Visit North Island, New Zealand

As a landmass, New Zealand’s North Island catapults between topographical extremes. In one corner, it’s all gentle hills plaited with vineyards; in its middle, it’s punctured by vast shield volcanoes. Its northernmost corners are semi-tropical, with golden-sand beaches, while farther south, geysers and mud pools bubble and froth on the geothermal plateau. While many visitors tend to overlook the North Island for the more high-octane, alpine scenery of the South Island, our specialists are eager to show you just how many rewarding cultural and outdoorsy experiences North Island encompasses.

Some of the world’s best day hikes are found here, including routes which see you skirt the country’s mightiest volcanoes: the traditionalists stick to Tongariro National Park, but we’d also recommend you explore Taranaki and New Plymouth. You can go birdwatching in predator-free Kapiti Island, relax in the winelands of Napier or the sandy coves of the Coromandel Peninsula, and take a dolphin-watching boat tour in the Bay of Islands. And, New Zealand’s Māori community clusters on the North Island. We’ve picked a handful of private guided tours that aim to acquaint you with their culture in a respectful, intimate way, from twilight forest walks to a Māori perspective of Auckland.