Taranaki Falls, TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK

Taranaki Falls are located in the heart of Tongariro National Park, which interestingly became New Zealand’s first National Park in 1887! Tongariro National Park is also recognised as one of 28 World Heritage Sites, due to its cultural and spiritual importance to Maori (as well as the geological significance of the volcanic structures found there) […]

Cave Beach, TARANAKI

 Cave Beach is a section of the larger Waipipi Beach, literally meaning stream-pipi (a small, edible clam you can find by digging your toes into the sand). We didn’t go pipi hunting, but is definitely  on the list of Taranaki activities for the next time we are in the area! To get there you travel to […]

Herepai Hut-TARARUA FOREST

Location: Tararua Forest Park Time: Overnight, 2.5 hours each way Difficulty: Medium (Clear track with route markers, steep in parts, Hiking Boots) Herepai Hut is accessed from the end of Putara Road, a 25 minute drive from Eketahuna (which is a cute little rural town in the Manawatu Region. It’s claim to fame is the giant […]

Rangiwahia Hut, RUAHINE FOREST

Location: Ruahine Forest Park, Manawatu Region Time: Overnight. 2 hours up, 1 hour return Difficulty: Easy (Clear track. Running Shoes)

The Routeburn. A day walk?

So kids, here’s a little story. Mike once said he really wanted to walk the Routeburn. “Great” I thought “we can do that.” I’d done the Routeburn before, camping along the way because me and my student buddies didn’t want to pay the $50/night to sleep in the huts. Then he added: “In a day” […]

Zeke’s Hut Track, HIHITAHI FOREST