With a few days spare we make a move up to East Cape - one of the more remote areas in the North Island - for an epic adventure up Old Motu Road before heading out to East Cape. Mint beaches and awesome views await.
Out the back of Motu village, this gravel road follows the old Motu rally stage as it winds through the hills. The high points serve up big views over the back country, and it all feels pleasantly isolated. Normally an easy, well-graded drive that most vehicles can handle.
Plenty of spots to pull over and boil the jug, and lots of side tracks to poke around if you've got time. The detour up to Motu Falls is worth it, and there's a good picnic spot by the school in the village.
There's a ford to cross that can run fast and deep after rain, so take care once the weather's been through. The southern half is popular with cyclists, and you might meet stock trucks coming round the corners, so drive accordingly. No cell reception out here, so carry maps and come prepared.
Built in 1952 after the Motu River was floated as a hydro dam site, this old road runs into the Raukumara Ranges. From the campsite you ford the Motu River and follow the road as it climbs to around 960 m, traces the ridgeline, then drops steeply back towards the river.
It's a scenic, rocky climb with sweeping views over the valley and plenty of birdsong. The whole thing is heavily overgrown with gorse, vines and low-hanging trees, so expect bush rash and take real care if you're running a rooftop tent or awning. Much of it has the feel of a narrow quad-bike track, with a few genuine challenges along the way, including a notable section right at the bottom.
Come well prepared with a chainsaw and recovery gear like a winch. Worth knowing a large slip around the 16 km mark, three-quarters of the way in, has long blocked the full route, so don't count on getting all the way through to the river. Note we only covered about half the road, and the grade is based on what we drove.
A remote campsite at Whitikau entrance to Raukumara Conservation Park.
Fifteen kilometres east of the junction at Te Araroa in the eastern Bay of Plenty, this campsite is reached by a partly sealed and gravel road. It sits on an open rolling paddock on a rise beside the ocean, a large, exposed farm area on the East Cape coast with plenty of space to park up right on the beach. You'll fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves.
The setting is open and exposed, so expect wind, and there's a bit of a slope that tenters should keep in mind. A long drop toilet is onsite, along with a small alcove housing an honesty box (around $15 per person). There's no power, so it suits self-contained campers, and no fires are allowed.
Don't be surprised if horses wander up close from the beach. It makes a great stopover for those wanting to be near the East Cape lighthouse, just 5 km away. This is back-country coastal camping at its best.
Out at the easternmost point of the main islands, this gravel road runs to the East Cape Lighthouse. It's a well-maintained mix of gravel and tar-seal, cruisy to drive, with plenty of rugged coastal scenery as you head out to the very edge of the country.
The route winds through remote farming land, so keep an eye out for cattle and horses wandering across the road. No real difficulty to it, just a steady run out to the coast.
At road's end there's a steep walk up the hill to the lighthouse itself, where the views over the coast and out to sea make the climb worth it. A genuinely special corner of the country to get to.