Drive Wellington to Auckland: The 7 Day North Island Road Trip That Has It All

Find epic views all over the North Island on a #SpaceshipsRoadTrip

Day 2: Explore the Wairarapa

• Drive time: Various loop options, 2-3 hours
• Direct distance: 170-200km route dependent

Today is a day of wild coasts and quirky towns. First up is the Patuna Chasm - a beautiful hidden gem and local favourite. This private nature walk winds through dramatic limestone chasm formations covered in ferns and native bush. It’s like a scene straight out of a fantasy novel. Bookings are required and check ahead for seasonal availability. The Patuna Chasm is often closed during the winter months due to high river levels.

Next, head south and stop at Ngawi. A tiny fishing village where dozens of bulldozers sit on the beach ready to help launch fishing boats into the water. It’s also home to one of the largest Antarctic fur seal colonies on the North Island. See thousands of seal pups and large male seals swimming in pools and lounging on the rocks.

After seal watching, make your way towards the edge of the world, the rugged Wairarapa coastline. The Cape Palliser Lighthouse sits at the end of a long winding road and after climbing up 258 steps rewards you with amazing views of the Cook Strait.

Spend the afternoon winding your way back up to Greytown, New Zealand's first planned inland town. Today, it’s a gorgeous strip of Victorian architecture, independent boutiques and excellent coffee. The White Swan Hotel is a great spot for dinner and a nightcap. Park your camper for the night in Greytown Campground or head back to Martinborough for a second peaceful night.

Day 3: Wairarapa to Hawke’s Bay

• Drive time: 2-3+ hours
• Direct distance: 150km+

Day 3 is a driving day with two absolute pearlers en route. The Pūkaha Wildlife Centre is a great national wildlife sanctuary nestled in the Pūkaha/Mount Bruce forest. It’s home to native New Zealand birds like the kiwi and kākāpō, the tuatara, a native reptile, and the famously rare white kiwi. If you’ve ever wanted to see a kiwi, this is the place to do it. There are even various bird feeding times throughout the day.

As you head north, pass through towns like Waipawa and Waipukurau. Simple, yet classic Central Hawkes Bay towns. Grab a pie from a local bakery, stretch your legs and hit the road.

Te Mata Peak - The Best Sunset in Hawke’s Bay

Finally, arrive in Hawke’s Bay and head straight up Te Mata Peak for the golden hour view. If you’re looking for the best thing to do in Hawke’s Bay, this has got to be up there. Choose to take the 3km drive up to the summit or pick one of the 12 walking tracks suited to a range of fitness levels. The final walk up to the trig is short and the panoramic views across the Heretaunga Plains are breathtaking. On a clear day you’ll get views stretching from Cape Kidnappers to the Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges. Park your Spaceships campervan at the lookout and get your camera out! This is the perfect opportunity.

Choose to spend the night in Napier or Havelock North. Both are excellent campervan bases with holiday parks so take your pick based on vibe. Napier for art deco and ocean sunsets, Havelock North for a sophisticated, yet local village feel.

See panoramic views of Hawke's Bay at Te Mata Peak | Photo by Sammie Nguyen

Day 4: A Day in Hawke's Bay

• Drive time: minimal

The Hawke's Bay region is pulling triple duty today: New Zealand's oldest wine region, the Art Deco capital of the Southern Hemisphere, and some of the best cycling trail networks in the country. Which means today is a stay and play kind of day.

Hawke’s Bay Wine Trails

The Hawke’s Bay Trails: Wineries Ride is one of the top trails to experience. It’s flat, easy and approximately 33km of cycling through orchard and vineyard country. It’s a true paddock-to-plate, vine-to-glass adventure. There are 10 wineries along the trail all with excellent wine and meal options.

Popular cellar doors also found around Hawke’s Bay include the following:

• Mission Estate - the oldest winery in NZ with a beautifully restored building
• Church Road - the first in NZ to craft quality Bordeaux-style red wine
• Craggy Range - views of Te Mata Peak and a world-class restaurant
• Black Barn - boutique, beautiful and brilliant for a long lunch in the vines

Napier Art Deco - The City That Rebuilt Itself in Style

In 1931, a devastating earthquake destroyed Napier almost entirely. The city was rebuilt rapidly in the architectural style of the movement, Art Deco. Today, it’s well known as one of the most visually striking towns in New Zealand. Walk the main streets, join a guided tour or simply wander freely and absorb the fact that everywhere you look looks like a 1930s Hollywood film set. The Daily Telegraph Building and the National Tobacco Company Building are particular highlights for architecture lovers but the whole streetscape is pretty awesome.

Spaceships Tip: The Art Deco Festival Napier held every February is one of New Zealand’s most fun annual events. See vintage cars, period costumes, swing bands and the entire city turn full 1930s mode.

End the day at the Ocean Spa on Napier’s Marine Parade. After a day of cycling, walking and wine, relaxing in peaceful hot pools overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a non-negotiable.

Again, park your camper and stay in Napier or Havelock North. Day 5 heads further north so either works perfectly as a launchpad.

Liftoff achieved. Destination: wherever looks good next!

Day 5: Drive Hawke’s Bay to Taupo

• Drive time: 2+ hours
• Direct distance: 170km

Day 5 is a driving day passing through stunning New Zealand farmland and rugged hill country with some of the North Island’s most dramatic natural features waiting for you at the end. 

As you make your way north, take a short detour off State Highway 5 to find a beautiful double waterfall tumbling into a gorge filled with native bush. The Waipunga Falls lookout is a simple 1 minute walk from the car park so it’s an easy stop to jump out and stretch your legs while also getting an amazing view.

Taupo - The Geothermal Heartland

Pull into Taupo and take a moment to appreciate the enormous, beautiful, impossibly scenic lake in front of you. Lake Taupo is actually a supervolcano caldera masquerading as a pretty lake. It formed around 25,500 years ago after an eruption so massive it was even noted in both Roman and Chinese history.

The Central North Island itself is the ultimate hub of geothermal wonders, rich Maori culture and all things adventure and outdoors. Near Taupo find:

• Huka Falls - Where the Waikato River (NZ’s longest river) narrows and rushes through a rocky channel with terrifying but amazing force. The water is an electric turquoise blue and the noise is LOUD. Free to visit, it’s a must when in Taupo.
• Aratiatia Rapids - Gated rapids that blast open at set times through the day (10am, 12pm, 2pm and an extra time at 4pm during summer only). Time your visit to watch the gorge fill from a trickle to a raging torrent of water.
• Jet boating on the Waikato - Highly recommended for the thrill seekers! Blast around the river at crazy speeds and even get right up close to Huka Falls.
• Wairakei Terraces - Milky blue pools fed by deep geothermal waters and silica terraces. Great for an evening soak.
• Spa Thermal Park - A free natural hot river where the Otumuheke Stream meets the Waikato River. Find yourself a spot in the river and dig yourself in to feel the earth warm around you.

Spend the night at one of Taupo's many campgrounds or holiday parks situated right near the lake edge and wake up in the morning to lake views with a side of peaceful New Zealand energy.

Lake Taupo, a view that never gets old | Photo by Zon Dasein

Day 6: Drive Taupo to Rotorua

• Drive time: 1 hour
• Direct distance: 80km

Short drive day, maximum wow factor. Rotorua proudly announces itself with the smell of sulphur, embrace it. The locals call it “the smell of money”, which rings true as the geothermal activity fuels the region's tourism industry. In reality, it’s just the smell of hydrogen sulphide gas escaping from the earth, you’ll get used to it quickly.

Start your time in Rotorua with a walk (or mountain bike) through the Redwoods / Whakarewarewa Forest. Immerse yourself amongst 120 year old California Redwoods standing 75 metres high as well as other native fauna like silver ferns. There’s an awesome Redwoods Treewalk where visitors can walk along a suspension bridge walkway high up in the forest canopy. It’s beautiful, peaceful and also great at night under a world of colour and light.

Next, take the gondola up to Skyline Rotorua and absolutely send it back down on the luge tracks. Choose from one of the five tracks suited to everyone from first-timers to those who forget they're not in their twenties anymore. The views at the top of the gondola look right out across Lake Rotorua, the North Island’s second largest lake.

As you know by now, Rotorua is full of geothermal adventures. A few of the top recommended parks include:

• Te Puia - home to the mighty Pōhutu Geyser, plus a kiwi conservation centre and a great Māori cultural experience.
• Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland - colourful thermal pools and bubbling mud, plus the Lady Knox Geyser that's guaranteed to go off at 10:15am (with a bit of manmade help).
• Hell’s Gate - boiling mud pools, roaring steam vents and a mud bath spa that's as wild as the name suggests.

There are also many amazing thermal spas and mud pools including:

• Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa - luxury wellness experience
• Polynesian Spa - lakefront geothermal pools & spas
• Secret Spot Hot Tubs - hot tubs and saunas hidden amongst the forest

Find a campground or holiday park in the Rotorua township, many of which have their own thermal pools on site. It’s a great perk of the town!

Visit the mighty Redwood / Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua

Day 7: Rotorua to Auckland

• Drive time: 2.5 hours
• Direct distance: 226km

The final stretch back north, but don't rush it! There’s still plenty to see including one of the most famous movie sets in the world, Hobbiton. Even after being built over 25 years ago for The Lord of the Rings, the Shire is still in immaculate condition. Take the 2 hour tour through Bag End, the Party Field, the Mill and end at the Green Dragon Inn with a complimentary drink. If Hobbiton is on your bucket list, make sure to book ahead. It’s well known to book out, especially in summer.

If you’re in the mood for more outdoor magic head along to the Putaruru Blue Springs. The short walk brings you to water so pure and clear it’s almost impossible to imagine. It’s free to visit and the perfect peaceful stop between hours of driving.

Further north, stop in at the Hamilton Gardens. It’s a wildly underrated series of distinct themed garden rooms including an Indian Charbagh garden, a Chinese Scholar’s garden, a Surrealist garden, a Renaissance garden and more.

Jump back in your Spaceship and travel north on State Highway 1 as the motorway opens up and the Sky Tower appears on the horizon. Arrive in Auckland by late afternoon and return your Spaceship to the Auckland depot, and just like that. It’s over. Some of NZ’s best all seen from the comfort of your compact campervan. That’s the true magic of a #SpaceshipsRoadTrip.

Pack your boots! It's time for the Tongariro Crossing

Bonus Day: Tongariro National Park

If you have 8 days (or more) rather than 6-7, add a detour to Tongariro National Park between Hawke’s Bay and Taupo or as a full day side trip from Taupo.

Standing as New Zealand's oldest national park and the world's first Dual UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tongariro is simultaneously one of the most geologically active, culturally significant and visually impressive places in the country. If you’ve hiked, skied, watched Lord of the Rings, or have ever Googled "most dramatic landscapes on earth", you need to visit.

 

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The park is home to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, widely considered one of the best one day hikes in the world. Visit to see active volcanic terrain, emerald and turquoise crater lakes, Mount Ngauruhoe, AKA Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings, and views that go on forever. The Crossing is weather dependent and can close at short notice so be sure to check conditions the night before and have a backup plan.

Other popular things to check out in the area include:

• Whakapapa Village - the DOC visitor centre here is excellent for trail conditions and history of the park
• Taranaki Falls Track - a more accessible 2 hour loop through tussock and native bush to a 20m waterfall. A perfect alternative if the Crossing is weathered out.
• Hit the slopes - in the winter, head to Whakapapa or Turoa ski fields to go skiing or snowboarding on an active volcano.
• Ride the Sky Waka Gondola - Located at the Whakapapa ski area, take the gondola up high onto Mt Ruapehu for panoramic views and alpine dining.
• Desert Road - Spanning 63km from Turangi to Waiouru, the road cuts right through wild, tussock filled Rangipo Desert. On a clear day you’ll get epic views of the three main volcanoes, Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro.
• 2 hour guided sunset walk - an evening walk with easy terrain finishing up at sunset.

Home for the night, parked with a view

It’s Road Trip Time

The Wellington to Auckland road trip is the North Island at its finest. Its wine, waterfalls, geothermal wonders, glowworms, Hobbits, art deco cities, hot pools and vibrant natural landscapes all bundled into one and all easily accessible from the comfort of your Spaceship.

Pick up your campervan in Christchurch, take the ferry, then drop off in Auckland. Or start in Auckland and loop the whole North Island mission. Either way, the only bad version of this trip is the one you didn't take.

The road's ready, are you?

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