North Island

New Zealand's most populous island: Auckland, the Bay of Islands, Rotorua's geothermal sites and Māori culture, Tongariro's volcanoes, Hobbiton and Wellington.

The North Island (Māori: Te Ika-a-Māui) is one of New Zealand's two main islands and home to about three-quarters of the country's population. It is known for its volcanoes and geothermal activity, Māori culture and subtropical beaches, and it is governed by several regional councils rather than forming a single administrative region. The gateway city, Auckland, is the "City of Sails", built on a volcanic field, and a base for visiting wineries on Waiheke Island. In the north, the Bay of Islands is where New Zealand's founding treaty was signed and offers boat trips to see dolphins. The Coromandel Peninsula has Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. In the centre, Rotorua is a hub of geothermal activity and Māori culture, with geysers, mud pools, and Māori village dinners and performances; nearby are the Hobbiton movie set from The Lord of the Rings and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. South of Lake Taupō, Tongariro National Park (a dual World Heritage Site) has the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, hailed as one of the world's best day hikes. On the east coast, Napier is known for its Art Deco architecture and the Hawke's Bay wine country, while the west coast has the volcano of Taranaki. At the southern tip, the capital, Wellington, is home to the Te Papa national museum. The classic route runs Auckland–Hobbiton–Rotorua–Taupō–Wellington in 7–10 days, then a ferry across Cook Strait to the South Island. New Zealanders drive on the left, and a self-drive is the most convenient way to get around.

Destinations

Itineraries