‘The Ultimate Gravel Rally’
From Rotorua to the East Coast, Hawke’s Bay, the Central Plateau and back again — 1,054 km of special stages through spectacular North Island scenery, harking back to the iconic route of the 1970’s where the likes of Ari Vatanen and Walter Röhrl created history.
Technical, flowing, and wildly scenic. Cost-per-corner heaven.
Rotorua sits in New Zealand’s North Island, around three hours south of Auckland. It’s the geothermal heart of Aotearoa and the start and finish point for the 2026 Silver Fern Rally.
Use the map to get your bearings — especially handy if you’re planning flights, shipping, or a North Island road trip around the rally.
Five ways to tackle New Zealand’s most scenic gravel marathon.
Period-perfect pre-1985 heroes: Escorts, AE86s, Starlets, RX-series, E30s, 911s — and more. The overall winner is crowned from this field.
The same epic route and competition format in a more accessible modern 2WD build.
Audi, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Toyota era — early 4WD icons (no fire-breathing WRCs). Forced Induction cars require a 36 mm restrictor. Includes Class I H6 Specification & Class J Pre 96 Specification.
‘The World’s Longest Precision Driving Test’ — average-speed targets, RallySafe monitoring, and a 130 kph cap. Big experience, big value.
A new way to experience the 2026 Silver Fern route. Final format and eligibility details will be confirmed in the Event Regulations.
Class K. For all two-wheel drive vehicles with AASA safety regulations. Class L. For four-wheel drive vehicles compliant with the 2026 NZ Silver Fern Technical Regulations.
Early starts, full focus, maximum smiles. Tour, rally, refuel (you and the car), banter with crews, wash down, Parc Fermé, prep, repeat. Run with military precision so you spend your time doing what you came for — driving New Zealand’s best gravel.
International competitors are a huge part of the Silver Fern story. Whether you’re shipping a Historic Escort from the UK or a modern 2WD from Australia, we can connect you with trusted shipping partners and help you choose the right division.
Full lists will be confirmed in the published Event Regulations.
Core requirements include:
Lower barrier to entry:
All divisions use RallySafe GPS for accuracy and safety.
Detailed checks occur before competition, with spot-checks during the event.
We’d love to hear from you.
