North Island Loop
        Circle the island in 2 weeks
    
     
This itinerary loops the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) in 2 weeks - if you’ve only got a week, start in Auckland with a one-way car rental, pick your side of the North Island to travel down, and return the car in Wellington.
To add some context to this itinerary, quite a few people actually drive the 646km between Auckland and Wellington in a single day on SH1 through the middle of the North Island.
 
Days 1-6: Auckland to Wellington via the east coast
Drive via Hobbiton to Rotorua for some Māori cultural experiences and a soak in the geothermal hot pools.
Continue to Lake Taupo, then on to Hawke’s Bay, one of NZ’s top wine destinations.