Day Five -Back Up North

Hamilton -> Auckland

127 km (79 miles)
Approximately 1.5 hours
Road Conditions: Motorway/State Highway

The city of Hamilton is carved in two by the mighty Waikato River. Attractions include gardens, riverboat cruising and a giant free flight aviary. Excellent restaurants and cafes can be found at the southern end of the main street.

The Waikato River will accompany you for much of your journey north. You’ll see side roads leading to Waingaro Hot Springs and Raglan, a surf resort on the west coast. Other places of interest along the way include the coal town of Huntly and the wine growing district of Te Kauwhata.

You know you’re getting close to Auckland when you reach the motorway at the base of the Bombay Hills. The scenery will change gradually from market gardens to bloodstock farms to suburbia.

As you approach Auckland, you can’t miss the extinct volcanic cones that dot the landscape – there are 48 in all. The city also has two huge harbours, so it’s an ideal base for marine adventures. Other attractions include wine trails, forest walks and the culinary temptations of the city’s restaurant zones.

Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, is situated between two enormous harbours and dotted with 48 extinct volcanic cones. It’s a place to enjoy marine adventures, wine trails, forest walks and urban sophistication.

As you cruise down the southern motorway, suburban scenery gradually gives way to the farmland of South Auckland, an area favoured by bloodstock breeders. You’ll enjoy motorway speeds all the way to Bombay, a major market gardening area.

The Waikato River will accompany you for much of your journey through the green countryside. Places of interest along the way include the wine growing area of Te Kauwhata and the coal mining town of Huntly. Before you get to Hamilton, you’ll notice side roads leading to Waingaro Hot Springs and Raglan, a surf resort on the west coast.

The city of Hamilton is carved in two by the mighty Waikato River. Attractions include gardens, riverboat cruising and a giant free flight aviary. Excellent restaurants and cafes can be found at the southern end of the city’s main street.

Waitomo Caves ->Hamilton - 

71 km (44 miles)
Approximately 1 hour
Road Conditions: State Highway

The mighty Waikato River brings a unique beauty to Hamilton city. As well as river boat cruising, local attractions include gardens, museums and a giant free flight aviary. At the southern end of the city’s main street you’ll discover a wide variety of excellent restaurants and cafes.

The trip south takes you through prime Waikato farmland. In summer, you can pause in the town of Te Awamutu to admire the roses. A detour towards the coast will take you to Kawhia, where hot water bubbles up through the sand - you can dig a pool between low and mid tide. Just before the turn off to Waitomo, you’ll come to Otorohanga. The kiwi house in this town is a chance to meet New Zealand’s national symbol.

The Waitomo Caves region is famous for its subterranean splendour. Beneath the surface of this ancient limestone region is a series of vast cave systems decorated with stalactites, stalagmites and glow-worms. Some caves open to the public, and are easy to walk through, others require specialised caving equipment.

National Park -> Waitomo Caves

143 km (89 miles)
Approximately 1.75 hours
Road Conditions: State Highway

National Park Village is a small settlement well positioned for those who want to explore the Tongariro National Park. The volcanic peaks of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro can be seen from here.

New Zealand’s first national park, Tongariro was gifted to the New Zealand people in 1887 by the Ngati Tuwaretoa tribe and is now a World Heritage area. The Tongariro Crossing is regarded as one of the best one-day walks in the world.

Your journey to Waitomo Caves takes you to the river town of Taumaranui, a launching place for Whanganui River activities. Then you’ll drive through an area of farmland known as the ‘King Country’ to reach Te Kuiti, which hosts NZ sheep shearing championships each year.

The area known as Waitomo Caves is only a short drive from Te Kuiti. Beneath the surface of this ancient limestone landscape is a series of vast cave systems decorated with stalactites, stalagmites and glow-worms. Some caves open to the public, and are easy to walk through, others require specialised caving equipment. Your journey to Waitomo Caves will take you through a mixture of farmland, lakeland and forest. There are no major towns along the way, so stock up on picnic supplies in preparation for the drive. The hydro power station at Atiamuri is an interesting stop. Trout fanciers can try their luck at Lake Whakamaru. The beautiful Pureora Forest Park, which is home to several rare bird species, has a number of well marked walking tracks.

At the town of Te Kuiti you’ll turn north, towards Waitomo Caves. Beneath the surface of this ancient limestone region is a series of vast cave systems decorated with stalactites, stalagmites and glow-worms.