A 4 week itinerary to exploring New Zealand

By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 1st August 2020 | Updated: 14th November 2023

New Zealand is somewhere everyone should go at least once in there lifetime. With some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, wonderfully friendly people and adventure sports to suit everyone why would you not want to go? This is where The Travelling Tedaldi comes in with our 4 week itinerary to exploring New Zealand!

Having spent 4 weeks there exploring all we could on both the North and South islands in a campervan we’ve put together an itinerary for those wanting to find out how to spend their first time in New Zealand. There is still plenty more to see and do in New Zealand so we recommend you use this post as a rough guide to planning your own adventures. We still have to go back to explore even more that New Zealand has to offer! So without further ado here is our 4 week itinerary to exploring New Zealand:

(We started in the South Island then worked our way North, but you could easily follow this 4 week itinerary to New Zealand the other way)

Contents

What to know before you go

South Island

North Island

What to know before you go

Capital – Wellington | Population – 4.8 million | Area – 268,021 km2 | Language – English or Māori | Currency – New Zealand dollar

How to explore

If you want to get a real taste of New Zealand then you simply must hire a campervan or car. We opted for the campervan so we could camp all around the country and not have to worry about pre-booking accommodation each night. It also meant that we could cook for ourselves every day rather than having to eat out, saving money for those all-important adrenaline-pumping activities you will no doubt want to partake in!

Best places to stay / camp

Without a doubt use the Top 10 holiday park campsites, we used them all over the country and each one was wonderful and unique. It might have a pool, sauna, be sat right alongside a waterfall, or in the shadow of the mountains, but each one we stayed at was great! There is also a mix of campsite accommodations so you don’t have to be literally camping. You could be in one of the guesthouses or cabins instead if you are driving a car.

Driving in New Zealand

First off you drive on the left, so if you are from the UK happy days, if not it gets easier! With this in mind, it is, therefore, illegal to stop and park on the right-hand side of the road. One lane bridges, especially in the South Island, are used to cross over rivers, ravines and creeks. When coming up to one you may or may not get the right of way but use common sense and you will be fine. If there are already cars on the bridge don’t go, if there is a big queue on the other side, let them go and if you are part way across and another car comes on to the bridge, don’t panic, they should move.

Make sure you take some road maps with you of the areas you are likely to visit as Wi-Fi is few and far between in the deep depths of New Zealand’s wilderness! There is no need to hire a 4WD for exploring New Zealand, even the gravelled back roads are in pretty good shape. Last but not least, be sure to keep your vehicle well topped up with fuel. Petrol stations are often few and far between and the distances between places can be very deceiving!

Wi-Fi

If like us you want to keep the family back home updated as to where you are, instead of buying a Wi-Fi hub pop into the local libraries where not only can you learn more about the area but get an hour or twos worth of free Wi-Fi.

Prices / Cost

We found that the prices of food, accommodation and activities were similar to that in the UK. It is the getting to New Zealand bit that can be pricey! The fuel for the camper was also a bit more expensive than if you filled up in the UK, but we were travelling a lot.

SOUTH ISLAND

The South Island. Home to mountains, glaciers and adrenaline-fuelled sports. Also named Te Waipounamu, it is the larger of the 2 main islands of New Zealand, perfect for exploring to the max!

Fly into Christchurch. Pick up your transport and if you are in a camper head straight to do a food shop. Be sure to stock up on all the essentials as well as a New Zealand treat or two, after all, you are here for the next month! Next, get to your accommodation/campsite and settle down for the night before the proper adventure starts tomorrow…

Word of warning – When we picked up our campervan there was a slight hiccup… the company’s original pick up location had been changed unbeknownst to us. So double triple check where you need to get to before paying for a taxi the wrong direction!

Day 1 – Christchurch

Today is a day of exploring Christchurch. The gondola at the outskirts of Lyttleton, the Botanical Gardens and the city centre.

First stop head out to the Christchurch Gondola in Lyttleton. After parking at the bottom in Heathcote Valley, ride the gondola up the side of Mount Cavendish in the Port Hills for some of the most incredible views. When you reach the top, it might not seem possible but the scenery in every direction is breathtaking. Get out and wander around the walks at the top of the mountain, saying hello to all the local sheep! Be sure to grab a cuppa at the top before hopping on the gondola back down to the van ready for the drive into Christchurch city centre.

The first place to visit in the centre is most definitely the Botanical Gardens. Founded in 1863 and situated alongside the River Avon with countless ducks wandering around, it is a little oasis to visit in the city. The greenhouses were all built in 1924 and are beautiful inside and out. They are also a welcome shelter from the wind if you are there during the winter!

After a wander around in the cold of the Botanical Gardens head into the city to get a feel for the place. Christchurch centre has a bit of an odd, ghost town, feel to it. With lots of buildings being destroyed in the earthquake a few years ago, the main area was under a rebuild post-quake state program when we visited, but a lot has happened since then. As part of engaging the city and people again, there are lots of transitional architecture and park areas, which makes Christchurch an inspiring place to visit considering how much had been destroyed.

Stay – Christchurch Top 10 Site

Day 2 – Christchurch – Akaroa – Timaru – Oamaru

After the second night in Christchurch, hit the Route 75 road south towards Akaroa a small British and French colonial fishing village on the Banks Peninsula. Even though it is only 70km or an hour from Christchurch, it feels like a world apart. Winding country roads, beautiful scenic backdrops at every turn and a sleepy village vibe awaits!

Be sure to take a walk around the bay at Children’s Bay, French Bay, Dalys Wharf and out to the little hut on the end of the pier, the views of the surrounding landscapes are too beautiful for words. After getting your fill of the village, and grabbing some of the local homemade fudge, hit the road back the way you came and onto Route 1 to Timaru, passing by the magnificent Lake Ellesmere on the route. With the lake on one side and the ocean on the other, you will not know which way to look!

The highway 1 is much straighter than the windy roads down to Akaroa so you will reach Timaru and Oamaru in no time. Driving past fields upon fields of sheep, cows and even alpacas. There are lots of places to stop along the route as well as in Timaru and Oamaru so explore to your hearts content.

Stay – Oamaru Top 10 Site

Day 3 – Oamaru – Moeraki Boulders – Dunedin Botanical Gardens – Otago Peninsula – Dunedin

Today is a long one so be sure to get up early, ready, and raring to go! First up hit the road down highway 1 getting to the Moeraki Boulders Beach for sunrise. Yes, sunrise! Believe us it will be so worth it. These boulders were created by a volcanic eruption and are a seriously beautiful feature on the beach. They are also a lot bigger than you realise, one could easily be sat in! Arriving at sunrise, we ended up being the first people on the beach and with the sun just beginning to rise it will make visiting the beachside boulders even better.

After the sun has risen hop back in the van and make your way to Dunedin and the Botanical Gardens, also via Highway 1. Some of the oldest gardens in New Zealand the Botanical Gardens are full of beautiful aviaries and greenhouses and lots of ducks again! Make sure you stop for a cup of something warming in the café overlooking the gardens.

After scoping out the campsite for the night and filling up on some dinner, for the final stop of the day drive over to the Otago Peninsula and all the way along the coastal road to the furthest point east at Taiaroa Head, where you will find the Royal Albatross and Little Blue Penguin Centre.

If like us you don’t know much about New Zealand before arriving, yes, they have penguins! Wait at the centre until dusk and if you are lucky not only will you have seen an albatross or two, but also the Korora or the penguins of the setting sun, returning to land. We saw 16 tiny blue penguins all hopping their way up the beach and into the dunes for the night! It was a long cold wait but to see such cute penguins in the wild under thousands of bright stars on the coast of New Zealand is amazing.

Stay – Central Dunedin

Day 4 – Dunedin – Te Anau – Lake Wakatipu – Queenstown

Today you will head to Te Anau and Milford Sound before heading across to Lake Wakatipu and finally Queenstown. That was our plan… It did not quite turn out like that though, as visiting in the New Zealand winter there was a sudden snowstorm that blocked the pass through to Milford. So instead we had to turn around and head straight for Queenstown.

After driving through snow-covered landscapes to then being alongside mountains and lakes, we finally reached Queenstown, to yet more snow and freezing weather! We found the campsite and our home for the next couple of days and got straight in the warmth of the kitchen for a cup of tea surrounded by the mountains of Queenstown!

Stay – Queenstown Top 10 Site

Day 5 – Queenstown – Gondola – Fergburger – Queenstown

Today is all about exploring the wonders that is Queenstown! Grab a warming breakfast and head into the main town ready for the first adventure of the day, the Queenstown Gondola. Be prepared to be whisked up the mountainside with amazing views over Queenstown and the surrounding snow-topped mountains. There is a wonderful café at the top with some rather nice hot chocolate to get your hands on too ready for the next adventure of the day… The Skyline Luge!

The Skyline Luge is super fun especially when the track sides are covered in snow. It is a simple ski lift to the start then a fast, twisting, slightly cold, luge ride back down! There were people of all ages on there too so it must be good right! After reaching the bottom, and whilst you might still have a chill in the bones, head to the waterfront and in the -5 Degrees Ice Bar. (When we visited it was actually running a little colder at -8.8 degrees!). Here you get kitted out with thick gloves and an Eskimo coat before picking a cocktail and having it made into your very own ice glass. It’s a really cool experience, pardon the pun!

So after your final chilly stop for the day make the most of Queenstown and wander around the many shops, cafes and viewpoints along the waterfront and in the main town before heading back to the campsite for your final night in Queenstown. Be sure to grab a Fergburger whilst in the centre, a few people had mentioned to us that they were rather good and believe us they are pretty darn special!

Stay – Queenstown Top 10 Site

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Day 6 – Queenstown – Valley of the Vines – Lake Hawea – Glacier Highway – Haast World Heritage Centre – Fox Glacier

From Queenstown head up Highway 6 and the Glacier Highway on the road to Fox Glacier – The drive along this route is just stunning!

First place up the road to be in awe of is Gibbston and the Valley of the Vines. Vineyard upon vineyard all in the shadows of the surrounding mountains with just you and the empty road between. There are so many wineries in the area, it would make the perfect extreme winery crawl!

Keep following these roads around and down past Lake Dunstan and the historic goldfields before reaching the scenic Lake Wanaka region. The first place you must stop is the massive Lake Hawea, there are numerous photo stops all along the lake edge and plenty of places for a campervan picnic. All of this region is pretty stunning to be fair!

Southwest New Zealand is seen as one of the greatest wilderness areas in the country and is highly recognised for its plants and animals once found on the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Driving over countless bridges, creeks, and rivers all the way through the Haast World Heritage Area and along the Tasman Sea it is easy to see why. Through prehistoric-looking forest mountain passes and on to beachside roadways, it is beautiful scenery at every turn, if not a little mind-blowing.

Keep an eye on the names of all the rivers and creeks that you drive over, they will keep you entertained on the long drives. The best we found was Windbag River and Random Creek!

A couple of hours drive from the coast you will reach Fox Glacier and the Top 10 campsite. We decided on visiting the glacier the next day as it was quite late in the day, but you can easily do it today if you have the time. Just a short walk from the Fox Glacier campsite there is also a great glow worm cave, (assuming you are there in the right season). Just be warned it is through a pitch-black forest and can get a little creepy!

Stay – Fox Glacier Top 10 Site

Day 7 – Fox Glacier – Lake Matheson – Glacier – Franz Josef – Punakaiki – Greymouth

After leaving the campsite in Fox Glacier, instead of heading straight to the glacier itself head a short drive down the road to Lake Matheson. After parking up and taking the short walk through more prehistoric mossy forest you will reach the lake said and the best reflections you will have ever seen.

After waking the body up with those views drive onto Fox Glacier and walk/trek up the stone covered valley to see the glacier. It has shrunk a lot in size of the last few years, even from when we visited and friends visited later it had shrunk quite dramatically, but it is still worth seeing! The vibrant greens and blues of the ice are beautiful.

From here hit Highway 6, which will take you all the way to Greymouth. After a short drive stopover at Franz Josef and either explore the glacier there too or, if you have had enough glacier for one day, just visit the little town instead. Next head through the Whataroa Reserve and skirt around Mount Cook National Park on route to Paparoa National Park and Punakaiki to see the pancake rocks and blowholes. You go from driving along the Glacier Highway to the Coastal Highway all in a couple of hours… And the New Zealand scenery is utter madness!

The pancake rocks are bizarre rock formations surrounding a quaint little coastal path which is well worth the walk even without the rocks. From here head back to Greymouth, (hopefully it’s not grey that day!), to the overnight stop.

Stay – Greymouth Top 10 Site

Day 8 – Greymouth – Hammer Springs – Kaikoura

Today is a day where you will drive right across the middle of the island, west coast to east coast, the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean over the space of 4 hours! You follow the Heritage Lewis Pass Highway 7 before heading off the main highway after Hanmer Springs and through some stunning country roads to Kaikoura.

Over mountain passes and along the Alpine Pacific Triangle, you drive past even more stunning scenery, over railway tracks, (be sure to check for trains before crossing!), numerous bridges and wonderful roads all before getting to Hanmer Springs. Be sure to stop here for a cuppa and to see the little town before continuing on the road for the longest day of driving. There are some seriously funny creek names along this section of the route, funniest we saw by far was Roaring Swine Creek!

Stay – Kaikoura Top 10 Site

Day 9 – Kaikoura – Blenheim

It is a straightforward drive today straight up Highway 1. From the campsite get up early and head to the beachfront for a hearty breakfast. From here you may even be able to see some of the very cute locals… Around the coastline of this area, there are fur seals everywhere! When we visited there were hundreds sunning themselves along the coast with their pups, posing for photos! You can follow the Kaikoura Peninsula Coastal Path to get a glimpse of even more seals and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. On one die the snow-topped mountains and cow filled fields below, and on the other vast ocean and seals galore!

From the coast hit up Highway 1 for a straightforward drive to Blenheim along one of the most picturesque coastal drives we have ever done before entering the famous Marlborough Wine Valley. Mountains to coasts to rolling hills to vines! There are lots of spots you can stop along the coast to stretch the legs and you can stop in Ward or Seddon for a bite to eat before reaching Blenheim and your base for the next couple of nights.

Stay – Blenheim Top 10 Site

Day 10 – Blenheim – Marlborough Wine Trail

Today is all about the wine! So, grab a bicycle and hit the open road on your own two wheels! The campsite at Blenheim has bikes to hire and a trail map to make it even easier for you to do a DIY wine tour and enjoy your stay in the wonderful wine-filled area. There are lots of wineries to stop at so it is completely up to you where to cycle to and from, just make sure you get some food in there somewhere!

We stopped at the Cloudy Bay winery, then Allan Scott, then Hunters, all of which had multiple tastings at each. After 3 vineyards, we headed to a local chocolate factory and then Saint Clair winery for some cheese and honey tasting and a lovely meal surrounded by the vines. We left it there on our sophisticated booze cycle, but there are so many more places you can visit, just make sure they are open before you arrive.

Stay – Blenheim Top 10 Site

Day 11 – Blenheim – Picton – Marlborough Sounds Maritime Park – Cook Strait – NORTH ISLAND

Today is a simple day of travelling between the islands. From Blenheim, it is just a short drive to Picton where you cross between the South and North Islands, through the Marlborough Sounds Maritime Park and onto the Cook Strait before arriving in Wellington. The crossing is just as beautiful as the rest of New Zealand and you might even be lucky enough to see some dolphins following along with the ferry.

Planning your own trip to New Zealand? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)

NORTH ISLAND

The North Island, also named Te Ika-a-Māui, is the land of beaches, hot springs and volcanoes. It is quite a bit different to the South Island, but for all the right reasons. So here is the next half of the 4 week itinerary to exploring New Zealand;

Day 1 – Wellington – Cable Car – Botanical Gardens – Longest drive in the North Island – Napier

After arriving in Wellington either overnight here at the Wellington Top 10 Site – or if you had an early crossing, get exploring Wellington!

We started the day by wandering around the city and going up the Wellington cable car to a lookout point over the city. It may have been overcast for us, but it is still well worth doing. From here you can slowly head back into Wellington via the botanical gardens, walking through the forest footpaths, around the flower and herb gardens and via a duck pond where you can feed the ducks.

After exploring Wellington as much as you want, hit up Highway 2 for the longest drive on the North Island to Hastings and Napier where you can settle in the campsite for the night.

Stay – Hastings Top 10 Site

Day 2 – Napier – Marine Parade – National Aquarium – Thermal Explorer Highway – Taupo

Napier is the port of call for today. Starting on Maritime Parade, where there is plenty of parking, be sure to grab an apple crumble latte from the café just across the road to walk around the town with, you will not be disappointed! You can hit up the National Aquarium where you can see kiwis if you haven’t seen one in the wild already, before heading into the main area of the town stuck in the Art Deco era. With geometric architecture, sculptures and artwork at every turn Napier is like nowhere else you will visit in New Zealand.

After all that wandering through Art Deco life head up Highway 5 to Taupo along the Thermal Explorer Highway through winding forest-lined road. Do not be alarmed but it will stink the closer you get to Taupo! The sulphur hit is strong but damn the beauty of the area and the geothermal pools are worth it! Just settle in for the night at the campsite ready for an action-packed day tomorrow…

Stay – Taupo Top 10 Site

Day 3 – Taupo – Cliffhanger Bungy Swing – Huka Falls – Craters of the Moon – Rotorua

After an early morning breakfast drive a short way down the road from the campsite to the Taupo Cliffhanger Bungy, New Zealand’s extreme bungy swing and the wakeup call of all wake-up calls! With a 44 metre drop before arching back up to 180 degrees, it is terrifying and amazing all at once!

After all that excitement make your way down the road to Huka Falls on the Waikato River, New Zealand’s longest river. This huge, very fast river is somewhere you really would not want to fall in, maybe an extreme game of pooh sticks…! Opposite to Huka Falls is the Craters of the Moon, a unique area full of steam pots and mud pools shooting out of the ground. It is really odd seeing hot steam appearing out of cracks, but this is the Thermal Explorer Highway after all!

After seeing the sights in and around Taupo head up Highway 5 to Rotorua, (its possibly even more stinky there!), and the next campsite.

Stay – Rotorua Top 10 Site

Day 4 – Rotorua – Wai-O-Tapu – Rotorua Gondola – Polynesia Spa – Papamoa Beach – Waihi Beach

After the extreme adventure morning yesterday, today is all sightseeing and hot pool dipping. The first stop of the day is Wai-O-Tapu or ‘Sacred Waters’ thermal park. Here you can find the famous Lady Knox Geyser which erupts 10 metres high into the air and a beautiful smelly bubbling landscape, the largest surface thermal activity in Taupo. With bubbling mud and boiling colourful steamy waters everywhere, some of the pools are massive, (the champagne pools are 62 metres in diameter and 63 metres deep!), and the bright greens of the water against the oranges and reds of the rock are so unique.

After being all sulphured out now it is time to head back into main Rotorua and up the Rotorua Gondola for some lovely scenic views over the town. Be sure to get a photo with the Rotovegas sign which is a novelty if you have been to the real Vegas.

Now is time for the best stop of the day, the Polynesian Spa on the lake edge. On the way there be sure to stop at Saint Faith’s Church to give you a true feel for Maori living in a beautiful setting. At the spa, hire a private pool to relax in the 38-degree natural sulphur mineral waters, yes you will still be smelling the stink of sulphur, but the warming waters and lake views are so worth the smell!

After all that soaking drive north via Highway 33 and Highway 2 to Papamoa Beach and Waihi Beach for a sunset fish and chips. From steamy bubbling landscapes to a gondola to a beach all in a few hours.

Stay – Omokora Beach Top 10 Site

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Day 5 – Waihi Beach – Hot Water Beach – Whitianga – Coromandel Peninsula

Beaches beaches beaches are the talk of the day today! Start with breakfast overlooking Waihi Beach just a short walk from the campsite, then have a lovely walk along the shoreline marvelling at the astounding amount of shells that seem to be along this coast. After getting the day off to a good start hit Highway 25 and the Pacific Coast Highway to Hot Water Beach, a beach where you can literally dig for hot water. If you are lucky there may be some already pre-dug holes for you to dip your feet in, if not just walk across the beach to near the rocks and get digging. There is a considerable difference in the temperature of the seawater and the hole water!

Back on the road stop in Whitianga for a lunch break and sandy stroll through this peaceful coastal town, before heading to Coromandel. Corner after corner, the roads along this way all look exactly the same, it is was like being stuck in Groundhog Day! Then when the forest gives way to the amazing coast you know you have reached the Coromandel peninsula and the campsite for the night.

Coromandel is a cute little town full of buildings that look like they have been picked straight out of a toy town and the campsite is just as lovely. If you haven’t already be sure to get on the jumping pillow in the campsite here, not only are they super fun, but they will wear you out ready for a good nights sleep.

Stay – Coromandel Top 10 Site

Day 6 – Coromandel – Auckland

From Coromandel drive along Highway 25 connecting to Highway 2 and then Highway 1 to drive into Auckland. You will pass lots of lovely coastal villages, and drive along quite a few gravel roads, before reaching the outskirts of Auckland. Just be aware if you are visiting in the winter not many of the cafes and restaurants will be open along the peninsula so stock up on some food before you set off… We tried 3 different places before we found somewhere to let us in, the Purangi winery pizzeria of all places! After arriving in Auckland, it is so surreal being in a built-up area after so long in the middle of nowhere, so grab a bite to eat in the centre but don’t explore too much, that comes a bit later…

Stay – Central to Auckland

Day 7 – Auckland – Kitekite Falls – Piha Beach – Haruru Falls – Paihia

From Auckland head out west to Kitekite Falls and Piha Beach. Only a short drive from central Auckland by such a different place to be! You can have a lovely hour walk through the woods to the beautiful Kitekite Falls, (perfect for stretching the back after the long drive the previous day!), before heading to the black sand beach at Piha. Even in the middle of winter, when we visited, the beach was lovely and warm with numerous surfers catching the waves. Be sure to grab some of the famous Lewis Road Creamery chocolate milk on the way to the beach, it is a hidden secret from the rest of the world and my god its good! From Piha head up Highway 1 north via Puhoi to Paihia and Haruru Falls. Stop in Puhoi for a pub lunch with a view before continuing up to the Paihia campsite.

Stay – Paihia Top 10 Site

Day 8 – Paihia – Cape Reinga – Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes – Whatuwhiwhi

Today is a day to remember. Of all the days on this trip, this was one of our favourites just be how different the day is from start to end. Wake up with the ducks at Haruru Falls before setting off for Cape Reinga, also known as the top of the bottom of the world!

Follow Highway 11 out of Paihia joining onto Highway 10 and Highway 1 up along the Twin Coast Discovery Highway all the way to the furthest point north in New Zealand. With lots of turkey’s and fresh baby lambs along the drive up, you will soon reach the end of North New Zealand at Cape Reinga. With the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meeting at the just under the pretty lighthouse on the point, the views are some of the most stunning in New Zealand!

After a good wander down to the bottom of the world lighthouse and the surrounding coast get back in the camper and set off for the Te Paki giant sand dunes on 90-mile beach. These sand dunes are like seeing a desert dumped on the side of the road, I have never seen anything quite like them! Sand for miles and miles, that you can climb up and board down. There will be sand everywhere by the end of your time here believe me!

Following the dune climbing head back along the highways and out along the Karikari Peninsula to the campsite for the night in Whatuwhiwhi.

Stay – Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 Site

Day 9 – Whatuwhiwhi – Mangonui – Waitangi Treaty Grounds – Whangarei Falls – Whangarei

Driving down the west coast along Highway 10 and Highway 1 is the order of the day with the first stop in Mangonui for breakfast before stopping a bit further down the way at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Here there is a beautiful hand-carved Maori building, with red columns and patterned walls all covered in Maori sculptures. There is also a little house where a British family used to live with the most British looking garden I have seen outside of the UK, bar the New Zealand Bay of Islands views it had!

After soaking up some culture, it is just a short drive to Whangarei Falls and Whangarei town basin. Here you can have a loop walk around the waterfall and along the harbourside boardwalks taking in the sculptures and boats all before exploring the quirky shops of the area. Then after all that exploring head to the campsite for the night and the last before hitting Auckland again.

Stay – Whangarei Top 10 Site

Day 10 – Whangarei – Puhoi – Waiwera Hot Pools – Auckland

From the campsite in Whangarei drive down Highway 1 to Puhoi, and more specifically Puhoi Cottage Tea Rooms, for a delicious afternoon Devonshire tea in the cutest little house. It is such a luxury to get such a good Devon afternoon tea in the New Zealand countryside! Once filled with scone, drive on to the next town Waiwera ready for a spa to remember. (Possibly not the best idea after all those scones but it is so worth it!).

With pools ranging from 31 degrees up to 48 degrees you can pick and choose which ones to get in, but I would highly recommend starting at the coolest and working your way up. I could barely touch the hottest one and even the 40-degree pool was ridiculous, only the locals were hard enough to handle the heat! There is also a movie pool with a giant screen and a couple of, (pretty damn scary!), water slides to try out too.

After soaking away all the food from the morning head back to the camper and onto your last destination, Auckland.

Stay – Central Auckland

Day 11 – Auckland – Mount Eden

Auckland day! See all the sights and eat all the food! Go up the sky tower, walk around the waterfront and visit Devonport. There is so much to see and do in Auckland, so this is a free day to explore to your heart’s content. Just make sure for your last views over Auckland, head up Mount Eden when the night falls to see the city lit up from above!

Stay – Central Auckland

Day 12 – Auckland

After dropping off the campervan in the morning you can either spend the next few days exploring more of Auckland or if you’ve visited before heading to the airport and fly out of Auckland! The longest place I had lived outside of the UK was our little camper exploring New Zealand and boy was it fun!

And there is the 4 week itinerary for exploring New Zealand! Would you add anything to the route? Let us know and we can add it to our next trip out there!

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Gemma (i.e The Travelling Tedaldi)

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Gemma Tedaldi

Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.