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If you are visiting New Zealand with a little more time up your sleeve then no doubt you are going to want to see the South Island as well as the bountiful North. Here is a suggested route that includes what we feel are the best spots not to be missed in Aotearoa. Rather than decide for you how long you spend in each place, we will leave it for you to stop and relax when you find your perfect spot. We will, however, suggest the order of destinations so that you can see as much as possible of our best attractions...

Leaving our Northern Auckland depot, we suggest you head north first and meander your way up the east coast. Be sure to see the beautiful Bay of Islands and the Doubtless Bay region. You may find it helpful looking through our 10 day tour for detailed information on the best spots to see on your way.

Once you have made it to the top of North Island (Cape Reinga) then mosey your way down the west coast, being sure to see Hokianga Harbour and possibly the freshwater lakes at Kai Iwi. After you have made your way back to Auckland, you may like to see some city sights. You can’t get a better vantage point than the Sky Tower in the heart of the city of Auckland – but be sure to find a park on the city outskirts and maybe get yourself an Auckland Explorer ticket, where you can see Auckland's Big 14 attractions. This is a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing all-day bus pass with full commentary and visits to Viaduct Harbour, Kelly Tarlton's, Auckland Museum, Parnell, SKYCITY, Victoria Park Market, and much more.

After your day in the city, head south to the glorious Coromandel and take your time visiting many of the white-sand beaches before you move down the east coast to Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty. There are loads of great campsites all the way along this route, so you will never be short of a place to stay. Moving inland from Tauranga via Route 33 you will come to Rotorua. Here, you will find everything cultural, hot pools, mud baths AND amazing scenery, including many lakes perfect for water sports and forests for hiking. Click here to read about Rotorua (direct reader to Rotorua on the 3 week excursion) Take State Highway 5 as you move further into the heart of the central north Island to Taupo, boasting NZ’s largest lake. This crater lake has a surface area of 616 square kilometres and is rich in rainbow and brown trout, so bring your fishing line!

After visiting the lovely Lake Taupo another of the North Island’s gems would be the Tongariro National Park. Nestled in this nature haven you will experience spectacular volcanic terrain alongside active volcanoes, an icy-cold mountain spring, active lava flows, steam vents and emerald-coloured lakes.

Moving south towards the bottom of North Island, you will pass through Palmerston North– a small city – before arriving in Wellington. You can explore the capital of New Zealand and possibly the Te Papa (museum) before crossing over on the Interislander ferry, taking both yourself and your mobile home across the Cook Strait to South Island. Click here to pre-book your ferry crossing.

As you arrive in the gorgeous Marlborough Sounds you won’t be the first to think you have arrived in paradise! As you cruise through the mirror-like Sounds you will most likely see dolphins welcoming you and clusters of untouched islands. On arriving in Picton, you may decide to further explore the Sounds. There are plenty of adventure tours in the area and we recommend, if you are a keen trekker, to walk the Queen Charlotte track. Click here for more information on this region www.marlboroughsounds.co.nz/.

We recommend that, after you have had a look around pretty Picton, you head to Blenheim, a small city in the wine heart of Marlborough, which is world-famous for its Reds and Whites and clear, sunny days. There are loads of vineyards in this region that don’t just offer great wine, but also tantalising food that has won many awards.

After enjoying some Marlborough sunshine, make your way down the coast to Kaikoura, NZ’s water wonderland fringed with a stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Here, you will find a waterfront rich with sea life including seals basking on the rocks as you drive past (keep your eyes on the road please!) and we would be surprised if you did not spot a pod of dolphins and possibly some larger mammals too! You may like to stay here for a night and feast on the seafood and amazing sights. There are plenty of charters that will take you whale watching or swimming with dolphins. Most people find it hard to drag themselves away from this stunning spot. Visit this site to find out more about Kaikoura: www.kaikoura.co.nz.

Moving inland a little, we recommend a visit to Alpine Resort, Hammer Springs. Here, you can soak in one of many thermal pools and, if it’s the winter months, you can ski here in the Southern Alps www.kaikoura.co.nz.

Once suitably 'prune-like' one can then mosey on down to Christchurch – the 'English home' in New Zealand. Picturesque Christchurch, famous for its pretty gardens, was one of the first places colonised by the Pakeha (white people), and has many old stone churches and tramways that are still operating. You may like to stay in Christchurch and there is an excellent campground here if you do: www.christchurchtop10.co.nz.

Following the main State Highway 1 you will come to Timaru and Oamaru, both coastal cities that offer great fishing and Kiwi hospitality.

Then you will come to Dunedin. the 'Scots' home' of NZ. Here, you will find a harbour city whose heritage feel is due to the Otago 1860's gold rush, which briefly turned this port city into the industrial centre of New Zealand. You may like to stop here and sample some great kai (food), shopping and maybe visit Lanarch Castle.

Now, depending on your time, you may like to carry on south to the very bottom of our country to Invercargill and Bluff, famous for its oysters. You are approximately halfway through your route now and, if you have time to spare and a taste for shellfish, we highly recommend it! Otherwise you might like to head inland, now heading towards Alexander and Cromwell, then eventually to picturesque Queenstown, adventure tourism capital of the world. Here, you will find a skier’s paradise in the winter and activities galore all year round. Alongside Lake Wanaka, this town has something for everyone: great shops, pubs, sightseeing and natural beauty. Click here to learn more about Queenstown. www.everythingqueenstown.com.

As you cross our bountiful country you will have the choice of heading south to Te Anau, which is the gateway to the beautiful Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park. Rich in natural beauty and abounding with stunning walks, including the world-renowned Milford Track, this is a must for nature lovers. Click here to read about Milford Sound (if you haven’t already!:) www.fiordland.org.nz/.

Alternatively, you can head north to Wanaka Township – a stunning lakeside retreat beside the towering Mount Aspiring. Wanaka was once a small Maori settlement during the summer seasons of the 1800s and is rich in freshwater fishing – this is a trout fisherman’s delight and a sightseers must. Wanaka is also a more peaceful place to stay if you prefer to be away from the tourist hustle and bustle of Queenstown.

Making the ascent north now via State Highway 6 you will arrive in Franz Josef, a World Heritage area and famous for its huge glaciers. This entire highway offers spectacular scenery and views of NZ’s two biggest mountains. You will also find eateries and other delights along this highway. To learn more about the glaciers, click here: www.glaciercountry.co.nz/.

Continue to follow the pristine coast north and you will come to Greymouth. Here, you will find plenty of Southern hospitality at the numerous pubs. Greymouth is the heart of the south-west coast and harbours the mouth of the Grey River, lush in flora and fauna. You may decide to stay or go inland to another of our wonderful National Parks – Arthur’s Pass. Here, you will find many trekking tracks and skiing in the winter months. Click here to learn more about the Grey District: www.greydistrict.co.nz/.

Carrying on north, and still surrounded by National Parks, you will come to Westport. Here, you could rest a night or two or carry on inland via Highway 6 to Nelson. We definitely recommend a stop here and you will find a bustling city of alternative characters – proud of their pristine coastal town – and most try their hand at arts and crafts, so, if you are so inclined, there are loads of small galleries to visit, as well as great shops and cafes. Once again, get your walking boots ready, as Nelson has 40 walks available within 16 kilometres! Nelson was named after Admiral Horatio Nelson who defeated both the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. This Tasman coastline is stunning and offers great fishing and water sports.

If you decide to carry on along the coast to Farewell Spit and Golden Bay (which you no doubt will!), be aware you will have to return on the same route before you head back to Picton to re-cross the Cook Strait. Farewell Spit is home to 35kms of bird sanctuary and 90 species of birds. The Golden Bay region can offer you a variety of golden beaches (of course!), alpine valleys and tranquil fishing rivers. Also, a must-see in this region is the famous Able Tasman National Park – offering stunning hiking and kayaking, and some people swear this is the best spot in New Zealand!

It’s time to say goodbye to the South Island. We hope you have plenty of snaps to remember your time in the scenic south and, once again it’s time to take your journey back over the Cook Strait. You can click here for information on the Interislander. You can pre-book this now or, if you are unsure about the date you will return from the South, just contact us at least 2 days before you wish to cross and we will book you in to ensure a space.

We suggest you make your way back up the west coast, possibly resting for a night on the Kapiti Coast. There are no Top 10 campgrounds here, so we suggest the Kapiti Holiday Resort www.kapitiholidayresort.co.nz just outside of Paraparaumu, or you can make the 5-hour drive to New Plymouth. Here, another National Park rests at the foot of the towering Mt Egmont. New Plymouth is a pretty seaside town known for its “surf” Highway 45. There is a Top 10 holiday park here, and you may like to rest for a night or two before continuing up State Highway 3 to Waitomo. There is also an excellent holiday park here and we recommend you pay a visit to the natural wonder of the Waitomo caves. Click here to read more about them

It’s time now to make your way back to Auckland. If you have time and are keen on surfing or windswept beaches, you may like to make a detour to Raglan on your way north. Also, outside of Auckland there are Murawai and Piha beaches – all black sand and popular places to catch a wave or two.

Once back in Auckland you can make your way to our depot. Here, we will happily transfer you to the airport or to a hotel of your choice. Click here to see a list of recommended hotels..