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North Island
NAPIER - WELLINGTON
NAPIER - WELLINGTON via State Highway 2 (335km/208miles, 5hours)
NAPIER - PALMERSTON NORTH (178km/111miles, 2hours 40mins)
PALMERSTON NORTH - WELLINGTON via State Highway 1 (145km/90miles,
2hours 10mins)
Depart Napier for Wellington.
There are two alternative routes for visitors to chose from.
Option One
In your Budget Campers Motor Home Rentals travel State Highway 2 heads south
through the Wairarapa and arrives into Wellington over the
Rimutaka Hill and through the Hutt Valley. Options include
stopping at the small country towns of Carterton, Greytown,
Featherston and Martinborough in the Wairarapa on the way
through.
Carterton
Carterton is the ideal base for outdoor activities and
excursions to Waiohine Gorge and the Tararua Forest Park. An
additional day in the area would be required to:
- Go rafting, river-bugging,
kayaking, abseiling, rap-jumping and bridge swinging:
venture to the Waiohine Gorge, a beautiful grade 2 river
OR just enjoy the Waiohine river gorge and native forest
area, with the largest swing bridge of its type in New
Zealand. A great place for picnics and bush walks
Greytown
Historic Greytown is New Zealand's first inland town, and has
retained its delightful colonial village character with wooden
Victorian buildings. A leisurely stroll reveals a superb range of
specialty shopping, from antiques to crafts, gift shops and
galleries. Take a break at one of Greytown's cafes and
restaurants.
Featherston
The town is close to Lake Wairarapa, the biggest wetland area
in the lower North Island and a significant area in New Zealand
for native and migratory birds. Stop to visit the:
- Fell Engine Museum,
home to the only fell engine in the world, the sole
survivor of the rolling stock of the Rimutaka Incline,
the only rail route into Wairarapa until 1955. The Museum
also contains an incline brake van, working models and
items of railway memorabilia
- Featherston Heritage
Museum for a commemoration of the Featherston
military camp from World War I and its role as a
Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in World War II
Martinborough
A detour off State Highway 2 to Martinborough in your Budget Camper is worth the effort for the range of vineyards in the
area - there are 26 vineyards in and around Martinborough
village. This area also offers a large amount of Bed &
Breakfast accommodation and self-catering cottages for rent,
ideal for a relaxing night. www.martinborough.com
For more information on the Wairarapa visit www.wairarapanz.com
Option Two
The other route is to turn off at Woodville, onto State
Highway 3 then join State Highway 57 in Palmerston North, then
join State Highway 1 at Levin. Palmerston North is the main
centre of the Manawatu region and visitors may wish to stop in
the town to take in some of the activities and attractions:
- The Victoria Esplanade in
Palmerston North: visit the Esplanade's excellent
rose gardens
- The Science Centre,
Manawatu Museum and Art Gallery: view a range of
interesting exhibitions
Visit one of the nearby
gardens:
- The Herb Farm, Ashhurst:
buy a range of herbal healing products and gifts, and
wander through 1.2 hectares/three acres of themed gardens
on a self-guided or guided tour
- The Fragrant Garden,
Feilding
- Cross Hills Gardens,
Kimbolton: see some extensive plantings of
rhododendrons
- Pukemarama Gardens:
visit this historical garden set in coastal Manawatu - a
classic example of a formal English garden
Travel down through the market
gardens of the Kapiti Coast area and follow the highway down the
coast to Wellington.
Activities in the Kapiti Coast region include:
- Southward Car Museum,
home to 130 vintage cars
- Lindale Tourist Complex,
also home to the famous Kapiti Cheeses and Kapiti olives
- For the adventurous, a Fly
By Wire ride where visitors are the pilot of the
world's first adventure ride offering full pilot control
of a high-speed, tethered plane. Suspension from overhead
wires spanning the valley is the only constraint as
passengers experience the thrill of flying at speeds of
up to 120 km per hour!
- Nga Manu Nature Reserve
For those with additional
time in the Kapiti Coast area:
- Kapiti Island, an
internationally important reserve for some of the world's
most endangered birds. Covered in dense native bush, the
reserve is now free from predators. Bird and plant life
is responding to the opportunity this provides. A
30-minute boat ride takes visitors to this unique Island
for an insight into how New Zealand looked before mankind
arrived.
Visitors must pre-arrange a permit and transport to
the Island from the Kapiti Coast Visitor Information
Centre. Contact the Kapiti Coast Visitor Information
Centre for more information; fax +64 6 364 7630 or
email kapiti.info@clear.net.nz
- A round of golf at
Paraparaumu Beach Golf Coursegolf courses and home to
, one of New Zealand's leading the New Zealand Open
Arrive in Wellington late
afternoon in your Budget Campers Motor Home Rentals, and overnight. Wellington is the
nation's capital and the political headquarters for the country.
It is also home to Te Papa - the interactive Museum of New
Zealand - numerous art galleries and national treasures such as
the original Treaty of Waitangi and Katherine Mansfield's
birthplace. The performing arts, ballet and symphony orchestra
are also based here and a diverse range of cafes and restaurants
supports the city's vibrant nightlife. This is a compact city
nestled between an expansive harbour and bush-clad hills. The
downtown area is ideal for walking around, with all shopping,
cafes, transport, accommodation and the city's attractions within
close proximity
WELLINGTON
Spend the day in New Zealand's capital city.
Suggested activities include:
- Te Papa: New Zealand's
bold and innovative national museum, set on Wellington's
waterfront, provides visitors with a unique insight into
New Zealand and the captivating stories of the land and
its people. www.tepapa.govt.nz
- Parliament Buildings: regular
tours provide an insight into New Zealand's political
heritage. www.parliament.govt.nz
- Museum of Wellington City
and Sea: visitors are told stories of Wellington in
an interactive and entertaining way. www.bondstore.co.nz
- Katherine Mansfield's
birthplace: the childhood home of the famous writer
has been intricately restored according to the
descriptions of the house in her stories
- Old St Paul's Cathedral:
this gothic-style church was built from New Zealand
native timbers
- The Cable Car: ride
from downtown Wellington up to the Botanic Gardens for
sweeping views of the city and harbour
- The Botanic Gardens: wander
through 26 hectares/64 acres of specialist gardens,
native bush and lawn areas, down to historic Thorndon,
New Zealand's oldest suburb
- Capital E: keep the
children amused for hours. www.capitale.org.nz
- Wellington Zoo:
Wellington Zoo has a large and exciting collection of
native and exotic animals including endangered species
such as the Sumatran tiger, chimpanzees, sun bears and
many more! www.wcc.govt.nz/zoo
For those wanting to explore
the city more extensively, Wellington offers:
- The waterfront: walk,
pedal or rollerblade from the city to Oriental Bay. The
energetic can continue up through the green belt to the
summit of Mt Victoria for a 360-degree panorama of
Wellington. Alternatively catch a bus from downtown
Wellington up to the summit
- Scenic helicopter flights:
take in the views of the city and surrounding region
- Guided walking tours:
gain fascinating and quirky insights into the city's
heritage, or pick up a brochure available from a visitor
information centre for self-guided walks, including a
Maori heritage trail
- Harbour cruises: sail
from the city across to Days Bay, home to seaside cafes
and quality craft shops
- Somes/Matiu Island Reserve
in Wellington harbour: visit this former quarantine
and prisoner of war island
- Sea kayaking: paddle
around the picturesque bays of Wellington harbour
- Red Rocks seal colony:
take a 4WD ride on the south coast of the city
- Karori Wildlife Sanctuary:
walk through the long, native green belts on the
hills above the city and hear the birdsong
- Mountain biking:
explore one of Wellington's many tracks
- Quad bike adventures:
ride over farmland, across gullies and along beaches
Overnight in Wellington.
For more information on Wellington visit www.wellingtonnz.com
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