New Zealand North Island road trip: Our itineraries

Chapter 4 of 4

If you’re able to spend a month (or more!) on the North Island, you can extend the 21-day itinerary to include some more stops. Plus, you can be flexible and give yourself some extra time in some of the places we’ve already mentioned.

Follow the existing itinerary for days 1-9. Before you leave Tauranga for Rotorua, add in:

Days 10 and 11: Gisborne

In this extended road trip, you have time to see more of the North Island’s east coast. This part of the island is remote and not many travellers make it here, so expect untouched nature and scenery. After a 4-hour drive from Tauranga, you can choose from some of the following activities in Gisborne:

• Surf beaches
• Rere Falls and Rere Rockslide
• Gisborne Railbike (cycle along disused railway lines)
• Tupapa Heritage Trail
• Wineries
• Eastwoodhill Arboretum
• Tairāwhiti Museum (Māori history and culture)
• Dome Cinema (watch films from beanbags on the floor!)

Your next day can be spent in Gisborne again. Otherwise, you might prefer another big adventure, in which case you can drive the scenic coastal road Highway 35, making stops along the way. Don’t miss Tolaga Bay Wharf, New Zealand’s longest pier and one of the region’s iconic photo ops.

How far you go up the coast is up to you—you might also want to stay along the coastal road for the night to avoid the long drive back to Gisborne. In order of when you’ll encounter them heading north from Gisborne, some of the other highlights are:

• Meet stingrays with Dive Tatapouri
• Anaura Bay
• Maunga Hikurangi (guided summit tour)
• East Cape Lighthouse (easternmost tip of New Zealand)
• Te Araroa (“largest” pōhutukawa tree in New Zealand, although this claim hasn’t been verified!)
• Raukōkore Church

After your time on the east coast, you will then return to the 21-day itinerary and head to Rotorua. Allow time for a 4-hour drive if coming from Gisborne, or more/less time if you’ve stayed somewhere else along the east coast.

Once you reach Rotorua, follow the itinerary to Tongariro. Your next change will be to drive west to New Plymouth after Tongariro, before heading south to Wellington.

Days 18 and 19: New Plymouth

After a 4-hour drive from Tongariro, you will have some time to explore the New Plymouth area:

• Te Rewa Rewa Bridge (views of Mount Taranaki and the beaches)
• Coastal walkway
• Fitzroy Beach and Back Beach
• Puke Ariki Museum (history and biodiversity of the Taranaki region)
• Lake Mangamahoe (views of Mount Taranaki)
• Pukekura Park
• Paritutu Rock (a short but steep climb to the top)

The main draw of this part of the island, and where you will spend your second day in New Plymouth, is Mount Taranaki. After Mount Ruapehu, this is the next highest mountain in the North Island. If you’re a more experienced climber, you can spend a day (8-10 hours) climbing the summit. If you don’t plan to do the summit climb, there’s also the option to ski in the winter months, or hike in the surrounding national park in the summer.

Spare days

Finally, you can choose where you insert your remaining 3 days into the existing itinerary. You can add these at any point during the trip, depending on your interests. If you’re looking for ideas, our suggestions for places that deserve more time would be:

1. An extra day around Wellington and the Wairarapa. This will allow you time to try some of the wineries. Martinborough is the biggest wine area in the region, but there are also great wines to be found in Masterton and Gladstone.

2. Allocate your final days to Auckland for some island hopping. For your first day trip, take the ferry to Rangitoto Island. Rangitoto is a dormant volcano and home to the world’s largest pohutukawa forest; it’s great for hiking and kayaking. Finish your time in Auckland with a more relaxing day trip to Waiheke Island for beaches, wineries and fine dining.

Hopefully, you’re now full of ideas and feeling more prepared for your North Island road trip! Be sure to share your North Island highlights in the comments below.