From the glittering skyline of Auckland to the quaint capital of Wellington, across the great plains of Waikato and the expansive farmlands of Manawatu, along river valleys and craggy coastlines, soaring over viaducts and spiraling up historic feats of engineering on an amazing ascent to the volcanic heart of the North Island.

The Northern Explorer train journey follows the historic North Island Main Trunk railway (NIMT). Completed in 1908, the railway was the dream of Julius Vogel, who wanted to connect the North Island interior - and the people who lived there. In an age before roads, the journey from Auckland to Wellington took several days of treacherous sailing around the coast. The railway would enable the journey to take less than a day. But the terrain along the way proved difficult and expensive to build upon. As a result, the NIMT took almost 30 years to complete.

Today, this is an epic journey of engineering marvels, through the full spectrum of New Zealand's stunning scenery and charm.