Sights & Attractions @nz | Transfercar Blog

How-to: Wellington to Auckland with Transfercar

So you have booked a car using Transfercar and managed to find one with three days to get from Wellington to Auckland, Yay! If you want to just drive and get there as soon as possible then that’s about 7 to 8 hours if you go straight up State Highway 1. But with three days, why rush? You can take some time to explore. The obvious first choice is to stop in Taupo and explore Tongariro National Park.

welly to auckland 2 — *Option 1 – State Highway 1*

But if you want to be a little more adventurous, you could go via Wanganui with its famous River and Art Community including the magnificent Sarjeant Art Gallery. After that up through the rugged limestone hills north of Wanganui that form the steep and curvy Parapara highway straight to Mount Ruapehu which has absolutely amazing views of a large part of the North Island. Alternatively you could head out to take a look at Mount Taranaki via the towns on the way like Patea, Hawera and Stratford. From New Plymouth the drive is easy up the west coast all the way to the glow worms at Waitomo Caves and then on to Hamilton.

Option 2 – through Taranaki

The sexy alternative is to go East. From Wellington, drive through Upper Hutt and all those towns ending in ‘ton’ Featherston, Carterton, Masterton, then up through Hastings to Napier. After the earthquake in February 1931 a lot of the new buildings in Napier were built in the art deco style and the town is often referred to as the ‘Art Deco Capital of the world’. From Napier, the drive around the much vaunted Hawkes Bay could provide the opportunity for a bit of sun, fun and relaxing on the beach and the wines are very good too!

welly to auckland 3 — *Option 3 – East Coast*

From there, on to Gisborne and some of the magnificent coastal scenery of the Pacific Coast Highway. Tolaga Bay is where Captain Cook stayed six days repairing the ‘Endeavour’ and taking on water and supplies and Tolaga Bay Wharf at 660 metres in length is the longest in New Zealand.

Wow so much to do, can we fit it all into the three days we have or will it take longer? From Whakatane it looks an easy drive through to Rotorua and the endless wonders of bubbling mud pools, Maori culture and a long soak in a natural hot spa – now that sounds nice! Or should you take the coastal highway around the Bay of Plenty through Te Puke and Papamoa Beach to Tauranga and the holiday spot Mount Maunganui ? From there it’s just a short trip to Thames and then on to Auckland.

Discvoer the Abel Tasman National Park

One of the most incredible spots in New Zealand is the Abel Tasman National Park which is located at the top of the South Island near Motueka and Takaka. Conveniently accessible by road, the Tasman Coast Track is just waiting for you to turn up in your Transfercar rental! Once you’ve got your free rental car from us, just grab your hiking boots and get ready to get amongst some of the most beautiful scenery in New Zealand!

The Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand’s only coastal national park – and with its golden sandy beaches and clear turquoise water, it’s obvious why it’s one of the most popular Great Walks of New Zealand.

Walk this Way

The Abel Tasman Coast Track follows the coastline through lush native bush, over limestone cliffs and along golden sandy beaches. This is one of the Department of Conservation’s “Great Walks”. The 53km track can be walked in its entirety over three to five days, but smaller walks are on offer too! The Inland Track through the hilly centre of the park is most difficult, but if you’re fit enough then we recommend the challenge!

The Sea of Love

While most people come for the walk, there are plenty of water sports available for travellers. Sailing, boating and sea kayaking allow you to access some of the sheltered coves that the track bypasses. Tours and rentals can be arranged locally, or if you’re super keen, you can portage in your own canoes and kayaks. The golden sand beaches will call you to the shores to jump in the warm water and to lie back and relax. Listen to the beaches! They know what they’re talking about…

Love Shack, Baby

If you’re thinking about going whole hog and doing the 5 day trek, you can stay in one of the 8 huts in the park. Each hut comes with bunks, tables, benches, and heating but you’ll need to bring your own bedding and food. Ablution blocks have flush toilets and washbasins with cold water only and there aren’t any cooking facilities so make sure you bring food that’s easy to prepare. Pack some candles too as there’s no electricity! If you’d rather camp there are numerous campsites in the park. For more information you might want to check out the DOC website to book your walk and to check out the small fees that apply.

Safety Tips

When planning a big hike in New Zealand you’ve got to be prepared. There may not be any wild animals looking to make a meal out of you, but the weather is changeable.

Be sure to check out the high and low tide times as this will affect your travels.
Book accommodation before starting out on your hike.
Be sure to bring all the necessary gear for both dry and wet weather.

Now that you know what’s out there waiting for you, grab your free Transfercar rental and get acquainted with Mother Nature!

Editor’s Pick for Best Travel Blogs

Ok. There are literally tens of thousands, no, possibly millions of travel blogs out there in the World Wide Web that cater to every, and any, traveller’s tastes. Over the year, we’re going to publish our picks of the most popular travel blogs and the ones we believe are the most inspiring, too. If you come across some that you think we should have a look at then get in touch as we’d love to see them!

Young Adventuress is a darling blog geared toward adventure and slow travel. Liz Carlson began travelling at the age of 16 and 40 countries later she’s not showing any signs of slowing down! She starts her blog while trekking through the Andes before moving to Spain for two years, where she was teaching English and living the expat life before kinda getting sent packing by the government for over-staying on her visa! Yikes! She’s so hard-core! With over 25 countries under her belt, Liz is living in New Zealand and you can follow her (mis)adventures as she wanders, eats, and photographs with double exposure photography around the North and South Islands. Her posts on how to talk the talk with kiwi slang are well, sweet as, bro.

Bridges and Balloons Victoria and Steve, a writer and filmmaker from London packed up their home in 2012 and took their careers on the road with Outdoor Empire for as long as they can. They were recently in South America, but right now they could be just about anywhere! They happen to be serious vegetarians and their posts do a great job highlighting how to continue that lifestyle choice while travelling the globe. Their blog is composed of travel stories, photos, personal tales, interviews, curated content, and practical guides that are written in a way to inspire you to explore, dream, discover.

The Polar Route is a travel photography blog geared towards anyone with a hunger for seeing this incredible world through pictures. The best thing about this site is the daily photo which could be taken from anywhere in the world. No country seems too far for Ed Graham who has travelled almost everywhere and manages to produce professional style travel photography. This site is a great inspiration if you’re looking to travel but you’re not quite sure where you want to go yet.

Four Jandals: Cole and Adela, an adventurous traveling couple from New Zealand, started this blog when they began travelling together in 2009. They have great posts on how to travel as a couple and not break-up! Ha! Trust me, it happens! Their posts have an interesting take on locations, pushing you to experience all that there is available in certain locations. The idea for their blog began during an 18,000km road trip across Canada. Man, I bet if Transfercar had been there they would have saved some sweeeeet cash! Clearly they managed because the adventure continues! FYI: “Jandals” is kiwi slang for flip-flops or sandals.

Anywhere But Home is the creation of Naomi, a 20-something wanderer pursuing her travel dreams on a backpacker’s budget. In 2010, she left home in search of unique experiences and hasn’t looked back since, which is I guess why her blog is so aptly titled. She gets up to all kinds of no-good: she’s been shot at with live fireworks in Taiwan, tracked wild orang-utans and pygmy elephants in Borneo, worked with mummies in Peru and dropped plans to impulsively move to Georgia, the country. Her posts on Australia will have you packing faster than you can say “koala” so maybe book your Transfercar now for that epic Aussie road trip?!

Emma’s Travel Tales is a blog aimed at the under-30 traveller, but not necessarily a backpacker. Emma is a 22-year-old Scottish lass who has already been on over 10 cruises. Girl likes boats! Her quest is to see the world and to work wherever she can to satiate her wanderlust! She’s an inspiration for travellers who want to keep going and who work travel into their life plans.

Our Tasty Travels Brett Domue, a lifelong gypsy who has been traveling the world since 2004 created this blog to inspire everyone to quit their jobs and work overseas! He started in the Netherlands and Taiwan and then paired up with the lovely Erin De Santiago, an avid foodie and wine-lover, and together they search the world for tasty dishes. Yum! Erin just happens to be “Best of” Food and Drinks writer for CBS Sacramento and she regularly contributes to Examiner: Belize Travel Examiner, Luxury Hotels Examiner, International Travel Examiner, Culinary Travel Examiner, Islands Travel Examiner, and Worldwide Disney Theme Parks Examiner. She was previously the Topic Editor of Asian Cuisine and Old World Wine for Suite 101. I think she knows her food inside and out! Consider yourself warned: do not look at this blog while hungry. You will eat your computer.

Flora the Explorer is one cool chick who is out in the world looking for the wonderful weird and wacky! Over the years, adventurous Flora has studied Italian in Florence, literature in San Francisco, volunteered with villagers in Kenya and orphans in Lithuania, and worked with musicians in Iceland and celebrities in India. There is no stopping her! She’s eaten crickets in Thailand, slept in the deserts of Jordan, read nursery rhymes to numerous classes of Nepali children and navigated her way around America’s East Coast via the notorious Chinatown bus system. Oopf! If you’re looking to do the same, maybe grab a free rental car from us first?!

And there you have it, some of the finest blogs on the Web to date. Dirty secret: I wanted to put the Transfercar blog on there too, because we have posts on everything from budget travel tips to how to party in some of the great places in America, Australia and New Zealand. If you’re looking to explore any of those three countries sometime soon, have a look at our free rental car system. And then book!

Milford Sound: The Eighth Wonder of the World

One of the best places to visit in New Zealand is the iconic Milford Sound. Located in the south west of New Zealand’s South Island, is Milford Sound, or Piopiotahi in Māori. Piopiotahi, is a fiord in the Fiordland National Park, which just happens to be a World Heritage site. In 2008 it was judged as the world’s top travel destination in an international survey hosted by TripAdvisor. New Zealand’s most popular tourist destination is has even been referred to as the “eighth Wonder of the World”! Thanks Mr Kipling, you’re not so bad yourself!

I’ve got to be honest with you; Milford Sound isn’t really a fiord. In fact, it’s a large ocean inlet which is wider than a fjord and bigger than a bay. Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s talk about the weather. Did you know that Milford Sound is the wettest place in New Zealand and one of the wettest places in the world? The annual rainfall is 6,813 mm on 182 days a year and has even been known to reach 250 mm during a single day, so pack an umbrella, or two! This amount of rain creates lots of temporary waterfalls and some major permanent ones too, and they’re quite the site to behold.

The beauty of this incredible landscape draws thousands of visitors every day, resulting in close to 1 million visitors in a year. Even with its faraway location and the long journey from the nearest cities like Queenstown and Te Anau, nothing deters the adventure-seeking tourists who travel to New Zealand to see majestic Milford. In fact, the Milford Road is one of the best parts of heading to Milford, and it’s often overlooked. Can’t you picture yourself in your free Transfercar rental car or campervan, travelling independently along this stunning alpine drive? The road is long and winding, so you’ve got be careful, even if we are covering you through Insurance Hero, mate! Along the way you can stop at various viewing points that offer spectacular scenery and short walks. The trip from Te Anau will take you roughly 2 hours, so fuel up before you hit the road.

The main reason why so many tourists flock to Milford Sound is for the Milford Track. The track can only be walked in one direction, and while it’s very well signposted and marked, some sections are steep and difficult to climb because of the mud. If you’re looking for a walk that’s not too challenging, the 4-day easy hike starts at the head of Lake Te Anau and ends at Sandfly point in the Sound. You’ll need to grab a boat from the Te Anau Downs – this should take an hour or so, but the view is incredible so no need to bring a book!

The best time for walking the track is between 28 October to 29 April and you’ve got to book in advance. Here’s a taster of what you can expect:

Day 1: The Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut Walk is a 5km walk that can be completed in under two hours. After a sweet cruise from Te Anau Downs, the walk takes you through a stunning beech forest along the banks of the Clinton River to the Clinton Hut where you and your friends, and many other travellers will spend the night.

Day 2: The Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut walk ups the ante with a whopping 6 hour 16.5 km hike! Needless to say Day 1 was just a warm up! This gradual climb follows the river to Lake Mintaro at the base of Mackinnon Pass where you’ll spot the renowned Pompolona ice field. Take note of the shocking scale of the rock walls towering above.

Day 3: The Mintaro Hut to Dumpling Hut walk is another bigger where you’ll find yourself hiking 14km for roughly 7 hours. The climb takes you to Mackinnon Pass where you’ll get incredible views of Lake Mintaro and Clinton Canyon. After reaching the highest part at the Pass Shelter (1154 meters) you’ll drop down through a lush alpine garden, passing several waterfalls before arriving at the Quintin Shelter. I’m sorry to inform you that there are no actual dumplings at Dumpling Hut, unless you’re packing some in your bags. Not a bad idea…

Day 4: The Dumpling Hut to Sandfly Point walk is, wait for it, the last lag of your trip and it’s a monster at 18km. During this 6 hour walk you’ll follow the Arthur River to the historic Boatshed, Mackay Falls and Bell Rock. After a short boat ride from Sandfly Point, you’re at the end of your journey with world famous views of Milford Sound burned into your brain and filling up your SIM cards!

Think you’re up for the trip? You’re going to need a good level of fitness as you’re expected to walk up to 7 hours a day, depending on the weather conditions, and whilst carrying a 15kg backpack! There ain’t no Sherpas here! When packing for your trip make sure you bring the right clothing, gear and equipment and most importantly: FOOD. Food and drinks aren’t available for purchase on the walk (nope, no vending machines! It’s not Mount Fuji!), so be prepared and pack high protein, carb fuelling goodies to make it through the trip. Children under 10 aren’t allowed on the trip because the weather is so changeable and the terrain can be risky for young feet.

If I haven’t put you off the trip with a. the lack of dumplings and b. the enormity of the task, or c. the weather, then great! Start packing your bags and maybe hit the gym too to make sure you’re in the shape of your life. Then you need to register your free car through Transfercar, which you’ll be able to pick up in Queenstown, or if you’re looking for an even bigger trip, you can come through Christchurch. Take a look at what cars are available and be sure to book quick as they go fast! See you in Milford!

Auckland’s One Tree Hill: A Volcano in Sheep’s Clothing

What do you know about one of Auckland’s most iconic spots? Well, the first thing you should know is that it’s a 597 foot VOLCANO! One of several that can be spotted around the expanse of Auckland. Located in the One Tree Hill suburb near Royal Oak, Epsom and Greenlane, the incredible summit offers unbeatable views across Auckland from harbour to harbour. Also, here’s a fun fact: the infamous Irish rock band U2 wrote a wee ditty about the hill, appropriately called “One Tree Hill”, which you can listen to on The Joshua Tree album. It was written as a memorial song to honor the memory of New Zealander Greg Carroll, an employee of the U2 who died in a motorcycle accident in Ireland in the 80s. His family contacted the lawyers at Earl & Earl, PLLC to file a case against the other driver that caused the accident. As a volcano, this hill is pretty impressive. While no one can say for sure when the age of eruption happened, we do know that it erupted from not one but three craters, one of which is still intact. The lava flows spread out in all directions which covered twenty square kilometers which makes it the second largest volcanic field here in New Zealand, just after Rangitoto.

But One Tree Hill, also known in Maori as Maungakieke, is not just about awesome, fiery destruction. It is also a sacred place for both Maori and Pakeha New Zealanders. The volcano and its surrounding area were home to the 5000 members of the Te Wai o Hua tribe in the early 1700s. Many other Maori tribes from the Auckland area can trace their histories back to this incredible mountain. With the volcanic soil being extremely fertile, the tribes were able to cultivate crops easily and many battles were fought nearby.

It’s Time to Talk about the Tree

Gather ‘round children, here’s a little story about some very important trees:

The soil of this hill/mountain/volcano is fertile not only to crops and grass but to politics. Once upon a time, when Auckland was a quaint colonial town, there lived a tree, a Pohutukawa, on the summit of this hill. In an act of vandalism (or the result of needing some firewood), the tree was cut down in 1852. In the 1870s a pine tree was planted to replace the fallen tree. Apparently John Logan Campbell tried to grow different native trees on the summit but none survived. Two pines made it until 1960 when one was again chopped down in either an attack or for firewood.

And this is where things get real:

In 1994, on the anniversary of the 1835 Declaration of Independence, the remaining tree was attacked with chainsaws by Māori activists who wanted to draw attention to the injustices they believed the Maori had suffered at the hand of the New Zealand government. A second attack in 2000 left the tree in such a precarious state that it was removed because of safety concerns. While One Tree Hill became “None Tree Hill” there are plans to plant pohutukawa and totara trees at the summit once the treaty claims are settled.

What Does One Do On a Hill?

One Tree Hill’s massive domain spreads out over 118 acres and adjoins Cornwall Park which was designed by Austin Strong, the landscape architect who used the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco as his muse. Together they create a magnificent 540 acres of lush, green space in the heart of Auckland. A popular spot for locals and tourists, there’s much more to see than just grass…

Obelisk Time: A memorial obelisk for Maori can be found at the top of the hill marking John Logan Campbell’s grave (he’s the dude that donated the land for Cornwall Park). Campbell had thought that Māori would gradually “die out” and wanted an impressive memorial to perpetuate their memory.Thankfully, he was wrong, but his memorial was seen as offensive and many Maori objected to its construction.

Starry, starry night: The Stardome Observatory is conveniently located within One Tree Hill Domain, and contains two state of the art telescopes and an impressive planetarium. Head up there in the evening to check out the stars and possibly find and name some asteroids yourself!

Acacia Cottage: One of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in New Zealand, the Acacia Cottage was built in 1841 and holds a lot of history for New Zealanders. It’s worth checking out if you’re into that kind of thing! Pack a picnic and make a day of it as the surroundings are perfect for having a feed and a nap on a hot summer’s day.

In addition to these nifty historical/educational and memorial spots there are a ton of things to do around One Tree Hill. There are heaps of walking and cycling trails where you can wander the vast green for hours. Once you’ve worked up your appetite you can head over to the free barbeques and grill away to your cholesterol’s delight. Drinking fountains are strategically placed, so don’t worry if you’ve forgotten the beers, er, drink bottles. Once you’ve digested, take a spin on the Flying Fox and take another walk around the olive groves and the majestic kauri plantation. If you’ve got kids, I feel for you. Just kidding! This place is great for your spawn, equipped with said Flying Fox (if you can get the teenagers off it) and an awesome playground complete with a skate park. And no peeing on the green please, there are clean toilets near the picnic area.

So there you have it, a hill with a lot to offer from history to nature and everything in between. Now all you need to do is register with us for your free rental car to get you there!

The Wonders of Rangitoto

Rangitoto is a magical island that has it all! It is the perfect place to go this summer because it has something for everyone to enjoy! Swimaholics will get their fill from diving and snorkelling, and mellow strollers will enjoy leisurely forest walks. The island has great stories about its origins and history; from fascinating geological sights to fantastic local myths, from historical war defence buildings to adventurous shipwrecks. The island is home to so much fun and adventure!

Rangitoto is the youngest of all the volcanoes in the Auckland volcanic field, and is only 600 years old; which makes it a geological dream to visit. Lava tubes have formed cave-like tunnels which you can explore. Handy Tip #1: take torches. There is also a lot of basalt to look at, as well as lava flows and fields to fill your geological needs. The coolest of all is that they have found human footprints that have been imprinted between layers of ash, during periods when eruptions paused.

Although we know the island formed through awe-inspiring volcanic processes, the Maori have a much more interesting (even more interesting than lava) idea of how Rangitoto formed. According to Maori legends, a giant couple once lived on a tall mountain. The pair were ‘tupua’ (meaning demon, but not demonic per se), and children of the Fire Gods. The couple started bickering, and in the ensuing argument did not notice that their fire had burned down and gone out. Enraged at their loss of flame, they cursed Mahuika, the fire goddess. Mahuika was greatly displeased at the unfair cursing and asked Mataoho, the god of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, to teach the couple a lesson. In response, Mataoho caused a mighty eruption that destroyed the couple’s home, with such force that a hole was ripped out of the land and Lake Pupuke was formed. The couple were left stranded, imprisoned on a mountain peak out to sea, unable to return to the mainland. This peak was Rangitoto and legend has it that the mist that often surrounds the island is the tears of the couple, mourning for their lost home. The name (which means Bloody Sky) has nothing to do with the islands hot heated nature, but is actually a shortened version of the name Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua which means ‘The day of the bleeding of Tama-te kapua’. Tama-te Kapua was a Maori captain who was viciously wounded on the island, and the bleeding skies refers to his blood, not the volcanoes lava bombs.

The island is home to many astounding sites, sure to delight any adventurous souls. A multitude of shipwrecks can be seen at Wreck Bay, in the north of the island. The bay is home to at least thirteen ships, most of which were purposefully wrecked in this ship graveyard. Sadly, there is no evidence to suggest the wrecks were caused by an epic pirate battle. But for pirate lovers young and old, who want to use their imagination, some wrecks can be seen at low tide and surely have the ghosts of pirate captains still aboard. To see the rest of the sunken treasures, you will need to don some scuba gear and snorkelling equipment. The area has great marine life, so shipwrecks aside, the bay makes an awesome dive spot. There are other great spots for swimming and snorkelling all over the island, so be sure to take your togs.

The island is home to a number of military buildings that were constructed during World War 2 to house US troops, store mines and be a part of the Auckland Harbour Defences. The best of these buildings to remain is the popular Fire Command Post which is well worth a visit, and great game of spying for enemy ships! Guns at the ready!

Rangitoto has a lot of extraordinary flora and fauna, with lovely kidney fern groves and the largest forest of pohutakawa in the world to stroll through. There is also a wide variety of wildlife and birds, such as bellbirds to see. With many lovely long and short walks and stunning wildlife, make sure you do at least one saunter about the island. There is a great walk to the summit that takes two hours (one hour there, one hour back) from the wharf, as well as a number of coastal walks and forest hikes. Pick a length of time you want to walk and you’re sure to find something to suit you.

The island has only recently become pest free, it is now safe from rats, mice, possums, feral cats and other harmful pests. This has led to the re-introduction of many species, so it is vital the island remains pest free. So carefully check everything you take before you get to the island for pests.

With all these exciting activities to experience on the island, it is sure to be a great trip for all!Transfercar can help you get to Auckland and to all the exciting things you can do there, including exploring the wonders of Rangitoto! Check out our deals on vehicle relocations and find something to ensure you get your wonderful trip out to the island!