Auckland to Rotorua is about 3 hours car ride. When I was in Auckland, I stayed in Nomads Kiwi Paka with 20 beds in a room and I was the only guest in that room. Maybe I should not call “beds” as it was rows of mattresses on the floor.

I visited the the Te Puia to see bubbling mud pools. I also visited a Maori village and experienced the culture differences. I went to a farm, watched the sheep show and fed the animals.