Length of North Island new Zealand
North Island length New ZealandExactly how many nights to see the North Island of New Zealand?
Find out how many nights it can take to explore New Zealand's North Island on a route that offers some interesting places and activities. I would say 5 whole working day if I just had to go by feel and think of a decent number of nights to see the North Island of New Zealand.
There are five long enough for you to see something other than an airfield and brief enough for you not to get tired. It is about 1070 km from the tip of the North Island in Cape Reinga to the bottom of the North Island in Wellington and would take about 13 hrs without halt.
In theory you could stay on the North Island for a whole days, but that would not be enough to see or do much. When I look at the North Island and think about places that are really worth seeing, I can think of 3 regions: And, to round off the group, I would include Auckland and Wellington just to say that I have been to the big towns on the North Island.
Let's look at the above mentioned areas and see how many nights you have to go to each place to stay a whole number of nights on the North Island of New Zealand. Auckland is the simplest and most frequent way to get to the North Island, although some major carriers also operate flights to Wellington - mostly from Australia.
Auckland is not the New Zealand capitol, but it is the biggest town and has the biggest international airfield in the state. It is therefore the most important harbour for entering New Zealand. When you' re not travelling from Australia to New Zealand, but have to travel through many different timezones to get to New Zealand, it's a good idea to just take the first morning and not just get in a vehicle and go.
It would be a good notion to spend 1 - 2 nights in Auckland. in Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: Auckland: For example, you can take a harbor tour to Waiheke Island for winetasting or to Rangitoto Island to climb the top of the youngest volcano in the Auckland area and get a good view of the area around Auckland.
Both islands can be accessed in less than an hours by boat (e.g. Fullers) from the centre of Auckland. To get really beautiful vistas of Auckland, take a trip up Sky Tower (328 metres) or a stroll up Mount Eden (196 metres) to see Auckland from a distance.
Your second or third North Island tour should be refreshing enough to head north to Kerikeri. It should take about 3 hrs to get from Auckland to Kerikeri. Heading north you can explore Whangarei Falls north of Whangarei before continuing to Kerikeri.
It is possible to stay 2 - 3 nights in Kerikeri, according to how much you like the coastline and the beach. Cerikeri could be the starting point to explore the Bay of Islands, where you can do outdoor activity on and around the Waters. A different suggestion would be to go from Kerikeri to the Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach beacons.
However, please make sure that you can take the street to the light house, as some rent a vehicle agencies outlaw this. After Kerikeri you can head back to Auckland and then east to the Coromandel Peninsula, renowned for its beautiful sands.
It takes about 5 hrs to reach the Coromandel Peninsula. Or you could stay 1 overnight on the Coromadel Peninsula to see places like Cathedral Cove for its picturesque beaches and White Water Beaches and settle down in your own heated swimming pools on the water. There' s also a beautiful cascade in the near Karangahake Gorge that you can see - the Owharoa Falls.
It' also in the centre, so you can go to several other places during your stay in Rotorua. It is possible to stay 2 - 3 nights in Rotorua, according to what you want to see or do. It should take about 3 hrs to get from Coromandel Peninsula to Rotorua, so you have enough free travel to Tauranga, where you can climb Mount Maunganui, for example, to enjoy beautiful vistas over Tauranga and the coastline.
Coming from Rotorua you can head south and explore the Huka Falls near Taupo and Tongariro National Park to see volcanos or take a stroll. Alternatively, you can go to Tauranga or Whakatane and on to the beach like Ohope Beach, where you can take a stroll along the coast. You can also simply remain in Rotorua and go to a Maori culture show or to one of the numerous spa areas around the city.
But Wellington is also a town you can see and see in one go because it is so small. A good stop-over is Wellington if you need to take a South Island boat the next morning. You can also shorten your journey by taking a flight back to Auckland from Wellington, as the return journey to Auckland would take about 8h.
Like Auckland, Wellington provides food and drink. Wellington has many places to eat and drink if you are interested. There is also the opportunity to do something worthwhile and see the Te Papa Musuem, or wander through the center of the town and see old houses that are still intact despite many cataclysm.
Further favorite destinations are Wellington' s water front, the beehive where the administration lives, and the botanical gardens of Wellington. Take the cableway to the Wellington Botanical Gardens for beautiful vistas of the town of Wellington, or if you feel energized, go up Mount Victoria to enjoy a 360 degree view of Wellington.
It would take at least 7 - 8 working nights. When you have more time, you can go to the east shore of the North Island. You will find many beautiful shores along almost the whole coastline from the Eastern Cape to Napier and Hastings.
Also in Hastings and further south in Wairarapa you will find wine estates and vines. Alternatively, drive west to New Plymouth and Mount Egmont National Park. A number of falls are spread all over the North Island, where you can stop or explore large ponds such as Lake Taupo or Lake Waikaremoana.
If you are interested, there are also a few places of the Lord of the Rings that you can see. How much of your stay you want to do on New Zealand's North Island is up to you. Also, always keep in mind to schedule activity for good and poor weekends; don't make the same mistake I made on my 3-week journey to New Zealand.