake. In fact, Lake Taupo is so big that it has a surface area about the same size as Singapore! Take a lakeside walk and while you’re in Taupo check out ‘The World’s Coolest McDonalds‘. While the food is just typical McDonalds, the restaurant has an actual vintage aeroplane outside that you can dine in. And yes, of course I kept on brand and ate my lunch in this quirky aeroplane.

• Where to stay: Lakeland Resort Taupo. Decent accommodation with swimming pool, hot tub and TVs in room. Not bad for a flashpacker budget.

Day 9: Taupo to Levin

Many a New Zealand North Island itinerary skip the area between Taupo and Wellington. For us, we didn’t really fancy the four and a half hour plus drive so we decided to stay at a little farm in Levin with a couple of pitstops on the way.

• Taupo to Levin: approximate drive time 3 hours 30 minutes (without pitstops).

On our road trip one of the places we stopped was probably the quirkiest town in New Zealand, a place called Bulls. When you arrive in Bulls it’s fun to spot all the ‘bull’ puns around the town… the police (const-a-bull), the museum (memor-a-bull) etc. We bought a couple of souvenirs in a cute gift shop there too.

Our accommodation in Levin was an annex on a farm where we could feed the animals and just generally relax in the peace and quiet. Unfortunately the farm no longer seems to be available. However, Levin is an ideal place to stay if you want some peace and quiet, and there other places to stay in the Manawatū region to break up your journey or explore off the beaten track a little. This was the ideal time for us to plan ahead for our New Zealand South Island itinerary.

Day 10: Levin to Wellington

Day 10 of our New Zealand North Island itinerary and we decided to head to the capital city.

• Levin to Wellington: approximate drive time 1 hour 10 minutes.

Wellington is the southernmost capital city in the world. Known as ‘Windy Welly’, apparently it’s the windiest city on earth. Although there is plenty of accommodation in the city, if you are on a backpacker budget then I would recommend booking somewhere to stay in advance.

• Where to stay: Trek Global Backpackers. A well located hostel that has a pre-bookable car park.

My top recommendation for things to do in Wellington would be to visit Te Papa museum. At the time of my visit it was completely free to enter, however that has recently changed and is now only free to those living in New Zealand. It is full of artefacts of New Zealand and Māori culture amongst other things (Te Papa Tongarewa is Māori for ‘container of treasures’). And although I’m not really a history buff, me and my husband both found the Gallipoli exhibition particularly impressive.

Day 11: Wellington

If you’re up for a spot of shopping, take a walk down Cuba Street and maybe stop for a coffee. Afterwards catch the iconic red Wellington cable car from Lambton Quay up to the botanic garden. The ride is just 5 minutes long and although it’s called a cable car, technically it’s really more of a funicular.

Wellington Botanical Garden is free to visit and is worth going to if the weather is pleasant. For us, the weather wasn’t too kind but we did spend a bit of time admiring the flowers.

This Wellington itinerary isn’t likely to take up your whole day. In all honesty we actually found Wellington (dare I say it) a little bit boring. New Zealand has so much to offer beyond the cities and we had been spoilt with beautiful sunshine for our entire trip up until this point, that Windy Welly wasn’t really doing much for us.

Tips for your New Zealand Road Trip

• If I could redo my North Island itinerary again, I would spend another night in the Coromandel Peninsula and one less night in Wellington. However, Rotorua and Taupo have plenty to offer if you were inclined to extend your stays there.
• Wellington is the gateway to the South Island so if you’re continuing your road trip there, then this is where you will take the ferry across the Cook Strait from. Pre-booking the ferry is advised.
• We visited New Zealand in November. We had mostly good weather so I would say that this time of year is a great time to visit to explore the natural wonders this country has to offer. Generally the best months to visit are November to April weatherwise.
• If you’re travelling as a couple on a budget and don’t wish to stay in dorms, most hostels have private rooms available. All of the accommodations mentioned in this blog post are places that I personally stayed. I recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
• I recommend downloading GetYourGuide app. It’s handy to have any pre-booked activities in one easily accessible place when you’re on the move.

If you’ve got this far, thanks for reading. And if you book any trips through my GetYourGuide links you can get a discount with the code QUIRKYLITTLEPLANET5.