Want to Tour Around Auckland? Rent a Car

Car rental is one of the most important things that one must keep in mind while visiting a metropolitan city like Auckland. By renting a car, tourists can avail a lot of benefits. The benefits include getting deals and discounts on car hiring, being able to tour the city in a relaxed mind and so on.

Renting a car in New Zealand doesn’t cost a hefty fee. Moreover the roads and facilities the metro city offers makes it a peaceful drive around city for the tourists. Experts though recommend buying a car instead of renting one if the trip is more than 8 weeks. But there are factors like paying insurance, keeping an extra week in hand either to buy or sell a car which sometimes becomes a gamble. So it is safe and easy to rent instead of buying one for short term.

There are few rules which the authorities have put down which are to be followed while renting a car. The first rule is that one has to be of 21 yrs. of age in order to be eligible to rent a car. The age bar differs from 18 to 21 yrs. varying from company to company. He or she should hold an international driving license or valid local license. The last but not the least one must be aware of the rules and conditions of driving in New Zealand. However, tourists from European countries and many other nations won’t have a problem as they are used to driving on the road's left side.

There are many car rental companies in Auckland:

Express Car Rentals: 63 The Strand Pamell, Auckland 1010

Apex Auckland Rental Cars: Located 5 mins distance from Auckland CBD.

Europcar Rental: Situated in Auckland Airport.

GO Rental: Situated in Airport.

Avis Auckland City Car Rental: Nelson Street Auckland.

Before hiring a car from any of these car rental companies, keep one thing in mind – their rates. Different companies are going to offer you different rates. Opt for the company that offers the most reasonable amount.

5 Common Car Rental Mistakes and Ways to Avoid Them

Looking for discount car hire in New Zealand can be quite a hassle if you are not aware of the different car rental companies and their associated costs. Although they may present with alluring offers and packages, some of the expenses can be extremely confusing. There are some common mistakes which users often tend to commit while booking a rental car. We shall discuss about what they are and how you can avoid them:

• Purchasing Additional and Unnecessary Insurance – While hiring a car rental, the company may ask you to buy an insurance policy covering any damage that might occur during the rental period. If you already have an auto insurance policy issued, it might cover the collision damage as well as personal responsibility for a rental car. Be sure to check that at the counter of the car rental.
• Hiring Rental Car from Airport – When you rent a car from the airport, you also pay an additional fee as airport surcharge which is included in the overall rental cost. To avoid this, it is better to book a rental car at a place other than the airport.
• Paying For the Gas in Advance – This scheme may look convenient in certain circumstances, like when you have an early morning flight to catch. But when you are prepaying for the gas, remember that you are paying for the full tank, whether you use the entire amount during your rental period or not. Therefore, it is recommended that you fill up the car's tank yourself, because stations with cheap gas prices are always available anyway.
• Extra Charges for GPS or Additional Car Seat – Car rental services often charge extra for essentials such as GPS or child seats. However, these utilities can be expensive because they are charged for on a daily basis. If you are carrying your own portable GPS, you can put it to goods use during your trip or make use of your smartphone for directions. Some airline companies allow passengers to check car seats free of charge, therefore you don't require to pay to your car rental company for one.
• Hasty Inspection – Many people often rush with the inspection of the rental car after booking and just drive away. But it is important to check the car thoroughly before driving away, otherwise you can be fined for damage that you did not cause in the first place. Though car hire companies maintain their fleets fastidiously, chances of a scratch or dent going unnoticed are possible. If you notice even any slight damage during inspection of the car, let the company know about it at once. 

Always make sure you do not make these above-mentioned mistakes during your New Zealand car hire.

10 of New Zealand's most scenic day hikes

New Zealand may be justifiably famous for its Great Walks and other multi-day hiking trails, but don’t break out the cooking stove and sleeping bag just yet. Much of the same wilderness can be explored on day hikes, which means less gear, less effort, and quite possibly more fun.

1. Twilight–Te Werahi Loop

This five-hour loop provides a front-row view of the Far North’s natural drama, starring powerful seas, shifting sands, shapely headlands and ever-changing light. The track (doc.govt.nz) is mostly flat and easy-going, as it meanders between vast beaches and coastal forest. Combine the hike with a pilgrimage to windswept Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua), where the swirling waters of the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet, and Maori spirits are said to depart for the afterlife.

2. Rangitoto Island Loop

Auckland’s youngest but largest volcanic cone was created just 600 years ago in a series of fiery eruptions. It is an elegant island and beloved city icon, reachable via a short ferry ride from downtown Auckland. Hike up the modest summit (250m) for great views of the city, before wandering along the coast where hardy plants pursue their quest to populate the lava fields. Surprisingly, Rangitoto is home to the country’s largest pohutukawa forest.

3. Coromandel Walkway

The remote and rugged tip of the Coromandel Peninsula is well worth the time and effort required to reach it, particularly if you soak up its superlative scenery on the coastal Coromandel Walkway. Linking Stony Bay and Fletcher Bay, the 10km track takes three or four hours, with memorable views over the aptly named Sugar Loaf, Pinnacles and Great Barrier Island. A whole day is required to complete the return hike, or you can arrange shuttle transport with Coromandel Discovery.

4. Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Set amongst volcanic scenery made famous by the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, this crossing (doc.govt.nz) in Tongariro National Park is often lauded as New Zealand’s finest one-day walk and one of the best in the world. It’s no wonder, with its peculiar moonscape graced with steaming vents and springs, vivid lakes and vast ridges. The highly weather-dependent 20km walk takes between six and eight hours, although sure-footed types can add on a side-trip up the near-perfect cone of Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mt Doom).

5. Medlands Beach to Anchorage

This 11km section of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track serves up several stretches of beach paradise, swathed in golden sand and awash with sparkling sea. The easy trail linking them wends through Abel Tasman National Park's lush, ferny coastal forest with lots of lovely lookout points. Getting there involves a super-scenic boat cruise, and you can also combine your walk with a kayak trip. Another appealing option is to linger at idyllic Anchorage and make the side-trip to magical Cleopatra’s Pool.

6. Mt Robert Circuit

If bagging a summit is on your wish-list, this trail in Nelson Lakes National Park is a great place to start. It zigzags up the aptly named Pinchgut Track on to Mt Robert, with beautiful Lake Rotoiti in view for much of the way. If time allows and the weather is kind, the side-trip along Robert Ridge towards Lake Angelus is irresistible, and rewards with expansive mountain vistas into the heart of the park. Amble back down via the gentler Paddy’s Track to complete the four- to five-hour circuit.

7. Sealy Tarns

Home to more than three-quarters of New Zealand’s highest mountains, Aoraki (Mt Cook) National Park’s vertiginous terrain is generally more suited to climbers than hikers. However, a number of trails offer the chance to survey this majestic landscape, all starting from the excellent National Park Visitor Centre. Our pick is Sealy Tarns Track, and although it involves a grunty, two-hour climb, the ever-present views of the Hooker Valley and surrounding peaks should provide ample distractions.

8. Avalanche Peak

This challenging circuit track clambers to the summit of Avalanche Peak (1833m), which looms dramatically over Arthur’s Pass village. Views of the surrounding mountains, valleys and hanging glaciers in Arthur’s Pass National Park may well bring a tear to your eye, although that might just be the near-1100m ascent to the crumbly summit. This summer-only trip takes between six and eight hours, and it isn't for the faint-hearted. The steeper Avalanche Peak Track is the quickest way up, while the descent via Scotts Track is easier on the knees.

9. Charming Creek Walkway

One of the best day-walks on the West Coast, the Charming Creek Walkway (doc.govt.nz) is an all-weather trail following an old coal railway line through the Ngakawau River gorge. Along its length (about six hours return) are rusty relics, tunnels, a suspension bridge, fascinating geological formations, and the mighty Mangatini Falls. The walkway is also an excellent mountain bike ride. Ask locals about transport to avoid retracing your steps.

10. Key Summit

This three-hour return hike (doc.govt.nz) offers a taste of the Routeburn Track, arguably the most scenic of New Zealand’s Great Walks. Starting from the Milford Sound Road, it climbs steadily beyond the bushline, into an alpine wonderland of tarns, sphagnum bogs, stunted beech trees and spiky dracophyllum plants. The summit walkway affords panoramic views of Fiordland National Park's mountains, valleys and waterfalls, and completes the picture with interpretive displays explaining how this spectacular landscape was formed.