The Best 7-Day Tours of the North Island© Unsplash
The Best 7-Day Tours of the North Island

The 7 Best 7-Day Tours of the North Island 🥝 [2024]

© Unsplash

How to Tour the North Island in 7 Days

Want to enjoy a week on the North Island without the hassle of figuring out where to go and how to get there? Choose one of the North Island tour companies! There’s an amazing selection of tours taking travellers around New Zealand‘s North Island in seven days. Whether you want to do some adventure activities, take things slow or join a tour with travellers your own age, there’s sure to be a North Island tour to suit. Check out some of our top picks in this guide to the best 7-day tours of the North Island!

While you’re here, you might also be interested in The Best 7-Day Tours of the South Island. Plus, don’t forget to bookmark Travel by Bus in New Zealand: The Ultimate Guide for even more tips.

6 Tips for Planning a 7-Day Trip to the North Island

  1. Allow a day or two extra to allow for your travel time to and from your tour’s starting point, as well as time to get over the jet lag and explore your arrival town/city
  2. Check if your chosen tour company has a Facebook Group! That way, you’ll be able to connect travellers who will be on your tour before departure
  3. Compare tour companies on websites like TourRadar to make sure you find the best option for you. Another advantage is that comparison websites have standard cancellation policies, unlike booking directly with tour companies
  4. Be sure to pack light: don’t be that guy that everyone has to make room for! Get tips from our New Zealand Packing List
  5. Decide on a couple of optional activities you will want to do prior to arriving in New Zealand so you are able to budget for your tour properly
  6. Allow room in your budget for food! Not all tours include every meal. See How Much Does a Trip to New Zealand Cost? for typical food costs in New Zealand.

Check out 15 Tips to Make the Most of Your Bus Trip for more tips.

The 7 Best 7-Day Tours of the North Island 🥝 [2023]© Wild Kiwi

Wild Kiwi – Northern Voyager

Get the convenience of starting and ending your tour in Auckland, while still seeing the main highlights of the country with Wild Kiwi. Their Northern Voyager tour takes young travellers in luxury Mercedes vehicles, stopping off at the beach-lined Coromandel, geothermal Rotorua, the adventure capital of the North Island Taupo, the cool surf town of Raglan, the Waitomo Caves and back to Auckland. You’ll be staying in shared rooms in hostels and lodges, with an optional private room upgrade, and all breakfasts and one group dinner are included.

See more small-group adventures like this in The Best Small-Group Tours in New Zealand.

About Wild Kiwi’s Tours

Age Range: 18-30-something-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 18
Accommodation: Hostels and lodges
Meals: All breakfasts and one dinner

Destinations on the 7-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour on wildkiwi.com.

Haka Tours© Haka Tours

Haka Tours – North Island Coasts and Culture Tour

Zig-zag your way through the North Island between Auckland and Wellington on this adventure tour with Haka Tours. The tour features highlights like visiting the stunning Cathedral Cove, white water rafting down the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall, hiking the volcanic landscape of the Tongariro Crossing, experiencing an authentic Maori town and exploring Wellington city. The tour is catered to 18-39-year-olds, with shared hostel/lodge accommodation included, as well as daily breakfasts.

Check out similar tours in The Best New Zealand Tours Starting in Auckland.

About Haka Tours’ Tours

Age Range: 18-39-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 16
Accommodation: Hostels and lodges
Meals: All breakfasts and one dinner

Destinations on the 7-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing Haka Tours on Tourradar.

Trafalgar© Trafalgar

Trafalgar – Iconic North

A tour for all ages, Trafalgar‘s Iconic North tour takes passengers to the North Island’s bustling hubs of Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua and Wellington. This tour is slower-paced compared to others featured on this list, allowing you more time to explore each destination at leisure and join your tour guide for city sightseeing tours. Accommodation is included, featuring upmarket hotels, while all breakfasts and a few other meals are also part of the tour.

This tour also appeals to an older crowd, so take a look at The Best New Zealand Tours for Seniors to see how it compares.

About Trafalgar’s Tours

Age Range: 5-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 48
Accommodation: Hotels
Meals: All breakfasts, one lunch and three dinners

Destinations on the 7-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing Trafalgar on Tourradar.

The Best 7-Day Tours of the North Island© G Adventures

G Adventures – Best of the North Island

Experience the North Island through active adventures and cultural experiences with G Adventures. Their Best of the North Island tour starts in Auckland and ends in Wellington, taking young travellers to kayak in the Auckland Harbour, surf in Raglan, experience the Maori culture in Rotorua, see the glowworms in Waitomo and much more. Tours include shared rooms in hostels and lodges, as well as all breakfasts and some other meals.

About G Adventures’ Tours

Age Range: 18-39-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 20
Accommodation: Hostels and lodges
Meals: All breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner

Destinations on the 7-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing G Adventures on Tourradar.

Contiki© Contiki

Contiki – Sun & Steam

Hit the road with other young travellers on the Sun & Steam tour with Contiki! Contiki offers an alternative itinerary of the North Island, getting you to explore the ancient kauri forest and beautiful beaches of Northland and the Bay of Islands, before making your way to the geothermal hotspot of Rotorua. You’ll be staying in shared rooms in hostels with your tour mates, as well as enjoying breakfast included each morning and a couple of dinners. What’s more, this tour actually lasts six days, so you’ll have time to relax at either the beginning or end of your tour.

About Contiki’s Tours

Age Range: 18-35-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 12
Accommodation: Hostels
Meals: All breakfasts and two dinners

Destinations on the 6-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing Contiki on Tourradar.

The 6 Best 7-Day Tours of the North Island 🥝 [2023]© AAT Kings

AAT Kings – Iconic North

Experience New Zealand’s cosmopolitan side with a 7-day tour of New Zealand’s North Island with AAT Kings. The bus tour company for all ages (but particularly good for older travellers) takes you to the buzzing cities of Wellington and Auckland and hits the kiwifruit farming and dairy industry hub of Tauranga. You also get two full days in Rotorua, so this tour certainly doesn’t feel too rushed.

About AAT Kings’ Tours

Age Range: 5-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 58
Accommodation: 4-star and 5-star hotels
Meals: All Breakfasts, one lunch and three dinners

Destinations on the 7-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing AAT Kings on Tourradar.

Thrifty Tours© Thrifty Tours

Thrifty Tours – Northern Combo

To shave the cost of a fully escorted bus tour of North Island, have Thrifty Tours organise your airport transfers, accommodation and coach transport with InterCity. Head to Paihia and the Bay of Islands, explore the picturesque harbour city of Auckland and top it all off with a cultural and geothermal experience in Rotorua, which is all part of the Northern Combo tour. The tour, which is open to young and old, conveniently starts and ends in Auckland. The trip lasts six days, giving you more time to explore Auckland at the beginning or end of your trip. Tours include stays in three-star hotels in a twin share and breakfasts. A few activities are also included in the trip.

About Thrifty Tours’ Tours

Age Range: 1-100-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 50
Accommodation: Hotels
Meals: Five breakfasts

Destinations on the 6-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing Thrifty Tours on Tourradar.

More About 7-Day Tours of the North Island

That’s it for our list of the best 7-day tours of the North Island! For more 7-day tours of New Zealand, check out the following guides:

Finally, compare all of your bus travel options in our complete guide, How to Travel by Bus in New Zealand.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Robin C.

This article has been reviewed and approved by Robin, who is the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. With more than 15 years of experience in the New Zealand tourism industry, Robin has co-founded three influential tourism businesses and five additional travel guides for South Pacific nations. He is an expert in New Zealand travel and has tested over 600 activities and 300+ accommodations across the country.

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