New Zealand family holiday: campervan & car combo

Itinerary in brief:

• 2 nights Auckland 
• 3 nights Rotorua 
• 2 nights Napier 
• 12 nights campervan hire 

Day 1: Depart UK

Depart the UK from your chosen airport.

Included: International flights

Day 2: Arrive Auckland

On arrival in Auckland, you'll be met at the airport and driven to your hotel in the city, checking in for two nights. Spend the rest of your day exploring the city and settling into your hotel to recover from your jet lag with the kids. 

Included: Transfers, 4* hotel 

Day 3: Auckland 

Today is yours to explore Auckland as you rest from your long journey to New Zealand. We've included a tour into the world of movie-making at Weta Workshop Unleashed, an incredible and immersive experience that your family will love! Explore fantasy, sci-fi and horror films with practical effects as you discover how the creatures and robots are brought to life in films, all whilst having loads of fun. This is much more than a traditional museum! The rest of the day is yours to explore the maritime city, whether you head up the Sky Tower for the epic views, visit the planitarium or learn about the marine life of New Zealand at the Sea Life Centre. 

 Included: Weta Unleashed Experience, 4* hotel 

Day 4: Drive to Rotorua 

Leaving the the big city behind you, this morning you'll pick up your hire car and drive south to visit Hobbiton, the iconic film set from The Lord of the Rings films. Wander amongst hillsides dotted with hobbit holes, where real vegetables grow in the plots, and even enjoy a pint of cider at The Green Dragon. It's a charming and unforgettable place, whether or not you're a fan of the films.

After your visit, you'll continue on to Rotorua, where you’ll check into your hotel for two nights. Rotorua is famously geothermal town, and you'll smell the sulphur before you see the famous hot pools! We always a recommend a visit to one of the local thermal spas, where you can soak in naturally heated mineral pools and make the most of Rotorua’s unique geothermal landscape.

Included: Car hire, Hobbiton tour, 4* hotel

Days 5 & 6: Rotorua 

Rotorua is a great place to explore with your family - we've included entry to the Agrodome for a taste of Kiwi farm life, where your children can meet and hand-feed animals and enjoy its famous Farm Show, as well as entry to the Skyline Rotorua gondola up Mount Ngongotahā where you'll then be able to race back down on the luge. 

With the rest of your time in Rotorua, there is so much more to see. Discover the geothermal landscapes, watching bubbling mud and steaming pools at Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland, venture into the forest for the Redwoods Treewalk, try zorbing or ziplining if you're feeling adventurous or learn more about Māori culture and geothermal activity at Te Puia. Your time in Rotorua will fly by!

Included: Car hire, Agrodome Farm Show entry, Skyline entry with 3 x luge rides per person, 4* hotel  

Day 7: Drive to Napier

Spend the day exploring the scenic Lake Taupo and the gushing waterfall at Huka Falls. We've included the epic Huka Falls jetboat, the kids will love zooming up the river and doing 360° spins before gazing up at the bright blue water of the falls. There's loads to do around Lake Taupo for families, whether you go paddleboarding in the Huka Prawn Park before catching your own prawns, visiting the animals and Lilliput Farm or just exploring the lake front with a delicious ice cream cone. From here, you'll drive on to Napier, arriving into the famous art-deco town and checking into your hotel for two nights. 

On arrival in Napier, you'll check into your hotel for one night before heading out to discover the town in your own time. Napier is well known for its 1930’s art-deco style architecture - keep a look out for tiny details all lover the town as you explore. 

Included: Car hire, Huka Falls jet boat, 4* hotel 

Day 8: Napier & Gannet Safari 

Today is yours to explore Napier and the Hawkes Bay region with your family. In the morning, we've included the 4WD Gannet Safari at Cape Kidnappers which takes you out over the farmland and riverbeds towards the gannet colony. It's an incredible way to explore the landscape without dragging the kids on a long hike, before encountering the huge gannet colony by the cliffs, were you can admire the birds at close range as they nest, preen and fly overhead. For the rest of the day, why not head to the National Aquarium of New Zealand in town to feed the little penguins or enjoy some cycling in the rural Hawkes Bay region around Napier. 

Included: Car hire, Gannet safari to Cape Kidnappers, 4* hotel 

Day 9: Fly to Christchurch, pick up campervan 

This morning, you'll drop your hire car at the airport before catching the short flight down to Christchurch. Here, you'll pick up your campervan, ready to explore the mountains and lakes of the South Island for the next twelve days. We’ve based this itinerary on a 4 berth campervan for your family but you could always upgrade to a larger van if you'd like a bit more space. 

Included: Car hire, internal flights, campervan hire

Days 10 - 20: Campervan hire in South Island 

We’ve included 12 days’ campervan hire to take you from Christchurch to Queenstown in the South Island. 

It's your choice how you explore the South Island - you could head north, looking for whales in Kaikoura, exploring the famous Marlborough Sounds and kayaking through Abel Tasman National Park, before driving down the west coast to Queenstown. Otherwise, you could explore south, looking for tiny penguins along the east coast before heading inland for some epic mountain scenery and stargazing through the Southern Alps. Whichever way you go, you'll finish in beautiful Queenstown, where the snow-capped Remarkables Mountains frame the scenery, as you explore the lakes and activities on offer in the region. Your family will love visiting the incredible South Island - if you'd like to extend your time here, just ask! 

Included: Campervan hire

Day 21: Depart Queenstown 

Spend your final morning in Queenstown before dropping off your campervan and catching your flight home, reminiscing over your incredible family holiday in New Zealand. 

Included: Campervan hire, international flights

Day 22: Arrive UK