New Zealand in motorhome. This is undoubtedly one of the trips that we most wanted to do and that had more time in our heads. Perhaps as many years as we have been traveling, and that the time has finally come to perform.
In addition, this trip to New Zealand is planned to travel in a house on wheels, something that we are sure, will make us enjoy this incredible country to the fullest, giving us the freedom of schedules and movements that we believe, are so necessary in a country like New Zeeland
New Zealand in motorhome
The first thing we consider for him New Zealand in motorhome It was the flight reservation and the time we wanted to travel. Although the best time to travel to New Zealand is the months of December to February, the New Zealand summer, for us it was unfeasible to travel on those dates since we had the Singapore in 6 days and the trip to Thailand, so we decided that The months of March and April could be perfect, since the weather is usually good and being a mid season, we could also take advantage of a time when there is not so much tourism.
With this decision also taken, we move on to the flight search. We were clear that we wanted one with few stops, with a company that we found comfortable and that at the same time had schedules that fit what we thought would make the jet lag as problematic as possible. Finding only flights of 2-3 stopovers and always very long, had always been the main reason to delay this trip, so when we found a flight from Barcelona to Auckland, with a single one-hour stopover, with the company Singapore Airlines, we don't even doubt it. This year would finally be the time to do the New Zealand motorhome route.
With the flight already booked, the next important step in the New Zealand preparations in motorhome, it is none other than booking what will be our house on wheels during the 36 days of the trip.
After considering many options, we decided that what best suited our way of traveling and our needs was a motorhome little, that would allow us to move easily, but to have a bathroom and shower.
With these premises, the option that best suits the type of trip we want to do is the Chaser de Jucy model, which has two double beds, a fully equipped kitchen and its own shower and toilet, which will allow us to fully enjoy this adventure by New Zealand in motorhome.
If you are interested in making a trip of this type, we recommend you look at the Motorhome Republic page where you can see all the available options, prices and make the reservation directly.
The rental of the motorhome will be 33 days, since you have to discount the days of flights and the first day we will sleep next to the Auckland airport. In this case we will do it at the Auckland Airport Lodge since our flight arrives at 23h and we prefer to rest that day and the next day, first thing in the morning, go to look for our motorhome.
With the main aspects of New Zealand in motorhome Already clear and reserved, the next step was to plan the route that we would follow through the White Cloud Country, taking into account that our idea is to visit all the places to see in New Zealand.
Essential and also, try to do it with peace of mind and enjoying the incredible landscapes and experience offered by traveling with a caravan.
Something important before starting to plan the route has been to make us aware that in New Zealand the weather is quite unstable, so there are probably days that we have to modify the plans or even cancel any of the planned visits or activities. With this in mind, in the end we have left 3-4 extra days that we can fit or take advantage of as plan B or even to stay more days in any of the places we like. This is something that allows us to do the motorhome trip, which we believe, will be one of the great points in favor of this way of traveling.
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
New Zealand motorhome route on the North Island
The route through the North Island of New Zealand will initially be 14 days, including flights and the ferry from Wellington to Picton. That means we will have 11 days to get to know this part of the country, which although they say, is less impressive than the southern island, we believe it is the perfect gateway for our New Zealand motorhome route.
The first day, after touring the motorhome we will dedicate it to know Auckland in one day, the most populous city in New Zealand that is also located in the geographical center on the north island and that will be our gateway to the country.
After this first day, we will continue the route to the north end of New Zealand, to reach Cabo Reinga, one of the most magical places in the country, which they say souls arrive to undertake the trip to the spiritual plane.
The next stage will take us along the west coast of the North Island, touring some places of interest such as Te Paki Giant Dunes, the 90 mile beach and the Kauri Coast, where we will have our first meeting with the kauris forests that cover a part from this area of the country.
Cape reinga
After touring this area of the island, we will go to the Coromandel Peninsula, where we will stop at Thames, Coromandel, Waiau kauri grove, the iconic Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach, Whangamata and Waihi Beach, well-known places in the country we will know throughout a day.
From here we will head to Rotorua, the place where geothermal activity is the real protagonist, putting geysers, mud pools and gas clouds in the shop window, which will bring us closer to one of the best known areas of New Zealand.
After spending a day in this incredible area of the country, we will spend the next day visiting two of the most visited places in New Zealand, which are none other than Hobbiton, the scene in which the films of The Hobbit Y The Lord of the rings, from the writer J.R.R. Tolkien and Waitomo Caves, where the famous people live luminous worms.
Hobbiton
From here we will tour the area of Lake Taupo, making stops at Huka Falls, the Craters of the moon and Taupo, to sleep that night in Turangi or Tokaanu from where the next day, we will start the Tongariro Alpine Crossing trekking, considered by many as the Trekking of a most beautiful day in the world.
The New Zealand in motorhome Continue to approach Mount Taranaki, traveling along the Forgotten World Highway, which will lead us to enjoy another of the best known images of the White Cloud Country, which we are sure, will leave us speechless.
Mount taranaki
After this overdose of nature and landscapes, we will try to spend the last day visiting the city of Wellington, which will serve as a bridge to cross to the South Island of New Zealand, a journey that we will take by ferry from Wellington to Picton.
More practical information to prepare your trip to New Zealand
- 10 essential tips for traveling to New Zealand
- 10 essential places to see in New Zealand
- The best travel insurance for New Zealand
We leave you the map with the route that we will follow along the North Island of New Zealand that will take us to know the regions of Auckland, Northland, Waikato, Marawatu-Wanganui, Taranaki and Wellington, touching the most tourist points of these areas of the island.
New Zealand motorhome route on the South Island
The route of New Zealand in motorhome The south island continues along Queen Charlotte Drive, one of the most beautiful scenic roads in the country, to then make stops at Nelson, Westport and Cape Foulwind, where we will end the first day of the route through the south island of the country.
From here we will continue the route along the West Coast visiting places like Tauranga Bay, Punakaiki, Greymouth and Hotikika gorges and then spend a full day in the area of Franz Josef Glacier, Fox Glacier and Matheson Lake, where we hope to enjoy some of the Best views in the world.
Matheson Lake
From here we will continue the route of New Zealand in motorhome passing through Haast Pass, Dune Lake Walk, Thunder Creek Falls, Fantail Falls, Blue Pools, Makarora and Lake Hawea to arrive later to Wanaka, known for its famous tree and for the views from Roys Peak, a peak that we will reach after A trekking of several hours, which we hope, gives us one of the moments in capital letters of the trip.
Wanaka on a route through New Zealand by motorhome
From here and after two days in the area, we will continue the route through Glenorchy, Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown, where we will spend a full day visiting this city, which we have read, is one of the most interesting in New Zealand.
The next stage of the trip will take us to Te Anau, tour the Milford Highway to reach Milford Sound, where we will make one of the most incredible cruises in the world, touring this impressive fjord, which they say, is a paradise for the senses.
The next day and without wanting to say goodbye to this place, we will make a full-day excursion through Doubtful Sound, another magnificent fjord, which is three times longer and ten times larger than Milford Sound.
Milford sound
After these two days of excursions, we will continue through the Southern Lands region, passing through Waipapa Point, Slope Point, Curio Bay, Porpoise Bay, Cathedral cave, Purakaunui Falls, Owaka, Nugget Point, Tunnel beach and Dunedin and then enter in the Otago Peninsula, where we will meet the Sandfly Beach, Katiki Point and the famous Moeraki Boulders, one of the places we do not want to miss in New Zealand and that we want to know.
Moeraki Boulders
From here we will undertake the last stage of the trip through New Zealand in motorhome approaching the impressive Mount Cook, which we will try to see and enjoy doing the Hooker Valley Track and then spend a couple of days between Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo, two essential places in the country that will serve as an end point to one of the most Incredibles of the world, which will end in Christchurch, where we will spend the last day visiting the city, before returning the motorhome in New Zealand and taking the plane with which we will return home.
We leave you the map with the route that we will follow along the South Island of New Zealand that will take us to know the regions of Tasman, the West Coast, Otago, Southland and Canterbury, touching the most tourist points of these areas of the island.
Day 1: Lloret de Mar - Barcelona Airport - Flight to New Zealand
