The fifth day on your quick whirl through the North Island means a trip back to Auckland from whose airport presumably you will fly out.
From Waitomo, it’s 200 kilometres (three hours, 10minutes) to Auckland but you might want to dawdle along the way, stop at towns along the highway north, and savor more of the New Zealand countryside.
As with your schedule itself, much depends on what you want to see and do on the North Island and how much time you want to spend on them.
- Because of the limitations of time, this five-day New Zealand North Island tour misses the country's capital, Wellington, which lies nearly at the southern end of the North Island. You may want to plan a Wellington trip next time and from there cross Cook Strait to Picton in the South Island. A visit to the Marlborough Sounds would not be amiss.
Planning is essential
On a short visit to New Zealand, always make it a point to visit the Visitor Centres -- they’re all over the country -- so you can plan to see what you want to see.
But no matter how carefully you plan your itinerary you’ll find you need more time at some places and forgo visiting others.
A five-day North Island tour is really not much more than an appetiser in a multi-course dinner. I’ve done my five days and I must return.
