West Coast Auckland Itineraries
Sample itineraries written by our West Coast Auckland experts
Our West Coast Auckland travel specialists have written the following itineraries to help plan your trip. Not sure where to begin? Contact us now and we'll connect you with a specialist tour operator for expert West Coast Auckland advice.
9 days
Northern Auckland Circular Road Trip
Road trip to the Northern tip of New Zealand
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Queenstown
New Zealand’s adventure sports capital is a surprisingly small town, famously the birthplace of bungy jumping, it’d be possible to spend days here hiking, biking, rafting, canyoning, zip lining or riding the luge... -
Milford Sound
Even by New Zealand’s standards, Milford Sound is a truly spectacular sight... -
Lake Tekapo
A highland lake in the middle of New Zealand’s south island, Lake Tekapo is best known for its incredibly clear skies that are perfect for stargazing... -
Rotorua
An eggy scent hangs over sulphuric Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island, which is home to spectacular geothermal springs, bubbling mud pools, geysers, and colourful geothermal terraces... -
Coromandel Peninsula
Visible across the Hauraki Gulf from Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula has some of the most famous beaches in the country... -
Kaikoura
Kaikoura is the place to see wildlife in New Zealand, set against the might of the Seaward Kaikoura mountain range, this is a stunningly beautiful stop... -
Wanaka
Laidback Wanaka has a claim to be Queenstown’s cooler sibling... -
Northland
The site of New Zealand’s earliest Maori settlement, Northland is the birthplace of New Zealand and home to its best beaches... -
Auckland
Forget the city’s high-rise centre; the beauty of Auckland is the scenery surrounding it... -
Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay is the first stop on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail and is a great place to try cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay wines... -
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park includes the majority of New Zealand’s only International Dark Sky Reserve, so head into the hills – or just Mount Cook Village near Lake Pukaki – and marvel at the light show in the sky... -
Stewart Island
Sparsely populated Stewart Island is home to some of New Zealand’s most interesting wildlife, including penguins, dolphins and albatross... -
Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef’s icy mass once flowed all the way into the sea, but after decades of global warming, the glacier has retreated inland and is now only accessible by helicopter... -
Marlborough Region
The Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine-producing region and home to the Marloborough Sounds... -
Lake Taupo
Vast Lake Taupo is as big as Singapore and was created 2,000 years ago from a volcanic eruption so huge it would have been seen from China... -
Hokitika
An old gold-rush town, Hokitika is one of the West Coast’s few settlements... -
Christchurch
Most travellers use Christchurch as a base for exploring the south island, but there is plenty to see in this upwardly-mobile city... -
Arthur’s Pass National Park
Head into Arthur’s Pass National Park by road and you’ll encounter some of New Zealand’s most spectacular engineering, including viaducts, precipitous bridges and redirected waterfalls... -
Dunedin
As well as being one of New Zealand’s most attractive cities, full of pretty gardens and boutique cafes and with its neo-gothic architecture, Dunedin offers a wealth of natural and wildlife-related activities... -
Raglan
The surfing town of Raglan on the Waikato coast is the perfect place to spend a few days lazing by the sea... -
Nelson
Nelson Tasman is known as one of New Zealand’s most artistic places, with painters, sculptor and jewellery makers are living here... -
Lake Heron
Lake Heron Station is an authentic working sheep farm, making it the perfect place to experience high-country New Zealand life... -
Wellington
Creative Wellington has a claim to be New Zealand’s most cultural city... -
Bay of Islands
With a subtropical climate, idyllic beaches, forests, islands, waterfalls, sites associated with New Zealand’s early colonial history (Russell and Waitangi), and dolphin-watching cruises, there’s nothing overrated about the popular Bay of Islands... -
Cape Reinga
At the top of the Aupori Peninsula — the narrow tombola that extends from Northland—Cape Reinga is the northernmost point of New Zealand... -
Tongariro National Park
New Zealand’s oldest national park is also a UNESCO World Heritage area, noted for both its cultural and natural significance... -
Kapiti
Off the coast of the Kapiti Coast is Kapiti Island, a wildlife reserve... -
Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman’s compact size makes it an easy place for trips to beautiful beaches, day hikes, longer treks, boat rides along the coast, and kayaking excursions... -
Golden Bay
Remote Golden Bay has a frontier vibe and very few inhabitants... -
Paparoa National Park
The unusual and aptly named Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, in the Paparoa National Park, are a worthwhile stop en route between Westport and Greymouth/Hokitika... -
Hanmer Springs
The South Island’s answer to the geothermal springs of the central North Island, this mountain resort town is a place to chill out in the warm waters of open-air baths... -
Koekohe Beach
The Moeraki Boulders, large spheres of rock dotting Koekohe Beach (also called Moeraki Beach), are believed to have formed 60 million years ago, from ocean floor sediment... -
Fiordland
Although Milford Sound is one of the South Island’s most popular attractions, the large Fiordland National Park it sits within contains huge expanses of wilderness... -
Whangarei
Northland’s only city, Whangarei, offers fine dining at the Town Basin marina area, quick hikes to volcanic outcrops overlooking the city (Mt... -
Hokianga Harbour
With slower road access from Auckland than the Bay of Islands, the Hokianga Harbour is relatively undeveloped and provides a real insight into Northland Maori life... -
Doubtful Sound
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Clyde
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Twizel
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Hammer Springs
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Picton
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Blenheim
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Lake Pukaki
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Waitomo
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Hobbiton
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Te Anau
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Rangitoto Island
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