Length of NZ Classic
4 weeks driving the length of NZ
Since you’ve come this far, and if you’ve got the time, this is your best way to see as much of NZ as you can. You’ll need to pick up a rental car in Auckland, drop it off in Queenstown and fly back out from there - rental car companies are used to such requests.
Days 1-4: Exploring the North
Follow our Exploring the North itinerary, allowing 3 or 4 days, depending on priorities and how much total time that you’ve got.
Days 5-7: Auckland to Rotorua
Drive from Auckland via either the Waitomo Caves or Hobbiton to Rotorua for a taste of Māori culture and a soak in the geothermal hot springs.
Days 8-10: Rotorua to Hawke’s Bay
From Rotorua, drive to Lake Taupo, then on to Napier in the Hawkes Bay. Napier is an attractive art-deco city and the Hawkes Bay is wine country.
Days 11-14: Hawke’s Bay to Wellington