Quattro giorni possono passare dal piccolo centro di Wellington alla regione vinicola di Wairarapa e alla costa selvaggia di Cape Palliser. Le distanze sono moderate, ma il vento e la strada Remutaka determinano quanto si sentiranno rilassati.
Attraversa la catena montuosa Remutaka
Lascia Wellington dopo il picco dei pendolari e prendi la State Highway 2 verso Featherston. Il forte vento, la pioggia e il traffico possono rendere faticosa la traversata in un camper con i bordi alti, quindi rallenta o ritarda piuttosto che combattere con il veicolo.
Martinborough e Greytown costituiscono basi pratiche con cibo, siti alimentati e brevi spostamenti locali. Se il vino fa parte della giornata, cammina, pedala con attenzione o fai un tour invece di spostare il veicolo.
Giornata di Capo Palliser
La strada oltre il lago Ferry si restringe e corre vicino al mare prima di Capo Palliser. Controlla il moto ondoso, il vento e le recenti condizioni stradali, quindi lascia abbastanza luce del giorno per il ritorno.
Mantieni la distanza dalle foche e non bloccare mai la strada o l'accesso in barca intorno a Ngawi. Le scale del faro sono ripide e la costa offre poco riparo quando arriva il sud.
Ritorno attraverso le città
Sfrutta l'ultima mattinata per visitare le città più piccole di Wairarapa o per una passeggiata nelle zone umide, quindi attraversa la catena montuosa prima che la stanchezza e il traffico serale si combinino.
Un parco vacanze nella zona di Wellington può essere l'ultima notte più intelligente prima del traghetto. Offre lavanderia, energia elettrica e una partenza prevedibile senza aggiungere il problema del parcheggio nel centro città.
The Rimutaka Hill Road sets the tone
The road between Upper Hutt and Featherston climbs steeply with tight corners and is exposed to the wind that Wellington is known for. It is fine in a car and demands real attention in a campervan or with a trailer, particularly in a northerly.
Check the road status before crossing, because it closes to high-sided vehicles in strong wind and occasionally altogether. The alternative routes are long, so a closure changes the whole day rather than adding twenty minutes.
Cape Palliser is the best day on the loop
The drive out past Ngawi to the lighthouse takes you along an exposed coast lined with bulldozers used to launch fishing boats, past the largest fur seal colony on the North Island, to 250 steps up to the lighthouse. It feels considerably more remote than its distance from Wellington.
Keep well back from the seals, particularly between pups and the water, and never get between an animal and its escape route to the sea. They move faster than they look and will defend the space.
Martinborough works on a bicycle
The wineries sit in a compact grid within easy riding distance of the village square, which makes cycling between them the standard and sensible way to do a tasting day. Bike hire is available in the village and removes the drink-driving question entirely.
Book a table for lunch somewhere in advance on a weekend, because the village is small and fills. Most cellar doors charge a tasting fee that is credited against a purchase.
Wellington itself needs a plan for the vehicle
Parking a campervan in central Wellington is difficult and expensive, and the height restrictions catch people out in the central car parks. Base yourself in the Hutt Valley or at a coastal campground and use the train or bus into the city.
Te Papa is free and genuinely world class, and the cable car and Zealandia are both worth a half day. None of that requires the van to be anywhere near the centre.
Putangirua Pinnacles and the coast road
The Pinnacles are a badlands formation of eroded gravel spires reached by a walk up a streambed, and they were used as the Paths of the Dead in the film trilogy. The valley route is a scramble over loose rock; the ridge track above gives the overview and takes longer.
The road out to Cape Palliser beyond the Pinnacles is unsealed in places and can be affected by slips and by the sea in a big swell. Check conditions before committing, particularly in a large vehicle, because turning around is difficult.
Ngawi, the fishing village with a line of bulldozers on the beach, is the most photographed part of this coast and a good place to stop. There are no services beyond it, so fuel and food come from Martinborough or Featherston.
Zealandia and the city wildlife
Zealandia is a fenced urban sanctuary where kaka, takahe, tuatara and tui are common and visible, and the night tour offers a realistic chance of seeing kiwi close to the city centre.
It books out, particularly the night tour, and it is a much better wildlife experience than most people expect from something inside a capital city.
Luoghi lungo il percorso
Portalo in viaggio
Salva le fermate. Pianifica l'intero viaggio.
Costruisci un percorso ordinato partendo dai luoghi salvati, calcola la distanza e mantieni allegate date, note e cose da fare.