16 Day Explorer Tour of New Zealand Self Drive

Welcome to Auckland, known in Māori as Tāmaki Makaurau, where harbourside views and city buzz set the tone for your New Zealand self-drive. Today is all about an easy arrival and settling into the rhythm of the trip.

Private Transfer Auckland Airport to Your Auckland Accommodation

You’ll be met at Auckland Airport and transferred privately to your accommodation in the city. It’s a smooth, stress-free start that lets you relax after your flight.

Welcome to Auckland

Auckland is a city of islands, volcanic cones and waterfront precincts, all wrapped around two sparkling harbours. If you have time, wander the Viaduct, browse central galleries, or head up the Sky Tower for sweeping views.

Suggested Activity – Harbour Sailing Cruise

See why Auckland is called the City of Sails as you cruise the Waitematā Harbour on a sailing yacht. With a small-group feel, you can get involved with the sailing or simply sit back and enjoy the skyline and bridge views.

Today you collect your vehicle and begin your self-drive, trading city streets for coastal roads and laid-back beach towns. The Coromandel Peninsula is known for golden bays, native forest and a slower, holiday pace.

Collect Rental Car

Pick up your rental vehicle and take a few minutes to get comfortable with the controls before departing. Once you’re on the road, you’ll have the freedom to stop for viewpoints, short walks and local cafés as you please.

Auckland to Coromandel Township

Drive out of Auckland and across the Hauraki Plains, where dairy farmland stretches toward the coast. You can either cross the Coromandel Ranges directly or follow the scenic Pohutukawa Coast for extra ocean views.

Driving Creek Railway & Potteries – EyeFull Tower Tour

Ride the quirky mountain railway through regenerating forest, spirals and tunnels to a hilltop terminus with sweeping views. You’ll also have time to see the working pottery studio and browse locally made pieces.

Coromandel Township to Whitianga

Continue along beautiful stretches of coastline, passing Whangapoua Harbour and Kuaotuna’s beach bays. Whitianga sits on Mercury Bay and is a lively coastal hub with cafés, history and easy access to iconic Coromandel sights.

Today is all about getting out on the water and enjoying the Coromandel’s famous coastline from a different angle. With caves, coves and geothermal sand, it’s a great day for easy adventure.

Coves, Caves and Coastline Cruise from Whitianga

Cruise past rugged cliffs and golden beaches, with stops near Cathedral Cove and the marine reserve islands. There’s often an opportunity to snorkel with provided gear, while onboard viewing options suit anyone who prefers to stay dry.

Hot Water Beach

At low tide, you can dig your own sandy spa pool where warm water rises through the beach. It’s a fun, uniquely Kiwi experience and a relaxing way to end your day by the sea.

Today you leave the coast behind and head toward Rotorua, where geothermal landscapes and Māori culture take centre stage. The drive includes classic small towns and a change in scenery as you move into the central North Island.

Whitianga to Rotorua via Tauranga

Travel south through coastal settlements such as Whangamatā, then pass historic Waihi and its famous mining landscape. Continue through Tauranga and inland to Rotorua, where lake views and geothermal steam mark your arrival.

Suggested Activity – National Kiwi Hatchery Experience

Visit a leading conservation facility and learn how kiwi are cared for and protected. With expert guides and dedicated viewing areas, it’s a memorable way to connect with New Zealand’s most iconic bird.

Rotorua is packed with standout experiences, and today combines geothermal wonders with native forest thrills. It’s an ideal day to balance culture, nature and a bit of adrenaline.

Te Rā Daytime Experience at Te Puia

Explore Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley and see the impressive Pōhutu Geyser alongside bubbling mud pools and steaming vents. The experience also weaves in Māori arts, carving traditions and a chance to learn more about kiwi conservation.

Original Ziplining Experience with Rotorua Canopy Tours

Soar through native forest on a network of ziplines and swing bridges, guided by locals who share conservation stories along the way. It’s a fun, immersive way to experience Rotorua’s forest landscape from above.

Today’s drive showcases the North Island’s volcanic heart, from geothermal parks to the vast waters of Lake Taupō. You’ll finish in Napier, a coastal city known for Art Deco style and a relaxed pace.

Rotorua to Napier via Taupō

Travel south through the thermal region with optional stops at geothermal attractions before reaching Lake Taupō. Continue past Huka Falls and across rugged ranges before descending toward the sunny Hawke’s Bay coastline.

Suggested Activity – Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

Walk through one of New Zealand’s most colourful geothermal parks, with mineral pools, steaming vents and bubbling mud. Timing it right can also include the famous Lady Knox Geyser eruption.

Suggested Activity – Huka Falls Jet Boat Ride

Add a shot of adrenaline as you skim up the Waikato River and spin through the rapids. The finale brings you right to the base of mighty Huka Falls for an unforgettable water-level view.

Today is designed for slowing down and enjoying Hawke’s Bay’s cellar doors, sunshine and coastal lifestyle. Napier’s compact centre and lively food scene make it easy to explore between tastings.

Hawke’s Bay Half Day Wine Tour with Grape Escape

Spend the afternoon visiting a selection of Hawke’s Bay wineries, with tastings that suit both casual sippers and serious wine fans. The tour includes a relaxed atmosphere, scenic vineyard drives and a cheese platter to enjoy along the way.

Napier City

Napier is famous for its 1930s Art Deco rebuild and beautiful seaside promenade lined with Norfolk pines. Enjoy a wander along Marine Parade, pop into local museums or cafés, and take in views from Bluff Hill over the port and coastline.

Today you’ll drive from Hawke’s Bay to the capital, passing through rural landscapes and classic small towns. Wellington welcomes you with a compact waterfront, great food and plenty to do within easy walking distance.

Napier to Wellington City via Masterton

Travel through rolling countryside into the Manawatū region, then continue into the Wairarapa with options to stop in Masterton, Greytown or Martinborough. Cross the Remutaka Range and descend toward Wellington’s harbour, arriving in the heart of the city.

Today you leave the North Island behind and cross Cook Strait to begin your South Island adventure. The ferry journey itself is a highlight, with dramatic harbour views and island-dotted waterways.

Interislander Ferry Wellington to Picton

Sail out of Wellington Harbour and across Cook Strait before weaving through the sheltered bays of the Marlborough Sounds. Keep an eye out for seabirds and dolphins as you approach Picton’s picturesque waterfront.

Collect Rental Car

On arrival in Picton, collect your South Island rental vehicle and get ready for the next stage of your self-drive. Having your own car again gives you complete flexibility to explore at your own pace.

Today’s coastal drive is one of the most scenic in the country, where mountains rise sharply from the Pacific Ocean. Wildlife, vineyards and wide ocean views make the journey just as rewarding as the destination.

Picton to Christchurch

Travel south through the Marlborough ranges before joining the spectacular Kaikōura Coast. After time in Kaikōura, continue through North Canterbury’s wine region and across the plains to Christchurch.

Leave the city behind and head inland toward the Southern Alps, where wide open plains give way to dramatic alpine scenery. Today’s drive introduces you to some of the South Island’s most iconic landscapes.

Christchurch to Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park

Cross the Canterbury Plains and pass through Geraldine and Fairlie before reaching Lake Tekapo. Continue along the vivid turquoise waters of Lake Pukaki, with Aoraki / Mt Cook rising ahead as you approach the national park.

Glacier Explorers

Venture out onto the Tasman Glacier terminal lake to see ancient icebergs up close. This rare experience offers a unique perspective on New Zealand’s largest glacier from the safety of a specially designed boat.

Today’s journey takes you through high country landscapes and historic gold mining regions before arriving in Queenstown. Expect mountain passes, vineyard valleys and lakeside views along the way.

Aoraki / Mt Cook to Queenstown

Drive via Twizel and Omarama before crossing the Lindis Pass, one of New Zealand’s highest sealed roads. Continue through Cromwell and the Kawarau Gorge, where the Remarkables mountain range signals your arrival in Queenstown.

Suggested Activity – TSS Earnslaw Cruise and Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ Dinner

Cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic steamship TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Enjoy a gourmet BBQ dinner featuring local produce, followed by a farm demonstration before sailing back under the evening sky.

Today is one of the major highlights of your South Island journey. Experience Fiordland’s remote wilderness from both the air and the water.

Milford Sound Fly, Cruise, Fly

Fly over the rugged landscapes of Mt Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks before landing in Milford Sound. Cruise beneath towering cliffs and waterfalls, then take to the skies again for a spectacular return flight to Queenstown.

Today’s drive crosses alpine passes and follows remote coastline as you journey toward glacier country. The scenery changes constantly, from lakes and beech forest to rainforest and wild beaches.

Cross the Crown Range to Wānaka, then continue past Lakes Wānaka and Hāwea toward Makarora. Travel through Haast and up the West Coast highway before arriving in the small but lively Franz Josef township.

Explore Franz Josef

Franz Josef sits beneath a 12 km long glacier, surrounded by rainforest-clad mountains. Choose from scenic walks, hot pools or wildlife experiences, or simply enjoy the relaxed West Coast atmosphere.

Suggested Activity – Twin Glacier Scenic Helicopter Flight

Take a scenic helicopter flight over both Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, landing on the snowfield for incredible views. Seeing the glaciers from above highlights their scale and dramatic ice formations.

Your final full day combines a scenic West Coast drive with one of the world’s great train journeys. It’s a memorable way to cross the Southern Alps back to the east coast.

Drive north through rainforest and historic gold mining towns such as Ross and Hokitika. Continue to Greymouth, where you’ll return your rental vehicle before boarding the train.

TranzAlpine Scenic Train: Greymouth to Christchurch

Travel through Arthur’s Pass National Park and across the Southern Alps in comfort. Expansive windows reveal river valleys, alpine peaks and the wide Canterbury Plains as you approach Christchurch.

Shared Transfer to Accommodation

On arrival at the railway station, you’ll be transferred to your central Christchurch accommodation. It’s an easy conclusion to a day of varied travel experiences.

Your 16 day New Zealand Explorer self-drive concludes today. After covering coastlines, mountains and national parks, it’s time to head home.

Private Transfer to Christchurch Airport

Enjoy a private transfer from your accommodation to Christchurch Airport. It’s a seamless finish to an unforgettable journey through both islands.

Farewell from Aotearoa / New Zealand

Say goodbye to Aotearoa, taking with you memories of beaches, vineyards, glaciers and fiords. Mā te wā – until next time.