This is the story of our two week trip to visit the North Island of New Zealand. The North Island is huge, so I decided to cut out a drive down to Wellington. This it eliminated a lot of driving time by avoiding the far south part of the island. Even without a visit to Wellington, the tour of the North Island had us driving about 1400 km, so we put a lot of mileage on the rental car as we moved from place to place. This was a hiking vacation, including the multi-day Tongariro trek, plus we visit the geothermal area and also see the underground glow worm cave. I skipped the Hobbiton movie set.
New Zealand has 9 famous multi-day treks that are called the "Great Tramps". Each of the Great Tramps requires 3 days to complete. Like the Milford Trek, the huts where we would stay provide no food nor bedding nor cooking, so we would have to carry our sleeping bags and food for each trek. The key part is to get hut reservations for the three days on the popular Tongariro Trek.
This webpage lists the top 10 day hikes on North Island, in addition to doing two of the Great Tramps on the North Island. The Tongariro Trek routinely appears on the lists of great hikes in the world, so we definitely don't want to miss it.
This website lists 19 Must See waterfalls for the North Island - I think my plan allows us to visit 8 of them.
This website lists 10 interesting rock formations.
Alternate list of trails not designated "Great Tramps" yet still are pretty nice.
The NZ Department of Conservation maintains a webpage for Huts reservations and a separate booking system for Great Tramps. We need an account for each reservation system.
Sunday, Feb 11 2024 |
Monday, Feb 12 2024 |
Tuesday, Feb 13 2024Leave Seattle 5:30 PM to LAX, landing at 8:08 PM 2 Hour 27 min layover Leave LAX at 10:35 PM for 13 Hr, 5 min flight to Auckland. |
Wednesday Feb 14 2024Lose this day crossing the International Date Line |
Thursday Feb 15 2024Land in Auckland at 8:40 AM Pickup Rental Car from Alamo Auckland Botanic Gardens Open 8 AM, free entryDrive 40 min, 26 Km from Auckland airport to Travellodge Hotel $153. Refrigerator. Stay in Auckland |
Friday Feb 16 2024Drive 3.5 hr, 220 km from Auckland to Waitomo Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park Opens 9 AM, closes 4:15 PM Drive 0.5 hr, 30 km from Waitomo to Marokopa Falls Piripiri Cave 300 m walk Mangapohue Natural Bridge
Drive 0.5 hr, 30 km from Marokopa Falls to Waitomo Stay in Waitomo, Woodlyn Park $96, includes fridge, kitchenette |
Saturday Feb 17 2024Black Water Waitomo Cave Adventure Morning tour, 3 Hr underground tour. Drive 3 hr, 200 km from Waitomo to North Egmont Stay at North Egmont, TePopo Gardens & Accommodation $96/night includes fridge, kitchenette |
Sunday Feb 18 2024Day 1 of day hiking in Egmont National Park Holly Hut track to Bells Falls 8 hr, 11 miles, 3431' Stay at North Egmont, TePopo Gardens & Accommodation $96/night includes fridge, kitchenette |
Monday Feb 19 2024Day 2 of day hiking in Egmont National Park Waingongoro and Enchanted track 4 hr, 5.6 miles, 1909' Drive 4 hr, 230 km from North Egmont to National Park Stay in National Park Plateau Lodge$146 2 bedroom apt, kitchen, fridge, washer |
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024Shuttle 20 KM from National Park to Whakapapa Village Day 1 of Tongariro Trek Whakapapa Village to Mangatepopo Hut 3 hr, 8.5 KM Taranaki Falls side trip Stay at Mangatepopo Hut |
Wednesday Feb 21 2024Day 2 of Mangatepopo Hut to Oturere Hut 5 hr, 12.8 KM Stay at Oturere Hut |
Thursday Feb 22 2024Day 3 of Tongariro Trek, Oturere Hut to Whakapapa Village 9 1/2 hr, 23 KM Shuttle 20 KM from Whakapapa Village to National Park Stay in National Park Plateau Lodge$146 2 bedroom apt, kitchen, fridge, washer |
Friday Feb 23 2024Drive 2 1/2 hr, 180 km from National Park to geothermal attractions around Taupo Morning sailing on a 90 minute boat ride to Maori Rock Carvings Orakei Korako Geothermal Park & Cave
Stay in Taupo at Beechtree Motel, $93, kitchenette, fridge |
Saturday Feb 24 20241 1/2 hr, 114 km drive from Taupo to Minginui Whirinaki Waterfall Loop 3 1/2 hr, 11 Km,1 hr, 80 km drive from Minginui to Rotorua Stay in Rotorua at Blue Lake Holiday Park, $88/night fridge, kitchenette |
Sunday Feb 25 2024Lady Knox Geyser eruption Waimangu Volcano Valley
Blue Lake Loop 1.5 hrs, 6 Km stroll Stay in Rotorua at Blue Lake Holiday Park, $88/night fridge, kitchenette |
Monday Feb 26 2024Morning at Polynensian Spa 2 hr, 160 km drive from Rotorua to Thames Stay in Thames at Waiotahi Valley Lodge $77, free breakfast, shared bathroom, kitchenette, fridge |
Tuesday Feb 27Drive 1 1/4 hr, 78 Km from Thames to Shakespeare Cliffs Take water taxi to Cathedral Cove
Hot Water Beach
Climb to summit of Mt. Paku Hill Stay in Thames at Waiotahi Valley Lodge $77, free breakfast, shared bathroom, kitchenette, fridge |
Wednesday Feb 28 2024Drive 2 hr, 120 Km from Thames to Auckland Hunua Falls TrailLeave Auckland at 3:05 PM, fly 12 hrs to LAX, landing at 6:05 AM 3 hr, 50 min layover. Go through customs Leave LAX at 9:55 AM. Arrive Seattle 1 PM. |
Thursday Feb 29 2024Leap Day |
Friday March 1 2024 |
Saturday March 2 2024 |
This shows the basic route and the number of nights at each location.
