As
Lemuas has said, it's about a 3 hour drive - in fact did it last weekend except in reverse.
Travel south from
Auckland staying on highway 1 and it is free way to
Huntley (about 60 minutes from AKL), a small coal town on the banks of the Waikato River. There is a large (in NZ standards) power station across the river that offers some good photo opportunities when lit up.
30 minutes further south will have you in
Hamilton. Hamilton is full of botanical gardens and parks, and well worth a stop there for coffee and a wander if you have time.
From
Hamilton, following the signs south will have you driving along the edge of the Waikato River for quite a way - there are many hydro dams / power stations and there is some beautiful scenery along there. You will come to a small farming town called
Tirau, where you can make a choice - follow the direct route to
Rotorua (its a turn left and well sign posted) or add an additional 2 hours to your drive and track south to
Taupo, before pointing North East and heading back to
Rotorua. If you have not been to NZ before - highly recommended. You will again follow the river most of its way to its source, however, you will pass through
Tokoroa -a timber town and steeped in history, then past a number of hydro dams until you reach
Wairaki, a geothermal hotspot. There's a prawn farm there worth a visit. 10 minutes further you have reached
Taupo, a huge body of water with snow capped mountains 75km away at the lakes southern end. In total, you would have driven about 4 hours. At this point,
Rotorua is an easy drive north easy about 45 - 50 minutes.
I would recommend the Rydges as the hotel of choice in Rotorua, and they actually have a very good concierge service to organise day trips and the likes, while not being the most expensive hotel in Rotorua, IMHO the best located and by far the most modern.
For something totally different to do in Rotorua - try going for a swim in Kerosene Creek (link below) - this is a geothermal outlet flowing into a creek out in the bush. It's a 20 minute drive from Rotorua, and amazing. It's not a tourist attraction, rather a "locals" spot. Night time is the best - take a torch, towels and dont put your head under the water.
If you want to mix it up driving back to Rotorua, I would suggest that you leave Rotorua and travel east to
Tauranga, follow the coast road north to Waihi, then through the most lush farming lands you will ever see. This road quality is not as good as the highway 1 road, however, you will get to see some contrasting New Zealand. You can also stop at a number of beaches, the most interesting being Mt Manganui near Tauranga
Auckland Airport to Taupo = 270km (4 hrs)
Taupo to Rotorua = 81km (55 minutes)
Auckland Airport to Rotorua = 222km (3 hrs)
Rotorua to Auckland Airport via Tauranga and coast road = 273km (4 hrs)
Rotorua Accommodation | Rotorua Hotels | Rydges Rotorua New Zealand Hotel
Lake Taupo Nature View 1600x1200 Wallpapers,Lake Taupo 1600x1200 Wallpapers & Pictures Free Download
The Best of Tauranga - Views and Reviews of everything that's great in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty
Kerosene Creek is natural hot water that you can swim in. Take a very short walk from the car park alone a little creek to Kerosene Creek.
