New Zealand North Island: 21 Day Road Trip Itinerary

Welcome to New Zealand's North Island known for its epic scenery, rich Maori heritage and home to a road trip like no other. In this travel guide we're going to share with you our 21 day itinerary from the stunning beaches of the Coram Handle to setting your eyes on the lonely peak of Mount Taranaki. This video will help you make the most of your Kiwi adventure so let's get down to it. Now we start our adventure in Auckland and after a really long journey we finally made it. We ventured around this incredible city and even got to see the iconic Sky Tower before we really start this adventure tomorrow. Now today we head over to Matarangi in the famous Coram Handle Peninsula. As we're cruising along route 25 we stopped off at a place called Waiomu. This was a great little stopover just to have a break from the driving and there's also a really good cafe here with great food. Next we ventured through the gold mining town of Coram Handle town. This was a really cool place to see with plenty of character and more food options. We continued driving to Matarangi and the views on the way just got so good and after three hours of driving we finally arrived in Matarangi. We spent the whole evening just soaking up our surroundings and we couldn't believe we found somewhere so idyllic. We're struggling to find accommodation here. A great alternative is Fidianga. It's just a 30 minute drive down the road and there's plenty more options there. Another day in paradise as we explore the hidden gem of New Chums Beach. Now New Chums Beach doesn't have any direct access so you have to park up at Fangapua Beach. Parking is completely free and there's also a free toilet on hand if needed. To get to the beach you've got to cross Fangapua Beach and make sure to go at low tide to avoid getting wet. We continued walking along the rocks until we saw a path going into the trees. As we got closer to the beach there was a viewing point we went up to. It was a bit of a scramble but wow the views were well worth it. We climbed back down and after about 45 minutes we finally reached New Chums Beach and it was insane. We just enjoyed relaxing and simply listening to the waves crashing onto this incredible beach. Before we knew it high tide was upon us and we needed to make tracks before getting cut off and next we are heading over to Coatunu and this time we're in the hunt for some food. A couple locals had suggested about Luke's Kitchen so we thought we'd check it out. We tested out the famous Triple P Pizza and it was unreal to be fair and would highly recommend. Just around the corner from Coatunu a 10 minute drive and you'll get to Otama Beach. This is honestly so picturesque and so beautiful and if you go another 10 minutes around that corner is Opito Bay. Yet another empty stunning beach. That's even had orca sightings. I mean the Coromandel simply has some of the best beaches we have ever seen. The Kiwi sun is shining as we head down to the Coromandel's most iconic landmark and that is Cathedral Cove. After an hour's drive to get here you'll need to park up at Hahei Visitor Car Park. Parking up is completely free and there's free toilets available too. We headed over to the shuttle bus which was only seven dollars for a return ticket and after a short ride we were dropped off and we began our walk to Cathedral Cove. Straight away we were able to see the stunning white cliffs of this coastline and within 45 minutes we had arrived at Cathedral Cove. Taking pictures really doesn't do it justice of how stunning this place is. We just took our time exploring one of the most famous coves in New Zealand. Featuring in films like Narnia has only added to this place's international fame so I would definitely advise getting yourself here early because it got a lot busier as we were leaving. 10 minutes down the road to another tourist hot spot and that's Hot Water Beach. We parked up for an hour for five dollars and then we walked over to the digging site. You need to come at low tide otherwise there'll be no sand for you to dig. You can rent a spade for 10 bucks or you can just get stuck in and use your hands. Now I failed trying to find any hot water in our hole so I ended up hopping into somebody else's and wow that water is insanely hot. Way hotter than I even thought. This geothermal phenomenon is just so unique and so cool. Today we head down to the geothermal hub of Rotorua. En route we pop back into Kotunu. This time unfortunately it was just to get an ice cream before we said goodbye to the Coromandel. After almost four hours of driving we were absolutely knackered but we arrived in Rotorua and we're looking forward to a day of volcanic activity tomorrow. Today we're going to explore the famous Waiotapu geothermal park. It's a 20-minute drive from Rotorua. There was tons of parking all completely free and admissions were $45 each. Now Waiotapu means sacred waters in Maori reflecting its deep spiritual importance to the local iwi. The moment you arrive you will be hit with the smell of sulfur and trust me you do adjust eventually. We walked through this park and honestly it really just felt like we're on a different planet but the main attraction here was actually the famous champagne pool. We'd never seen anything like it before. The colours here were insane. You could even see red and blues rising from the steam. As we walked over the platform the sulfur steam got really intense to the point where I just had to hold my breath and wait to get through this cloud of sulfur. Despite that though it was really good and I wouldn't miss out on it. Next we went to the Redwood Night Lights back in Rotorua. Tickets cost about $40 each and if you're a night owl definitely come around 10pm to avoid the queues as when we got here around 8pm it was pretty busy. Once we got in the tree walk felt like we were in a night scene in Avatar. The 120 year old redwood forest was incredible and the night lights really just added to that magical feel. Today we head down to the heart of the North Island and that is Taupo. With it being just an hour's drive away from Rotorua we stopped off at the Craters of the Moon. Admissions were only $10 and parking again was completely free. Even though it wasn't quite as dramatic as Wai-O-Tapu it was still really cool. We arrived in Taupo and our accommodation included the use of some e-bikes. We found it really good value for money and I'll drop a link in the description. Having the use of these bikes was a great way to explore the town and in the evening we went to the Botanical Gardens, cycled around completely free and it was just a fantastic spot. Another day is ahead of us as we explore the famous Huka Falls. Just a 10 minute drive from Taupo we parked up for free and straight away you could hear the roar of the waterfall. The ferocity of the water was incredible nearly 222,000 litres of water channels through this volcanic gorge every second. Whilst we're here we saw the jet overboat get so close to Huka Falls and we thought we've gotta do that. Just a five minute drive from Huka Falls it was $130 per person. A bit pricey but it was well worth it. We held on for dear life especially when the boat driver did this hand gesture. After a couple 360 spins on the way it really didn't take long to get to Huka Falls. The driver got us so close to the waterfall it was so cool and honestly an absolute must whilst you're in Taupo. Despite the grey skies of today we explored Lake Taupo and its great Maori rock carving. We cycled down to the marina and boarded the Ernest Kemp cruise for our tour of Ngatoro Irangi rock carving. After 20 minutes cruising along New Zealand's largest lake we finally made it to the giant Mayan Bay Maori rock carving of Ngatoro Irangi. This 14 meter high memorial stands as a tribute to the founding ancestor of the Iwi tribe of Taupo. They took us really close to the cliff and told us the legend behind this iconic carving. We booked this tour on Viator and it was absolutely spot on and I'll make sure to put a link in the description below so you've got the choice when you're in Taupo. Back on land now as we head over to Ariatea Teo Rapids. This place is only a 10 minute drive away from Huka Falls so you could easily tie it in with seeing the falls instead of coming another day. The rapids are a result of a dam release and wow once the water starts it doesn't take long to fill. What makes this place even cooler is that it's the filming location of the barrel scene within the second Hobbit film. Now today we planned to do the infamous Tongariro alpine pass but before we could even get excited the pass had been closed. With really strong winds and even snowfall meant there was no way we were gonna see Mount Nauruhoi today. I mean honestly so gutted. To avoid our disappointment make sure to leave at least three days to do this hike as the weather is a bit suspect even in the summer. I would definitely recommend downloading the plan my walk app. It was really useful to gauge how best to prepare for the hikes in New Zealand. Despite our plans all going up in smoke we pivoted to Whakapapa village to explore the Taranaki Falls in the Tongariro region. After around an hour and a half's drive from Taupo we arrived in Whakapapa village. We parked up along the main road. It was completely free here. We hiked through the alpine terrain. We couldn't see much to be honest as the mist was so thick. There was a handy toilet midway through completely free to use and after an hour of hiking we found Taranaki Falls. This 20 meter high waterfall was actually way more impressive than we thought and certainly made us feel a bit better after missing out on Mount Doom. As we continued the weather just got worse and worse and the enjoyment factor certainly reduced. Once we got ourselves semi-dry and back to the car we soon headed down just a two minute drive to Tafe Falls but famously known as Gollum's Falls. Now there was limited parking here but it was all free and from the car park it only took about 10 minutes to get down to the waterfall. Now this waterfall is a famous filming location for Gollum's Falls in the Lord of the Rings and if you're a Lord of the Rings fan like us you'll love this waterfall. Despite today not going as planned this has been a really good backup option and I'd definitely recommend it if you've got in a sticky situation like us. Tonight we stay in Taranaki and it's just a 30 minute drive away and it's a really good spot when exploring the Tongariro region. Today we have a long drive down to windy Wellington and on route we've got a glimpse of Mount Ruapehuru before we head down south. As we got closer to Wellington it certainly met its reputation as the windiest city in the world and after a long day of driving we look forward to exploring the capital tomorrow. The sun is shining in New Zealand's most southern city. We first got ourselves a red snapper travel card so we could hop on and off the city buses. Contactless isn't available on the buses so make sure you get your red snapper. We cruised downtown to the New Zealand's National Museum of Te Papa. Admissions are $35 each and this museum is massive. It's packed with loads of interactive exhibits from New Zealand's unique ecological evolution to its intense geological causes celebrating its deep pacific island heritage and the most incredible exhibit of the Battle of Gallipoli. We were just blown away at how real this piece of history felt. The way this story was conveyed gave us such an amazing insight into what was such a significant battle within World War I. This event in history is commemorated in Australia and New Zealand as Anzac Day. What an exciting day we have ahead as we go to see the famous Weta workshop. Now we booked our tour when we arrived but I'd probably do it online just to be on the safe side. This place is literally the godfather of movie magic from shaping the worlds of King Kong, the Avengers and of course the Lord of the Rings. Now unfortunately most of the tour you're not allowed to film and this is because of their red carpet and this is where they had all of the original props of their best and biggest films. It was amazing and I can't wait for you guys to see what we did. Next we're heading over to Mount Victoria to find the famous Hobbit Hideaway filming location. We got off the bus at Peary Street and from there we walked into the park within 15 minutes we found the Hobbit Hideaway. I must admit it didn't feel quite like the movie but it was still pretty cool and within this park there's actually loads of different filming locations but we had to shoot off because we had a game to go and watch at Sky Stadium. A quarter final of the World Cup qualifiers between New Zealand's All Whites and Fiji. Now we only booked these tickets on the day for $25 each. We were actually rooting for Fiji as we've got a bit of a soft spot for them but the All Whites were in full voice. It didn't take long for them to get a goal and before we knew it it was 7-0. I think the All Whites have got a good night ahead of them of celebrating. We head back now to the north as we head to New Plymouth. As we drove west the land was just so flat there was literally nothing around but as we got closer to New Plymouth the lonely peak of Mount Taranaki was just in the distance. It honestly didn't look real. After five hours of driving we had arrived but we can't wait to hike up around this mountain tomorrow. We're up early to beat the clouds as we head for Mount Taranaki. Just a 20 minute drive from New Plymouth to Mongarei car park. It's completely free to park here and toilets are available too but note there is no drinking water available so make sure to bring plenty with you. We began our hike and the track was really well maintained. It was a steady incline the whole way and after two hours we broke out the tree line and saw some amazing views. We finally made it to the top and we couldn't see a thing. The clouds were blowing across so fast and after three hours we made it to the Puakai reflective tarn. Now Mount Taranaki was hiding behind a thick load of cloud and after nearly waiting an hour the cold really had set in and we thought this might not be our day but then out of nowhere the mountain revealed itself. It's quite easily one of the most stunning places we have ever seen. Today we explore New Plymouth's stunning coastal path. This 13 kilometer path stretches along the Tasman Sea and it's honestly stunning. There was loads of cafes all along this trail and we enjoyed a few pet stops along the way. We continued wandering up to the bridge of Ta Rua Rua. Built in 2010 this bridge is so unique in its design with its flowing focus of Mount Taranaki in the distance. We just love this coastal path and truthfully we would never get tired of it. We sadly say goodbye to New Plymouth as we head for Otorohanga. As we cruise along this stunning west coast we made a pit stop to see the elephant rock and the famous three sisters. It's about an hour's drive to get here. We parked up completely free and again there's toilets available. Just a 15 minute walk along the beach and we saw the huge elephant rock. Now despite how impressive this is the real beauty was on the other side and that is the three sisters. These 25 meter high sea stacks on this black sanded beach are truly stunning to see in person. Now top tip come at low tide then you'll get to see these crazy reflections of the three sisters on the black sand. We continued our journey and the west coast scenery is utterly breathtaking. Hugely underrated how insane this coastline is. It's easily been the best drive in New Zealand so far. We've wrapped up the day in Otorohanga ready to explore one of the country's natural treasures tomorrow. Just down the road from Otorohanga is the famous Waitomu Glowworm Caves. We parked up for free and grabbed our tickets. Now these caves are deeply significant to the viewing the flowing waters here as a pathway between the physical and spiritual worlds. Now I couldn't film inside as flash photography harms the glowworms and out of the respect for Maori customs. But stepping into that darkness it felt like we were drifting out at sea gazing up at the Milky Way and honestly it's got to be something you have to do whilst you're in New Zealand. Now we continued our journey northward and after an hour and a half of driving we arrived in the surfer town of Raglan. Day one in Raglan and just a 15 minute drive out is Wairainga Falls or more commonly known as Bridal Veil Falls. Now parking here is completely free but it is a bit more limited. It only took us about 10 minutes from the car park to see the first viewing of the waterfall. There are loads of different viewing points. Each spot allows you to admire this 55 meter high plunge but the best for sure is the midway platform. Simply unreal. Next we headed back to Raglan's famous beaches of Ngaru Nui Beach and Manu Bay. Now some locals advised us of a great place to park for Ngaru Nui Beach at Byron Reserve. From here it only took about 15 minutes and we were at the beach. This beach is so vast and the black sand is just stunning. This beach is also home to Raglan's surfing school. Now just around the corner a five minute drive to get to Manu Bay. This legendary surfing spot is known for one of the longest left hand point breaks in the world and to be honest with you it's a great spot just to sit and watch some unreal surfers. We've been waiting for today for the whole trip as we head to Hobbiton. It was about an hour's drive from Raglan and we arrived at the movie set car park. There was loads of spaces here and it was completely free. On the movie bus we go and before we knew it we were walking through Hobbiton and even exploring a hobbit hole or two. We made sure to make ourselves feel right at home. We even had time for a ginger ale and a pie in the famous green dragon. Honestly this was an absolute dream and we just loved it. Now we booked this tour on Viator and I couldn't recommend it any higher. It was brilliant and something we won't be forgetting anytime soon. Today is the day we make a full circle back to Auckland and the adventure doesn't end here as we're only halfway through. Continue with us on our journey to Middle Earth as we explore New Zealand's more dramatic and epic sister of the South Island. Until the next pin drop.