Aotearoa Kilometres 0 30 60 90 120 150 180
0 20 40 60 80 180 Miles
Cape Reinga
Te Kao newzealand.com Karikari Peninsula Mangonui
Kaitaia Ahipara Kerikeri Paihia Kawakawa
Opononi Poor Knights Island
Whangarei
Kaihu
Dargaville Mangawhai Heads Many destinations in New Zealand are just hours from each other. An extensive network of air, train and road services mean most Great Barrier places can be reached by public transport. Buses and coaches Island link up with rail and ferry operators to take you the length of the Warkworth country, and air travel is also available to most destinations. There are several popular driving routes for visitors who want Whangaparaoa Coromandel to explore the country for themselves. These themed highways around New Zealand take in the main highlights but also help AUCKLAND Whitianga uncover some of the lesser known gems. Most of these highways are signposted but detours are encouraged along the way and Papakura Thames A combining a few routes will ensure a varied experience. Pukekohe Waiuku Whangamata
THEMED HIGHWAYS - NORTH ISLAND Katikati White Island Twin Coast Discovery Highway: Recommend 6 Days This route begins in Auckland and travels north, tracing both coasts to Waihau Bay Hicks Bay NORTH ISLAND / TE IKA-A-MĀUI B Tauranga Te Araroa HAMILTON Matamata Cape Reinga and back. Driving is easy and interesting. Highlights include a Te Kaha Cambridge procession of beautiful beaches, opportunities for fishing, surfing, diving Whakatāne and dolphin encounters; cultural experiences at Waitangi; Ruatoria Te Awamutu Forest hikes and craft shopping. Lake Opotiki Rotorua Kawerau Te Puia Springs Pacific Coast Highway: Recommend 7 Days Rotorua Waitomo Tokoroa Tokomaru Bay Linking the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Eastland with Auckland in the Te Kuiti north and Hawke’s Bay in the south, the Pacific Coast Highway takes you Tolaga Bay to spectacular coastal scenery and beaches, forest wilderness and grape Murupara Te Urewera Te Karaka growing districts. This route should go down the Pōhutakawa Coast, Mokau Wairakei Taupō through Clevedon and around the Firth of Thames. The cities of Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier and Hastings will satisfy your urge to wine, dine and shop. Manutuke Gisborne TaumarunuiLake Taupō Tuai Thermal Explorer Highway: Recommend 6 days This route runs between Auckland and Hawke’s Bay, travelling through the New Plymouth Turangi A Wairoa volcanic centre of the island. You’ll have the chance to discover the caves Oakura Nuhaka Inglewood around Waitomo in the Hamilton & Waikato region, geothermal areas in National Park Mahia Beach Rotorua and Lake Taupō, the amazing Tongariro National Park and Hawke’s Stratford Bay Wine Country. Expect equal quantities of relaxation and adventure. Raetihi Ohakune Portland Island When combined, the Pacific Coast Highway and Thermal Explorer are Opunake Waiouru known as The Great New Zealand Touring Route. Hawera Napier Forgotten World Highway: Recommend 2 Days Taihape Hastings Te Awanga Patea The 150km Forgotten World Highway (State Highway 43) is a memorable driving journey through stunningly scenic untouched landscapes. Following
ancient Māori trade routes and 19th century bridle paths, the highway Whanganui Waipawa connects Taumarunui to Stratford. The route wriggles its way over four Waipukurau mountain saddles, through an eerie one-way tunnel and along a sinuous Bulls Feilding river gorge, passing through the unique Republic of Whangamomona. Gardens Dannevirke Palmerston North Porangahau Volcanic Loop: Recommend 5 Days From the trout town of Turangi, you can circle the volcanoes of Tongariro National Park by following state highways 47, 4, 49 and 1. On a clear day, Levin you’ll enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the volcanic terrain Collingwood that surrounds them. The stretch known as the ‘Desert Road’, which cuts Otaki across the desolate Rangipo Desert, is particularly memorable. Takaka Paraparaumu Castlepoint Surf Highway 45: Recommend 2 Days Masterton Kaiteriteri Upper Hutt The 105km highway that traces the Taranaki coast is known as Surf Motueka Porirua Highway 45 for the countless surf breaks that can be found at the end of Karamea Havelock Lower Martinborough almost every road that leads to the coast. The top spots have fascinating Nelson Picton Hutt names - the Kumara Patch, Graveyards, Secret Spot, and Green Meadows Richmond WELLINGTON to mention a few, and they are handily punctuated by cosy cafés feeding Renwick Blenheim surfers and adventurers alike. Cape Palliser Manawatu Scenic Route: Recommend 2 Days Westport A scenic alternative to State Highway One, this route takes you on journeys Rotoroa St Arnaud Ward between the highways through rural landscapes. Discover hidden places Murchison THEMED HIGHWAYS - SOUTH ISLAND Charleston and tucked away treasures ranging from country cafés and pubs; heritage Alpine Pacific Touring Route: Recommend 4 Days
sites, galleries and gardens, to scenic reserves, day walks, swimming The Alpine Pacific Touring Route takes you to the wine and food experiences holes, glow-worm caves, picnic areas, and camping spots. Meet the locals Punakaiki Reefton of Waipara, the spa delights of Hanmer Springs and the marine mammal and enjoy world-class scenery from the roadside. encounters of Kaikoura. Between destinations, you’ll enjoy beautiful Classic New Zealand Wine Trail: Recommend 7 Days Kaikoura country scenery. Weaving through three major wine regions, the Classic New Zealand Wine Greymouth The Inland Scenic 72 Route: Recommend 4 Days Springs Trail serves up unforgettable wine and food experiences along the 380km Moana The perfect road journey for travellers who like to get off the main highways
route, spanning the North and South Islands. This self-guided drive takes Hokitika and find real rural life. The route starts at Amberley, in the north of the visitors through Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, and Marlborough, home to Culverden Canterbury region, and runs to Winchester, where it links to State Highway some 230 wineries. At the heart of the trail lies Wellington, New Zealand’s Cheviot 1. There are fabulous views of the Southern Alps on one side of the road, capital, the perfect place for a culinary and cultural stopover. Arthur’s Pass complemented by the green serenity of the Canterbury Plains on the other. The Great Alpine Highway: Recommend 2 Days Harihari Amberley This coast-to-coast route traverses the Southern Alps. From Christchurch, Castle Hill Okarito the 255-kilometre route follows State Highway 73 west across river plains Whataroa Rangiora Franz Josef Glacier Kaiapoi before rising to traverse through Porters Pass and Arthur’s Pass National Darfield Park. Highlights include the impressive Waimakariri and Otira River gorges, Fox Glacier CHRISTCHURCH driving along the Otira Viaduct and exploring natural wonders like the Rolleston Methven Castle Hill Rocks and Cave Stream Reserve. Aoraki/ Mt Somers Mount Cook Great Coast Road: Recommend 3 Days The Great Coast Road stretches from Westport down to Kumara. It Haast Ashburton meanders alongside the ancient limestone cliffs of Paparoa National Park, Lake Jackson Bay Pukaki Tekapo where the world’s smallest penguin resides, through Charleston and down Geraldine to Punakaiki, home to the famous Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Driving it Temuka in one go only takes about 90 minutes, but it’s best to slow down, enjoy the Twizel SOUTH ISLAND / TE WAIPOUNAMU ride and explore some of New Zealand’s small towns. Timaru Glacier Highway: Recommend 4 Days Lake Lake Omarama Wanaka Hawea The Glacier Highway hugs the coastline from Kumara, through Hokitika and all the way down to Glacier Country. This 300- Otematata Kurow Waimate kilometre journey is surrounded with dense coastal scrub and West Coast Milford Sound Wanaka A rainforest, making it one of New Zealand’s most scenic routes. It passes Duntroon Glenorchy Glenavy through a national park, seal colonies, beaches, lakes, and as its namesake Cardrona Arrowtown Naseby states, mighty glaciers. Queenstown Oamaru Lake Cromwell Ranfurly Southern Scenic Route: Recommend 7 Days Wakatipu Ophir Starting in the historic city of Dunedin, this route follows the wild southern Alexandra coast to Invercargill, then continues west and north to Te Anau before Moeraki Lake ending at Queenstown. Highlights include wildlife encounters along The Te Anau DRIVE TIMES (hours) Middlemarch Catlins coast, the classic motors of Invercargill, cruising Fiordland, walking Te Anau Athol Palmerston Roxburgh the Milford Track and the southern local delicacies found throughout. Manapouri an are es r Mossburn Lumsden e n n ana a OTHER SCENIC ROUTES
These routes are not specifically signposted but are still popular routes to Riversdale Tapanui Mosgiel DUNEDIN an a e na reach some of New Zealand’s famous landmarks. Milton an an eens n Winton Gore Treasured Pathway: Recommend 5 Days Tuatapere Mataura Balclutha Enjoy a mix of history, hiking and hedonism as you discover heritage sites, a es n Edendale vineyards, national parks and fabulous beaches. The Treasured Pathway Riverton Kaka Point a ran a e s n runs across the top of the South Island, from the seaport town of Picton to Owaka Invercargill the sand dunes of Farewell Spit. The city of Nelson provides a dash of urban a ra fun in the middle of the journey. Bluff r a rd nd Southern Heritage Route: Recommend 7 Days a ers n r n er ar Head inland to Mount Hutt ski field, then travel south to Geraldine, pausing at Lake Tekapo to see the beautiful Church of the Good Shepherd. Continue Ulva Island e aas through Twizel, then on to Mount Cook Village for alpine adventures. Drive on to Wanaka or Queenstown, then loop back to see the heritage Stewart Island a er Gre architecture of Dunedin. Taukihepa/ Big South Cape Island Port Pegasus/ a a a ran se Pikihatiti
a n ned n 1 State Highway Main Road G s rne r s r STEWART ISLAND / RAKIURA Railway and en e Ferry Route