Northland Itinerary
We have put together a suggested itinerary for you to self-drive. It will take you through the most scenic areas and include the main attractions in Northland.
Day 1 - Whangarei
Arrive in Whangarei and start explorations at the Town Basin. Sample the shops and eateries or visit the art galleries and museums, such as Clapham's Clocks. Have lunch here and perhaps take a cruise. - Walk to Cafler Park in the heart of the city on First Avenue and take a stroll through the Fernery Filmy Fernhouse Conservatory and Cactus House (30 minutes). Take in the Whangarei Art Museum, with its displays of heritage and contemporary works.
- A short walk away is the Strand, which has a mix of gift shops and fashion outlets. Enjoy afternoon tea and a browse here.
- Stay the night in Whangarei and return to the Town Basin to dine, or try an inner-city restaurant such as the Killer Prawn.
- Whangarei travel guide
- Accommodation in Whangarei
- Things to see and do in Whangarei
Day 2 - Whangarei - Tutukaka Coast - Paihia
An early start will allow a stop-over at picturesque Whangarei Falls on the way to the scenic Tutukaka Coast, famous as a base for deep sea fishing and diving. - Book a scenic or fishing trip with Delray Charters or the Whangarei Deep Sea Angler's Club. Diving around the spectacular Poor Knights Islands can be organised through Dive! Tutukaka and Knightline.
- Drive on to dine and stay overnight at Paihia (1 hour).
- Tutukaka travel guide
- Paihia travel guide
- Accommodation in Paihia
- Things to see and do in Paihia
Day 3 - Paihia - Russell - Waitangi - Paihia
- Head across to Russell by ferry for the
morning and explore the township's numerous historic buildings, such as Pompallier House and the Russell Museum (2 hours).
- Walk up Flagstaff (Maiki) Hill and read of the flagstaff's history and the exploits of Maori chief Hone Heke, who cut the previous four down in protest (30 minutes).
- Return to the waterfront for lunch.
- Cross again to Paihia and take a stroll along
the beachfront to Waitangi (30 minutes). Stop for coffee at Waikokopu Cafe in the grounds of the Waitangi Treaty House.
- Take a tour of the historic Waitangi Treaty House. Explore the marae (meeting house) and grounds (2.5 hrs).
- Have dinner in Paihia or take the ferry to
Russell and dine at the atmospheric Duke of Marlborough, the first hotel in New Zealand to receive a licence.
- Stay overnight in Paihia.
- Russell travel guide
- Waitangi travel guide
- Paihia travel guide
- Accommodation in Paihia
- Things to see and do in Paihia
Day 4 - Paihia
Spend a half or full day on the water. Activities to choose from include swimming with the dolphins, the Cape Brett 'Hole in the Rock' cruise, or the Cream Trip cruise with Fullers Bay of Islands. Dolphin Discoveries also offer swimming with dolphins. Lunch is often included during an island stopover. - If on a half-day outing, return to
Paihia and stop for lunch one of the many cafés. Afterwards enjoy an afternoon's shopping at Paihia. The Cabbage Tree is an award-winning outlet and a good place for NZ souvenirs.
- Dine and stay the night in Paihia.
- Accommodation in Paihia
- Things to see and do in Paihia
Day 5 - Paihia - Kerikeri
- Drive to the historic town of Kerikeri (30min) and have a complimentary steam-heated coffee or tea at the Collins Bros Steam Sawmill.
- Visit Kerikeri Historic Basin and see some of New
Zealand's oldest buildings. Take a tour of Kemp House (40 minutes), the oldest surviving European building in New Zealand. Also worth a look are the Stone Store (20 minutes) and Rewa's Village (1 hour), a reconstructed Maori village.
- Enjoy a scenic bushwalk to the 20m Kerikeri (Rainbow) Falls, 2km upstream from the Basin (1 hour).
- Pick up an arts and craft trail brochure. For lunch try the Marsden Estate winery or one of the many outdoor cafes along the trail.
- Spend the rest of the afternoon tailoring visits to the various arts and craft outlets. Call at some of the roadside fruit stalls to sample the area's fine produce.
- Stay in Kerikeri or at one of the surrounding bed and breakfasts.
- Kerikeri travel guide
- Accommodation in Kerikeri
- Things to see and do in Kerikeri
Day 6 - Kerikeri - Ninety Mile Beach - Cape Reinga - Kaitaia
Follow either State Highway 1 or 10 to Kaitaia, a base for tours to Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga. The State Highway 1 route allows for a detour to Horeke, which has unique basalt rock formations at Wairere Boulders. - Drive or take a tour to New Zealand's north-eastern tip, Cape Reinga. Operators include Sand Safaris, Harrisons Cape Runner and Tua Tua Tours. Pack a picnic lunch if driving yourself.
- Call at Wagener Park & Museum (1 hour) at Houhora Heads, 40km north of Kaitaia and take morning tea at its beachfront licensed café.
- Continue northwards to the famous lighthouse at Cape Reinga (114km north-west of Kaitaia). New Zealand's northernmost point overlooks the convergence of Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean.
- Return to Te Paki, which has impressive sand dunes. Many tour companies supply toboggans and all supply lunch.
- Return to Kaitaia and visit the Ancient Kauri Kingdom, with its wood crafts and cafe. Call at the Nocturnal Park which features kiwis, glow-worms, and bushwalks to a stream with short-fin eels. Night tours start at dark.
- Dine and stay overnight in Kaitaia.
- Kerikeri travel guide
- Cape Reinga travel guide
- Kaitaia travel guide
- Accommodation in Kaitaia
- Things to see and do in Kaitaia
Day 7 - Kaitaia - Rawene - Waipoua Forest - Dargaville
Once again, head towards Ahipara to regain State Highway 12. - Head southwards to Kohukohu for the crossing to Rawene on the Hokianga vehicle ferry Kohu Ra Tuarua.
- Call at Rawene's historic Clendon House (30 minutes) or take a cruise on the Alma Working Museum.
- Walk the newly completed mangrove walk and stop for morning tea at the Boatshed Cafe and Crafts.
- Continue southwards to the twin settlements of Opononi and Omapere, which access the sand dunes across the inlet.
- Lunch at either centre.
- Continue southwards, driving through the Waipoua Forest and taking a side-trip to visit the 2000-year-old kauri tree Tane Mahuta. A variety of forest and coastal walks are available, ranging from 20 minutes to a few hours.
- Head towards Dargaville for the night.
- Kaitaia travel guide
- Opononi travel guide
- Omapere travel guide
- Rawene travel guide
- Dargaville travel guide
- Accommodation in Dargaville
- Things to see and do in Dargaville
Day 8 - Dargaville - Matakohe - Whangarei - Warkworth - Auckland
- Drive along State Highway 12 to the Kauri Museum at Matakohe(2 hours), which features displays about the kauri tree, its gum and timber and pioneering history. Stay for morning tea at the Gumdiggers Tearooms and Matakohe House Café.
- Return to Whangarei for the night.
- Head towards Auckland along State Highway 12, stopping just before Warkworth for a late lunch and a show at Sheepworld farm and Nature Park (1 hour).
- Continue to Warkworth and wander around the riverfront. Check out the craft shops or the Parry Kauri Museum (30 minutes), kauri trees and native bush (15 minutes).
- Continue southwards and soak away travelling aches at the 26 thermal mineral pools at Waiwera Holiday Park & Thermal Pools (3 hours). Stay on for dinner.
- Stop overnight here or drive to Auckland (1 hour) for the night.
- Dargaville travel guide
Matakohe travel guide - Whangarei travel guide
- Warkworth travel guide
- Auckland region travel guide
- Accommodation in Auckland
- Things to see and do in Auckland
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