Wellington to Auckland

6 days is going to be a squeeze to fit in all the amazing things between New Zealand’s capital, Wellington and our biggest city, Auckland. That’s why we have got our heads together to come up with the highlights along the way so you can sit back and enjoy the drive. You’re welcome! OK – let’s GO! If you’re still in the planning stage of your trip, make sure you check out the great deals on hire cars at Auckland Airport or our car rental in Wellington – we’re not one of New Zealand’s favourite rental car companies for no reason!

Contents

1. Route map with key locations
2. Recommended vehicle for this trip
3. Trip itinerary
   • Wellington
   • Wellington to Taupo
   • Lake Taupo to Rotorua
   • Rotorua to Coromandel Peninsula
   • Coromandel Peninsula to Auckland
   • Auckland

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Trip Itinerary

1Wellington

Wellington is small but has no shortage of things to see. Head for the CBD, park your rental car and wander around the small streets.

Wellington Complete Guide

Grab a coffee (Wellington claims to have the best coffee in New Zealand so check for yourself), visit the cool one-of-a-kind stores along Manners Mall and Cuba Street. When you’re on that street, notice the cool Bucket Fountain that doesn’t actually work the way it’s supposed to (take a close look at it and you’ll see the water doesn’t actually obey the easy bucket system and sometimes misses the buckets altogether).

A visit to Archives New Zealand, on 10 Mulgrave Street, allows you to see the Treaty of Waitangi (the document that is considered the foundation of the country). You can also take a tour of the Beehive, the country’s parliament, if you’re feeling politically-inclined, before taking a stroll along the waterfront, decorated with interesting sculptures and populated by numerous bars (including some decent craft beer spots).

If you’re looking for more inspiration, you can check out our guide to Wellington.

2Wellington to Taupo (370km – 5 hours 5 mins)

Stonehenge Aotearoa (84.2km – 1 hour 14 mins from Wellington)

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Heading north out of Wellington, we’re going to take a slightly longer route towards Palmerston North, with a pit stop in Carterton.

Take Park Road out of Carterton and follow the signs to Stonehenge Aotearoa to see a full scale model of Stonehenge located on the hills of the Wairarapa, pretty much as far from actual Stonehenge as anything can be. You’ll be able to learn a bit about astronomy, both ancient and modern methods, and find out more about Maori astrology too.

Whanganui (193km – 2 hours 41 mins)

From Carterton, we have just short of 3 hours to drive before we hit our next destination, Whanganui.

There’s plenty to see in Whanganui so you’ll have to be a bit selective. We suggest a look at the Cooks Gardens, on St Hill Street, right in the centre of town. These are famous because they were the location where Peter Snell ran the famous sub-four minute mile in January 1962 (that’s crazy fast). If you’re feeling particularly fit, you can try attempting your fastest mile time here too, right where Snell did it in front of 13,000 people.

Afterwards, take some time to wander around the Whanganui Regional Museum, on Watt Street, which displays the impressive work of Gottfried Lindauer, one of the most famous colonial artists in the country. The museum also includes one of the most important collections of Moa bones, including some complete skeletons of the extinct giant bird. Hop back in your GO Rentals car for the last trip of the day up to Taupo which should take you around 3.5 hours.

3Lake Taupo to Rotorua (81.3km – 1 hour 8 mins)

Having arrived pretty late in Taupo the previous day, a new dawn awaits with plenty of options in
this town situated on the shore of New Zealand’s largest lake.

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Make sure you stop at the Huka Falls, a set of incredibly impressive waterfalls along the Waikato per second (that’s a lot of water). Next, stop at the Huka Prawn Park (Karetoto Rd) for a visit (you’ll need a couple of hours if you want to take the tour) and some seafood deliciousness.

Lake Taupo itself is pretty impressive and, not far from the township, along the Desert Road, you’ll get to see Mount Ruapehu (Mount Doom for you Lord of the Rings fans) and its neighbouring (and equally impressive) volcanoes.

The Desert Road itself is worth the drive as the scenery is not something you’ll find anywhere else anywhere else in the world) so take your time to soak in the views.

Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to Rotorua and enjoy some of the delights – it’s a pretty short drive so you should be able to fit plenty in:

Rotorua

You probably noticed it as soon as you drove into Rotorua – that sulphuric smell (no that wasn’t your fellow passengers!), the vents on the ground letting steam off, the boiling mud everywhere. You’ve arrived in New Zealand’s thermal wonderland.

Rotorua Complete Guide

Te Puia

For stunning examples of Maori culture that you’ll not find anywhere else, pay a visit to Te Puia (about five minutes from the centre of town). You’ll learn about Maori culture and costumes from Maori people themselves, as well as witness a few more examples of geothermal activity (we’re still in Rotorua after all). Make sure you attend the Maori culture performance at the Marae (by the entrance) and visit the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute located inside as well. Te Puia also includes a live kiwi bird enclosure (a rare opportunity to see the New Zealand icon) and the famous Pohutu Geyser.

Zorbing

Right, that’s enough walking around, it’s time for some adrenaline. Head to the Zorb (149 Western Road in Rotorua), another GO Play partner, for a few minutes of adrenaline-infused adventure.

Zorbing first started in New Zealand so what better place to experience it than right in the heart of the country where it all began? Zorbing (which is basically rolling down some hills inside a giant inflatable ball) is one of those activities on many people’s bucket lists. Tick that off yours now before we continue heading south.

New Zealand Caterpillar Experience

The New Zealand Caterpillar Experience will be another one of those unique places you probably don’t expect to find anywhere. Located on 171 Fairy Springs Road, this is the work of Lindsay Willis, a man who has been collecting Caterpillar equipment for most of his life. We’re talking heavy machinery here, no small stuff. This is the world’s foremost collection of this sort of equipment and Willis keeps it all in excellent condition (with some of the oldest ones still in working order). The displays are set alongside footage of some of the machinery at work, way back in the day, and you’ll get to see some trucks and bulldozers that are now the only examples left of their kind. Impressive stuff!

4Rotorua to Coromandel Peninsula (208km – 2 hours 57 mins)

Chainsaw Collection at the New Zealand Timber Museum (54.2km – 47 mins from
Rotorua)

Not exactly the most obvious choice for a recommended touristic attraction but we’re talking about
unique and quaint experiences that you’ll only get in New Zealand, right? So here’s one: a chainsaw
collection at a Timber Museum in the small town of Putaruru, about an hour south of Hamilton. You
don’t find that in many other places.

Blue Spring

Before you head out of Putaruru, stop for a visit to the international acclaimed Blue Spring with crystal clear blue waters. Pack a picnic and head along the Te Waihou Walkway to reach the spring. The walk takes about 1.5 hours each way and passes through rolling farmland, New Zealand native bush and even some waterfalls. Mandatory waterfall photo taken, it’s time to keep heading south. Our next stop is Matamata.

Matamata (29.8km – 28 mins from Putaruru)

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If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, this is the place for you. If you’re not a Lord of the Rings fan (we don’t judge), you’ll still enjoy the stop in Matamata. The town includes the set of Hobbiton from Peter Jackson’s movies and a guided tour of the movie set (starting from the Information Centre right on the main street) is a must-do for any visitor. You’ll be able to visit 44 unique hobbit holes (just like in the movies), including Bag End (Bilbo Baggins’ house), as you make your way through the Shire, passing iconic locations such as the Green Dragon Pub, the double arched bridge and the Party Tree.

After that, it’s time to continue north. Our next stop: Paeroa.

Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway (7.7km – 7 mins from Paeroa)

Dust off the hiking boots, we’re going for a little walk. Well, sort of little – 7 kilometres. The Karangahake Gorge Walkway features the remains of a historical railway nestled in a natural gorge setting. The walk will take you through relics of back in the day when the area was a big gold mining region. It follows the railway line through the gorge and alongside the Ohinemuri River, through the Victoria Battery Complex and ending in the Waikino Station (which includes a cafe for a much deserved post-walk beverage). To get to the start of the walkway, park your rental car at the Karangahake Domain Car Park on SH2 between Paeroa and Waihi, get your hiking boots on and off you go!

Waihi (13.2km – 12 mins from Karangahake)

As you head towards the peninsula, make sure you stop by the impressive Martha’s Mine in Waihi. You can take a goldmine tour and find out more about this important part of New Zealand history. Take some time to learn a bit more about the gold mining history, as there won’t be many other opportunities to do so during the trip. From here you head to your final destination – we recommend a stopover in Whitianga which is just short of 2 hours from Waihi.

Coromandel Complete Guide

5Coromandel Peninsula to Auckland

Take the time to enjoy your morning on the Coromandel Peninsula before you head off to New Zealand’s biggest city. Make the most of the peace and quiet and the tranquil walks as things are going to get busy when you arrive in Auckland.

Auckland Complete Guide

6Auckland

You could spend 6 days in and around Auckland alone there is some much to do but with only 6 days to spare, 1 day in NZ’s largest city, home to 1.3 million people and known as the City of Sails is all we can afford. After a nice stroll in downtown Auckland, checking out the Viaduct area and maybe grabbing a bite to eat it’s time for one last drive out in your hire car. A perfect place to end this adventure is to head out west through the suburbs and out to the Waitakere Ranges. With heaps of tracks through the lush forest, there is plenty to keep you busy here. If walking’s not your thing, keep driving through the forest and end up at one of the superb west coast beaches like Piha or Muriwai. The surf’s good out there and the black volcanic sand makes for an interesting day at the beach.

If you’re looking for something a bit closer to home but still fancy a drive out, head on out to Devonport or even up to one of the North Shore’s laid back locations like Browns Bay where you can grab a coffee and watch the world go by. There are so many things to do in the big little city that getting lost for a day won’t be a problem. Check out our guide to Auckland and around for more ideas of great days out in the ‘big little city’.

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