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Day 1: Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves + Te Puia with Cheeky Kiwi, Heart of the North Island
North Island · Independent coach travel (self guided)

Heart of the North Island

  • 4 days, 3 nights
  • Starts and ends in Auckland
  • Hotel 4 star
Fromper person, twin share

Where you will go

2 places you sleep in over 3 nights. Select a place in the list to find it on the map.

Overnight stop, in route orderVisited on the wayScheduled coach, no guideStarts and ends in Auckland. 2 overnight stops across 4 days, about 570 km of driving. Select a marker to open that day.

Overview

Independent coach travel (self guided). You travel on your own on scheduled coach services. Your seats and hotels are reserved; no guide travels with you. You are not left to it: your whole trip is in a travel app, and our New Zealand support team is a message or call away, seven days a week.

Experience the very best of New Zealand’s legendary landscapes, from the glowing underground grottoes of Waitomo to the meticulously crafted hills of the Hobbiton Movie Set. 4 days through the North Island, starting and finishing in Auckland. Along the way: Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves + Te Puia with Cheeky Kiwi, Te Pā Tū Evening Māori Cultural Experience - Dinner Included, Crater Lakes Flight & Hot Pools by Floatplane with Volcanic Air. Every night is booked and the travelling is handled, so the itinerary below is what you actually do rather than a list of things you could arrange yourself.

  • 3 nights accommodation
  • 4 included activities
  • 5 meals included

Explore more:North Island toursHobbiton and Lord of the RingsSolo travellersLuxuryRotorua toursTaupō toursAuckland tours

What is included, and what is not

Included in the price

  • 3 nights of accommodation, hotel 4 star
  • Scheduled coach travel between destinations, seats reserved
  • 4 included activities and entries along the way
  • A detailed day by day itinerary with every booking reference
  • Support from a New Zealand based specialist while you travel
Included activities
  • Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves + Te Puia with Cheeky Kiwi
  • Te Pā Tū Evening Māori Cultural Experience - Dinner Included
  • Crater Lakes Flight & Hot Pools by Floatplane with Volcanic Air
  • Rotorua to Auckland via Taupo & Hamilton with Cheeky Kiwi Travel

Not included

  • International flights to and from New Zealand
  • Travel insurance, which we recommend arranging on the day you pay your deposit
  • Meals other than the 5 meals listed in the itinerary
  • Personal spending, tips and anything not listed as included

Anything here can be added. Extra nights, room upgrades, more activities or a different vehicle: tell us what you would change and we re-quote, no obligation.

Day by day

Aucklandview on Google Maps

Experience the ultimate North Island road trip on this fully guided, small-group journey from Auckland to Rotorua. Leave the city behind as you travel through the lush Waikato countryside to the world-famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves, where you’ll marvel at thousands of tiny lights during a magical underground boat ride. The adventure continues to Rotorua’s Te Puia, the home of Māori culture and geothermal wonders. Witness the powerful Pōhutu Geyser, see live Kiwi birds, and watch master carvers at work. With passionate guides and premium Mercedes transport, this is the most comfortable and exciting way to reach Rotorua.

Welcome to Auckland

Welcome to Auckland, known in Māori as Tāmaki Makaurau. Auckland is New Zealand’s vibrant "City of Sails," and the country’s largest metropolitan area. Set between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. Surrounded by native bush, lush rainforests, and pristine beaches, Auckland is a haven for both adventurers and urban explorers. Wander through world-class museums and galleries in the city centre or enjoy a peaceful retreat at the Auckland Gardens, where stunning landscapes showcase New Zealand’s diverse flora. Stroll along the lively waterfront to savour fresh seafood and international cuisine at Viaduct restaurants. For an unforgettable perspective, ascend the iconic SkyTower, New Zealand’s tallest structure, and take in panoramic views of the city and its picturesque islands.

AucklandTourism New Zealand
TonightMillennium Hotel RotoruaLunch

Millennium Hotel is Rotorua’s largest 4-star deluxe hotel. Perfectly situated in the heart of the city overlooking Lake Rotorua. Five levels of accommodation offer guests a wide variety of scenic views.

Rotoruaview on Google Maps

Take a journey from Rotorua to the famous Hobbiton Movie Set, located inside a picturesque 1,250-acre sheep and beef farm near Matamata. Here, take a guided tour of the village of Hobbiton, which was carefully created in amazing detail as a film location for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie trilogies. During your guided tour of this amazing location, you’ll see sights like Hobbit holes, the Mill and the Green Dragon Inn, and learn how farmland was transformed into a living, breathing piece of Middle-earth. After exploring Hobbiton, enjoy a tasty lunch in the Party Marquee and then return to Rotorua.

TonightMillennium Hotel RotoruaBreakfast and lunch

Rotoruaview on Google Maps

New Zealand’s Most Awarded Cultural Attraction, presenting Te Pā Tū. Feast on song, drama, tradition, and divine seasonal kai (cuisine) within the forest Pā (village) blanketed by towering Tawa trees, blazing bonfires, and a forest-formed amphitheatre. Te Pā Tū shares Māori history, traditions, and cultural aspirations across 4-hours of celebration and feasting. These events change with each season of the Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.

Crater Lakes Flight & Hot Pools by Floatplane with Volcanic Air

Soar beyond the crater’s rim on a spectacular floatplane adventure. After taking in the breathtaking aerial views of Rotorua’s hidden lakes district and distant volcanoes, you will experience the thrill of a water landing on the crystal-clear shores of Lake Rotoiti. Here, you’ll discover a secluded paradise only accessible by water: natural geothermal hot pools tucked away in a quiet bay. Spend 90 minutes soaking in serenity or cooling off with a lakeside swim before your pilot whisks you back to reality.

TonightMillennium Hotel RotoruaBreakfast and speciality dinner

Huka Fallsview on Google Maps

Jumpstart your adventure at Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland, where you’ll witness the spectacular eruption of the Lady Knox Geyser and explore a landscape brimming with vibrant geothermal features like the Champagne Lake and bubbling mud-pools. Continue south to Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake and a giant volcanic crater, for lunch and a highlights tour. Your journey north stops at Huka Falls, a breathtaking display of New Zealand’s natural beauty. In Hamilton, discover the unexpected charm of Hamilton Gardens, boasting 18 unique enclosed gardens that transport you through various cultures and times. Finally, enjoy a fully guided return trip to Auckland, with secret stops making your return just as exciting as the rest of your adventure.

Keep this itinerary

Email yourself the day by day to read later or pass on, or with every day open.

Good to know

Departures

This itinerary departs on the dates that suit you, subject to availability. Peak season (December to February) books out early, so enquire well ahead for summer travel.

Make it yours

Add nights, upgrade rooms, swap activities or extend into the other island. Tell us what you would change and we will re-quote, no obligation.

Never travelling alone

Your whole itinerary lives in a smart travel app with live vouchers, maps and daily guidance, and your own travel specialist is reachable seven days a week while you are on the road. If plans change, we rearrange them in real time.

Who you are booking with

Operator
This itinerary is operated by a Qualmark Gold certified New Zealand operator. We book it for you and stay your point of contact.
Silver Fern Travel
Tourism New Zealand 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist (Insider), IATA certified, based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Prices
Quoted from the operator's own booking engine and refreshed weekly. The figure on this page is the one you will be quoted.
Paying
A 20% deposit confirms your booking; the balance is due 70 days before travel. How your money is protected.

Watch: Hobbiton on this itinerary

Asked before booking

Something not answered here? , no quote attached.

Still deciding? Worth a read: How many days do you actually need in New Zealand? · The best time to visit New Zealand, from people who live here

Fromper person, twin share
Per day
NZ$738planning included
Travelling solo
single occupancy

No payment to enquire; a firm quote within one working day. Lowest priced travel dates, two sharing. International flights not included. A 20% deposit confirms your booking, with the balance due 70 days before travel. How your money is protected

100% Pure New Zealand InsiderQualmark Gold, the official quality mark of New Zealand tourism

Itineraries operated by a Qualmark Gold certified New Zealand operator. Tourism New Zealand 100% Pure Insider.

Request a quote for this trip

No payment, no obligation. A specialist replies with a firm quote within one working day.

When would you like to travel?

You will hear back within one working day. Quotes are free and there is no obligation to book.

How it works

How your money is protected

  1. Tell us about your trip

  2. Get your firm quote

  3. Shape it until it fits

  4. Confirm with a 20% deposit

  5. Everything is booked for you

  6. Travel with us beside you

The Silver Fern Promise

You never hand over more than a small deposit

Nothing to enquire, nothing until your quote is confirmed in writing, and never more than your deposit until the balance falls due 70 days before travel. Deposits can be paid by card, which keeps your card scheme’s protections in play.

How your money is protected

A firm quote within one working day

Availability checked with our New Zealand operations team and confirmed in writing, not an automated estimate.

No booking fees, and nothing to pay to enquire

Quotes are free and carry no obligation. You pay a deposit only once the itinerary is right and you say go.

One person, before and during your trip

The same specialist plans your trip and is reachable while you are travelling, alongside in-country support seven days a week.

100% Pure New Zealand InsiderQualmark Gold, the official quality mark of New Zealand tourismInsider status, Tourism New Zealand 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme. IATA certified. Every itinerary is operated by a Qualmark Gold certified New Zealand tour operator.

Questions before you enquire? Email hello@silverferntravel.com and ask. No form required.

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