Auckland to Cape Reinga Road Trip | A 7-Day Northland Itinerary
Updated: Nov 11
This travel guide features an adventure-packed 7-day itinerary for an out-and-back road trip from Auckland to Cape Reinga in Northland, New Zealand.
Find out where to stay, things to do, how much to budget, and everything else you need to know to plan this week-long road trip in one of the most beautiful parts of Aotearoa.
CONTENTS
We spent two months in New Zealand road-tripping across the country in a campervan. For more info on the full road trip, check out my travel guide: The Ultimate New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary - North Island (South Island coming soon).
About Travel to New Zealand
AOTOREA
Aotorea is the Māori name for New Zealand - and its literal meaning is ''Land of the long white cloud.'' Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and their culture is an integral part of society.
There are over 100 iwi (tribes) and all of them believe in the importance of the connection between humanity, the land, and the natural world. With this in mind, your main responsibility as a road-tripping tourist in NZ is to respect the environment and as much as possible 'leave no trace'.
MONEY
The currency in New Zealand is New Zealand Dollars or NZD - and at the time of writing the current exchange rate is $2.1 NZD = £1 GBP.
Most places in New Zealand accept credit/debit cards, but we found it handy to carry some cash which we needed at DOC Campsites. Contactless payments are known as 'PayWave' here - and anything over $200 requires you to enter your PIN. (PayWave is not available everywhere, so don’t get caught out if you rely on your phone to make payments.)
Some pay machines will ask you to select either Cheque, Savings or Credit - which essentially prompts you to choose which account you would like to withdraw money from. If you do not have these types of accounts it does not matter as it will default to your current.
VISAS
As a UK Citizen you get 6 months to explore New Zealand as a tourist - you'll just need to apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA). It is $17 on the free app or $23 online here.
If you are 18 to 35 years old, you also have the option to obtain a Working Holiday Visa - that allows you to live and work in NZ for up to 36 months – which is plenty of time to fit in/fund an awesome New Zealand road trip itinerary!
For travel insurance, I have put my trust in Safety Wing, and I use their 4-week rolling policy as it is affordable and covers almost every country. They have been great so far!
When to Road Trip to New Zealand
We chose to avoid the peak tourist season in New Zealand, which is their summer: December – February. We also wanted to avoid winter, as many outdoor activities are closed off due to bad weather (except skiing of course).
We chose to plan our New Zealand road trip for springtime, which is the shoulder season of October and November – and we were really happy with this decision.
Perks of visiting New Zealand in shoulder/spring:
Generally, we had no issues with overcrowding, and we managed to find free camping spots and often had places/tours to ourselves.
The weather was mostly warm and pleasant, and driving conditions were easy.
Cons of visiting New Zealand in shoulder/spring:
Some attractions were not open for the season yet.
A couple of our planned stops had to be postponed or cancelled due to dodgy weather.
Our Auckland to Cape Reinga Road Trip was part of a wider 2-month trip around New Zealand, which we paired with an unbelievable adventure to Samoa! Check out my Ultimate Samoa Backpacking Guide for more info on that.
Must-Have Resources for a NZ Road Trip
Three must-have apps for your New Zealand Road Trip
Book Me NZ – This is New Zealand's No. 1 booking engine, which offers discounts on attractions, sometimes of up to 70%! We used this ALL THE TIME. Before you book an activity in New Zealand, make sure to check if it is on BookMe first!
CamperMate - CamperMate is Australia and New Zealand's most popular caravan and camping trip app, it gives you details on almost every campsite in the country, what facilities they have, and whether it's a free campsite or paid.
Rankers Camping NZ – This is a very similar campsite finding app to CamperMate, and it is worth having both as they don't always show the same options.
Renting a Vehicle in New Zealand
For a 2-month New Zealand road trip (1 month North Island, then 1 month South Island) in all honesty, it probably works out cheaper to buy a camper van in Auckland and sell it in Queenstown.
However, we chose to rent, as we didn’t have spare time before and after our itinerary to go through the buying/selling process.
We did not want to go for the cheapest option, instead, we had some specs to meet after learning from previous long-term road trips:
A fixed bed – This means you do not need to make up/break down your bed every day, and you also have a comfortable spot for the few in-between chilling times.
Space to cook inside – Ideal for avoiding spring showers and those pesky NZ sand flies!
We used Quirky Campers – the home of handmade camper vans in NZ. The prices start at $150 NZD per day, including everything apart from fuel. (Things like full insurance, utensils/omnia oven, camping chairs, bedding, outdoor shower, hammock, hot water, camping toilet, self-contained certification and diesel road user charges).
You can drive in New Zealand on a UK driving licence for up to 12 months (FYI, you cannot use your driving license as ID for things like buying alcohol – it must be your passport).
Not sure what to pack for your trip to New Zealand? Check out the I Dream of Mangoes article:
A 7-Day Auckland to Cape Reinga Road Trip Itinerary
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Day 1 - Auckland
Things to Do in Auckland
Our first stop on our Auckland to Cape Reinga road trip was MegaLand - A 345-meter-long inflatable course that pops up in different locations across NZ, and as it was its last day in Auckland, we grabbed the chance straight off the plane!
It was a right laugh, but there were more kids than we were expecting (yuk) - especially as it was advertised as the ‘biggest adult inflatable course'.
If you're not in a rush to get on the road, why not spend the day on Waiheke Island – a beautiful island 40 minutes by ferry from Auckland, filled with wineries with tasting rooms and cellar doors?
Waiheke Island was one of our Top 10 Things to Do in New Zealand!
You can explore by car or if you'd like to indulge in some vino head over on foot and join the hop-on/hop-off bus on Waiheke. You can check ferry times and prices on the Fullers Ferry website.
Where to Stay Near Auckland
Our first night in the van was at Long Bay Camp/Recreation Ground - which was a 30-minute drive north of Auckland. They had clean toilets, and you could park right by the water and enjoy a lovely morning walk, this site was NZ$17.
After spending the day organising the van, we started our Auckland to Cape Reinga trip properly by heading north with a quick stop at Whangarei Waterfall, where you can do a short 10-minute walk or longer hour loop – in the summer this is a great spot for a swim.
Driving time Auckland to Kowharewa Bay - 3 Hours
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you make a purchase through this website, at no extra cost to you. I only link to products and services that I use and love.
Day 2 - Poor Knight's Islands
Things to Do in the Poor Knight's Islands
One of the best things we did on our Auckland to Cape reinga road trip was diving at the Poor Knight's Islands, or Tawhiti Rahi in Māori. The islands have been uninhabited since the 1800s, and the land and water around the islands have been completely protected since 1998 (so no landings).
The Poor Knights Islands have been ecologically separated from the mainland for about 2 million years, and they are a wildlife lover's dream! At the right time of year (Oct to May), you can see thousands of Buller’s Shearwaters who share their den with the elusive Tuatara, and ancient reptile species predating the dinosaurs! Not to mention what's going on underwater...
Jaques Costeau considered the Poor Knight's Islands as one of his top 10 diving destinations in the world, and we chose to follow in his footsteps and fulfil one of our dream dives with Dive Tutukaka (who were great!)
First, they took us into Rikarika Cave, which is the world's largest sea cave, and has historically been known to host pods of orcas, never-before-seen coral, and even a Japanese submarine during WW2! Our favourite dive sites were Cave Bay and Long Cave, both filled with kelp beds and home to beautiful Eagle Rays.
The Long Cave in particular is a site you'll never forget, and will go down as one of my favourite dives ever. For a certified diver, full gear hire for a two-dive day was NZ$349.
If you're looking for more diving inspiration on that side of the world, check out My Scuba Diver's Guide to Komodo OR My Guide to Diving the Rainbow Reef in Fiji!
Where to Stay Near the Poor Knight's Islands
You'll need to sleep on the mainland, and there is a beautiful free camp spot perfect for the night before your diving expedition. It is only a 5-minute drive from Dive Tutukaka at Kowharewa Bay (we found this on CamperMate.) It has great views and clean toilets, only a few spots though so get there early.
Driving time Kowharewa Bay to Bay of Islands - 2 Hours
Day 3 - Bay of Islands & Russell
Things to Do in the Bay of Islands & Russell
There is so much to do in the Bay of Islands, so if you have more than 7 days to spare for this Auckland to Cape Reinga out-and-back road trip, I recommend you spend at least a few days here!
A lot of the action centres around Paihia, which is where you could take the ferry from (NZ$16 return pp) to visit the ‘Hell Hole of New Zealand’ – Russell, a historic town with great cafes, and where you can get a drink in the first licensed pub in NZ, The Duke of Marlborough.
Whilst in Russell, you can also take a wander up to Flagstaff Hill Lookout and Tapeka Point where you'll find amazing views of the Bay of Islands.
if you're itching to get back on the water and explore the 144 islands, check this boat tour where you'll learn a lot about the history of the area, visiting Motaurohia Island, Cape Brett Lighthouse, Hole in the Rock at Motukokako Island and Otehai Bay. The guides are great and there are some lovely walks on the islands with stunning views and lots of Fur seals! It was NZ$150 per person.
If you do have the time and you're into trekking, there is an option to do the 8-hour hike (one way) to Cape Brett Lighthouse, full of dramatic views, where the Lighthouse Keeper’s house has been converted into a 23-bunk Hut. It's NZ$25 for the hut and NZ$40 for track fees and must be booked in advance.
If the weather is right you can explore the islands by kayak! Bay of Islands Waterfall Cruise and Kayak offer excursions to paddle through the Mangrove forests for the best view of Haruru Falls (you can even paddle directly under it!) Check for deals on Bookme, or if you'd rather see the falls by foot, attempt the 11km track to Haruru Falls from Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds is a very important place in New Zealand history, and it is SO worth a visit, we spent around 3 hours here wandering the sprawling grounds, learning about NZ history and seeing the tree that Queen Elizabeth planted in 1953. It is NZ$60 per person for international visitors for the tour, show and access to the museums and grounds for 2 days.
After a morning at Waitangi Treaty Grounds, you can spend the afternoon just next door at Waitangi Mountain Bike Park. You can choose between E-bikes and manual, but whichever you choose - be sure not to miss our favourite of the 46 tracks: The Magic Carpet. (This cost us $129 per person for a half-day rental).
Where to Stay Near the Bay of Islands and Russell
With no wild campsites in the most popular place in the Bay of Islands: Paihia, the next best thing for us was a freedom camping spot at the Kawakaka Public Library OR camp at Otehai Bay.
Driving time Bay of Islands to Karikari Penninsula - 2.5 Hours
Day 4 - Karikari Penninsula
On your way to the Karikari Peninsula for day 4 of your 7-day Auckland to Cape Reinga road trip, make sure to stop at Rainbow Falls in Kerikeri which has three viewing platforms and is a great way to break up driving.
Things to Do in the Karikari Peninsula
Matei Bay is a beautiful stop on the peninsula; if you clamber up the rocks to the left, you can access a secluded cove and get great views of the bay. Alternatively, you can walk along the beach to the right, it's quite a distance, but at the end, there is an Instagram-worthy rope swing!
Another, cool stop on this peninsula is Lake Rotopokaka, also known as Coca-Cola Lake thanks to its reddish-brown colouring. It's a freshwater lake that the Māori believe has healing properties. The unusual hue is due to the peat and natural tannins in the water, but it is perfectly safe to swim in (although a bit fresh!)
Where to Stay Near the Karikari Penninsula
We stayed the night at Lions Park in Manganui, a free camping spot a short walk from the ‘World Famous Fish Shop’. Unfortunately, we didn’t do enough research before – the title is self-bestowed and while tasty wasn’t quite up to our British standards – we had better elsewhere in NZ.
There is also a freedom camping spot here, Tokerau Beach, a little further down the road from Coca-Cola Lake that wasn’t on Rankers or CamperMate. Another stunning spot right on the beach with toilets and picnic areas.
Driving time Karikari Penninsula to Cape Reinga - 1.5 Hours
Day 5 - Cape Reinga
Things to Do in Cape Reinga
Now to the tip of New Zealand! Technically the northernmost point of the North Island is Surville Cliffs - but this is part of the North Cape Scientific Reserve and therefore inaccessible to the public.
However, just 3km further south lies Cape Reinga - the more famous ‘north’ of the North Island. Make sure you stock up on fuel and food before heading too far up, fuel was very expensive in the one fuel station in the region and there aren’t a lot of shops.
One of our favourite things to do in Cape Reinga was to follow a section of the Te Paki Coastal Track that departs from this campsite - which entailed a glorious 5-hour return hike to Cape Reinga Lighthouse.
The walk gains and loses quite a bit of elevation as it dips into Sandy Bay, where with a bit of luck you might see some whales scratching themselves on the rocks. Keep an eye on the tide times as the beach (and your path!) can disappear with high tide. Once you reach it, the views all around the lighthouse are spectacular, you can see Te Rēinga (Spirits Bay) and an ancient Pohutukawa Tree (Te Rerenga Wairua) where the Māori believe that spirits travel to Hawaiiki-A-Nui (the spiritual home) using the tree roots as steps into the water.
This is also the meeting point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean creating a dramatic churn of currents. If you don’t have time or fancy the hike you can also drive to Cape Reinga Lighthouse and join for the last 10 minutes of the walk, along a paved road lined with stones carved with information about the Cape.
Another super fun activity in this area of our Auckland to Cape reinga road trip is visiting the Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes. Make sure to time this right - we first attempted it as we drove north to Tapotupotu, it was sunny when we set out but the weather quickly turned with winds barrelling in at 60km/h. We tried to persevere with sandboarding, but it ended up quite perilous and painful with sand whipping about in the wind.
If you get the right conditions, it is NZ$20 to hire the boards from the stall by the car park, otherwise, visiting the Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes is a free activity.
Where to Stay near Cape Reinga
We couldn't source any freedom camping sites, so we took a local's recommendation and stayed at Tapotupotu Bay, a low-cost Department of Conservation (DOC) site – that also happened to be the starting point of one of the walks we wanted to do.
It was NZ$16 per adult per night, paid online. As we were travelling out of season there were no managers there to check that we had paid – but they are present from December to February and Easter. There are toilets, cold open-air showers, and no rubbish bins.
Another option for a place to stay would be to take a 45-minute drive to the other end of Spirits Bay – Kapowairua. The drive is a bit rough on an unsealed road but well worth it when you come out at a stunning pure white sandy beach with beautiful shell patches. To your right are fields of horses that once roamed free across the beach but are now fenced into just the green areas. It is also another great DOC campsite for NZ$16pppn.
Driving time Cape Reinga to Ngawha Springs - 3 Hours
Day 6 - 90 Mile Beach & Ngawha Springs
Things to Do in 90 Mile Beach & Ngawha Springs
90 Mile Beach
On the drive from the Te Paki dunes to 90 Mile Beach, Google Maps may take you down some private roads, so instead to get there search for Waipapkauri Ramp.
90-mile Beach isn’t 90 miles long! But WHY? It got its common name from early Europeans who believed it was 90 miles long as it took them 3 days to travel it and their horses could travel 30 miles a day, however, they forgot to account for the sand affecting their speed. The Māori name is Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē (the long beach of Tōhē).
For the sake of this article, we will call it 90-mile beach, and it's actually a highway! Cars regularly traverse it, and you can even catch a bus from one end to another part of the beach! (Be careful about taking your vehicle on it, most rental agreements ban driving on beaches.)
In the spring the beach was mostly a silent natural beauty, with the occasional car or walker. In the summer it's a bustling hive of activity with surf lessons, swimming, sandboarding, and sunbathing, but don’t worry, it's so long so there's still plenty of space!
Ngawha Springs and Waipoua Forest
I recommend booking a timeslot in Ngawha Springs as early as possible! There are 16 pools with temperatures varying from 18C to 45C. Try dipping into the cold and then hopping into the very hot for the best experience. They all have different minerals, and the smell of sulphur is very strong – don’t wear any fancy swimwear it will take a long time for you to wash it out!
The springs are said to have healing properties, as the waters soothed the spirits of two warring tribes as they came together at the springs to heal after a battle. Ngawha Springs suggests not showering for 24 hours to let the minerals soak into your skin. Open 7am - 7pm, they have free parking and changing rooms and each session is 2 hours costing NZ$34 per person.
After soaking in the springs you can head south towards Waipoua Forest, and if you'd like to break up the driving - there's a great stop at Arai Te Uru in Hokianaga, where there's a short 15–20-minute walk to Signal Point that has amazing views of the harbour.
Next, continue to the famous Tane Mahuta the ‘God of the Forest’. This Kauri tree is estimated to be around 2,000 years old and is ginormous at 17.7m high with a 13.8m wide trunk. Make sure to clean your shoes at the station as you enter, this is to prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease that threatens these spectacular trees.
We had hoped to explore the forest more by doing a walk in Trounson Kauri National Park, but they were closed for maintenance. For your trip if they are open have a look at the Kiwi Night Tours, it's one of the few places in New Zealand to see Kiwis in the wild.
We made our way to Kai Iwi Lakes instead which made a lovely lunch spot. However, it was another location that’ll be livelier if you’re travelling in peak season as water activities were closed when we went, the views over the lake are still amazing though!
Where to Stay Near Ngawha Springs
For the last night on this 7-day Northland road trip, I suggest staying at Te Corner in Ohaeawai as it is nice and close to Ngawha Springs.
Driving time Ngawha Springs to Auckland - 3.5 Hours
Day 7 - Auckland
Either on your way up from Auckland or back down be sure to take a pit stop at Eutopia Café off Highway One in Kaiwaka. This quirky Art café is amazingly designed with fine details in the decoration. You can have coffee and cake outside or in your own little cubby by the indoor water fountain.
So there we have it! An adventure-packed 7-day Auckland to Cape Reinga road trip in New Zealand's Northland! For more road trip inspiration, check out the I Dream of Mangoes guide: 5 Exciting Road Trip Ideas for the Adventurous Traveller.
Thank you for reading this 7-day Road Trip itinerary from Auckland to Cape Reinga in New Zealand's Northland. If you're heading down to Rotorua and Taupo next, check out my guide: 14 Fun Things to Do in Rotarua and Taupo! If you enjoyed the read, please consider subscribing to the I Dream of Mangoes Blog where we post articles once per week filled with travel tips, inspiration, and stories from adventures around the world.
Britani Bryce
GUEST WRITER
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