New Zealand Great Walk Adventure North Itinerary

Welcome to New Zealand’s North Island, a diverse sub-tropical paradise waiting to be explored. With a landscape ranging from barren geothermal plateaus to lush rainforest and golden sand beaches, it’s yours to explore for the next six days. After meeting your expert New Zealand guides and fellow travellers in Auckland, we’ll head south to Waitomo for an otherworldly experience. On the way, we'll stop for our first hike of the trip.

Spellbound Waitomo Caves
Today we’ll explore the famous Waitomo Caves. With an expert guide leading the way, you will wander through the cave whilst gazing at these wonderful creatures that are only found here in New Zealand! Stepping onto a raft, you’ll be transported into a unique environment where it seems the night sky is always shining. With glowworms galore, you will marvel at the constellations they seem to create!

This afternoon we'll make our way to Pureora Forest - our home for the night.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Pureora Forest  - 1 Night

After a restful night’s sleep, we'll explore Pureora Forest before we hit the road again and make our way to Taranaki. We’ll take our time, stopping at some of our favourite spots along the way to stretch our legs and capture the glorious views. If the tides are in our favour, we'll explore Three Sisters, spectacular rock formations found on the North Taranaki coast.

Pureora Forest
Step into the heart of Pureora Forest, where ancient podocarp trees tower above and birdsong echoes through the canopy. With well-formed trails weaving through lush native bush, this is a hiker’s paradise. As we hike through the forest, you’ll learn about the unique plants and wildlife.

Te Rewa Rewa Bridge Walk
This scenic walk takes you to the iconic Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, where art, engineering, and landscape come together. You’ll follow a coastal walkway to this striking white archway, perfectly framing Mt Taranaki on a clear day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Stratford - 1 Night

Today we'll explore Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki/Egmont National Park and marvel at Mt Taranaki’s iconic peak. The dormant snow-capped volcano towers above its surroundings and makes for one of the most spectacular views anywhere in New Zealand. If you’re a keen photographer be sure to have your camera ready! Today we'll sample a variety of hikes showcasing some of our favourite areas of the National Park.

Lake Mangamahoe Loop Track
The Lake Mangamahoe Loop Track takes us through quiet forest and along the peaceful edge of Lake Mangamahoe. Keep an eye out for cheeky fantails and other native birdlife along the way. On a clear day, you’ll catch striking views of Mount Taranaki.

Ngatoro Loop Track & Connett Loop Track
This afternoon we’ll hike the Ngatoro Loop Track & Connett Loop Track through 'goblin forest,' where moss and lichens drape over roots and cling to twisted trees. Look out for native birdlife flitting through the canopy as you immerse yourself in this unique forest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Whanganui - 1 Night 

Today we’ll enjoy one of the most uniquely New Zealand experiences of the trip and our first New Zealand Great Walk – the Whanganui River Journey. Unlike all our other Great Walks this journey takes us out on the water.

Deep in Whanganui National Park, we’ll hop in a jetboat for an exhilarating ride down the Whanganui River. From there we’ll explore this magical area on foot and discover one of the North Island’s best-kept secrets – the Bridge to Nowhere! Immersed in lush native rainforest you’ll be awestruck as this iconic bridge seemingly springs to life from the surrounding wilderness.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Tongariro National Park Region - 2 Nights

Today we’ll experience our second New Zealand Great Walk of the trip - the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a trail widely renowned as the best day hike in the world! Tongariro is New Zealand’s oldest National Park and boasts dual World Heritage status, acknowledged for both its cultural and environmental significance.

Starting with a healthy breakfast to fuel our adventure we’ll meet our local guides who’ll take us on a journey across this moon-like landscape. We'll pass bubbling geothermal steam vents, marvel at centuries-old lava flows and soak in the views across ancient volcanic craters. With our guides abundance of local knowledge and expertise, you’ll laugh, learn, and be left in awe as you explore this UNESCO World Heritage site.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

It may be the final day of our North Island adventure, but it will certainly be one to remember. Today we’ll explore Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, a remarkable eco-sanctuary that protects native wildlife. Home to some of New Zealand’s rarest birds and plants, this predator-free sanctuary offers a glimpse of the land as it once was.

This afternoon we'll make our way back to Auckland, allowing plenty of time to reminisce on the past six incredible days. We’re happy to drop you at the airport or at your Auckland accommodation. We recommend that you combine this trip with one of our South Island itineraries to enjoy the complete New Zealand experience. This trip works particularly well in conjunction with our Kiwi Classic and Masterpiece trips or combine it with New Zealand Great Walk Adventure – South for the ultimate Great Walks experience.  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

*For logistical reasons, we may make small changes to our itineraries or accommodation from time to time. 

A First Light Travel Designer can help you extend your trip in New Zealand. Lets start planning today!