A superb tour of everything that the beautiful North Island of New Zealand has to offer. From the far north at Cape Reinga where two mighty ocean currents collide, then, situated at the southern end of the North Island is the capital city of Wellington, recently named "the coolest little capital in the world" by Lonely Planet. Experience everything in between, journey through landscapes of magnificent coasts and beaches, sprawling farmlands and geothermal wonders. The breathtakingly beautiful Bay of Islands or the majestic, symmetrical volcanic cone of Mt Taranaki, or sitting within the Pacific Rim of Fire, Rotorua is a geothermal wonderland with bubbling mud pools, clouds of steam, and natural hot springs perfect for bathing and relaxing in. North Island has it all.
Māori culture is rich and ever-present in many parts of the North Island as is the architecture of the early European settlers. I would allow 3 weeks to cover this tour as this will enable you to spend more than one night in some of the fantastic locations.
Note: At Gisborne you have a choice of two routes, the coastal route included in this collection 13a or a shorter, inland route that travels through the Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve 13b. Links for both routes are included in the route 12 review.
Enjoy.