How I visited New Zealand from North America in just 10 days

The small ferry I was riding on glided across the river before docking at the entrance to Orakei Korako Geothermal Park in Aotearoa (New Zealand's name in the Māori language) – I could see the steam rising from the striking landscape ahead of me. The ride only lasted for a couple of minutes, but as I stepped off the boat onto the boardwalk, I felt like I had been transported into another world. 

Vivid greens, blues and golds swirled in the boiling water on either side of the boardwalk. White silica terraces circled the pools like frozen waves. Mud pits bubbled and geysers sprayed into the air. With the sun shining on my back, I felt like I was walking through a multicolored Kodachrome dream.

In fact, I could hardly believe I was here – taking in the geothermal wonders of New Zealand with my own eyes, some 7500 miles from my home in the US. Travel writers often overuse the term “breathtaking,” but this was one of the most sensational memories I packed into a 10-day trip to Rotorua and Taupō on New Zealand's North Island.

I also found time for white-water rafting, zip-lining, lakeside glamping, soaking in a mud bath and watching Māori kapa haka performers demonstrate traditional songs and dances, including the haka. Even with just 10 days, I felt like I was able to experience many of New Zealand’s charms, and I left with no regrets about the time I had, just aspirations to return for a longer trip in the future.

How much time off do I need to make it worth it?

If you have the luxury of several weeks for a trip, I’d say that New Zealand is one hundred percent the destination to spend it on. You’ll find campervans across the country filled with people taking several weeks to enjoy a slow adventure through the contrasting scenery of both islands.

And I have long dreamed of doing just that: spending a month visiting the whole of New Zealand, road-tripping in an RV or taking the hop-on, hop-off buses through both islands. But that amount of time just wasn’t on the cards for me right now. 

However, if you have less time, don’t let that dissuade you from visiting New Zealand. Just go!  I learned that if you can patch together a stretch of 9–10 days, that is still plenty of time to have a really beautiful visit to the country. You just need to be a bit more selective about your itinerary. 

If, like me, you're coming from North America, you can maximize your PTO (Paid Time Off) by visiting over a holiday weekend and adding 5 days of annual leave. If you leave after work on a Friday, you’ll arrive in New Zealand on Sunday. Then you’ll have 8 or 9 days to explore, depending on whether you want to spend the last day in the country, or use it to recover from the jet lag back home. That's a pretty good amount of time to work with. 

Here’s another thing that works to your advantage: many of the flights to New Zealand leave the US in the evening. This means that you can head to the airport after work without losing a vacation day (or just take half a day off).

OK, but that flight is really long! Won’t the jet lag wreck me?

Yes, it’s a long flight – reaching New Zealand takes around 14 hours from Houston and 14 hours from Los Angeles. And yes, you’ll lose a day going over there (of course, you'll gain it back in the opposite direction). But honestly, I thought the flight was easier than going to Europe, thanks to the length of time in the air. I rarely sleep on flights, but I slept most of the way – I think that's because when I did wake up, I had plenty of time to try and go back to sleep. 

Also, while I have no science for this, since it was roughly the same time of day when I departed the US as it was when I reached New Zealand around a day later, it was easier for me to adjust. I honestly didn’t feel the jet lag until I came home to the US. A pro-tip: leave yourself a day to recover, unlike this writer!

When did you go?

I’ll let you in on a little secret I learned from Lonely Planet Destination Editor, Jess Lockhart, who lives in New Zealand – one of the best times to visit the country is in March, with pleasant fall weather and smaller crowds.

I departed in late February for a trip that ran into early March, when winter was fading for me in North America, and when the summer crowds were thinning out in New Zealand. The warm temperatures in the southern hemisphere made this the perfect time to squeeze in a spring break to the other side of the world from where I call home. 

How can I make the most of my trip?

I think the real challenge when you have a limited number of days in a fabulous place is being a ruthless curator of your time. I mean that in terms of crafting the list of places you visit and the activities you take part in, and also leaving yourself a little time to breathe and just enjoybeing there. 

My recommendation is to limit your itinerary to just one island – North Island or South Island – and focus on two or three stops. That’ll give you enough time to dive into each spot, but your itinerary will not be so packed that you don’t have time to relax and enjoy the destination.

What was my Rotorua itinerary?

My adventurous itinerary was limited to the North Island, going from Rotorua to Taupō, then departing from Auckland. New Zealand's wonderful South Island will be saved until I can do another trip.

My first stop was Rotorua, the birthplace of New Zealand tourism, famed for its geothermal activity. There's time for a little history here – in the 1800s, visitors flocked from around the world to view its famous Pink and White Terraces.

At the time, these striking silica deposits were considered to be the 8th wonder of the world until, in 1886, the Tarawera volcano erupted and destroyed this natural wonder. Visit the remains of the buried village of Te Wairoa to get a full appreciation of the devastation caused by the disaster.

I spent my first evening in Rotorua recovering from the long flight with a rejuvenating journey through saunas, hot springs and mud baths at the luxurious Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa. Wai Ariki is Māori-owned and set directly on the lakeshore – schedule your visit at sunset for the ultimate ambiance as you rest your muscles in the adjacent thermal baths.

Over the next few days, I rotated between different adventure activities, hiking and visiting the area's best geothermal spots. You’ll smell a slight odor of sulfur, but that’s part of the charm of Rotorua, and it will make you consider the power of the geothermal activity beneath your feet.

A walk through the Waimangu Volcanic Valley provided moments of wonder around every corner, from geysers to bubbling pools of water. I watched geysers spray into the air at the Māori cultural center and geothermal site of Te Puia, and learned more about the Māori community on North Island. 

I spent another day at Hell’s Gate, a place known for its healing powers. Historically, this is where Māori warriors came to heal their battle-scarred bodies. I walked the reserve, looking out for wildlife and admiring the geological features, before returning to the spa area to soak in its mineral-rich mud, followed by yet more relaxing in geothermal pools.

If mud isn’t your thing, check out Secret Spot, a relaxing hideaway south of the Te Puia geothermal area, where you’ll find hot tubs and saunas surrounded by natural scenery, offering a relaxing soak among the trees.

On my most adventurous day, I started with coffee and breakfast at the Okere Falls Store + Beer Garden before heading next door to Rotorua Rafting to spend part of the day ziplining, and the other half of the day white-water rafting down the Kaituna River on Grade 5 rapids, surging over Tutea Falls, a 7m cascade. 

Rotorua has a ton of fun things to do at night that don’t involve going to a bar or a club, from kayaking to see glow worms, walking the illuminated Redwood Treewalk, exploring the illuminated geyser walk at Te Puia, to enjoying a Māori cultural experience at Te Pā Tū.

For dinner, there was plenty of variety to choose from. As well as Okere Falls Store + Beer Garden, other recommended stops include Spa City Noodles, Ciabatta Cafe & Bakery and Eastwood.

How did I spend time in Taupō?

I spent the second half of my trip in Taupō, a leisurely lakeside community set along the banks of blue-green Lake Taupō, which occupies a 25,000-year-old volcanic caldera. It’s a popular summer escape for Kiwis, renowned for mountain biking, water-based activities such as kayaking and trout fishing, and visiting modern-day Māori rock carvings created in the 1970s.

Joining the "Blue Duck experience" with Tongariro River Rafting was probably my favorite activity in this part of New Zealand – it was part white-water rafting adventure, and part bird-watching quest to find New Zealand's endangered blue ducks, or whio in the Māori language (they feature on New Zealand’s $10 banknote).

You'll spend the day on the Tongariro River learning about the conservation efforts along the river. Moments of adventure blend with calm moments of appreciation for the natural beauty surrounding you, and you'll get plenty of opportunities to see blue ducks.  

For the theater geeks out there, I had one moment where we floated through the canyon and I thought immediately of Emily Webb’s soliloquy from Our Town – “Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you!”

Afterward, the mineral and silica-enriched thermal pools at Wairakei Terraces & Thermal Spa were dreamy, yet unpretentious, and a delicious way to spend a relaxing afternoon. The pools vary in temperature, so visit each one until you find the perfect fit. 

When you’ve filled your need for adventure, slow down with a stroll around the main lakeside area of Taupō, which has lots of cute shops and restaurants to visit. If you’re planning to go shopping, note the opening hours; many stores close around 5pm. For nourishment, recommended restaurants include The Bistro, Lava Glass Cafe, Jimmy Coops Lakehouse and Plateau Bar Eatery.

What should I save for a return trip?

Inevitably, time restraints forced me to cut some things from my itinerary. Coming out of a brutal winter in the Midwest, hiking the challenging Tongariro Alpine Crossing was the first thing to be cut, but it's high on my to-do list should I return in summer. I only had time to visit the trailhead, but if you are an avid hiker, you’ll want to add this trek to your itinerary.

It’s a one-way hike of 6–8 hours over dramatic terrain, but Backyard Tours provides a shuttle service, taking you out to the trailhead and picking you up after the hike. A Māori blessing before and after sets the mood for a beautiful but mountainous trek that is considered one of New Zealand’s best.

How about driving on the left-hand side of the road?

You will need a car to get around North Island if you plan to reach some of the cooler spots (or maybe a campervan if you want to go down that route) – unless, of course, you decide to take one of the country’s hop-on, hop-off bus tours.

If you're used to doing things the US way, once you get behind the wheel, it will feel pretty intuitive which side of the road you need to drive on. Still, I have a few tips for those new to driving on the left.

• Take a few turns around the parking lot after you pick up the rental car before heading out onto the highway.

• Check the location of the turn signals, headlights and windshield wipers before you leave the parking lot.

• Hook up your phone to the mapping device in the car so you can drive hands-free.

• Check which side of the car you fuel up on.

The only real obstacle I found was getting used to the spatial differences when driving on the left side of the road. As is often the case with US drivers, I found myself hugging the left side of the road because my brain wasn’t used to judging the distance between my vehicle and the oncoming traffic.

Also, it took me a bit of time to adjust to the difference in mapping instructions using metric measurements. As a runner, I had a basic concept of how far a kilometer was, but the difference between meters and feet caused me to miss many turnoffs.

Would I do a trip this short again? 

Absolutely! My feeling is that you have to work with the vacation time you have – and if 10 days is what you have, then go for it! Forget the distance and seize the opportunity to see a really incredible part of the world.

I think the key to not overdoing it is to edit your itinerary ruthlessly, knowing that there may be some things you'll have to save for a return trip. I’m already imagining a campervan trip or doing one of New Zealand’s Great Walks the next time I visit.

Melissa traveled to New Zealand (Aotearoa) on the invitation of Rotorua and Taupō. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.