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Driving Auckland to Paihia

Caversham, United...
77 posts
4 helpful votes
Driving Auckland to Paihia

My Wife and I will be visiting New Zealand in 2 weeks and was wondering if I can get some advice? I suffer from vertigo so I really struggle to drive where there are sudden drops. My wife is ok with this so is there anywhere along this route she should drive or I should be concerned about? I'm ok with covered heights, but open freaks me out.

1 reply
Rarotonga, Cook...
Destination Expert
for Rarotonga, Waiheke Island, Southern Cook Islands, Auckland Central, New Zealand, North Island, Cook Islands
29,456 posts
82 helpful votes
1. Re: Driving Auckland to Paihia

Hi Shanewillo1,

There are a couple of ridges where the side of the road drops off into steep gullies.

Firstly Windy ridge is steep on the southern side, but a far more gentle and longer slope on its Pohuehue Viaduct northern side. This part of SH1 is north of Puhoi and before you reach Warkworth.

Second steep and winding hill is the Brynderwyn's with its steep dropoffs on the south of the summit and a far longer and newly built northern realignment.

Waiomio isn't the same windy bit it used to be, with its realignment completed some years back.

Keep looking ahead of you, and not to the left side of the road which will help. And have some barley sugar in your car to give you an energy boost, or sip on cold water.

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