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New Zealand trip plans

Road trips, camping bases and time on the trail.

Essentials

9 trip plans in our collection

  • Pale geothermal shoreline and shrubs beside Lake Rotorua at Sulphur Point.
    Illustrative

    Lake Rotorua's shoreline at Sulphur Point in 2017. Landscape context only; this reserve view does not show a designated camping area. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Krzysztof Golik / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Details

    Bay of Plenty / Central North Island

    Rotorua to Taupo: Four Days of Short Walks and Lake Stops

    Duration
    4 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Rotorua / Taupo
    Planning notes

    Spend two days around Rotorua before moving once to Taupo, pairing Okere Falls with a separate Huka Falls outing rather than an alpine crossing.

    Checked 2026-09-26. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • Wellington Harbour seen from Roseneath, with hillside homes and the opposite peninsula.
    Illustrative

    Wellington Harbour from Roseneath in 2021. Harbour context only; no designated overnight parking spaces are identified. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Tom Ackroyd / CC0 1.0 / Details

    Wellington

    Wellington and Wairarapa: Four Days from Harbour to Forest

    Duration
    4 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Wellington / Carterton
    Planning notes

    Spend a Lower Hutt night before moving to Carterton for town stops and a Holdsworth forest day, with a dedicated margin for the SH2 crossing.

    Checked 2026-09-26. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • A walker seen from behind carrying a grey and orange backpack, with hills in the background.
    Illustrative

    A backpack carried outdoors; location unverified. This is not a retailer or current-stock photograph. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Cody Black / Unsplash License / Details

    Wellington

    Wellington to Kapiti: Four Days Around Waikanae

    Duration
    4 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Wellington / Waikanae
    Planning notes

    Head north to a Waikanae base for separate estuary and forest outings, leaving the Wairarapa crossing and island excursions outside the trip.

    Checked 2026-10-01. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • A yellow tent pitched among trees, with another tent partly visible beside it.
    Illustrative

    Pitched tents in Yosemite Valley, United States, not a New Zealand campsite or a pitching demonstration. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Andrew Scofield / Unsplash License / Details

    Bay of Plenty

    Bay of Plenty: Five Days from Waihi Beach to Ohope

    Duration
    5 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Waihi Beach / Ohope
    Planning notes

    Travel east from Waihi Beach through Katikati and a Papamoa base to Ohope, keeping harbour outings separate from the longer accommodation move.

    Checked 2026-10-01. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • A yellow tent pitched among trees, with another tent partly visible beside it.
    Illustrative

    Pitched tents in Yosemite Valley, United States, not a New Zealand campsite or a pitching demonstration. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Andrew Scofield / Unsplash License / Details

    Gisborne / Hawke's Bay

    Gisborne to Napier: Five Days Through Wairoa

    Duration
    5 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Gisborne / Napier
    Planning notes

    Split the eastern journey with a Wairoa overnight, a Gisborne forest day and an unhurried Napier finish instead of adding an East Cape circuit.

    Checked 2026-10-01. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • A yellow tent pitched among trees, with another tent partly visible beside it.
    Illustrative

    Pitched tents in Yosemite Valley, United States, not a New Zealand campsite or a pitching demonstration. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Andrew Scofield / Unsplash License / Details

    Waikato

    Hamilton, Raglan and Waitomo: Five Days Across Waikato

    Duration
    5 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Hamilton / Waitomo
    Planning notes

    Pair a Raglan coast stay with a separate Waitomo walking day, starting in Hamilton and avoiding a rushed coast-and-caves combination.

    Checked 2026-10-01. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • A walker seen from behind carrying a grey and orange backpack, with hills in the background.
    Illustrative

    A backpack carried outdoors; location unverified. This is not a retailer or current-stock photograph. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Cody Black / Unsplash License / Details

    Manawatu-Whanganui

    Manawatu to Whanganui: Five Days With a Gorge Walking Day

    Duration
    5 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Palmerston North / Whanganui
    Planning notes

    Start with two Palmerston North nights, give the gorge its own transport plan, then move to Whanganui for a slower arts-focused finish.

    Checked 2026-10-01. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • A walker seen from behind carrying a grey and orange backpack, with hills in the background.
    Illustrative

    A backpack carried outdoors; location unverified. This is not a retailer or current-stock photograph. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Cody Black / Unsplash License / Details

    Taranaki

    Taranaki: Five Days from New Plymouth to Stratford and Hawera

    Duration
    5 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    New Plymouth / Hawera
    Planning notes

    Move down Taranaki's eastern side with a Stratford forest day and a Hawera gardens finish, rather than returning to New Plymouth every night.

    Checked 2026-10-01. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

  • A walker seen from behind carrying a grey and orange backpack, with hills in the background.
    Illustrative

    A backpack carried outdoors; location unverified. This is not a retailer or current-stock photograph. Not a verified photograph of the place or itinerary in this guide.

    Photo: Cody Black / Unsplash License / Details

    Northland

    Whangarei to Kerikeri: Six Days in Eastern Northland

    Duration
    6 days
    Style
    Road trip
    Start / finish
    Whangarei / Kerikeri
    Planning notes

    Move north through Whangarei and Paihia to Kerikeri, leaving space for Puketi and a land-based Bay of Islands day without a Cape Reinga dash.

    Checked 2026-10-01. Suggested itinerary; bookings and current access need confirmation.

Plan an island road trip

Start with a realistic route, then choose campsites and walks for each overnight base.

Leave room to change course

These are editorial route suggestions, not booked holidays. Allow extra time for weather, roadworks, rest and the needs of your group. Each overnight stop needs a confirmed booking or verified permission.

Driving in New Zealand

Walking distances and grades belong to the individual route. Check its current notices before adding it to a driving day.

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