NEW ZEALAND 🇳🇿 21 Perfect Days in New Zealand | North & South Island Itinerary
Planning a trip to New Zealand? This video breaks down 21 Perfect Days in New Zealand — the ultimate North & South Island itinerary and the most complete 3-week New Zealand road trip travel guide for first-time visitors and returning travelers alike.
This 21-day New Zealand itinerary is the exact route I recommend if you want to see the very best of New Zealand without rushing, backtracking, or wasting time. It covers New Zealand’s North Island and South Island, combining iconic highlights with hidden gems, scenic drives, world-class hikes, Māori culture, beaches, food, and unforgettable adventures.
So you want to visit New Zealand, but you're not quite sure how to do it.
Let's be real.
Planning a trip to both the North and South Island of New Zealand is logistically complicated.
Vacations and adventures are fun, but the planning part, not so much.
Don't worry. I'm here to help.
My name is Alexander Ayling.
I'm a dual citizen of the USA and New Zealand,
and I've been living here in New Zealand for the last three years.
I get asked all the time how to plan the perfect trip to New Zealand,
an itinerary that incorporates the best of both the North Island and the South Island.
And generally, people want to do that in two to three weeks.
While you can do the highlights of both the North and South Island in a two-week period,
I feel that's very, very rushed.
You're going to be spending most of your time in the car driving from destination to destination.
That's why I personally always say that three weeks is really the minimum
to really explore the best of both the North and South Island of New Zealand.
So in this video, I've done my best to put together a 21-day itinerary
that takes the best of both the North and South Island and put it into one easy-to-follow video.
But I've taken it one step further and created a super detailed 21-day travel itinerary
that shows all of my favorite destinations, secret spots, the best hotels and restaurants,
not to mention activities and experiences all in one easy-to-follow interactive map
that has high quality photography, voice memos, and so much more.
So if you're interested, check it out.
You can shop it by clicking this link or going down into the details of this video,
the description of this video, where I will have a link for you as well.
And I want to take a moment here to thank all of you who've purchased my travel itineraries before.
So many 10 of 10 reviews, incredible feedback, and it really makes me feel super happy because
I'm putting a lot of time and effort into making these itineraries for you,
and it makes me super happy to know that you are getting so much value from them.
So grab yourself a copy to go one step further than this video
and make the most of your next trip to New Zealand.
All right, if you're new here, hit the subscribe button.
Give this video a thumbs up if you enjoy it and you find it useful,
and drop any questions that you might have down in the comment section.
Let's get into the video.
I often get asked if you can travel New Zealand without a rental car.
The short answer is yes.
New Zealand is connected by intercity buses,
but most of the best attractions here in New Zealand are in the countryside,
in the mountains, and in the wild places.
New Zealand is an incredible country.
It's so unbelievably beautiful,
but it's very remote, and it's very rugged, and it's quite rural.
So the best way to see these places is with your own vehicle.
Now many people opt to take a camper van
because New Zealand has lots of places that allow freedom camping.
Freedom camping is essentially camping within designated areas
where vehicles which are certified self-contained camper vans or caravans
are able to sleep for free.
Getting your own camper van will save you money in accommodation,
but you are going to be sacrificing a little bit in comfort,
and also it does restrict your itinerary
in a sense that most of these companies that rent out the camper vans
have to pick up and drop off locations.
Auckland, which is at the top of the North Island,
and Christchurch, which is on the east coast of the South Island.
Typically the way you would do that is you'd fly into Auckland,
you'd pick up your camper van,
and you'd drive the length of the North Island,
cross over to the South Island on a ferry,
which costs around $250 per vehicle,
sometimes a little more.
The ferry has been a bit unreliable as of late.
It's had mechanical issues.
Also the crossing can get canceled due to weather.
It can get really rough in the Cook Strait,
the small section of ocean between the North and the South Island.
You have to take that into account,
and then you would need to drive down the whole length of the South Island
and drop off that camper van in Christchurch
before probably flying back to Auckland
and flying out of Auckland back to wherever you come from.
I am going to be making a detailed video
all about the camper van travel here,
van life, New Zealand travel guide,
but this video I'm doing it a little bit differently
because I've traveled New Zealand with a camper van,
and I've also done it with rental cars
and staying in Airbnbs, motels, hotels, campsites, etc.
That's the way that I'm going to break down this video.
If you're planning on traveling via camper van,
although you can definitely take from this itinerary,
you will have to reimagine it a little bit
due to the fact that your pickup and drop-off locations
are Auckland and Christchurch.
If you're coming from North America or Europe,
you will be flying into Auckland.
That is the biggest city in New Zealand,
and it's the main airport hub for international arrivals.
I would suggest not sticking around in Auckland.
Just go right from the international terminal,
come through customs,
and then go over to the domestic terminal
and catch a flight from Auckland down to Queenstown.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand.
It's located in the central Otago region
in the mountains of the South Island of New Zealand,
one of the most beautiful parts of the country,
and it's definitely a really great way
to start your trip in New Zealand.
Queenstown is known for all of the adrenaline activities
that you can do there.
They have skydiving.
Bungee jumping was actually invented by a Kiwi,
by a New Zealander, A.J. Hackett in the 1980s,
and the first commercial bungee jump in the world
is located just outside of Queenstown
at the Kawarau Bridge.
My first ever bungee jump was on that bridge
when I was 16 years old visiting with my family.
But if you want to take it up a notch,
you can do the Nevis Bungee,
which is 134 meters,
the third biggest bungee jump in the world
and the biggest bungee jump in New Zealand.
It is...
Two, one, bungee.
So if bungee jumping is not your thing,
totally understandable.
I get it.
It is kind of crazy.
Let's be honest.
Then consider checking out the Shotover Jet.
Now the Shotover Jet is a jet boat.
This is another one of New Zealand's crazy fun adventures.
Jet boats are flat-bottom boats with jet engines
that literally just blast water out the back,
so there's no propeller,
and this allows the boats to go over
very, very shallow areas of rivers,
which opens up a whole new way
of experiencing a boat ride.
These pilots are professionals.
The jet boats go really fast over very little water.
They hug the curves and the twists and the turns of the river.
It'll be the fastest you've probably ever gone in a boat,
and I can guarantee you that you've never done a 360 before in a boat,
but all that and much more happens on a jet boat.
It's a great way to start things off,
and it's also family-friendly.
So if you're traveling with your kids,
it's something that you can all do together as a family.
You will get wet, but it is so fun.
Now if you want to get out on the water,
but you're not trying to do the shot of a jet,
I get it,
then you can go out and take a cruise down Lake Wakatipu.
Lake Wakatipu is the beautiful lake just down the front of Queenstown.
It's one of the biggest lakes in the country,
and you can take a cruise on an old steamship
all the way down to a high country sheep station
at the base of the lake.
Sheep farming is one of the biggest parts of the economy in New Zealand,
but in the South Island in the high country
in the mountains around Queenstown
and all throughout the central South Island,
there are these huge stations,
as they're called,
giant sheep farms, sheep and cattle,
but mostly sheep,
where they have been raising sheep for wool
primarily on the South Island.
It's a part of the time they didn't have any pounds,
so they had to use these.
These are sheep shears.
You can see what it's like in one of these high country stations
by taking the tour down the lake and experiencing that.
It's really cool.
It's a great way to get a better understanding
of what daily life is like for a farmer here in New Zealand.
But you can get down the lake without getting on a boat.
You can drive out to the town of Glenorchy,
which is tucked away at the end of Lake Wakatipu.
It's a beautiful area,
and it's definitely worth taking a drive.
And another great drive just outside of Queenstown is to Arrowtown.
Arrowtown was a gold mining town.
It still has the old main street,
the old buildings,
and it's got this beautiful charming vibe.
Central Otago in general is one of New Zealand's
premier wine producing regions,
especially Pinot Noir grapes.
So if you like a good red wine,
then definitely go visit some of the vineyards around Arrowtown.
There's also some incredible restaurants there.
There's wine pairings.
There's so much to see and do,
and I've linked all of my favorite restaurants and wineries
in my New Zealand itinerary.
So check it out.
It's linked in the description.
And after a day of adventuring and wine tasting,
then wind things down by heading over to the Onsen Hot Springs
just outside of Queenstown.
This is a really nice new spa that has incredible views,
private hot tubs that have incredible views
out over the mountains just out in front.
You have this super great way to just relax and unwind
after a busy day.
So check out Onsen Hot Springs.
And if you're a Lord of the Rings fan,
well, I love you because I am also a Lord of the Rings fan.
But Queenstown in particular is one of the best places
to really experience the Lord of the Rings scenery.
A lot of the filming was done in the area around Queenstown,
and there are tours, half-day tours that you can take,
which will hit up a bunch of these filming locations,
and they'll give you a lot of the behind-the-scenes information
about how the films were made
that you can only get on one of these tours.
So if you're into Lord of the Rings,
make sure you do a Lord of the Rings tour
just outside of Queenstown.
Okay, day three through five,
you're going to be spending that in Milford Sound
in the Fiordland region.
Embark on a scenic drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound,
one of New Zealand's most iconic destinations.
The drive is 288 kilometers,
and it takes about four hours from Queenstown to Milford Sound.
So I highly recommend that you stock up on snacks
in the supermarket before you leave Queenstown.
Milford Sound is called the eighth wonder of the world down here,
and while the title is a self-proclaimed one,
I think it's valid.
Milford Sound is without a doubt
one of the most beautiful corners of New Zealand
and one of the most beautiful natural places
I've ever seen anywhere in the world.
Fiordland is the wild southwest coast of the South Island.
It's one of the least populated corners of the country
just due to the fact that the landscape is so rugged and unforgiving,
but it's absolutely stunningly beautiful.
Huge majestic mountains dropping off into fjords right in the ocean.
It's incredible scenery,
and you have to include it in your New Zealand itinerary.
And that stunning beauty,
especially the dense temperate rainforest,
is due to the fact that this is one of the wettest corners of the country.
It's actually one of the wettest places in the world.
So you'll want good wet weather gear for Fiordland
regardless of what time you visit.
You need a good rain jacket.
You need good hiking boots.
You can get all four seasons in a day.
Sunshine, rain, sleet, and snow,
and then sunshine again.
If you need a better idea of what to pack for this trip,
I've made a packing list, an essential packing list,
so you can check that out.
Also, it's linked in the description of this video.
One of the essential activities that you have to do when you're in Milford
is to go on a cruise of the Milford Sound.
Now if we want to get into pedantic geology, we can.
Milford Sound is not actually a sound.
It's a fjord.
What does that mean?
Sounds are formed when a river valley is flooded by the sea,
whereas Milford Sound was formed by the erosion of glaciers.
And you can do a cruise that will take you out there for the day.
You can see all of the incredible waterfalls,
the local animals, including rare dolphins,
and you can go to an underwater observatory
that will give you a much better idea of the unique ecology and ecosystem
of the Milford Sound.
But let's be real.
You can't visit Milford Sound without going for a hike.
And one of the most famous hikes in the entire country,
or tramps as they're known here, is the Milford Track.
While you'll probably not be able to do the Milford Track on this trip
just due to the fact that it's so popular,
it sells out almost instantly when bookings are made available once a year,
you can actually do a day on the Milford Track.
You can do the final day.
You'll take a boat taxi from Milford Sound.
It'll take you over to the end of the Milford Track,
and you can hike up and back and do a day on the Milford Track.
Now if you want to understand what it really is like in its entirety,
then you can check out the video that I made from doing the Milford Track.
It's linked right here,
and it's also linked in the description of this video.
I suggest you spend three nights in Milford Sound
to really make the most of your time there.
It'll give you two full days and your day of driving.
If you want something different,
then another option could be going to Doubtful Sound.
I've also made a video about that on my channel here.
Really cool three-day cruise through the sound,
and it's a really unique experience.
Okay day five through seven, Lake Wanaka.
Travel from Milford Sound to Lake Wanaka,
known for its stunning alpine scenery and outdoor activities.
Wanaka is an outdoor lover's paradise.
It's got incredibly stunning scenery
and all the activities that go with being in the mountains,
but in a smaller, more compact, and less touristy version of Queenstown.
You're spoiled for choice with hiking, mountain biking,
fly fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking,
not to mention whitewater rafting,
and all of the other adventure adrenaline sports
that this part of New Zealand is famous for.
But a great place to start
and one of the best day hikes in the country
is just outside of Wanaka called Roy's Peak.
You can take the hike up Roy's Peak
for incredible panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains.
It's about a four-hour round-trip hike,
so I definitely suggest you pack a lunch,
bring plenty of water,
not to mention sunscreen
because the sun is strong down here in New Zealand,
and a rain jacket just in case the weather changes.
An easier photo option, though,
is just to head down to the lake
and check out the hashtag that Wanaka tree.
It's a tree growing right out of the water on the lake shore.
It's kind of just like if you want to check your
New Zealand photography bucket list,
then add that on there,
but you don't need to spend too much time checking it out
because it's literally just a tree in the lake.
If you want to ramp things up,
you can go skydiving here,
and if you're visiting in June, July, or August,
then consider going snowboarding.
Some of the best mountain resorts in the country
are located just outside of Waikato.
I've got a lot more information,
including restaurants and hotel options,
linked in my itinerary.
So once again, check it out.
Day eight and nine, Lake Tekapo.
We're getting into what's known as the Mackenzie Country,
which is one of my favorite corners of New Zealand,
if not my favorite.
I just think there's something so unique and beautiful
about this sparse landscape there.
The blues are so blue.
The Lake Tekapo is so unbelievably blue,
it looks fake.
It looks photoshopped,
but it's just this beautiful rolling hills,
and it's incredible scenery,
incredible part of the country.
Kind of reminds me of Montana in the United States.
But it's definitely got to be on your bucket list.
Head towards Tekapo or the Mount Cook area
for a two-night stay.
If you choose Tekapo,
visit the Church of the Good Shepherd
and take in the stunning views of the lake
and the Southern Alps.
This part of the country is known for its stargazing
because it's actually a dark sky reserve.
There are unbelievable stars in the night sky,
so make sure when you visit that you go out
and take a look up during the night.
If you want to wind down and enjoy some relaxation,
then head over to the Tekapo Hot Springs.
On the next day, we're going to drive
to the Mount Cook or Aoraki National Park.
Mount Cook or Aoraki,
which means the cloud piercer in the Maori language,
is the tallest mountain in New Zealand.
In fact, Mount Cook was the mountain
that Sir Edmund Hillary used to train
before his historic first summiting of Mount Everest
with his Nepalese climbing partner Tenzing Norgay.
On the drive out to Mount Cook,
you'll pass the beautiful Lake Pukaiki.
Along the way,
I highly recommend you stop at New Zealand Alpine Lavender
and grab yourself a little lavender ice cream.
Maybe just sit and relax in the beautiful lavender fields
before you make your way to the National Park.
In the National Park,
there are plenty of different hikes,
but the most famous one is known as the Hooker Valley Track.
It's a five-kilometer track,
and it's not too steep,
but it has incredible scenery.
Now obviously, it's your trip,
and you can choose how much time you want to spend in each place.
But if we want to see the best of the North Island,
then it's also time to head back to Queenstown on day 10,
catch a flight from Queenstown to Wellington.
I'd suggest you book an early afternoon flight
from Queenstown on day 10.
That'll give you plenty of time to drive back
from the Mount Cook area
and to make your way to Queenstown,
drop off your rental car,
and then catch a flight from Queenstown to Wellington,
arriving in the early afternoon, early evening.
Spend the evening in Wellington.
The next day exploring around the city on day 11,
and then on day 12,
continuing to make your way north.
But let's talk about what to do in Wellington.
There's a lot to see and do in the coolest little capital
of Wellington, New Zealand.
It's a beautiful city built right along a bay,
a harbor, and it's got a lot to see and do.
It's creative. It's artistic.
And one day is not quite enough time to do Wellington justice,
but on the grander schemes of trying to see the best
of both the North and South Island,
it's going to have to do.
I've got a couple of great videos exploring Wellington
to give you a feel on my channel,
so you can check those out.
They'll be linked in the description of this video.
So you're going to want to rent your car
for the next section of your exploration
of the North Island of New Zealand
at the airport in Wellington.
You'll want to have a drop-off in Auckland.
By picking up your rental car in Wellington
and dropping it off in Auckland,
you're going to be able to explore the rest
of the North Island
and really make the most of your time.
So on day 11,
here's a quick idea of what you can get up to in Wellington.
Definitely highly suggest taking the old cable car
up to the Botanical Gardens
where you'll get a panoramic view of the city.
You can spend a couple of hours at Te Papa National Museum.
It's a beautiful museum.
Most of the museum is free.
There are certain exhibits that they have
that you have to pay an entry fee for,
but it's a great way to spend a couple of hours,
get a better understanding of the history of New Zealand,
as well as the history of the Maori people,
the ecology, the bird life.
All of it is really well presented in the Te Papa Museum.
You could also visit Zealandia,
which is an area that has been fenced off from predators.
And so New Zealand has a lot of ground-dwelling birds
like the national bird, the kiwi,
that is not able to fly.
So then when humans came,
rats, cats, stoats,
and other mammals were introduced,
and they've wreaked havoc on these ground-dwelling birds
because they have no natural defenses
against these creatures,
which didn't exist when they evolved.
Zealandia is a great way to experience
and get an idea of what's happening.
And they have a two-hour guided tour,
but also just going there and getting a regular entry
and wandering around.
It's a great way to see some of these native birds
and get a better understanding of what conservation looks like
here in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Definitely got to visit Weta Works,
which is the studio responsible
for all of the great costumes
in the Lord of the Rings trilogy,
not to mention The Hobbit and many, many more films.
Definitely make your way to Cuba Street.
Take a walk down Cuba Street.
It's full of really cool boutiques, small shops,
not to mention one of the coolest bookshops in the country,
Pegasus Books.
And then Wellington has a ton of delicious restaurants,
cool bars, craft breweries for you to get stuck into.
I've listed all of my favorite ones in the itinerary.
Okay day 12.
We are leaving Wellington,
and we've got a little bit of a drive.
We're going to be driving up to the central part of the North Island
to a town called Turengi,
located on the Great Lake Taupo.
Pronouncing Lake Taupo is a little bit difficult
for people who are not native speakers of Te Reo Maori,
the Maori language.
I still struggle with it,
but I've heard it described as toe,
like on your foot,
and paw like on a dog paw.
I'm going to drive from Wellington to Turengi.
This is about a five-hour drive
taking you up through the Wairarapa region,
one of the most beautiful regions in the North Island,
famous for its wine, great surf,
and a string of cool little towns
like Greytown, Carterton, Masterton.
If you didn't go to Zealandia and Wellington,
if you didn't have time for that,
you can stop on the way on day 12
at the Pukaha National Bird Sanctuary.
This is located in the Wairarapa region,
and it is a really cool place to spend an hour or two.
Turengi is a small town
known as the gateway to Tongariro National Park.
The reason why you want to stay in Turengi
is because you will be climbing
doing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
Tongariro Crossing is the most popular day hike in New Zealand.
Essentially, you're going up and over
the string of volcanoes in the Tongariro National Park.
Tongariro National Park was the first national park in New Zealand,
and it's an incredible place, stunningly beautiful.
And the Alpine Crossing, Tongariro Crossing,
is a long day.
It's a big hike, but it's so worth it.
I actually have shot a video,
Nine Things You Need to Know Before You Do the Tongariro Crossing.
I will link that in the description of this video
a lot more details about doing the Tongariro Crossing.
And yeah, that's linked in this video's description.
Once you've finished the climb, you're going to be pretty knackered,
probably will have sore legs,
so you can take care of that by soaking in one of the hot springs in the region.
A lot of the motels in the Tukanu area
actually have hot springs in the motels themselves,
but if you're not staying in any of those motels,
go for a soak at the Tukanu Hot Springs,
a good thermal soak in after doing the Tongariro Crossing.
Trust me, your muscles will thank me later.
Okay, day 14 through 15, Lake Taupo.
Go to Taupo, and that is the town located on the edge of the lake,
the northern edge of the lake.
Lake Taupo is New Zealand's largest lake.
It's a really beautiful area, and there's incredible fly fishing.
It's kind of like the Queenstown of the North Island,
so you have all of those adventure activities based around the lake,
and bungee jump there.
There's great mountain biking.
There are thermal hot springs.
Some of my favorite hot springs in the whole country
are located at Waiareki Terraces just outside of town.
There's a lot to see and do,
but we're going to try to try to narrow it down
to some of the best things to do for your day.
Taupo is really just all about everything lake,
swimming, boating, fly fishing,
and then the impressive Huka Falls.
You've got to visit Huka Falls,
even if you just walk down and take a look.
If you want to get closer,
there is a jet boat that will take you right up to the base of the falls.
Okay, continuing northward.
It's day 16 through 17, and we are going to Rotorua.
Journey to Rotorua, known for its geothermal wonders and its Maori culture.
Rotorua is nicknamed Roto-Vegas
just because there's a lot of activities going on,
and it's a popular tourism destination for the North Island.
While Roto-Vegas is a little bit of a stretch,
it's really just a quaint lake town at heart.
That being said,
it is a great place to learn more about the Maori culture firsthand.
I highly suggest you visit one of the different cultural experiences in Rotorua.
The one that I've been to and can suggest is called Te Pa Tua,
and it's a recreated traditional historic Maori village
where you see what the living situation was like.
You learn more about the Maori culture,
and that's all topped off by a traditional Maori meal.
It's a really great way to spend an evening
and to learn more about New Zealand's First Nations people.
You definitely have to explore the geothermal wonderland Wai-o-Tapu,
called one of the 20 most surreal places on earth by Lonely Planet.
There you can witness vibrant geothermal features like bubbling mud pools,
geysers, and colorful thermal pools.
Once again, Rotorua is a great place for spas and relaxing.
My favorite spa is the Polynesian Spa in town.
It's got its own special access to a thermal spring,
and the waters there are incredibly healing.
Plus it's right on the lake.
It's got beautiful views.
I highly suggest you check it out.
Rotorua is also super famous for its mountain biking.
There are incredible mountain biking parks all throughout the region.
You can rent a bike and do the Faka Rewa Rewa loop.
Bit of a mouthful, but it is an incredible mountain biking loop
through native and redwood forests,
and it's a great way to experience the nature of the region.
Once again, Lord of the Rings fans,
you are very close to Hobbiton.
Yes, the Shire exists.
The Hobbiton movie set has been preserved in its original form.
So if you want to go to the Shire,
you want to kick it with Frodo and Bilbo and all of the Hobbits,
maybe even put down a cold pint at the Green Dragon Tavern,
you can do that at Hobbiton.
Hobbiton is located just outside of the town called Matamata.
And it's close to Rotorua.
So definitely if you're a Lord of the Rings fan,
you've got to go to Hobbiton.
You've got to check out the Shire
and have a pint at the Green Dragon for me.
Okay, day 18 and 19, the Coromandel Peninsula.
We're getting towards the end of our trip in New Zealand,
but we're saving some of the best for last.
The Coromandel is a jewel of New Zealand's North Island.
It's famous for its stunning beaches and pristine coastline.
Located on the east coast of the North Island,
the Coromandel Peninsula juts out into the Pacific Ocean,
but it feels almost tropical.
It's got incredible scenery.
I suggest you base yourself in the town of Fitianga
just due to its proximity to most of the main attractions
on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Spend a day exploring Cathedral Cove.
This is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches
in the entirety of New Zealand.
It's been featured in lots of different movies,
including in the Chronicles of Narnia series,
and it's this beautiful cathedral-esque cove
where the natural rocks have been eroded
in a way that it actually feels like you're in a giant church.
It's a stunningly beautiful place.
It's worth spending the day,
and you can swim.
You can relax.
You can take a picnic.
It's really definitely worth visiting.
One of the coolest beaches in the region, though,
or should I say the hottest,
is Hot Water Beach.
Now why is it called Hot Water Beach?
We have a theme going here with thermal activity,
volcanic activity.
Yes, the beach actually has hot water
just below the sand.
So at low tide,
you can dig a hole in the sand
and make your own personal beach hot spring.
Yes, it's awesome.
Just keep in mind, though,
you can only do this at low tide
or a couple of hours on either side of low tide.
Bring a shovel.
You can buy one from one of the local stores,
or you can just ask somebody to borrow their shovel,
dig yourself your own hot spring right on the beach.
And you can't visit the Coromandel
without taking a scenic hike
along the Coromandel Coastal Walkway.
This famous three to four hour walk
links the east and west coast roads
together along a bridle path
that was used for centuries
by both Maori and European settlers.
It's got incredible scenery,
incredible vistas,
and it's a great way to get out into nature
and experience the Coromandel Peninsula.
Okay, Day 20,
your last full day in New Zealand.
You have choices.
What do you want to do?
Do you want to just relax
and spend another day in the Coromandel?
If you do, I won't hold it against you.
It's a really relaxing, beautiful place.
If you want to surf,
if you're a surfer,
you could just drive two hours
from the east coast to the west coast
over to the town of Raglan
and try your hand at surfing Manu Bay,
the world-famous left-hand point break
located just outside of the town of Raglan.
Or you could go out to Waiheke Island,
the famous little island
just off the coast of Auckland.
You take a ferry there.
It's got wineries,
and it's a really beautiful place to visit,
especially for a couple of days.
Or you could just head to Auckland a day early
and spend a day exploring New Zealand's largest city.
There's a lot to see and do in Auckland,
and you can just spend that last day doing that.
The choice is yours.
I'm not going to make it for you.
You have to make that choice.
But whatever you do,
I'm sure you'll end up having an incredible trip.
And if you follow the suggestions in this video
and grab yourself a copy
of my detailed New Zealand travel itinerary,
I guarantee you will have an unforgettable vacation
here in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Okay friends, there you have it,
a brief overview of three weeks spent
exploring the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
Now I really do believe that doing both the North
and South Island in less than three weeks
is really rushing it.
Sure, you can do a two-week trip,
but you're going to be driving all the time,
and you're not going to really be able to get out
and experience it.
So if you only have two weeks,
then maybe consider just doing one island
and then save the next island
for your next trip to New Zealand.
Or if you have more time,
take a month and do a full tour of both of the islands.
If you need help planning those trips,
then check out my travel itineraries.
I have this three-week New Zealand
North and South Island itinerary.
I'm making a quick two-week itinerary
for those of you who are going to be doing the van life,
picking up in Auckland, dropping off in Christchurch.
Then I'm also making a one-month
North and South Island itinerary
that includes the West Coast region,
as well as the Northland region of the North Island.
And I'm going to be doing
individual two-week itineraries
for both the North and South Island.
All of those will be available over on my Thatch profile.
That's where I sell my travel itineraries.
So those will be linked down there
in the description of this video.
Drop down there into the description.
Click on the link and grab yourself a copy
of this itinerary or any of my other travel itineraries.
And yeah, if you enjoyed this video,
please do me a favor.
Give it a thumbs up.
Drop a comment down there in the comment section
if you have any questions or any observations,
or you want to share any of your own experiences.
Please do that.
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Okay friends, I'll see you in the next video.
I'll see you on the road.
Peace.