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Are you looking for the ultimate 7 day north island New Zealand road trip? I’ve road tripped the north island twice (over 6 weeks of travel time!) and have put together the ultimate outdoor lovers road trip based on my experiences.
I’ve added lots of options and ideas of customizing along the way, so you can build your dream trip!
I spent 3 weeks road tripping New Zealand with my friends back in 2022. We spent 2 amazing weeks on the south island and then I feel like we kinda fizzled out on our north island itinerary. We spent almost all our time in Wellington and Auckland … I’ve since learned the north island has a lot more to offer than these 2 cities.
Since the 2022 trip I’ve actually moved to New Zealand and I’ve been able to explore the country on a new level. This flexible itinerary includes things I wish my week long road trip had back in 2022.
Stick around until day 6 to learn about the area I believe is a MUST VISIT spot on the north island !
Trip Essentials at a Glance
🏨 Top Hotel in Auckland: Holiday Inn Express on Queen Street
📍 Must Visit Areas: Waitomo (for glow worms), Lake Taupo (for geothermal), Tongariro (volcano!)
🚗 How to get around: Compare Prices for Rental Cars Here
Amazing glow worm photos courtesy of my friend Jess , find her on instagram @ albondiga_jack
7 Day North Island Itinerary (map + drive times)
Day 1: Auckland (0 hr)
Day 2: Auckland to Paihia / Bay of Islands (3.5 hr)
Day 3: Paihia to Waitomo (6 hr)
Day 4: Waitomo (0 hr)
Day 5: Waitomo to Lake Taupo (2 hr)
Day 6: Lake Taupo to Tongariro (1.25 hr)
Day 7: Tongariro to Wellington (4 hrs)
I wanted to create the most flexible route possible, so there’s a ton of wiggle room in there! Read the full guide to see driving times, suggested activities, attractions, where to sleep and alternate routes.
I’ve taken care to only recommend things I’ve actually done at one point or another. This guide doesn’t have “10 spots to eat” in each location because I haven’t actually eaten at 10 restaurants in each town.
How to Get Around
While you can take the ‘intercity bus’ between the major towns in New Zealand, the best way to have autonomy is to rent a car. If you’re planning on doing an extended trip of 2 months or more, it may be even better to buy a car off facebook marketplace. This. may seem daunting but buying a car in NZ is relatively easy due to the high number of people coming and going!
If you’re in the country for just a couple weeks, check out renting a car. I’ve personally used “Pegasus Cars” and “Go Rentals” in the past. You can compare all car rental options on a booking platform like booking.com.
Day 1: Auckland
Drive time: Nada
Customize: If you don’t need a rest day in Auckland, skip sight seeing the city and go right onto “day 2” gaining a day to add something else into the mix.
You’ve just arrived in Auckland! Welcome to New Zealand!! Now you may hit the ground running here, but I always need a day to adjust to the new time zone. You may have just come off 24+ hours of travel, so if you’re not ready to hit the road yet, take a day to soak up Auckland. While it’s not my favorite city (it’s sort of a generic) there is a ton to do in the area.
Oh, by the way, gas is super expensive in New Zealand ($6 usd / gal) so I’ve chosen to highlight some FREE activities in Auckland to save you some dough
Top 3 Free Things to do in Auckland
- The Auckland Art Gallery is free to the public and located right downtown! I’ve never been super into art galleries and museums but I spent over an hour in this one!
2. Walk down to Viaduct Harbor, not only is the walk along the water super pretty, but there’s a swimming spot that’s perfect in the summer! There was also a free photo exhibit featuring images from the James Webb telescope when I was there.
3. Auckland’s got great city parks. The two biggest ones downtown are Victoria Park and Albert Park. I love having a little picnic, stroll or people watch in Victoria Park!
Where to Eat
You’ll definitely want to take advantage of all the Indian and Japanese food in the country! I’ve eaten at a number of restaurants in Auckland (from Indian to Ethiopian to fusion) but the 3 I want to give a shoutout to are: Koiya Japanese, Sunflower Thai Vegan, and the Occidental Bar.
Where to Stay
I’ve personally stayed in budget backpackers hostels, airbnbs and hotels in Auckland.
For a clean hostel experience with friendly staff and easy check in experience, I would recommend Lylo. Not every hostel in Auckland is a winner, but I genuinely enjoyed my stay at LyLo as it was clean, walkable and worked hard to make a community oriented environment.
If you want to stay right downtown off Queen Street, check out the Holiday Inn Express. They also have a location right near the airport. I stayed at the one downtown – they even had a parking garage (which of course costs extra)! Not to mention their amazing free breakfast buffet!
➡️ View current availability and pricing here ⬅️
Day 2: Auckland to Paihia
Drive time: 142 miles / 3 hr 15 min
Customize: If this is your “day 1”, spend the night in Paihia and drive up to Cape Reinga on day 2 before coming back down to Paihia. Or spend the day out on an island diving, snorkeling or relaxing on the beach. If you’re looking for an amazing side adventure, consider camping on Urupukapuka Island.
The fun really begins as you head north. There are great spots to stop along the way like Whangarei Falls and Waipu beach. At the end of your day you’ll be in the sub-tropical beach town of Paihia (pie-he-uh) in the Bay of Islands. From here you can take a quick ferry over to the quaint town of Russel or to the outer islands to really soak up the “tropical” feel.
Best Spots to Stop on the Drive
- Whangarei falls
Whangarei falls is a great spot to stop and stretch your legs. From the carpark you can walk just a few minutes to view the falls. If you’re up for the slightly steeper 10 minute walk, you can get a great view all the way down at the base. I thought this was a nice spot but I honestly wasn’t totally blown away by it
2. Rainbow Falls
Rainbow falls WOWED me even more than Whangarei! It’s another 30 minute drive past Paihia but totally worth it. In the summer if you’re brave and a good swimmer you can even swim over to the waterfall and climb along the edge (out of the splash zone of course). There you will see a little cavern hidden behind the veil of water!
Where to Stay in Paihia
I’ve only personally stayed at the Haka House Hostel and while it was a fine stay with a clean room and nice kitchen, it was nothing to rave about. It’s right in the middle of town which is great, but the building itself is a bit hard to find. It is one of the only budget accommodations in town, which may make it worth it! A dorm bed will cost you $50 NZD.
Just outside of town there’s a Top 10 Holiday Park. These are littered across NZ and I’ve stayed at a few before. They are clean, and have both tent sites and small cabins. They usually have wifi, laundry and a shared kitchen.
If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, you can review and compare more hotels and hostels with this fun button I installed –
Where to Eat
When I was in Paihia I grabbed a bit to eat at Greens Thai restaurant, located right across the street from Greens Indian! Other places I would consider checking out would be: Swordfish Bar and Bistro, Monkey Business and High Tide Cafe.
Day 3: Paihia to Waitomo
Drive time: 260 miles / 6 hours
Customize: if a long drive isn’t your thing, stop back in Auckland for the night
This is the longest drive of the trip, but it’ has to be done’s unavoidable if you’re going to include the Northland! You could of course cut out Paihia and make this your day 2 (if you do this and have an extra day, I suggest adding in New Plymouth for day 6) but I think Paihia has a charm and history worth visiting.
If you’re down to add a bit of driving time, add on the Piha black sand beach on your way south. Yes this weirdly sounds similar to “Paihia”, but it’s a totally different area and a very cool black sand beach near Auckland!
I won’t sugar coat it, a lot of the drive from Auckland to Waitomo is nothing spectacular. You’ll drive through big rural sections so keep your eyes out for farm stands and “real fruit ice cream.” But once you get to Waitomo, there’s a world of adventure at your fingertips! See “day 4” for ideas!
Where to Stay in Waitomo
There aren’t too many accommodation options in Waitomo, which makes your job easy!
During my 2022 road trip, I stayed at the TOP 10 Holiday Park in one of their adorable little chalets. It’s also walking distance from everything! They offer a family friendly vibe at a great price point. I got lucky in 2025 and stayed with a friend living in the area, but if that wasn’t an option I would absolutely stay at the Holiday Park again!
Day 4: Waitomo (day trips!)
Drive time: Nada
Customize: I built in a second day in Waitomo to give you a break from driving, but also to give you the possibility for some day trips. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you may want to drive over to the Hobbiton movie set, which is just over an hour away. I LOVE the Hobbition tour! Or stay in the area and experience glow worms, hiking and caving!
THE Best Thing to do in Waitomo
The absolute best thing to do in Waitomo is to experience the glow worm caves! Back Water Rafting is the best in the business, I’ve been with them twice!
They have an adventure for everyone depending on your aptitude for caves. You can go super hardcore and do their full day tour (you will be in an underground river!) or take a walking tour (and stay dry). They’ve been around for a long time too, my partner’s mom went on a tour with them in the 90’s!
The Blackwater Rafting Tour’s are incredibly popular in the summer (Dec – Feb) so make sure you book a few weeks in advance.
Day 5: Waitomo to Lake Taupo
Drive time: 93 miles / 1 hr 54 min
Customize: instead of staying in Taupo, you can stay in the neighboring town of Rotorua
In 2022, my friends and I stopped over in Taupo just to see the geothermal activity and I thought it was pretty cool but not amazing… Thankfully I gave the area a second chance on my 2025 road trip.
There’s more to the area than just bubbling mud. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in the country and also happens to be a volcanic crater! While the nearby town of Rotorua seems to be more popular, I would recommend staying in Taupo as I think the town itself has more charm.
Where to Go in Taupo
Odds are you’ll want to see some geothermal activity when you’re in the area, as it’s famed for it.
Check out ‘Craters of the Moon’ in Taupo for a large natural geothermal park with easy and accessible walking paths. I believe entry is around $10. There are plenty of other geothermal experiences that cost between $50 – $60 nzd, but we like to keep it budget friendly around here.
Now here’s where you’ll level up – soaking in a hot pool. There are plenty of pay to enter spas, but also a few free hidden gems.
In Taupo you can soak in Otumuheke Stream for free.
Over in Rotorua you can check out Kerosene Creek and the Hot ‘n Cold pools. I loved Kerosene Creek and I thought the Hot ‘n Cold pools were just alright. We were there in the summer and the “hot” stream was just WAY too hot for me. But my partner returned there in the winter and said he preferred Hot ‘n Cold the second time around in the winter temperatures. Really you can’t go wrong!
Where to stay
I’ve only ever camped in Taupo at “department of conservation” campgrounds. But I do know there is another Top 10 Holiday Park in Taupo, which if it’s anything like the others I’ve stayed in will surely be a good stay!
If I were going to stay in Taupo again, I would go for either the mid price range “Alpine Lake Motel” or in the hostel “Finlay Jacks Backpackers.”
Day 6: Lake Taupo to Tongariro
Drive time: 57 miles / 1 hr 15 min
Customize: If you’ve banked an extra day by either skipping Auckland or Paihia or leaving Waitomo early, I highly suggest adding in a day in New Plymouth after Tongariro. To do this you would wake up day 5 in Tongariro and drive 3.5 hrs to New Plymouth. This little town is a fun, hip and beachy with beautiful Mt. Taranaki as its backdrop.
Tongaririo National Park is one of the craziest landscapes in New Zealand. This is a must stop spot on your trip!
Tongariro N.P was the setting of Mordor in Lord of the Rings and boasts incredible volcanic scenery. I completely missed this my first time in New Zealand and I can’t believe it! Now I’d say no north island roadtrip is complete without a stop at Tongariro.
What to do in Tongariro
Your first stop will be the visitors center in the National Park for tons of great information about the area. From here you can decide what day hike is best for you. If you’re in NZ for a longer amount of time, you may even want to consider doing the full Tongarario Circuit.
Hiking
The most popular day hike is the Tongarario Crossing. We overlapped with part of this trail when we did our backpacking trip in Tongariro and I was shocked to see how many people were undertaking this strenuous hike ill-prepared.
This is a BIG hike with technical terrain (like a scree field) and unpredictable weather, it’s absolutely worth it but just be prepared for 8+ hours on a difficult trail.
Stop in at the visitors center to inquire about the best hike to suit your time constraints, milages and difficulty desires!
Meads Wall
For a quick little 45 minute adventure, head up to Meads Wall. From the visitors center parking lot it’s just a 15 minute drive up the hill. Here you’ll find another filming location for Lord of the Rings. But even if LOTR isn’t your thing, the wall is a very cool geological feature and also boasts an unbeatable view of Mount Ngauruhoe.
Where to Stay
You can opt to stay right at the base of the National Park at Skotel Alpine Resort, or you can do what we did and stay a 20 minute drive down the road to save a bit of money. We got a private room in the National Park Backpacker hostel, which felt like it hadn’t been updated since the 90’s but was clean and had a nice kitchen.
Day 7: Tongariro to Wellington
Drive time: 205 miles / 3 hr 55 min
Customize: If you find yourself with an extra day, you’ll definitely want to use it in Wellington. It’s my favorite big city in New Zealand and I think it’s got a cool maritime vibe and lots of Kiwi history.
The last day ends with a bit of a longer drive, but you’ll have scenic roads for most of this route! Towards the end of the drive you’ll be going along through lots of little coastal towns. Stop and get a taste for some of NZs small town vibes!
Best Free Spots Near Wellington
Once again highlighting from FREE activities around the city!
- Kaitoke Regional Park.
If you’re a LOTR fan, you can see the Rivendell filming location by driving just 45 minutes out of the city. Located in Kaitoke Regional Park, the “elven archway” is one of the only physical structures left standing from the filming days (although it’s a replica) and there are info plaques scattered throughout the area. It takes a mere 5 minutes to walk around the location of the set – it’s amazing that they created a whole world there!
If you’re not a LOTR fan, Kaitoke Regional Park is still a great spot to spend the day! The river is full of great swimming spots and there’s several good day hikes that can put you high up on the mountain.
2. Mt. Victoria Town Belt
Within the city, check out Mt. Victoria Town Belt Park. Which also happens to have another LOTR spot but that’s besides the point. This is a beautiful spot to get out and stretch your legs after a half day in the car.
3. Local Beaches
If you’re an ocean lover you can rejoice at finally being near the sea again! There are a ton of beaches to go to like Owhiro, Scorching Bay, Little beach and Breaker Bay.
4. Stroll Cuba Street
Cuba Street is the place to be! This is where all the cool shops, eateries, thrift stores, music stores and night life can be found.
5. Wellington Botanical Park
I spent like 2 hours walking around, reading and journaling in this little botanical park! It’s a great spot just outside the city and of course has a ton of cool plants.
Where to Stay
The first time I came to Wellington in 2022 my friends and I shared a beautiful Airbnb right downtown which allowed us to easily integrate into the night life.
In my most recent 2025 trip there I stayed at a cheap hotel that I was fine but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. If you’re looking for a cheap backpackers/hotel before you catch the ferry it’s called Hotel Waterloo. It was pretty close to most of the nightlife but again this is a 2 star hotel so you get what you pay for. I wasn’t crazy about it but it did the trick before we caught an early morning ferry.
Final Thoughts
I hope you put to use this flexible and customizable 7 day itinerary for the North Island of New Zealand!
This itinerary can of course be scaled up to 10 days or even 2 weeks (I’d add more time around Wellington, Taupo/Rotorua and in the Northland).
Start your planning by figuring out which towns you want to spend time in, booking your rental car and of course your accommodation. January – February is the hight of summer and thus the busy season, but temperatures will be nice and warm!
I’ve loved my many road trips across New Zealand, and if I was a first timer trying to see the North Island, this itinerary is where I’d start! I especially feel that Tongariro can’t be missed. Enjoy the many roadside sheep and traffic cones beautiful New Zealand has to offer!
Ahoy! I’m Bree and I’ve started this blog to help you plan your next great outdoor adventure. With a background in marine science, I’ve got an aptitude for all things ocean, but you’ll find land based adventures here too! Everything you see here is based on my own travel experience and paid for myself. I hope you stick around!