Corbett and Claudia Schollmeyer travelled from Bismarck, North Dakota to New Zealand to begin a four-month escape from the northern winter. Their journey started with a bespoke North Island New Zealand road trip, privately guided and carefully paced, beginning in Auckland and winding through the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Tongariro National Park and the lower North Island.
This custom New Zealand itinerary blended coastal scenery, geothermal landscapes, Māori culture, food and wine experiences, and relaxed moments, allowing them to experience the North Island in a way that felt personal, flexible, and unhurried.
Corbett and Claudia spent their first day familiarising themselves with Auckland City. They had hoped to walk up Mt Eden, a volcanic crater, but the weather had other ideas. They dodged the rain showers by taking shelter at the Good Home bar, with the consolation prize being their first taste of New Zealand beer.
Their guide, Constance, collected them the following morning and took them on a short tiki tour to Auckland Domain and Bastion Point for views over the city and the Waitematā Harbour before whisking them out of town.
It was a stunning day for the drive along the Thames Coast. Native pōhutukawa trees were looking especially festive, with dark green leaves and bright red flowers blooming just in time for Christmas.
After a seafood lunch of mussels and oysters at the Coromandel Oyster Company, it was time to head into town for the Driving Creek Railway experience. This unique and quirky train journey showcases the work of potter Barry Brickell and winds through regenerating native forest with wonderful views over the Coromandel Peninsula.
Overnighting in the coastal town of Whitianga, the “Three C’s” were up early to take advantage of the low tide at Hot Water Beach. Constance had organised beach towels and shovels so they could dig their own hot pool in the sand.
Teaming up with two other couples, one Dutch and the other Indian, it was not long before everyone was enjoying the fruits of their labour, soaking in the very hot water of the underground spring.
Eventually they relinquished their pool to others and set off to explore more of the Coromandel Peninsula, visiting Hahei and Cathedral Cove, and Cooks Beach, an historic site where Captain Cook observed the Transit of Mercury.
They checked out the views from Shakespeare Cliff and visited Ferry Landing before stopping for lunch at Eggscentric Café in Flaxmill Bay. The afternoon continued with wine tastings at Mercury Bay Estate and Purangi Winery.
The couple considered a glass bottom boat tour to Cathedral Cove, but with the weather closing in, they opted instead for a relaxing ninety minute couples Thai massage.
Due to inclement weather, their kayak trip to Donut Island in Whangamatā the following day was cancelled. Rather than letting this dampen their spirits, Constance took them on a magical mystery tour through the region.
They visited a historic gold mine in Waihi, walked through the Karangahake Gorge, enjoyed a gin tasting at Kaimai Distillery, posed with the giant L and P bottle in Paeroa, and stopped in Te Aroha, often referred to as the “love” town.
The day culminated with a soak in the mineral pools at Polynesian Spa in Rotorua, although it had to be cut short after a dramatic thunderstorm rolled through, bringing more than one thousand lightning strikes.
The following day dawned bright and clear, just in time for their Pepeha Journey with Luke. This experience offered a gentle and meaningful introduction to Māori culture, history and storytelling.
Corbett and Claudia spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Rotorua at their own pace, enjoying some retail therapy before heading out for their twilight glow worm kayaking experience with Taiao Adventures, which they could not recommend highly enough.
On the outskirts of Rotorua, they visited Waimangu Volcanic Valley, walking through the geothermal landscape before taking a boat cruise on Lake Rotomahana. Along the way they learned about the eruption of Mount Tarawera and the loss of the Pink and White Terraces, once known as the eighth wonder of the world.
The “Three C’s” then headed to Taupō for a picnic lunch, followed by a visit to the powerful Huka Falls and a cheeky tasting of mead at the Huka Honey Hive.
From there it was on to Tongariro National Park, where luck was on their side and all three volcanic mountains revealed themselves in clear conditions. A short walk to Tawhai Falls, also known as Gollum’s Pool, rounded out the day before settling in at the Powderhorn Château in Ohakune.
It was an early start the next morning as Corbett and Claudia made their way toward Lower Hutt, where they would spend several days reconnecting with friends they had not seen in seventeen years.
Along the way they visited the three well known roadside “giants”, the carrot in Ohakune, the gumboot in Taihape, and the bull in Bulls. They also learned about the Tangiwai rail disaster and New Zealand’s military history at the Waiouru Army Museum, before a final stop at the Foxton windmill and farewelling Constance.
While their time with Constance wrapped up in the lower North Island, Corbett and Claudia’s New Zealand road trip was far from over. They were scheduled to fly south to Queenstown to continue their adventure and celebrate Corbett’s birthday, with jet boating, fishing and cycling the Dunstan Trail all planned.
This journey is a great example of how a bespoke New Zealand tour can be shaped around seasons, interests and pace. Every itinerary starts as a draft and evolves as ideas, weather and opportunities change. Thoughtful custom planning takes time, so it is always helpful for travellers to keep us in the loop, even if plans shift or travel is postponed. We are always happy to refine and adjust each journey to ensure it unfolds in the best possible way.
