Holidays in New Zealand - Self Drive Tour of North Island
Click HERE for self drive Tour of South Island
On our site, we offer a brief introduction to New Zealand - our impressions of this country - some advice about holidaying in New Zealand based on our own experiences - details of our self drive car tours, with accommodation, of both North Island and South Island - details of our self drive motor home rentals on either or both islands.
IF YOU WISH TO DISCUSS ANY ASPECTS ABOUT NEW ZEALAND, THEN PLEASE RING US ON 01543 257777
On this page we offer details of our self drive car tour of North Island. Below, you will see an outline of the tour on the map of the island with the stopover towns shown in red. If you click on the red town names, brief details of our selected accommodation will appear in the adjacent box. IF YOU WISH TO DISCUSS ANY ASPECTS
ABOUT NEW ZEALAND, |
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Click HERE for a pdf file from which you may print the Map above
Auckland:
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Best to do the city when you first arrive - Auckland is a sprawling city - so it is best to get into the centre for your stay and then you can walk to most of the sights or take the tour circular bus which is free of charge. Things to do: Harbour Bridge visit, then take in the night life with the trendy bars, eat out at the fish restaurants at the “Viaduct” on the waterside frontage. There are also some superb Chinese restaurants in the same area. Take in the city view from the “Sky Tower”, the city high point complete with revolving restaurant and casino, even an early morning visit to the Fish Market could be fun. Take a day on the totally unspoilt island of Rangitoto just a 25 minutes ferry journey across the bay. You need to spend a day roving around by local bus and on foot. Your stay is at either Auckland President Plaza in studio suites (also one bed roomed suites available) OR the Mercure Hotel in Custom Street (supplement applies - see click on accommodation for supplement). Both hotels are ultra central for all shops harbour etc. Touring starts on Day 3 you may collect a car from downtown or if you wish to take the rental car to South Island on the ferry then we would offer cars with Maui rentals - in which case you need to take a taxi back to the airport to collect the car. We should explain that all other car rental companies expect you to drop off your car at Wellington Ferry terminal - travel as passengers on the ferry to Picton and pick another car up at the Picton terminal. Either way whichever rental plan you choose you are soon behind the wheel and heading north to Northland region and some of the best beaches and tropical scenery in the country. |
Touring starts on Day 3 with a taxi to the airport
to collect your car from Maui Rentals and once behind the wheel
you head north to Northland and some of the best beaches in
the country. |
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Whangarei: |
First night stop is Whangare,i a two-hour leisurely drive and gives plenty of time to check out the small seaside resorts around the harbour and at Pataua. Your stay will be at the three stars rated Cherry Court Hotel - self contained studios or one or two bedroomed apartments. Swimming pool and spa, breakfast room and licensed restaurant across the road.
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Paihia:
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Day 4 & 5: your stay is in the picturesque resort of Paihia centre to the Bay of Islands - staying at Paihia Pacific Hotel - good value 3 star hotel quiet location lovely rock style swimming pool. We thought it worth the £20 difference to take the de luxe rooms, which are huge, and on two levels. Things to do: glow-worm caves, the Historic
Treaty house and grounds, take a cruise around the islands
or the ferry to the former whaling station of Russell
and walk along the deserted beaches.
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Warkworth: |
Day 6: head due west to the other side of the island to pick up Route 12 that runs through the sub tropical rain forest of Waipoua and admire the giant Kauri Trees that still remain rising to over 70 feet tall and once used as ships masts. A must see stop is at the Kauri Museum at Matakohe - just off route SH12. We suggest you allow at least 4 hours - we found this to be a fascinating outdoor and indoor museum of the original Pioneers that settled here and the local industries that grew here, only to die because of the loss of the Kauri forests being depleted so quickly. There is the original post office which was still being used in the 1950’s.The museum is open every day (Except Christmas day), for details go to www.kauri-museum.com. Your night stopover is in a typical hotel, the Salty Dog Inn in the pleasant town of Warkworth, a riverside town on the Kowhai coast about 75 miles south-east.
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Pauanui: |
Day 7 & 8: head south now past Auckland and on to Coromandel Peninsular – this was a gold rush area – now, tourism is the business. Coromandel town is small and cute and there are the gorgeous beaches of Little Beach and Kennedy Bay - slow going on rough roads but worth the effort - you need a two night stay at Pauanui staying at the Pines Motor Lodge OR, if you wish to splashout, the up market Hotel Mercure Grand Puka Park resort staying in chalets within 25 acres of native bush - supplement of £68 PER ROOM per night. Don’t forget to visit the Hot Springs beach just a few miles north you can hire a shovel and dig your own hot bath in the sand!!
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Rotorua: |
Day 9: Past the Bay of Plenty - call into the gold-rush town of Waihi before getting to Tauranga and then head for Rotorua - for its volcanic activity and geysers.The town is located on Lake Rotorua, once a vast volcano crater. This is a very touristy town and the smell of bad eggs from the constant popping mud springs can take some getting used to. We think the visit should be kept to a one night stay to take in the Maori Culture villages - the best one, in our opinion, is the Maori owned and managed rather than the more slick version run by the city. Your stay is at the four stars Lakeside Rotorua Hotel - attractions are heated pool, restaurant and several bars. (Rooms with lake view have a small supplement of However, we can extend the stay if you wish and the extra daily rate is shown on the hotel details.
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Napier: |
Day 10: South past Lake Taupe - fancy some Fly-fishing? Then on to Napier, a lovely little beachside town and in the centre of Hawke Bay vineyards. Napier is known for its Art Deco buildings but take lunch at one of the famous Vineyards in the area. Stay two nights at the friendly and quiet Motel, The Fountain Court, which has a small pool and high quality one bed roomed apartments. We stayed here and enjoyed the quiet location and the short walk to beach and restaurants. Alternative is the four star Crown Hotel which is outside the town and a supplement of 60 NZD (OR £24) PER ROOM applies in a studio. One and two bed-roomed apartments are also available at slightly higher supplements.
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Wellington: |
Day 12: Just a drive of 179 miles via the historic Danish settlement of Dannevirke to Wellington the country’s capital city which has a new acclaimed History and folklore museum on the harbour front and there are a host of things to see and do. From here you take the ferry to South Island or fly back home. We offer a one night stay in the city - you do need to book in advance for most of the better quality hotels such as the West Plaza Hotel in the centre of the city which we have included into the tour costs.
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Tour of North Island - 12 Nights |
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| Price Per Person in GB £ pounds sterling | 01/10/08 - 30/04/09 | 01/05/09 - 30/09/09 | 01/10/09 - 31/10/09 | |||
| Price per Person | Extra Days Hotel & Car Hire | Price per Person | Extra Days Hotel & Car Hire | Price per Person | Extra Days Hotel & Car Hire | |
| Each of Two | ||||||
| Each of Three | ||||||
| Each of Four | ||||||
All prices include a Hyundai Getz 5 Door Hatch 1.3 hire car for 10 Days. Excess premium insurance is included. However, for full cover against damage to windscreens and tyres, we offer a £3.40 daily cover. Hotel costs which are pre booked in advance and room only for 12 nights and 10 days car rental. Prices for 2 & 3 persons based on sharing one room or apartment. Four persons have two rooms.Breakfast NOT included. Cars collected and returned to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch and Queenstown. Extra drivers chargeable at £2.00 per day (Two drivers free of charge with Maui car rental). |
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Larger cars:
daily supplement per car per day (in NZ Dollars) 01/10/08 - 20/12/08 21/12/08 - 30/04/09 01/05/09 –31/10/09 Nissan Pulsar - Manual
Nissan Pulsar - Automatic Toyota Camry Automatic Subaru Legacy Estate(4x4) 6.90
6.90 29.00 44.00 16.30
16.30 29.00 44.00 11.00
16.30 31.00 56.00 |
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Ferry details between North and South Islands
Two companies operate ferries between the two islands from Wellington – Picton and visa versa. They are Interislander and Bluebridge.
Only Maui car rentals allows cars to be taken on the ferry - this clearly avoids the inconvenience of returning your car at Wellington harbour and humping luggage from the car onto the ship. Then the reverse order on the other side before picking up another car.
If on the other hand you are quite happy to exchange cars you will save the car carrying charges on board (about £68 one way depending on season).
Interislander or Bluebridge Ferries charge much the same - however the ferries operated by Interislander are smaller than Bluebridge, which it has to be said, are rather old ferries from SNCF, which previously operated between France and Corsica. However, they are larger and deal well with the vicious cross currents that swirl between the two islands on a rough day was our experience having tried both!
Costs are about 60 NZD per adult (£24) one way and for a car the average cost is around 170 NZD (£68.00).
In the high season (December to April) it is advisable to pre-book.
New Zealand Go as you please Hotel vouchers and car rental
If you want maximum freedom and also in high season want the security of pre-booking hotels then this hotel touring holiday is the answer.
Using two hotel companies who offer properties all over North & South Island( Go Kiwi and Golden Chain) and their Silver vouchers you may pre book as you go in low season and we will pre book in advance for high season(from October to March)
The value of each voucher is £56 in high season and £53 in low and covers up to 3 adults or two adults and two children in one room. Breakfast is not included. In winter, Ski resorts hotels may apply a surcharge.
Extra days are shown that include hotel and car hire on a per person basis.
We have included a car (Yaris 5 door) with air conditioning, manual gear box, and complete with radio and single CD player. Seats up to four adults - takes two medium suitcases.
Most important: We have included full accidental damage insurance (with Insurance 4 car hire) which includes damage to windscreens and also tyres. This is important as local car rental companies charge around £8 per day for the same quality of cover.
SELF DRIVE CAR TOUR - NORTH ISLAND | SELF DRIVE CAR TOUR - SOUTH ISLAND
SELF DRIVE MOTOR HOMES | CAR RENTAL DETAILS & PRICES
IF YOU WISH TO DISCUSS ANY ASPECTS ABOUT NEW ZEALAND,
THEN PLEASE RING US ON 01543 257777
