🏁 Tarawera Ultra-Trail + Run Rotorua, Taupō & Bay of Islands (Trip dates: 1- 8th Feb '26)

🏁 Tarawera Ultra-Trail + Run Rotorua, Taupō & Bay of Islands (Trip dates: 1- 8th Feb '26)
🏁 Tarawera Ultra-Trail + Run Rotorua, Taupō & Bay of Islands (Trip dates: 1- 8th Feb '26)
🏁 Tarawera Ultra-Trail + Run Rotorua, Taupō & Bay of Islands (Trip dates: 1- 8th Feb '26)

Experience Summary

Location: Rotorua, Taupō, Tongariro, Bay of Islands
Recommended Ages: 16+
Passion Categories: Running / Nature / Wine / Beach
Trip type: Self-guided road-trip (Sign-up for group tour dates)

This unforgettable campervan journey is built around the Tarawera Ultra-Trail, New Zealand’s most celebrated trail race, set in the geothermal heart of the North Island. Prepare with warm-up runs through Rotorua’s redwoods, Taupō’s lakefront trails, and the dramatic ridgelines of Tongariro National Park. After race day, head north to unwind in the Bay of Islands, where quiet beaches, coastal paths, and ocean swims offer the perfect contrast to the effort of race week.

Trip Highlights

  • Run through ancient redwoods, beside volcanic lakes, and across active mountain ridges.
  • Warm-up with scenic runs in Rotorua, Taupō, and the lower slopes of Tongariro.
  • Travel by campervan through New Zealand’s ever-changing North Island landscapes.
  • Recover post-race with swims, sunsets, and slow mornings in the subtropical Bay of Islands.

Why Run New Zealand ‘With-a-Camper’?

🚐 Run More, Pack Less
Explore forests, lakes, and coastlines without unpacking and repacking — your van is your mobile basecamp.

🏃 A Basecamp for Every Run
Start each trail at your doorstep. With your own fridge, shower, and bed, recovery is always close by.

🌿 Freedom & Discovery
Stay in forest parks, beside hot springs, or at quiet beaches. Every night brings a new view.

🔥 Wild Beauty, Effortlessly Accessed
Combine the challenge of a world-class ultra with the ease and flexibility of vanlife — no transfers, no stress.

Featured Trip Highlight

The Tarawera Ultra-Trail (part of the UTMB World Series) offers distances from 14K to 100 miles through spectacular forests, lakes, and waterfalls in the Rotorua region. The event is welcoming to all levels of runners and is known for its community energy, Māori cultural presence, and logistical ease — including parking, shuttles, and campervan access.

Booking this Trip – Self Guided

  1. Book your campervan rental from Auckland or Rotorua — from €110/night
  2. Register for your distance: 21K, 50K, 102K or 100-Mile at taraweraultra.co.nz
  3. Once your camper is confirmed, we’ll send curated warm-up run suggestions and route planning support
  4. Add hotel nights in Rotorua or the Bay of Islands for extra comfort at either end of your trip

See options for your dates here ⇾⇾⇾

Additional Booking Options

🏃 Guided Training Run
Start your trip by running your first warm-up trail run with a local coach. Get trail-running tips, insider knowledge, and optional follow-up support during your journey.

👥 Join a Group
Travel in convoy with other campervans for a trip that’s as much about the people as the places. Share the runs, cook together, swap stories under the stars, and build new friendships along the way — all while exploring spectacular routes side by side.

🏆 Running Club Challenge
Multiple clubs take on the same itinerary, turning each run into a friendly competition. Times are tallied over the week for bragging rights and shared celebration at the finish.

✉️  Interested to know more? Email hello@with-a-camper.com

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Why 'With a camper'?

Every experience tailored to a campervan

As campervan travelers ourselves, we understand both the delights of traveling in a motorhome and well as the smaller details (such as parking) which make it harder.

We use this knowledge to curate and design the very best experiences for you and your campervan.

Remarkable experiences you will remember

Our curated experiences are hand-picked to make your trip special. Whether it is an experience that is iconic to the destination, an inspiring place to take part in a certain activity or a visit to one of the best local restaurants, our goal is to introduce you to the experiences that you will want to write home about.

Something for every passion

We believe that campervan travel is a fantastic way to enjoy your passions.

Whether your interest hiking, cooking, architecture or to enjoy a great party we have a range of great campervan experiences to get you out traveling.

Book an individual experience or the whole trip

Our experiences come in a range of shapes and sizes. So whether you want to add an individual activity to your existing itinerary or you are looking for an end-to-end trip then we have choices for you.

Travel with your own camper or let us help you find the perfect rental

Our experiences are designed for anyone traveling in a campervan. For travelers without their van we offer various 'campervan included trips' but also the opportunity to book a van from one of our preferred van rental partners.