One Week in New Zealand: North Island — Self-Launched

Touch down in New Zealand's compact and walkable capital. Check into your hostel in the Te Aro neighbourhood — well placed for cafés, bars and the waterfront. Spend the afternoon exploring on your own: the cable car to Kelburn is a classic first stop, and the views over the harbour are worth every cent. Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum, is free entry and gives a superb grounding in Māori and Pacific culture — perfect preparation for the days ahead. If you want a leg stretch, hike up to the Mount Victoria lookout for panoramic city views. Head out for dinner on Cuba Street, one of Wellington's most vibrant restaurant strips, where you'll find everything from cheap ramen to craft beer pubs.

🚌Wellington Airport to city centre: Airport Flyer Express bus (Route AX) from Door E, ~NZD13 (~£6), ~30 mins to Courtenay Place. 5-min walk to hostel. Alternatively, Uber ~NZD40 (~£20).

🛏Haka House Wellington (or similar hostel e.g. Nomads Wellington) — dorm bed ~£22-28/night. Book via Hostelworld or direct.

• →Wellington Cable Car — self-purchase, ~NZD12 (~£6) return
• →Te Papa Museum — free entry, self-guided
• →Mount Victoria Lookout — free, 30-min walk from city centre
• →Cuba Street dinner — budget restaurant or takeaway, ~£12-15
• →Optional: Weta Workshop Unleashed tour — book direct at wetanz.com, NZD45 (~£22)

Rise early and catch the InterCity coach north from Wellington to Taihape — known as the 'Gumboot Capital of New Zealand' and gateway to serious adventure. Book your ticket in advance at intercity.co.nz. The journey winds through rolling farmland and river gorges, taking around 4 hours. Check into a lodge or holiday park on arrival. The afternoon is yours: the Rangitīkei River is one of New Zealand's best whitewater rafting venues — book a rafting trip directly with a local operator such as Rangitikei River Adventures. For a gentler afternoon, hire an e-bike and explore the local trails. Tonight, cook a communal meal with fellow hostel guests or head to a local pub for a hearty dinner — this is farming country, so expect good lamb and local produce.

🚌InterCity coach: Wellington → Taihape. Book at intercity.co.nz. ~NZD30-40 (~£15-20) booked in advance.

🛏Taihape Holiday Park or River Valley Lodge — dorm/budget room ~£25-35/night. Book direct or via booking.com.

• →Scenic InterCity coach journey Wellington → Taihape (~4 hrs)
• →Optional: Whitewater rafting on the Rangitīkei River — book direct with Rangitikei River Adventures, ~NZD265 (~£129)
• →Optional: E-bike hire from local outfitter — ~NZD120 (~£58)
• →Self-catered farm-style dinner or pub meal — ~£12-16

After breakfast at your lodge, board a northbound InterCity or Mana Bus coach toward Rotorua, stopping en route at Taupo for a couple of hours. Walk to the thundering Huka Falls — a free, 10-minute walk from the Huka Falls car park — where the Waikato River is forced through a narrow gorge with extraordinary force. It's one of New Zealand's most visited natural landmarks and completely free. Explore the lakeside town of Taupo for lunch before continuing north to Rotorua. Check into your hostel and spend the evening exploring — the Redwoods Forest is a short bike ride from town and the Nightlights Tree Walk offers a magical after-dark experience with lanterns and light displays on suspension bridges high above the trees. Book in advance at treewalk.co.nz.

🚌InterCity or Mana Bus: Taihape → Taupo → Rotorua. ~NZD35-50 (~£17-25) booked in advance at intercity.co.nz or manabus.com. Total travel ~3 hrs.

🛏Base Rotorua, Crash Palace, or YHA Rotorua — dorm bed ~£22-28/night. Book via Hostelworld or direct.

• →Huka Falls — free entry, self-guided walk
• →Explore Lake Taupo & town centre — free
• →Lunch in Taupo — budget café ~£8-12
• →Optional: Redwoods Nightlights Tree Walk, Rotorua — book at treewalk.co.nz, NZD42 (~£20)

Rotorua is the cultural heartland of Māori New Zealand, and today is all about immersing yourself in it. Head to the Whakarewarewa Living Māori Village for a guided walking tour led by village locals. You'll learn how residents have lived alongside geothermal activity for over 200 years, visit the active Marae, sacred burial grounds, and watch the mighty Pohutu Geyser — the largest active geyser in the southern hemisphere — erupt up to 20 times a day. Book your entry and guided tour directly at whakarewarewa.com. The afternoon is free for adventure: choose from forest ziplining with Rotorua Canopy Tours (book at canopytours.co.nz), whitewater rafting, a glowworm kayak tour, or simply soak in the Secret Spot Hot Tubs. The geothermal mud pools at Kuirau Park in the town centre are completely free and well worth a wander.

🚌Walking and local taxi/rideshare within Rotorua. Whakarewarewa Village is ~2km from the city centre — walkable or short taxi (~NZD10).

🛏Base Rotorua, Crash Palace, or YHA Rotorua — dorm bed ~£22-28/night.

• →Whakarewarewa Living Māori Village guided tour — book direct at whakarewarewa.com, ~NZD35-45 (~£17-22) adult entry inc. guide
• →Pohutu Geyser viewing — included in village entry
• →Kuirau Park geothermal mud pools — free
• →Optional: Forest Ziplining Canopy Tour — book at canopytours.co.nz, from NZD199 (~£97)
• →Optional: Whitewater Rafting — Kaituna River, ~NZD139 (~£68) via operators like Kaituna Cascades
• →Optional: Secret Spot Hot Tubs — book at secretspothottubs.co.nz, NZD43 (~£21) per person

Start the morning with one of New Zealand's most iconic and ridiculous inventions: the Zorb. Head to OGO Rotorua (the original Zorb site on Mount Ngongotaha) and roll down the hillside inside a giant water-filled inflatable ball. Book in advance at ogo.co.nz. It's pure, ridiculous fun. After drying off, pack your bags and take an InterCity or Baybus shuttle east to Mount Maunganui — a stunning oceanside suburb of Tauranga backed by a volcanic headland. Check in and lace up your trainers for the Mount Maunganui Summit Track, a 3.4km loop that rewards you with sweeping 360-degree views of the Bay of Plenty and Tauranga Harbour. It's free and takes roughly an hour return. Round off the day the only way a Kiwi evening demands: fish and chips eaten on the beach, straight from the paper.

🚌OGO Rotorua is on SH5 — take a rideshare or taxi (~NZD20) from central Rotorua. Then: InterCity or Baybus coach Rotorua → Mount Maunganui/Tauranga, ~NZD25-35 (~£12-17), ~2 hrs.

🛏Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park or Base Backpackers Tauranga — dorm bed ~£25-32/night. Book via Hostelworld or booking.com.

• →OGO Zorb, Rotorua — book at ogo.co.nz, ~NZD45-55 (~£22-27) per ride
• →Mount Maunganui Summit Track — free, 3.4km loop, ~1 hr return
• →Fish and chips on the beach — pick up from a local takeaway, ~£8-10

Today is entirely yours. Mount Maunganui's main beach (Omanu Beach) is one of the most beautiful in New Zealand and perfect for a lazy morning in the sun. If the surf is up, book a lesson with a local school — options include Hibiscus Surf School (book direct, ~NZD79). For something more active, rent an e-bike and cruise the Pilot Bay loop or the Tauranga waterfront trail. The Waimarino Adventure Park in nearby Tauranga offers a brilliant afternoon of water slides, kayaking, and climbing walls. Grab lunch at one of the café strips on Maunganui Road — the area is known for excellent brunch spots and açai bowls. In the evening, explore the local restaurant scene: try a craft brewery or a BYO dinner on the beach.

🚌Local walking and cycling. Taxi or rideshare to Waimarino if needed (~NZD15).

🛏Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park or Base Backpackers Tauranga — dorm bed ~£25-32/night.

• →Main Beach — free, swimming and sunbathing
• →Optional: Surf lessons — Hibiscus Surf School or similar, ~NZD79 (~£38)
• →Optional: E-bike hire — ~NZD30 (~£15) for 1 hour
• →Optional: Waimarino Adventure Park, Tauranga — book at waimarino.com, ~NZD45 (~£22)
• →Lunch on Maunganui Road — budget café ~£10-14
• →Craft brewery dinner or self-catered — ~£12-18

Say goodbye to the Bay of Plenty and board a coach to Auckland — New Zealand's largest city and the 'City of Sails'. The InterCity journey takes around 3 hours, passing through the Waikato plains. Check into your Auckland hostel and get oriented. The Sky Tower is the city's most recognisable landmark — take the lift to the observation deck for dizzying views across the Hauraki Gulf. Wander down to the Viaduct Harbour for fresh seafood — pāua (abalone) fritters or green-lipped mussels are local classics. If you're a rugby fan, the All Blacks Experience at Skycity is interactive and well worth the entry. Tonight, explore the bar and restaurant scene in Ponsonby or the CBD — this is your last night with the group, so make it count.

🚌InterCity coach: Mount Maunganui/Tauranga → Auckland. Book at intercity.co.nz, ~NZD35-50 (~£17-25), ~3 hrs.

🛏Haka Hotel Auckland, Base Auckland, or YHA Auckland International — dorm bed ~£28-35/night. Book via Hostelworld or direct.

• →Sky Tower Observation Deck — book at skycityauckland.co.nz, NZD47 (~£23)
• →Viaduct Harbour waterfront walk & seafood lunch — ~£12-16
• →Optional: All Blacks Experience — book at allblacksexperience.com, NZD69 (~£34)
• →Ponsonby or CBD dinner and drinks — ~£15-25

Your North Island adventure wraps up this morning. Check out of your hostel and make your way to Auckland Airport. If your flight is in the afternoon or evening, stow your luggage at the hostel and spend the morning exploring — the Auckland Domain and War Memorial Museum are a peaceful final stop, with free entry to the park and a modest fee for the museum. The Britomart precinct is great for a final flat white and pastry. Auckland Airport is served by the SkyBus from downtown (~NZD18 one-way from the city) or by Uber (~NZD40-55 depending on traffic). Consider extending your trip northward to the Bay of Islands, or fly out to the South Island for another adventure entirely.

🚌SkyBus: Auckland city → Auckland Airport, ~NZD18 (~£9) one-way. Or Uber ~NZD40-55 (~£20-27).

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Auckland Domain & park walk — free
• →Auckland War Memorial Museum — NZD28 (~£14) for international visitors
• →Final coffee in Britomart or CBD — ~£4-6
• →Optional: Extend trip to Bay of Islands or South Island