Senior travel: Auckland
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 1 stop a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 124 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Sky TowerThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 60 min
- Viaduct HarbourThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 60 min
- Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 90 min
- Mount Eden (Maungawhau)The guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 90 min
- Auckland War Memorial MuseumThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 150 min
- DevonportThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 180 min
- Rangitoto IslandThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 240 min
Getting around in Auckland
The waterfront, Britomart and Commercial Bay are flat and step-free. The CBD itself is hilly with steep streets in places, and many of the volcanic-cone viewpoints (Mount Eden, One Tree Hill) require walking the final stretch, since vehicle access to several summits is closed.
- Footpaths:
- Generally good pavements in the CBD and waterfront; steep gradients on some CBD streets.
- Public transport:
- Buses and trains are largely low-floor and accessible; ferries vary by vessel — check with the operator for wheelchair access.
- Volcanic cones:
- Summit paths are unpaved and steep; vehicle access to the top is closed at several cones (Mount Eden, One Tree Hill) for conservation reasons.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets in malls, the museum, the Ferry Building and larger hotels.
Medicines and health on the ground
The New Zealand guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.