Is 4 nights too much for sightseeing in this area?

I suppose it really depends on how much time you have for your trip. We had a month in NZ, and felt we could only stay 2 nights in Rotorura. This suited us, but we did not see too much of Lake Taupo, only what we saw from the car as we were heading to Wellington. But we saw what we wanted to see in Rotorua.

Oh but we did stop in the town of Taupo and had the most delicious twist bread at the Bakers Delight. Worth the stop!

How long will you be in New Zealand, and what do you plan to do in that area?

We did the things we really wanted to do in that area, but we only had 10 days to see the North Island.

Lee Ann

It's definitely not too much time - you could easily spend a week in the area, but it depends on how much time you have for other areas.

Don't miss the Huka Falls just north of Taupo and take a hour or so and wander through Kairau Park in Rotorua. Also, ask some Rotorua locals for directions to one of the natural hot streams in the area, where you can swim - as long as you keep your head above the water. There is a nice one between Rotorua and Taupo surrounded by bush and it has a nice waterfall. Better still - all these are free.

My time in the north island will be 4 or 5 nights maximum. I was thinking of 2 days in napier and 2 days in rotorua

We spent about a day in Rotorua, arriving in the afternoon and leaving the next day in the late morning. We went to the Mai Ora concert and hangi in the evening, spent the next morning looking around and visiting St. Faith's Anglican Church in Ohinemutu, then drove south.

Lee Ann