Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MAP
(
www.redwoods.co.nz
;
Long Mile Rd, off Tarawera Rd; 5.30am-8.30pm)
This magical forest
park is 3km southeast of town on Tarawera Rd. It was originally home to over 170 tree
species (a few less now), planted from 1899 to see which could be grown successfully for
timber. Radiata pine proved a hit (as evident throughout NZ), but it's the mighty Califor-
nian redwoods that give the park its grandeur today.
Clearly signposted walking tracks range from a half-hour wander through the Redwood
Grove to an enjoyable whole-day route to the Blue and Green Lakes. Most walks start
from the
Redwoods Gift Shop & Visitor Centre
MAP
(
07-350 0110;
www.redwoods.co.nz
;
Long Mile Rd,
off Tarawera Rd; 8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun Oct-Mar, 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm
Sat & Sun Apr-Sep)
, where you can get maps and view displays about the forest. Aside from
walking, the park is great for picnics and acclaimed for its accessible
mountain biking
.
Mountain Bike Rotorua (
Click here
)
and Planet Bike (
Click here
)
offer bike hire, across
the park off Waipa State Mill Rd.
Buried Village
MAP
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE, MUSEUM
( 07-362 8287;
www.buriedvillage.co.nz
;
1180 Tarawera Rd; adult/child/family $35/10/66; 9am-5pm Nov-Mar,
to 4.30pm Apr-Oct)
Fifteen kilometres from Rotorua on Tarawera Rd, beyond the pretty Blue
and Green Lakes, is the buried village of Te Wairoa, interred by the eruption of Mt
Tarawera in 1886. Te Wairoa was the staging post for travellers coming to see the Pink
and White Terraces. Today a museum houses objects dug from the ruins, and guides in
period costume escort groups through the excavated sites. There's also a walk to the 30m
Te Wairoa Falls
and a teahouse if you're feeling more sedate.
Lake Tarawera
(
www.doc.govt.nz
;
Tarawera Rd)
Tarawera means 'Burnt Spear', named by a visiting hunter who
left his bird spears in a hut and on returning the following season found both the spears
and hut had been burnt. The lake is picturesque and good for swimming, fishing, cruises
and walks.
A good place to access the lake is at the
Landing
, about 2km past the Buried Village.
cruise vessel/self-drive runabout $550/140)
, which runs scenic cruises and self-drive boat options
aboard a variety of vessels. Also here is the
Landing Café
(
www.thelandinglaketarawera.co.nz
;
mains
LAKE
