Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
October-May is the best time for
walking in New Zealand. For details
of itineraries for all the trails
listed here, as well as relevant
visitor centres, huts, campsites and
directions to the trailheads, see
W www.doc.govt.nz. For more info on
walking in New Zealand see W www.
tramper.co.nz.
at the northern end of a wide,
flat expanse of windswept sand
that is the starting point of a
relatively comfortable - and
uncrowded - hike around the
headland of the northern tip of
New Zealand. The walk begins
at the impressive dunes of Te
Paki Stream and heads northwards along 41km
of coastline, stopping off at some beautifully
sited campgrounds overlooking the sea. The
walk ends at Cape Reinga where the Tasman
Sea and Pacific Ocean collide in a froth of foam.
According to Maori legend, it is here that spirits
depart to the next life. However, you might
prefer to pitch
your tent at the
DOC campsite in
the manuka woods
and go for a swim
in the usually
deserted 7km
sweep of Spirits
Bay and feel very
much alive.
485 whirinaki forest park, central
north island
A feature of New Zealand's walks is its ancient
forests, and there are few finer examples of
this than the Whirinaki Forest Park and the
adjacent Te Urewera National Park, the largest
single block of native forest in New Zealand's
North Island. Maori-owned Te Urewera Treks
( W www.teureweratreks.co.nz; T +64 7366 6055)
specializes in walks (1-3 days) to both areas
under the guiding eye of Joe Doherty, of local
Ngai Tuhoe descent, who shows guests how the
Maori use native plants for medicine and food,
and gives lessons on the local history and Maori
legends.
Top: Crossing the stream in
the Whirinaki Forest North
Island; Bottom: The Tasman
Sea meets the Pacific Ocean at
Cape Reinga
486 Mount Taranaki, new plymouth
Egmont National Park on the west coast of the
North Island is about as off-the-beaten-track
as it gets in New Zealand, and there are some
wonderful treks in this often overlooked park.
Pride of place is Mount Taranaki, a dormant
volcano and the site of several walks through
alpine and bush in altitudes ranging from
500m to 1500m. The five-day
lower-level circuit is the easier
option, though from December
to February the snow melts
enough for hikers to loop off
the main track and do the more
challenging high-level route that
heads up the slopes. Those who
want a quick mountain fix can
walk directly up to the summit
and down again in a day - it's a
strenuous trek but well worth
it for the wonderful views of
the Tasman Sea and Tongariro
mountains.
487 cape reinga walk,
far north
“Ninety Mile Beach” might not
sound like an easy walk to do
in three days, but fear not, it is
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