Wellington - Taupo - Wellington

Overview
Day 1 : Wellington to Martinborough
Day 2 : Martinborough to Palmerston North
Day 3 : Palmerston North to New Plymouth
Day 4 : New Plymouth to Waitomo Caves
Day 5 : Waitomo Caves to Taupo
Day 6 : Taupo to Turangi
Day 7 : Turangi to Wellington

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Day 1 : New Plymouth to Waitomo Caves

Travel time is approximate only, based on an average driving speed under normal road conditions.

	Travel Time	Km	(Miles)
New Plymouth - Waitomo Caves	2.25 hrs	181	113
Totals for Day	2.25 hrs	181	113

New Plymouth - Waitomo Caves

181 km (113 miles)
Approximately 2.25 hours
Road Conditions: State Highway

The city of New Plymouth is known for its beautiful parks and gardens. Take a picnic to Pukekura Park to admire the rhododendrons. New Plymouth also has a strong arts focus, so check out the current exhibitions. The national park that surrounds Mt Taranaki has spectacular waterfalls and walkways to discover.

Your journey begins with a procession of seaside villages. Whitecliffs Walkway is signposted—a fabulous hike if you have time. At Mokau or Awakino you can enjoy the wild beauty of the Tasman Sea before you drive eastward through a mixture of farmland, forest and rugged mountain country. Gateway to the Waitomo Caves is the rural town of Te Kuiti, which hosts New Zealand sheep shearing championships each year.

The Waitomo Caves region is famous for its subterranean splendour. Beneath the surface of this ancient limestone region is a series of vast cave systems decorated with stalactites, stalagmites and glowworms. Some caves open to the public, and are easy to walk through, others require specialised caving equipment.